The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
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Fashion for Tall Girls
Tyne Tees reporter Charlotte Allen travels to London to find the latest fashions for the taller women.
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Overview
At 5’ 11”, Canadian born Tyne Tees reporter Charlotte Allen was noticeably taller than the average woman, presenting a dilemma when it came to keeping up with the fashions of the day. Entering the ‘Tall Girls Shop’ in London’s West End, she is introduced to a world especially designed for ‘women with longer-limbs’. By the time she leaves not only has she found an outfit of choice, but learned some important fashion ‘do’s and don’t’s’ for the taller woman.
Since the 1950s a change in lifestyle and diet has seen the average shape and size of women altered dramatically. In 1957, for example, the average woman was 5’ 2” in height, where as in 2017 she is 5’ 5”. Even today, more than 30 years after this Tyne Tees report was transmitted, fashions for taller women continue to be seen as a niche market, with few of the major retails providing outfits for women over 5’ 7”. However, the internet has opened up new worlds of fashion for men and women of all shapes and sizes not available to 1970’s consumers.
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