The British Boutique Movement - Part II

emmapeelpants

emmapeelpants

Alumni
<center>It’s a woman’s world: Men designing women</center><left>
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In an era of feminism, and where female designers radically altered the face of fashion, what about the men? A new type of male designer appeared in the 1960s, less domineering and starchy than their predecessors (like Hartnell, Amies, Steibel, Cavanagh and Morton). They were designing FOR women, catering to tastes newly set by the likes of Quant and Foale and Tuffin. That is not to say that they were mimicking their female counterparts, merely sharing their market. Young buyers were respected for their new disposable income; no longer supported by husbands and lovers, they had jobs and an unquenchable desire to look young and radical. Fashion had known nothing like it, and the male designers took this to extremes.
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<center>John Bates
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<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates.jpg" border="1">
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Well I had to do it. Possibly one of my favourite designers of the period, John Bates was radical and uncompromising with his designs. He embraced the new youth movement with a similarly opinionated approach to design that the ‘old-school’ designers had in the earlier part of the century.
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<i><center>"I hate girls not making an effort, and with a slovenly attitude to their appearances. I often see super girls who are very nearly smashing, but not quite there, simply through lack of effort." Adding hastily, "Of course this applies just as much to men!"</i><BR><SMall>Designs on Men. 19 Magazine. April 1969</center></small>
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However, unlike them, he was fascinated with this dominance of youth, confidence and the entirely new fashionable figure. Since his career continued until the end of the 1970s, I have decided to concentrate on his earlier work which is most representative of his contribution to the Boutique movement.<P>
The true background to his association with the 'Jean Varon' name is fuzzy, depending on where you read about it. Bates himself claims he was invited to start the label and that he came up with the name himself, whereas other sources claim he was invited to be sole designer for the existing Jean Varon firm. He had no formal training in fashion, having worked in journalism and, allegedly, as a window dresser for Mary Quant's Bazaar boutique. He trained at Herbert Sidon of London in the late 50s and started at Varon in the early 60s, possibly 1960 (again, depending on the source you read). After early attempts at radical design were thwarted by what large department stores (such as Fenwicks) required for their rather old-fashioned clientele, Bates eventually hit his stride as a designer in around 1964, catching the attention of British Vogue (who were always eager to find the 'next big thing'). The increasing popularity of Mary Quant, Foale and Tuffin et al enabled Bates to break the somewhat 'staid' mould he had been forced into.<P>
He took the gradually rising hemlines and raised them higher. He took the new, more boyish lines and made them straighter. He took bizarre and often unworkable textiles, experimenting with how he could use them. He was also amongst the first designers to use the emerging op-art textiles in his work. Jean Shrimpton appears to have been the natural model for his work at this time.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates1.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates22.jpg" border="1">
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<i><small>Left:John Bates with Jean Shrimpton wearing one of his designs, 1965. Right:Black and white empire line maxi, c.1965</small></i>
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When there was no more leg to be revealed, he started removing fabric from the midriff – creating the cut-out effect, filled with transparent or loose-weave fabrics.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates3.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates4.jpg" border="1"></center>
<BR><i><small>Left:Bates' dress for Jean Varon which won the Museum of Costume's Dress of the Year award in 1965. It was also featured in Vogue in January 1965 and described as a 'skimp' dress. Right: Mesh middle full length evening dress c.1965. The top is cut like a bra-top in black moss crepe. The same top featured in the Emma Peel design 'Flash'.</small></i>
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He was the first designer to really see the external potential of underwear; there really is a very fine line between your average 60s undies and some Bates outfits!
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates2.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates18.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates19.jpg" border="1">
