25 Comments
Sep 13·edited Sep 13Liked by Fiona Gibson

OMG Brentford Nylons! I'd forgotten all about those adverts. I was dismayed to find that my first boyfriend had purple nylon sheets. It's a wonder we didn't spark a fire.

I just looked up the TV ad for Brentford Nylons so I could get the full immersive Alan Freeman effect. Wow! The Nostalgia!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he32H-lQo7s

Expand full comment
author

Haha sounds like you had a narrow escape! Nylon sheets - I think we thought they were pretty sophisticated! Xx

Expand full comment

Hilarious. We had pale blue nylon sheets, one top, one bottom: my nightie was brushed petrol, from Marks and Sparks ... sleep was impossible - and sparks flew!

Expand full comment
author

I’d forgotten about brushed nylon! 😄

Expand full comment

It's a PTS thing ... were we not all traumatised by nighties? Forgetting is self care!

Expand full comment

Ha ha.. love this 🤣

Expand full comment
author

Thanks Eva! X

Expand full comment

My bedroom was a hommage to Brentford Nylons and the colours purple and pink. Remembering fondly the crackling of static electricity and the warnings of catching on fire if you got too close to a flame in your nylon nightie. I bet there was a public information film about the dangers. Remember those?

I don't think we had a Golden Egg in Bristol. I just remember Wimpy and Berni steak houses. There was an Aunt Jemima Pancake House with a very un-PC logo.

Expand full comment
author

Purple was THE colour! Teamed with pink - lovely!

Expand full comment

I remember those nylon sheets — toenails used to snag on them if they were the least bit straggly.

(I remember nylon pyjamas too…)

Expand full comment
author

How did we stand it?! X

Expand full comment

We were given brown, yes brown! Bri-nylon sheets when we moved in together, we could generate our own electricity ⚡️ 😄

Expand full comment
author

Haha - sounds delightful! 😄

Expand full comment
Sep 13Liked by Fiona Gibson

Even my school uniform was made from bonded nylon with built in static. For bedtime scraps of loose fabric with spaghetti straps I can highly recommend Secret Linen nighties by the way. Not cheap but they regularly have discount codes, they are so much cooler, roomy and don’t have bunnies, love hearts, inane sentiments or glitter. Heaven.

Expand full comment
author

They sound lovely - will check out! X

Expand full comment

This is hysterical, Fiona, nylon and chip pans, that was never a good combination as I found out the hard way! 🤣

Expand full comment
author

Oh yikes! 😄xx

Expand full comment

Definitely remember somewhere similar my Nan and Grandad took me to as a treat. On same trip they also bought me a 'Fair isle-style' sweater from bhs. Steered firmly away from m&s - too posh and pricey. Plus everything from bhs washed well. Ie 100% acrylic

Expand full comment
author

M&S was definitely posh! Clockhouse was my fave - often featured in Jackie! Xx

Expand full comment

In those illustrated fashion spreads. Oh how I pored over them...

Expand full comment

Born at the latter end of 1970, I thought the Berni Inn was the height of sophistication - steak, chips and a glass of 'red wine & lemonade' 😂

Expand full comment
author

Cor lovely!! Xx

Expand full comment
Sep 13Liked by Fiona Gibson

So true. Re 70s restaurants, see also The Pancake Place. One of my dad’s favourites.

Expand full comment
author

Oh I loved that too! X

Expand full comment

My lovely dad was a part time photographer and I, like you used to go with him to weddings to help putting new rolls of film in his Rolleiflex cameras, make sure the tripod was balanced ok etc. This was the mid 60’s though, when the Cadena cafe and Lyon’s Corner House were still on the High St …..happy days 😊.

I do remember the horrors of anything bri-nylon though, and being dragged to the doctor covered in a nasty rash 🥵and my mother being told “she’s got to wear cotton”. I still have a few scars on my arms from scratching so much 😐.

Expand full comment