Ad Campaign – Blassport, 1971

We were discussing earlier this week the revivals of knickers that have taken place over the years.  One was in the early 1980s, reportedly triggered by a photo of Princess Diana taken while on her honeymoon.  A quick look through the vintage patterns at Etsy confirmed that knickers were big in 1982.

I remembered that knickers were a bit of a fad for a short while during my high school years, 1970 through 1973.  Again, I turned to etsy, did a search for “knickers pattern,” and quickly realized that 1971 was the year of the knickers.

I would have been a sophomore or junior during that year, and while I can remember some of the girls at my school wearing them, I was not tempted by the knickers.  At the time I was into really short skirts, and especially, short culottes.  It’s a bit strange that they were allowed due to our no pants rule in the dress code, but a blind eye was turned to culottes and knickers.  I think the attitude was that they were better than the short skirts we were wearing.

It was a good thing that I did not buy into the knickers fad because it came and went very quickly.  Had I acquired a pair I’d have been stuck having to wear them because clothes were expensive and we had to wear what was bought until we either outgrew them or wore them out.  I would have been a fashion has-been!

18 Comments

Filed under Advertisements, Proper Clothing

18 responses to “Ad Campaign – Blassport, 1971

  1. Blassport! another “rush” of memories..what fantastic “American” sportswear- from THE Master himself..the collection is wearable today…showing his collection was so easy..it was always in such good taste-the mix of fabrication..menswear with silk,etc….so great to accessorize…he was such fun and the ultimate gentleman to work with-the models loved him! Thank You AGAIN LIZIE….

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  2. I remember wearing my knickers in the 70’s with high boots and thinking I looked hot!

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  3. I remember wanting knickers a lot when I was a high school freshman in 1971. My dad said no, we couldn’t really afford them, and besides they would probably go out of style quickly. My dad was right! Before they did though, I tried to make a pair out of an old pair of orange corduroy pants I’d had a couple years earlier, but they didn’t fit properly and I never wore them.

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  4. Love, love, love, the photograph Lizzie. This style of trouser is so unforgiving though, especially when made in tweed! It helps if you happen to have long, slim legs . . . . . drat!!! 😉

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  5. Mem

    Oh I remember that photo of Di she was also wearing a koala picture jumper which was a wedding present from Australia . We were so proud!!

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  6. Well, I have no memory at all of the knickers craze–either in 1971 or 1982. Did it not make it to California? Or was I just not paying attention?

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    • Surely the craze made it to California. You must have blinked. Though I’ll admit the 1982 one passed over my fashion radar as well.

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      • I was in California in 1982 – in middle school. I was well aware of the knickers fad, and in fact owned a pair in dark blue corduroy. I loved them! With my love of historical fashion, I was very sad when they went out. Of course I was surrounded by the children of hippies and lawyers, all of whom were too cool for anything but the perfect pair of jeans, so I don’t know that I was ever “in” anyway…

        But come to think about it, the great thing about knickers was that they were one of the few garments that could simultaneously satisfy my romantic historical side and my DIY/women’s-lib side. They were both ridiculous and practical at the same time.

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  7. Oh, but she looks fabulous in the photo.
    We call them knickerbockers across the pond because the shortened versions of knickers is used for panties in the UK–and we usually wear those on a daily basis 🙂

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