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L-R: <I><small>"1965 Miniscule bra, short short skirt, sugar pink taffeta under white lace. Young Idea's new plot for showing off suntan in the evenings. By John Bates for Jean Varon, 12 gns." From Vogue, January 1965; 'The smallest dress in the world', 1965; Honey magazine January 1965 featuring John Bates designs on the front.</i></small>
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Also radical in his choice of fabric, Bates was amongst the first to experiment with PVC and in this piece in my collection, a type of bacofoil!! The body of the dress is made from a textured synthetic which has such a stiff feel that, teamed with the foil trimmings, renders the dress almost entirely unwearable. I’m sure it WAS meant to be worn, but these early pieces were very heavily stylised.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates5.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates16.jpg" border="1">
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<i><small>Left:Silver 'Space Age' dress, c.1966 (apologies for the very poor photo - the dress is currently elsewhere and these were the only shots I had!) Right:John Bates pattern available through the Daily Mail newspaper. Original envelope is postmarked September 1966. Note the super-mini skirt and silver trim and buttons.</small></i>
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His designs for Emma Peel in Season 4 of The Avengers, demonstrated a youthful arrogance and determination. It had been a commonly held belief that Television could not cope with bold patterns and shapes, but Bates designed a large number of costumes with lines, circles and stripes in a demonstration of his skill as a designer. They worked and were such a departure from the clothes commonly seen on Television that they were an instant hit, sold out in shops across the country and secured his fame and popularity as a designer. He also defiantly raised her hemlines, left no hem so they could not be lowered again and showed her midriff. All of this was designed before the mini had really ‘hit’ the country, and was broadcast at the same time it did hit. He also created controversy by eliminating the 'leather' element of the Cathy Gale and earliest Emma Peel episodes. He used PVC with stretch jersey, snakeskin and fur instead for a softer, more feminine look.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates7.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates8.jpg" border="1"><BR><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates9.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates10.jpg" border="1"><BR><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates11.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates12.jpg" border="1">
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<i><Small>L-R: 'Crucifix' positive/negative dress and coat set 22 gns; 'Dangerous' black and white crepe fighting suit 13gns; 'Flash' blue lam&eacute; bra top and hipster pant set, also had a matching modesty jacket; Snakeskin jacket; PVC and jersey fighting suit worn with the Kangol beret and skin-print scarf; 'Karate' trouser suit - trousers often worn with black sleeveless poloneck top.</i></small>
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Bates was also famed for his radical approach to accessorizing, which was demonstrated in his commissioning the beret (by Kangol), gloves (by Dents), tights and shoes (by Edward Rayne) which were integral to the Emma Peel wardrobe. He wanted control over the entire look, designing hats and tights to be manufactured by others for the sole purpose of matching his clothing designs.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates6.jpg" border="1">
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<i><small>4/2/1965-London, England- This Mod outfit, designed by John Bates of the Jean Varon Fashon House, may cause a few raised eyebrows this summer. In heavy-ribbed all-cotton white, it is a simple shift with a floral collar. The unusual stockings are looped with roses and bows.</small></i>
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Aside from these radical and totally innovative pieces which became his trademark, Bates was also famed for his feminine designs – something some lesser male designer might have forgotten in the pursuit of total innovation and attention seeking. His designs were unashamedly attention seeking, but retained the femininity which kept his customers coming back for more. His signature designs included lacey babydoll mini dresses and empire line maxis in a wide range of colours and patterns.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates17.jpg" border="1">
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<i><small>Left: 'Spice' babydoll mini dress, c.1966-67.</small></i>
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Last but not least, here are three of four original John Bates designs I managed to aquire last year - needless to say they are one of my favourite items in my entire collection!!
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates13.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates14.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates15.jpg" border="1">
