British Pathe

London.

L/S of a domestic hallway. One woman stands at the bottom of a staircase whilst another descends the stairs. They both wear identical red dresses but one woman is very slim, the other is on the large side. Narrator observes: "Women with an eye for bright colours but not the figure are...

London.

L/S of a domestic hallway. One woman stands at the bottom of a staircase whilst another descends the stairs. They both wear identical red dresses but one woman is very slim, the other is on the large side. Narrator observes: "Women with an eye for bright colours but not the figure are the special problem of today's outsize designers." The larger woman "OS model Linda Leigh" poses in the dress for the thinner woman. Narrator is of the opinion that "glaring colours are a mistake for her. Scarlet and bright red in particular should be left to the slimmer woman - and bull fighters!" Actually I think Linda looks very nice!

C/U of Linda, camera pans down to show the whole dress and her feet. C/U of the more acceptable face of red frock wearing - the thin girl. The two look at each other - not altogether approvingly. L/S of another model who wears a patterned dress. The narrator states that "A master of camouflage can make inches invisible in the cunning line of dresses like these." The larger model poses for the camera as the narrator describe how stripes help to break up the flower print. The pocket line has a minimising effect on the hips. C/Us of details on the hips. Various other dresses are modelled - Linda models the first dress seen in a blue shade rather than red - I preferred the first.

L/S of a model wearing a grey outfit. With the help of a camera trick (model goes behind a screen and then immediately emerges in a modified outfit) we see how the addition of embroidery and beading on the collar and pockets of the dress have a positive slimming effect. C/U of the embroidery details. More dresses are shown. The skinny woman observes her more voluptuous friend posing.

Note: big is beautiful I say! Interesting film which shows contemporary attitudes about body politics - a bit "fatist" obviously.

According to paperwork the "outsize" models are Kay Chub (truly) and Kay Jesson although the cameraman's dope sheet refers to Kay and Frances. The "slender girl" is named Elizabeth. I don't know why the narrator calls Kay Chub "Linda Leigh" - the name of the designer. There seems to be some confusion as the cameraman has written "Linda Leigh" as the location of the film. The commentary seems to have been re-recorded with the name "Linda Leigh" replacing "Kay Chub"

The source of the frocks is probably Messrs Louis J. Mintz Ltd.