Infographic: The Perfect Nippy

In 1926 there was a staff competition to choose a nickname for Lyon’s teashops’ waitresses -- the former name of ‘Gladys’ was now seen as old fashioned. Waitresses wore starched caps with big, red ‘L’ embroidered in the centre, a black Alpaca dress with a double row of pearl buttons sewn with red cotton and white detachable cuffs and collar, a white square apron worn at dropped-waist level. The name ‘Nippy’ was eventually chosen, presumably because the waitresses nipped speedily around -- often trying to avoid the advances of middle-aged men like Harold Davidson no doubt.

Read more & respect Nickel in the Machine blog for this.