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Bates had a design career longer than many of his contemporaries. Financially backed as designer for Jean Varon, he had a certain degree of freedom to adapt to market forces. The 1970s saw the fall of many designers who couldn't keep up with the changing needs of their now older customers. Things were coming full circle back to a more conservative mainstream fashion, and the street look was back under the control of people on the streets. Punk arrived in the mid 70s, leaving many designers out in the cold by both the establishment and the young people. Bates somehow navigated his way through this with designs aimed at an older, more conservative audience
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates20.jpg" border="1"><P><small>Red and white check dirndl dress and Vogue advertisement from 1973</small>
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However, it was his determination to have his own-name label which eventually edged him out of the industry. 'John Bates' clothes were more 'couture', more expensive and more in the vein of his contemporaries like Bill Gibb, Zandra Rhodes et al whose expensive and elegant designs were what the Vogue editors now looked for.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/johnbates21.jpg" border="1"><P><small>Blue silk Japanese inspired 'John Bates' label dress from the mid 1970s.</small>
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The label wasn't an enormous financial success though and (according to some biographies I've read) bankrupted him, 'Jean Varon' was no longer fashionable and Bates decided to leave the industry before he could get sucked into the rag trade - anonymously designing for manufacturers.
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Less content to adapt to market forces was designer Ossie Clark. Used to getting his own way, and with absolutely no head for business, he was hit hardest by the changing face of fashion in the mid 70s. For ten years, he was the darling of British Fashion - feted worldwide and allowed a fairly free hand over his designing. The late 70s brought with it a long period in the fashion wilderness for Ossie, his curvaceous, form-fitting and romantic designs didn't adapt well to the conservative direction Vogue was taking - nor to the recycled, torn and harsh Punk-look.
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<center>Ossie Clark
<P><img src="http://www.vintage-a-peel.co.uk/images/ossie.jpg" border="1"><P>
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Ossie is not a designer you would associate with the word ‘radical’, but there was something quite deliciously so about his emergence as a designer in the 1960s. Training at The Royal Academy and something of a prodigy in his time there, Ossie’s first pieces to feature in Vogue in 1965 were undeniably youthful, brilliantly well cut and more form fitting than his contemporaries. His talent was spotted immediately, and he was taken on by designer Alice Pollock to design for her newly established boutique 'Quorum'. However, there is almost something derivative about his use of op-art prints, simple shapes and mini dresses. These were being produced by most designers by this point and you certainly don’t feel that Ossie had quite hit his creative stride yet.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark1(1).jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark2(1).jpg" border="1"><P><small>Left: 'Lips' - dress design by Ossie Clark for Quorum, in white with black spots and pink neck and sleeve bands. Courtesy Quorum. Photo taken from 'Fashion in the 60s' by Barbara Bernard.</small>
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Whether it was the Ossie influence, or simply the influence of the changing youth scene in the late 60s it is hard to know, but his late 60s designs began to really change perceptions about clothes for women. Ossie adored the female form; breasts, waists, bottoms and all. The radically ‘straight’ look of the mid 60s dollybird wasn’t appealing to Ossie in the same way it was for other designers.
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<Center><Small>'I found the mini skirt restrictive. With the bias cut you could end up with the most extraordinary patterns.'<BR>Ossie Clark</Center></small>
<P>Whereas where Bates’ response to the dead end street of the mini skirt was to cut out from elsewhere to the point where there was barely any fabric left, Ossie’s response was to lower the hemline again so that he could manipulate it from that point. Inspired by the fluid, body conscious designs of Vionnet in the 1930s, he experimented with more fluid fabrics like satin, chiffon and his trademark moss crepe. These early designs are a real signpost to where he was headed.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark3(1).jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark4(1).jpg" border="1"><P><small>Left: Ossie's frilled chiffon and satin dresses c.1967. Right: The original design.</small>
