This 1966 television documentary (released in the USA in 1967) on the surging popularity of the mini skirt in the UK offers a colorful look at Swinging Sixties women’s fashion, with an emphasis on changing trends of the era. Interviews feature influential British fashion legends Deirdre McSharry and Mary Quant as well as actress/models Jill St. John, Chris Noel, and Twiggy. Also featuring the folk music of Vashti Bunyan (26:07). It was directed by William Kyriakis.

A montage of mini skirts in urban environments. Women wear colorful dresses and pass storefront window displays (0:07). A woman wearing a black miniskirt walking a dog. An urban couple jaywalks (0:23). Closeups on women’s barte legs (0:40). A chaotic view of “Big Ben” and the streets of “swinging London.” A novelty song with lyrics about miniskirts. A bald man in sunglasses rubbernecking (1:00). A slow tilt down to a woman’s hemline. London’s Queen Victoria Memorial. Women enter an estate agent’s office. The Queen’s Guard (1:30). Opening titles: “The Mini-Skirt Rebellion” and “Clairol – exciting natural look” (2:20). Big Ben, the youths of Swinging London. A slender woman’s asymmetrical haircut (2:35). A woman on a motorbike wears a striped suit (2:51). Deirdre McSharry, Fashion Editor of the London Daily Express (3:10). The storefronts of Maxine Leighton, Tony Armstrong, Susan Locke, Hung on You, Biba House, Bazaar, Top Gear, Countdown. Narration mentions the Beatles, the Rolling Stones (3:48). Busy fashion storefronts, well-dressed clientele. Inside a crowded boutique (4:17). Karen Booth and James Wedge, owners of Top Gear and Countdown (4:48). Smiling models, exposed legs. Inside Biba’s, a nightclub styled retail shop with low lighting. Narration mentions Julie Christie (5:26). Music: Vashti Bunyan “Love Song” (6:32). Bazaar storefront signage: “Oh Jungle You Are Camp.” Inside, fashion legend Mary Quant speaks in an interview (6:51). A woman in green wears high white stockings. Browsing a boutique. Exiting “The Shop” (8:17). Proprietor Maurice Jeffrey. Brightly colored stripes, floral prints. A woman models a yellow hat in a mirror (8:44). Dancing shoppers test out clothes for the discotheque (9:42). Exterior: “Royal College of Art School of Fashion Design.” Inside, aspiring fashion designers sample fabrics and work on dress forms. A man in a sweater shows off the latest fashions: a feathered red coat, nylon stretch fabric, a baseball jersey (11:16). Models show off a camouflage outfit, a psychedelic red dress with fur accents, a spanish coulotte design, a bottle cap covered skirt. A pink experimental outfit and a translucent mesh pant (12:13). Janie Ironside, principal of the school discusses influence upon mainstream designers (13:13). Susan Locke, a model/designer/boutique owner shows off an ostrich-inspired print and two transparent dresses (13:45). Discotheque exterior: The Scotch, sports cars (14:45). Narration lists popular clubs: “Dollies, Sabella’s, Annabella’s, The Scotch” (15:25). Storefronts: Fancy That, Bedlam, St. Mark’s General, Khadejha Designs, Sassy Pants, Hole in the Wall, Paraphernalia (16:11). A Los Angeles Paraphernalia shop with a curated, London-inspired boutique (16:51). Gene Shacove’s of Beverly Hills features go-go dancers in the window. Actress Jill St. John tries on a series of high-cut skirts and dresses (17:20). Actress Chris Noel enters the “Armed Forces Radio and Television Service.” Chris Noel wears red lipstick and white boots (18:48). Fashion photographer Tim Galpas shoots a model wearing an electric dress (19:23). The model in the electric dress dances to “Train Song” by Vashti Bunyan. A switch lights up the dress, which flashes at variable speed (20:00). Exterior “P.J.’s” in Hollywood and dancing clientele (20:40). Montage of previous scenes. McSherry and Ironside return. Quant in closeup (20:59). A red minibike and matching red mini raincoat slicker turn heads (23:08). Clairol ad (23:55). Twiggy, age 17, posing in front of Bazaar, The Shop. “High Street seems to be coming to Main Street” (24:05). Twiggy smiles in closeup. Zoom out to reveal London streets (24:42). End titles. An RKO General Production in association with La Fata Films and Filmsmiths (25:09).

This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com