The Military Loves Miniskirts: Hilarious 1970 Etiquette Video

I actually blogged about this video find on YouTube a good five years ago, but feel I didn't do it justice at the time. What brought it back into my mind was seeing the following gif that a Facebook friend posted a few weeks ago:

Now, you KNOW you are a retro addict when you can recognize the video clip this was taken from, as I immediately did. And that is, believe it or not, a little 1970 etiquette lesson filmed for women in the military called "The Pleasure Of Your Company," posted by the U.S. National Archives. It was featured in "Media Matters," the National Archives' blog, and there's two other videos in the same series: "Mind Your Military Manners" and "Look Like A Winner" but the one I'm going to do a mini review of is clearly the most entertaining (in "Look Like A Winner," women are actually educated about the importance of taking a daily shower.)

There's a lot of awkwardness in "The Pleasure of Your Company"...awkward acting (mostly by the cute but kind of ditzy brunette above, who could have later auditioned to be one of Dean Martin's "dingaling sister" back-up singers)...and awkward situations ("I...I never know which one (fork) to use...now let me see...I...oh well, I wasn't too hungry anyway.") Yeah, that's right...just starve yourself instead of risking picking up the wrong fork and embarrassing yourself! #1970sProblems

The best line is when the brunette above is describing a run-in with an older female captain about their miniskirt discussion. "She happens to be an absolutely groovy person...and quite a swinger!"

(By the way, what do miniskirts and '70s fashion have to do with etiquette? I have no idea...but the film was definitely conceived by a man because we're treated to a mini fashion show with the nameless brunette posing in different outfits and biting a giant flower.)

Alas, her female friend, Sandy, has had a tough evening out with a gentleman...she's talking over the waiter and her date while trying to order her dinner. The solution? The lady should always tell her date what she wants, and he will place the order for you.

Wow. I wonder when's the last time a man actually ordered for a woman in a restaurant. Feminists probably didn't approve...on the other hand, I think it might be kind of cool and old school to tell a date what I wanted, and let him order it for me.

I won't reveal anything else...here's the video below so you can see and enjoy this time capsule for yourself!