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Ruffles, ties and buttons appeared (he couldn’t stand zips and did anything he could to avoid using them) and the whole look softened. His muse was his wife Celia; petite, curvy and ultra-feminine. She was also providing textiles for him, which in turn inspired new designs to accommodate them. So important was Celia to Ossie, that he cited her textiles as the main reason behind his success and jealously refused to let anyone else use her designs. The only designer who ever DID, was their friend Janice Wainwright who used a few Celia textiles in the late 60s for Simon Massey, before Ossie then demanded complete exclusivity.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark5.jpg" border="1"><P><small>Some of Celia's textile designs - she always designed them on the body so as to show how they were meant to work.</small>
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<img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark6.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark7.jpg" border="1"><P><small>Left:<I>A maxi dress, all trumpet sleeve and trailing scarves, and trailing plants in black and brown on cream shirt silk. By Ossie Clark. Print by Celia Birtwell. 19gns from Quorum.</i> Vogue. April 1969. Right:<I> Sun crepe printed with black and green, cut out at shoulders, frilled like a waterfall down tight sleeves; 15 gns.</i> Vogue. June 1969</small>
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More so than any other designer, he designed for what women wanted. The appeal of the androgynous mid 60s silhouette was wearing off and the slinky, sexy and un ashamedly glamourous Ossie silhouette began to dominate. He, Celia and one of his favourite designs were immortalised in popular culture through Hockney's portrait of them (itself inspired by Jan van Eyck: The Arnolfini Portrait and Mr. and Mrs. Andrews by Gainsborough)<P>
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark8.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark13.jpg" border="1"><P><small>Black moss crepe wrap dress with swirling bias cut red bands across the shoulders and down the sleeves. As worn in 'Mr and Mrs Clark and their cat Percy' by David Hockney.</small>
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In his enforced creative partnership with the company Radley from 1969 (Quorum was in pretty bad shape financially, despite its critical success and Al Radley bought the company), he also increased his output and dominance of the market. The earliest designs differ little from the 'couture' pieces, save for the insertion of zips and some slight modifications by Radley designer Rosie Bradford. Over a relatively brief period of time, the quality of the Ossie for Radley output diminished. They seemed to frequently rely on 'old favourites', and the pulling power of a dress having a Celia print. Below right is one of the staples of the Radley output, a typical Ossie cut with the requisite buttoned front, enormous sleeves and rounded collar
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark10.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark2.jpg" border="1"><P><small>Left: Purple moss crepe Ossie Clark for Radley dress, 1969 (amongst the first produced). Right: Red moss crepe 'Model T Ford' Ossie Clark for Radley maxidress, c.1973</small>
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Far from being a one-trick pony though, in his own label work he continued to carve his reputation as a master tailor.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark11.jpg" border="1"> <img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark15.jpg" border="1"><P><small>Left:Ossie Clark tailored ensemble from the Daily Telegraph magazine, January 1972. <i>"More and more fashion ideas today are coming from different designers in different places. Paris has cancelled shows usually held at this time; and London continues to be inventive</I>. Right: Ossie trouser suit design from around 1970.
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As I have mentioned before, several designers were hit quite hard by the failing economy and the advent of punk in the mid-late 70s. Ossie had always been stubborn, and a poor businessman. Without Alice Pollock to prop him up, he was unable to cope in the changing industry. He and Celia were divorced in the mid 70s too, which left him without one of his main inspirations. The relationship with Radley/Quorum ended in the late 70s, and designs from this period show a certain lack of clear direction.
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<center><img src="http://members.sparedollar.com/talentedamateur/ossieclark12.jpg" border="1"><P><small><I>Bright pink jersey with handkerchief points and swagged hem, small button loop on left shoulderbone. By Ossie Clark for Quorum, £100.Ossie Clark design</i>. Vogue. March,1977.</I>
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</center></small>He spent the later part of his career teaching young designers like Bella Freud. Tragically, he was murdered by his boyfriend in 1996, and never really got to see the resurgence in popularity of his designs.
 
