This film is part of Free
Who Needs Brown Lisle Stockings?
School uniforms needn't be dull and uncomfortable thanks to man-made, revolutionary thread Crimplene.
Overview
Who said school uniforms should be dull? Thanks to the revolution of man-made, polyester fibres like Crimplene and Bri-Nylon, they can be smart, comfortable and fun to wear too! OK, they're also highly flammable, but at least they're not boring. Designer Jill Morris talks about colours and designing for children, and works with a commendably fashionable headmaster to come up with some rather handsome outfits.
Cotton lisle (a fine, twisted thread used for socks and stockings) has ironically been more enduring than Crimplene, a British-invented synthetic fibre derived from the petroleum industry. ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) followed American Dupont in their discovery of Nylon and in the 1940s perfected a unique thread, which once turned into garments could hold its shape without the need for ironing. Hugely famous in the 1960s, it became a staple for the whole family until slowly falling out of fashion in the 1970s. This might explain why, by 1975, ICI were striving to find new markets for their product, in this instance hailing its merits for children’s school wear.
Related
Caefelin Laundry, Llangollen Caefelin Laundry, Llangollen
Home movie 1937 20 mins Silent Location: Llangollen
Nellie Boote's laundry in Market Street in operation, the women dashing away with all manner of smoothing irons as clothes are sorted, mended, washed, ironed and sorted again.
For Sheer Perfection For Sheer Perfection
Documentary 1965 24 mins Location: Langley Mill
A mile of yarn and a million loops to make one stocking: the culmination of a four hundred year old craft.
Paper Fashion Paper Fashion
News 1967 6 mins Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
Fashion doesnt grow on treesor does it! Tyne Tees TV was bang on-trend with this brilliant news feature on the hip 1960s cult for a disposable age - paper fashion.
Fancy Yarn Production Fancy Yarn Production
Industry sponsored film 1971 23 mins Location: Greengates
Twisted yarns and empty spindles, everything from Bouclé to Slub yarn, from beginning to end, and all, in the end, displayed on a ‘normal’ model in typical 1970s fashion.
Messrs. Barlow and Jones Ltd., Manchester and Bolton Messrs. Barlow and Jones Ltd., Manchester and Bolton
Promotional 1919 19 mins Silent Location: Bolton
From raw resource to finished product, by cleaning and spinning, weaving and bleaching - take a look at the textile industry from the inside.
Winter Fashions have been Modelled in a Park in Exmouth Winter Fashions have been Modelled in a Park in Exmouth
Current affairs 1977 2 mins Silent Location: Exmouth
Wearing Fur gets Hairy
Easter Holiday Troubles Easter Holiday Troubles
Non-Fiction 1968 3 mins Silent Location: Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, Cleethorpes, Skegness and Clacton all feature sunbathing, donkey rides, bank holiday traffic queues and rowdy youths.
Dolphins at Clacton Pier Dolphins at Clacton Pier
Home movie 1974 7 mins Silent Location: Dovercourt
A charming film by amateur filmmaker, Paul Amos recording the visit of a group of children from the Wagtail Club to the Aquarium at Clacton Pier.
Picnic and Pleasure Purstuits Picnic and Pleasure Purstuits
Home movie 1933 4 mins Silent Location: Clacton-On-Sea
Picnicking on the beach, followed by swimming in the sea, donkey rides, more swimming at the lido and finally, horse riding.
Frinton Flyer Frinton Flyer
Amateur film 1970 2 mins Location: Clacton-On-Sea
Ted Hammond, an amateur filmmaker from Essex filmed this travelogue, but it’s not clear whether the car or the driver is the Frinton Flyer!
Five Minutes By The Sea At Clacton Five Minutes By The Sea At Clacton
Amateur film 1950 9 mins Silent Location: Clacton-On-Sea
The essence of a relaxed family holiday at Clacton, Essex in September 1950
Nine Men and a Boat Nine Men and a Boat
Amateur film 1964 20 mins Location: Clacton-On-Sea
Drama made by members of Clacton Cine Club. Daily life is interrupted by an emergency sea rescue.
China O'Brien: The Reunion China O'Brien: The Reunion
Documentary 2024 60 mins
Cynthia Rothrock, Richard Norton and Keith Cooke reunite three decades on from the groundbreaking martial arts classic.
Women in Action Panel Discussion Women in Action Panel Discussion
Inside Film 2024 28 mins
Action Xtreme - the UK's leading action film studio - hosts this panel discussion with four leading women in action cinema - Soo Cole, Jo Rolison, Jadey Duffield and Ioanna Karavela.
Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A Starve Acre - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 24 mins
Daniel Kokotajlo talks to Nia Childs about Starve Acre, his folk horror about a couple digging deep into grief in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales.
Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A Sky Peals - Exclusive Q&A
Short interview 2024 30 mins
Sky Peals director Moin Hussain and lead actor Faraz Ayub talk to Tomisin Adepeju about their magic realist drama.
Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell Inside the Archive: The Early Films of Michael Powell
Documentary 2024 42 mins
Documentary exploring the BFI National Archive’s role in rediscovering and remastering the early films of Michael Powell.
Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels Inside the Archive: The Riviera Revels
Short documentary 2024 12 mins
Bryony Dixon, curator of silent film at the BFI national archive, explores the origins of a series of comic travelogues, and Michael Powell's involvement in making them.