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Fashion

What We Wore
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What We Wore

A history of fashion from 1720 to 1982

The Art of Fashion
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The Art of Fashion

Take a trip through our fashion past.

Clothes rationing ends, 1949
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Clothes rationing ends, 1949

It's bad news for spivs, as the era of make do and mend comes to a welcome end

The linen harvest, 1951
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The linen harvest, 1951

This clip might just have all the flax facts you need to know

A visit to a tattoo parlour, 1959
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A visit to a tattoo parlour, 1959

Tattoos as a fashion may come and go, but lab coats are timeless

Summer fashions, 1959
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Summer fashions, 1959

Fashion and Beauty focused on summer wear

Men's hair stylists, 1960
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Men's hair stylists, 1960

Claims that men were getting fancy haircuts at a Wardour Street salon

In defence of dinner jackets, 1960
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In defence of dinner jackets, 1960

"He writes wonderfully, but he looks like a brown paper parcel tied up with string"

Fashion: Writer versus buyer, 1960
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Fashion: Writer versus buyer, 1960

"What exactly do you mean by 'hanger appeal'?"

Kenneth Allsop's 'flash' hair, 1961
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Kenneth Allsop's 'flash' hair, 1961

"Who does Kenneth Allsop think he is... Adam Faith?"

Shetland shawl knitters, 1964
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Shetland shawl knitters, 1964

"Diamonds are peanuts and as common as dirt compared with these"

Bowie defends the long-haired man, 1964
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Bowie defends the long-haired man, 1964

"We all like long hair, and we don't see why other people should persecute us because of this"

Tomorrow's girl, 1965
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Tomorrow's girl, 1965

Some predictions of what 'tomorrow's girl' might look like

The 'mini kilt', 1966
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The 'mini kilt', 1966

"I can almost hear the viewers saying 'what next?' "

Men with long hair, 1967
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Men with long hair, 1967

"I think it's disgusting, disgraceful and effeminate"... Some young men had long hair, even the posh ones

Pipe smoking women, 1967
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Pipe smoking women, 1967

"Personally, I don't think pipes and miniskirts go very well"

Nimmo is a punk rocker, 1977
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Nimmo is a punk rocker, 1977

"Mate you look so bloody boring I cannot believe it"

Geordie labels vox pop, 1981
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Geordie labels vox pop, 1981

What do the youth of Newcastle upon Tyne think about social labels?

Peter York on Fashion, 1983
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Peter York on Fashion, 1983

"That's culture now - shot to pieces" Peter York looked at the fashion of the year

Bristol's 'Wills at one' fashion, 1983
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Bristol's 'Wills at one' fashion, 1983

RPM's Tom Archer explored 'Wills at one' where the most dapper university students congregate to see and be seen

Bruce Oldfield, 1983
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Bruce Oldfield, 1983

Nationwide joined fashion designer Bruce Oldfield at the launch of his latest fashion show, Secrets.

Dog hair dresses, 1983
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Dog hair dresses, 1983

Mrs Jones makes great use of her pet dogs' hair

Leigh Bowery nightclub fashion, 1986
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Leigh Bowery nightclub fashion, 1986

What, this old thing? Leigh Bowery shows off some of his avant-garde ensembles on The Clothes Show

Meet the goths, 1987
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Meet the goths, 1987

"Strange mutations from the tomb of punk rock"

Summer Shorts with Rob Curling, 1989
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Summer Shorts with Rob Curling, 1989

Heatwave or no heatwave, shorts were proving a rather hard sell for men and Rob Curling

The Belfast fashion scene, 1992
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The Belfast fashion scene, 1992

Normski visited that world-renowned fashion hub Belfast, to mock some teenagers' clothes

More archive things

Food and Drink
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Food and Drink

Some of the very best slices of the BBC's past to get your teeth into

Society and welfare
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Society and welfare

The changing face of Britain, from lifestyle and culture to law and ethics

Transport and travel
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Transport and travel

From aeroplanes to zeppelins, this is an A to Z of getting from A to B