In 1966, Plymouth met something daring: the miniskirt. Moral panic it’s not, but these vox pops – culled from a TV report – see the great British public disagree as a model demonstrates the new fashion.
Miniskirts is one of many eye-openers on Textiles on Film, which is itself part of Britain on Film, celebrating UK places that mean the world to you.
1. “Shows too much of the human form”
2. “I like the youngsters with the short dresses, but not quite that short”
3. “They ought to be locked up”
4. “I think it’s a fine idea. It’s healthy, for one thing”
5. “I like to leave a little to the imagination”
6. “I like it on the young lady but I wouldn’t fancy myself in it. I’d look a proper Charlie”
7. “On that young lady it looks lovely. I should imagine it’s rather draughty”
8. “You have to have the knees”
9. “You’ve got to have the legs for it”
10. “If the wife had one we’d be chasing one another round the garden!”
The film and stills on this page are taken from Britain on Film, a digital archive of UK places that mean the world to you. 10,000 film and TV titles from 1895 to now will be digitised and can be watched for free on BFI Player.
Britain on Film is funded by the National Lottery funding and the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.
