Betty Grable

Here are some more information for Betty Grable:

The introduction of cotton stockings appeared in America during the World War II. Because of the actions of Japan, the trade of silk was halted from the country. So silk stockings were out of the question. Nylons were eliminated because all of the nylon produced went toward making items for the military. Thus leaving women of that era with cotton.

In order to boost the morale of the ladies giving up their luxury the government launched an entire campaign featuring stars such as Betty Grable and Rita Hayworth in the "new" style. The promotional logo was that if it was good enough for movie stars then it was good enough for all ladies. The one complaint women had was that they did not have the sheer quality nor the sexy look of nylon or silk.

What ladies seem to have forgotten is that cotton stockings date back to the early 1600s and perhaps before that. They were created to keep a person warm and were not always worn by just women. These were the style of the 17th century for both men and women. The idea was to have plenty of movement while still staying warm in cold climates.

Why do present day ladies choose to wear these types of leg coverings? Quite often it is the need for a gently fabric on their skin. A great deal of people will develop rashes from the lack of breath ability in nylon or other synthetics. These same women must keep in mind that there are those fabrics that are created with 100% of this fabric. There are also those created from a blend of all-natural materials and synthetic materials. They should be sure to read the fine print and to keep in mind that the 100% versions will be thicker than the blended ones. Some women may not care if they are blended or not. It may come down to the warmth of the material. Different derivatives of this fabric will result in a different level of warmth. Thick hosiery allows women to wear skirts or dresses during colder months without freezing their lower half off.

Are all cotton stockings the same size? In short, no. This phrase can refer to those that are only sock length, covering the foot and ankle area. Next are the knee highs that reach just over the knee. Then there are those that cover from the waist down. If neither of these is acceptable then a buyer would want to look into the thigh high version.

Finding cotton stockings these days may take more effort than other types, but if you have sensitive skin, then there is not much else choice! It is possible to find both white and black stockings made of cotton.

Stalag 17 (1953) - Billy Wilder

The war movie hero, that most selfless of creatures, willing to risk life and limb for all and sundry, a mainstay of wartime fiction. But you won’t find him here. William Holden plays Sefton, a man that could drive a nun to violence. Self-obsessed, materialistic, with seldom a thought for anyone but himself. He is the type of man that has coffee and eggs for breakfast, whilst those around him have to make do with a ladle of washing-up water. Unsurprisingly he is not the most popular resident of Stalag 17, a Second World War Prison camp housing American air force sergeants.

When an escape attempt goes tragically wrong, leaving two American prisoners dead, a mole is suspected and suspicions turn towards Sefton. The thinking being that anyone that has as many privileges as he does must be trading something more important than cigarettes with the German guards. It also doesn’t help that he was taking bets on the failure of the escape attempt.

When smiling assassin, prison guard Sergeant Schulz (an amusing Sig Ruman) confiscates the prisoners’ illicit radio, suspicions of a traitor are cemented. The final straw comes when new arrival Lieutenant Dunbar (Don Taylor), a man that Sefton openly despises, whom has just regaled his new barracks mates with a tale of destroying a German ammunitions train, is arrested for said act. Sefton is summarily beaten, and vows to find the real culprit.

Adapted from Donald Bevan and Edmund Trzcinski’s tremendously successful Broadway play by Billy Wilder and Edwin Blum, Stalag 17 is riotously funny. Filmmaker Otto Preminger is hilariously straight-faced as the camp commandant von Scherbach, a man that has his boots put on to speak to a superior officer on the telephone, and walks around the camp grounds on a series of wooden planks laid by his subordinates. The duo of Shapiro (Harvey Lembeck) and Animal (Robert Strauss), obsessed with the Soviet women prisoners, illicit booze, mouse racing and Betty Grable are a wonderful double act.

But the film’s greatest strength is the character of Sefton. All too often, in a mainstream movie, when a character is shown in an unflattering light, he is later given an opportunity to redeem himself with some totally out of character selfless act of heroism. Thankfully, that is not the case here. Although Sefton is eventually redeemed, and does in fact become the hero, his actions are only ever motivated by self-preservation or material gain. He doesn’t grow. He doesn’t change. He is Sefton!

About the Author

Iain Stott is a 32 year old aesthete from the north west of England.

I miss Katie Couric on " The Today's Show" for two long reason's.How many of you miss Katie as I do ?

Like Betty Grable,Mary Hart,and Kelly Ripa Katie Couric's legs are the main reason to watch.

You are not alone, I miss her too!!!!!

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