Liz, I am really enjoying this.

Have you noticed any discernable difference between men designing for women versus women designing for women at this time as far as the way it fits. I know all were going for clean lines, radical angles and a more boyish appearance versus the hourglass 50s...but do female designers of the time have more of a better idea how clothes fit actual non model women best, or do you find the male designers do because they are more objective because the clothing was designed for a the opposite gender body type. Kind of an odd question I know.
 
Ooh, that's a hard one to call. I would say that Ossie had the most awareness of what made a woman look good, but that might well have been just another aspect of his genius. The mod look bored him, and he appreciated women - curves and all!! Bates is the polar opposite, he preferred the skinny, straight shape - perhaps because it enabled the radical fabric experimentation. He did produce a lot of feminine clothes too, but the empire line dresses have extremely high, tight bodices and practically hobble-like narrow skirts. Much as I love his work, I find it almost totally unwearable for me - it just doesn't flatter my figure.

I find women design for themselves which does limit their market somewhat. Barbara Hulanicki of Biba was designing for tiny girls with a very distinctive shape, like herself - Quant was designing for her slightly tomboyish shape and personality, at least at the beginning. I think men probably find it easier to adapt their designing to suit the shape of the moment, or the shape of their customers - like you say, with a certain objectivity. Ossie started with the mod look he didn't like, because it was what people wanted, Bates eventually moved into soft chiffons, floral prints, big skirts and frills presumably for the same reason.

That probably didn't make any sense! ;)

Liz
 
No, I got you...

i think women personally/individually (and men might for themselves too) have a distorted view of what they personally look like anyways. It is also like the concept when a woman begins to draw or paint, if they don't have a model, and they are just painting figures/people that don't have any set identity that they will tend to whether they realize it or not draw/paint women that look quite a but like themselves in the sense that they will draw women who have proportionately longer legs if that is what they personally have, figure ratios, etc, because that is what looks "normal" to them because that is what they are most familar so I don't doubt that the ladies you speak of would design for what their figure happened to be.

Maybe sometimes designing also comes out of a frustration of having items that don't fit/flatter their shape too so they invent. A lady built like Mary Quant would certainly have been a little out of luck compared to her curvier friends in the 50s and the new styles that were so flattering to her must have been so wonderful to create and wear.
 
Thanks so much for offering all this fabulous information here. Even though I was a young woman during this era, I never did dress that mod-ishly. At that time, these designs seem outlandish to me. I do think the styles are more British than American.

Now if I were to find anything like what you've shown here, I would be thrilled to buy it.
 
Liz, you briefly mentioned Alice Pollock. Can you give us a little insight on the nature of her relationship with Ossie and Celia? Were they just business partners? Friends?

Loving this!
 
I think Ossie did think of a women's figure when it came to designing. Thats is what attracted me to him. I would think hey that would actually look good on....

Also the British movement took in count what was going on the in the art world at the time. Its one of my favorite eras in fashion.

This is very fun! Thank you for all the hard work!
 
What a wealth of information! Thanks so much for sharing with us. I have only had a chance to skim through thus far but I will be up late tonight scouring this that's for sure.
:clapping:
 
No problems at all, I've really enjoyed writing it and delving into all my books and magazines!!

Alice Pollock had started her career in films, assistant to Orson Welles and Tony Richardson. She started the Quorum boutique in 1964 with two friends and £100 when she found herself 'pregnant with a pretty house in W8. I had to do something to pay the rent..I didn't think: "I'm going to be a dress designer and become rich and famous." I just wanted something to do". Ossie was terrified of setting up business on his own immediately after graduation, and Pollock (who had met Ossie at the opening of Quorum a year beforehand) invited him to design for her, and was later made a partner. Ossie and Celia were living together at this time, and Alice invited her to design a fabric collection for Quorum. This was when Ossie and Celia really started to work together. She also designed a couple of prints for Alice, early on in the partnership.

Alice basically protected Ossie from the business side of things, while he taught her cutting, and they initially had a fruitful and happy friendship and working relationship. It is not clear why they went their separate ways, some cite the tensions relating to his refusal to let her use Celia's prints - or simply the financial problems within the business, but I understand she has now turned her back on the 'decadent' years at Quorum.
 
Originally posted by emmapeelpants
but I understand she has now turned her back on the 'decadent' years at Quorum.
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What do you mean by "turned her back"...she is designing things that are 180 degrees different from what happened back then, or, as I am taking it, she wants to "disassociate" that experience and doesn't want to refer to it anymore?
 
