TV programmes set in the 1950/60's

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Priscilla
Posts: 286
Joined: March 9th, 2010, 1:12 pm

Re: TV programmes set in the 1950/60's

Post by Priscilla »

In the UK there were various periods that were good. Throughout the fifties and early sixties there were plenty of the 'Pacamac' varieties translucent plastic macs, sold by Woolworths and many ladies outfitters. Every woman of any class would have one, usually worn with the ubiquitous headscarf!

From the mid sixties, the pvc macs inspired by Mary Quant, often in bright prime colours came on the market, quite often black and white. Every girl had one; my wife had a cotton backed mac in paisley pattern.

The early seventies saw those crinkle pvc, not my favourite at all. From a magazine I have it appears that the newer translucent plastic mac with drawstring hood arrived at first in 1976. I was out of Europe from 1975 to 1978, but on my return I found a wonderful selection of new style plastic macs, especially in Oxford Street in London. Almost every tourist shop had them for sale along the whole length. Also popular was the 'jelly jacket' usually with drawstring waist and elasticated cuffs. The popularity continued into the early eighties, and I remember in 1981 going into a shop in Gloucester that had a whole rack of delicious macs in a variety of bold colours. Such macs were still available either from such shops as Peacocks or even better C&A of blessed memory.

By the end of the eighties, plastic macs were hard to find, although some of the big London stores still had clear capes, which occasionally turn up on Ebay. The early nineties saw the arrival of full length PU coats, very light and soft, most commonly in black with padded shoulders. These were fashion raincoats, not cheap but also usually lined. They seemed to have died out by the end of the decade.

Apart from occasional attempts by fashion designers to revice pvc or plastic, there was a dearth until the new 'Festival' glass clear macs appeared, maybe three years ago. Wonderful revival, but sadly as others have noted, not readily seen in the high street. Also, most of them are jacket length; do women today not care about having soaked legs ?

Well, that is my history from memory. I maybe wrong but it is a personal recollection.
Taffmac
Posts: 268
Joined: March 23rd, 2010, 11:43 am

Re: TV programmes set in the 1950/60's

Post by Taffmac »

Hi Priscilla,

I find your recollections very accurate. I grew up in the 1950's and the early 1960's when I developed my fetish for translucent plastic macs which everyone seemed to wear in those days. I was really gutted when women came to prefer the new nylon macs instead of plastic. Even my sister discarded her beautiful pale blue translucent plastic mac for a new nylon replacement.

After the first few years of the 1960's until about 1976 plastic macs were very few and far between. What a miserable time. However, as you say, plastic rainwear came back into fashion in 1976 and, until 1982, most women seemed to wearing them again. Heaven !!!!!. Most of my collection contains plastic rainwear from that period.

From 1983 plastic macs seemed to disappear again and fewer and fewer shops were stocking them. My last high street purchase was in a C&A store in 1989.

Over the last couple of years I have seen the occasional glass clear plastic jacket worn by young ladies but glass clear plastic does not have the same appeal for me as does semi see through plastic.

I doubt that I will see another revival of the type of rainwear that I have become so fond of during my remaining years. Thank God we've got Gary and PVC-U-Like, I hope that they will be around for a long time.

Thanks for sharing your memories.
slicker-lover
Posts: 191
Joined: March 29th, 2011, 6:58 am

Re: TV programmes set in the 1950/60's

Post by slicker-lover »

in the USA they started showing up in early 1975, usually yellow or red rubber with a white backing, they became extremely popular in late 1975, and remained so thru the early 80s. even girls who refused to get one in 1975 had one by 1977, maybe because of peer pressure. in 1974, when I started college, most girls just got wet, by 1977 girls wore slickers even when it was just cloudy. but I have not noticed it on tv of the time, except a few tv movies
gerrymacman
Posts: 9
Joined: January 23rd, 2018, 8:04 pm

Re: TV programmes set in the 1950/60's

Post by gerrymacman »

the programmes are set in the 1960s but the raincoats are no longer available for the actors to wear
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