Puffer

I am sure you are right in principle, Skirted, but there were obviously many variations around the country. It should not be thought that 'London' (which is a pretty large and amorphous area) was the only place to see the more adventurous fashion styles (including high stilettos), at least in the earlier years. But I would agree that in, say, 1960, one was likely to see 4" heels readily in Westminster but rarely in Warminster!

From contemporary photos, films and the like, it is very clear that high fashion (and that certainly included high stilettos) was avidly followed in all the major cities apart from London, e.g. Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow. There may have been a modest time lag whilst the fashion spread, but that did not stop it being taken up, even out in the sticks. Such personal memories as I have bear this out, together with knowledge that girls in the north (and Scotland) tended to favour higher heels than many of their southern sisters - and still do. Without (I hope) sounding perjorative, it has something to do with class: there are more working class girls north of Watford and their idea of fashion is often considered tarty by the more refined 'gels' inhabiting the home counties (Essex excluded, of course!). Many other lifestyle aspects are subject to much the same considerations but the gaps have narrowed in the last 20 years or so.

I am not a sociologist nor a fashion historian but I am sure that there is a wealth of material that would support these general comments and provide us with some interesting statistics. Step forward, Professor Brantano?