..hello..
l have just checked as l wasnt aware of a timing....but its great to hear more of John Bates...l buy him regularly for a client or two....one who wears 'em to premieres no less...
but in the 2 yrs lhave been sourcing them, they have shot up in value from averaging £15 adress.to £85+....swiftly followed by Dollyrockers labels, Samul Sherman and Sambo...eyes out for em girls as l have his Grand-daughter collecting an archive in his memory....again...twilight zone lurks....prices have shot up in the 12 months l have been buying them...from £1's pt £30-40 a dress...
weird or what....

its soo helpful to share the information...thanks so much for all your efforts..
sara x
 
Liz, thank you so much for this wonderful seminar! I too have had things that have kept me away today but I will be checking up this evening and probably will have lots of questions! However, as I have briefly read through, looks like you are really thorough and know your stuff! :headbang:
 
Originally posted by Patentleathershoes
Originally posted by emmapeelpants
but I understand she has now turned her back on the 'decadent' years at Quorum.
Click to expand...

What do you mean by "turned her back"...she is designing things that are 180 degrees different from what happened back then, or, as I am taking it, she wants to "disassociate" that experience and doesn't want to refer to it anymore?
Click to expand...

The latter, I believe. Which is a shame as I'm sure she would have plenty of tales to tell!! ;)

Liz
 
Originally posted by sarasattic
..hello..
l have just checked as l wasnt aware of a timing....but its great to hear more of John Bates...l buy him regularly for a client or two....one who wears 'em to premieres no less...
but in the 2 yrs lhave been sourcing them, they have shot up in value from averaging £15 adress.to £85+....swiftly followed by Dollyrockers labels, Samul Sherman and Sambo...eyes out for em girls as l have his Grand-daughter collecting an archive in his memory....again...twilight zone lurks....prices have shot up in the 12 months l have been buying them...from £1's pt £30-40 a dress...
weird or what....

its soo helpful to share the information...thanks so much for all your efforts..
sara x
Click to expand...

Ooh, could you add me on that list? ;) I have rather a lot of Bates stuff, probably around 50 but I haven't counted in ages, but always looking for more of the good ones! There's going to be an exhibition of his work at the Museum of Costume in Bath in January!

Liz
 
Oh I know what i wanted to ask.

When one says "Mod" the longer dresses aren't what comes to mind. It is sort of post mod rather than the Emma Peel stuff above which i think is definitely mod. What would you really call this later 60s turn into the longer more romantic dresses? "British Boutique" "Late 60s something or other". ...? If I were lucky enough to come acrossed something and I was selling it, there really is no tight idea like "mod"..is there??
 
Originally posted by Patentleathershoes
Oh I know what i wanted to ask.

When one says "Mod" the longer dresses aren't what comes to mind. It is sort of post mod rather than the Emma Peel stuff above which i think is definitely mod. What would you really call this later 60s turn into the longer more romantic dresses? "British Boutique" "Late 60s something or other". ...? If I were lucky enough to come acrossed something and I was selling it, there really is no tight idea like "mod"..is there??
Click to expand...

Good question, to which I have no comprehensive answer. I know what you mean though, and to me that look is defined by the likes of Biba, Annacat and The Liver Birds (late 60s/early 70s sitcom I adore). I suppose you could variously describe elements of it as 'psychedelic' or 'hippie', but neither really encapsulates what it was all about. I saw it described somewhere recently as 'retro chic', but that just sounds like anything we see nowadays!

Maybe someone else can come up with a word for it? :)

Liz
 
I suppose the phrase 'Dolly Girl' or 'bird' would be the nearest I can get to defining it. As Quant said, girls wanted to look younger and by the late 60s they practically did look like baby-dolls. If mid 60s is 'mod', late 60s is 'Dolly'?

Liz
 
As if by magic, three magazines turned up this morning and one has an interview with Bates about women (he's a bit ranty - clearly it was his favourite topic and he's REALLY outrageously opinionated on it) where he defends himself by saying he designs with three different types of women in mind. In this photo, he has set out to demonstrate that at different lengths, the same dress can be worn by three different ages of women. Admirable, but they're still all skinny! ;)

<img src="http://www.vintage-a-peel.co.uk/images/bates.jpg">

Liz
 
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