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Did your mother make you wear a Liberty bodice?

(175 Posts)
Glasgo Fri 13-Nov-20 16:59:54

I grew up in 1950’s and remember cold winters when my mother would look out my flannel Liberty bodices. Worn over a vest then topped off with a hand knitted woollen jumper. I certainly had an inner glow. What are your early cold morning memories?

Justwidowed Fri 13-Nov-20 19:45:59

Yes I remenber liberty bodices and virol,and also remember my mother saying " ne'er cast a clout till May is out",clout being clothes of course .

Kalu Fri 13-Nov-20 19:46:15

Early fifties, my kilts had a Liberty bodice attached with rubber buttons. Fair Isle jumper, fawn top hoes and Clark’s brown lace up shoes completed the look. ?

sodapop Fri 13-Nov-20 19:48:39

Liberty bodice for me as well with the rubber buttons. Chilprufe vests, big knickers with a pocket for a hanky. I remember the rags in my hair as well Alishka never really worked my hair was dead straight.
Does anyone else remember having camphorated oil rubbed on their chest, I used to reek.

FarNorth Fri 13-Nov-20 19:54:04

I put my clothes between the eiderdown and the blankets overnight so they were warm when I got dressed, usually under the bedclothes, in the morning.

Grannynannywanny Fri 13-Nov-20 19:59:12

Yes, born in 1954 and wore one. I wonder why they had rubber buttons. I really disliked wearing them. I disliked even more the full length nylon petticoat . Usually bought as generous sized as possible “to get the wear out of it”. It was usually too long and had to be tucked up at the shoulder straps to prevent it showing below the skirt hem. Topped off with a hand knitted jumper and an itchy kilt!

I found these photos online.

aggie Fri 13-Nov-20 20:00:27

I used to have a big sheet of Thermogene inside my vest when I had a chesty cough , or sometimes vick rubbed in , hated both , but I use vick now if I have a cold

Kalu Fri 13-Nov-20 20:02:23

My LB had four buttons. Possibly this was a style for children. A bugger to button though.

BBbevan Fri 13-Nov-20 20:21:10

Oh yes. I was a poorly child. I had rheumatic fever ( my dad said dramatic fever) so I was always wrapped up. Could hardly move sometimes. Vest, liberty bodice, Viyella blouse etc .

Georgesgran Fri 13-Nov-20 20:34:37

Blimey - born 1951 - yes I wore a liberty bodice too! Where did the name come from, or was it a Brand name? Also remember taking a spoonful of malt extract from a big brown glass jar - no idea why.
We still call the gloves attached to string through the coat arms Idiot Gloves - impossible for anyone to lose.

Lexisgranny Fri 13-Nov-20 20:36:27

Two other things I remember - having a bad cough and brown paper being slathered with goose lard and sewn into my vest. I crackled and probably smelt rather oddly. I also remember (as a child who had numerous scratches and scrapes) a copious amount of dettol being added every time I had a bath.

Casdon Fri 13-Nov-20 20:38:27

No, I never wore a liberty bodice, I had white Ladybird vests, which had short sleeves - can still picture them now.

FlexibleFriend Fri 13-Nov-20 20:40:11

No I never wore one, never even seen one in the flesh.

BBbevan Fri 13-Nov-20 20:45:51

The malt stuff was Virol. I loved it. Got it for my own children in the late 60s.. It made them fetch.

Glasgo Fri 13-Nov-20 20:49:23

Grandmabatty

aldom I wore one in the 60s and we did not have central heating! I remember a firelighter that resembled an old fashioned hair dryer pointing at the fire, the clothes horse in front of the fire with the vest etc warming on it.

Yes I remember when we changed to smokeless fuel we were given the same contraption to light the fire. Our coal the cellar was in the kitchen. We used an axe to break the coal. It could be particularly sparky spitting out hot cinders onto the rug. Then we would rush to stamp on the burning bit.

baubles Fri 13-Nov-20 20:51:38

Yes I wore one as a child in the 50s. I can still recall the feel of the buttons but oddly don’t remember actually buttoning it up.

Vest, liberty bodice, jumper and skirt, scarf crossed over the chest then coat.
It’s a wonder we could move at all in all those layers.

allium Fri 13-Nov-20 20:52:25

I too grew up in 50s and 60s never came across these.

25Avalon Fri 13-Nov-20 20:55:04

Brings it back. 50’s. Rubber buttons. My mother called them stays.

jacq10 Fri 13-Nov-20 20:58:05

Remember the liberty bodice well and my school gymslip with royal blue sash round the waist. My favourite item of winter clothing back then was my "pixie" bonnet which Mum knitted with mittens to match with the aforementioned knitted string threaded though so I wouldn't lose one! Most hated item was my gaberdine raincoat - longed for the warmer weather so I could wear my blazer.

Dinahmo Fri 13-Nov-20 20:58:12

I wore Liberty bodices in the 50s but i remember them hving fabric covered metal buttons. Also virol - delicious. My OH used to make beer, using malt extract and he would always give the tin to scrape.

dragonfly46 Fri 13-Nov-20 21:06:54

I had liberty bodices with rubber buttons but loved the one I got which went over my head with no buttons.

Suki70 Fri 13-Nov-20 21:19:33

I always wanted a liberty bodice but my mother wouldn't buy me one. Most girls in my class wore one and the rubber buttons fascinated me. Virol at bedtime plus rose hip syrup and Lucozade if I was unwell.

grumppa Fri 13-Nov-20 21:26:00

Still none the wiser, I have just googled liberty bodice images, and the first image was of a Morris & Co. Strawberry Thief curtain. Thanks, Google.

Auntieflo Fri 13-Nov-20 21:27:45

Yes, I was born in 1942 and wore a liberty bodice, and fed spoonfuls of Cod Liver Oil and Malt.
Mum was an older mum, and she sometimes made me knitted knee length socks. I remember a pale blue pair, and a lemon pair. Oh how I wanted shop bought white ones.

Marydoll Fri 13-Nov-20 21:31:12

Here you are grummpa

Marydoll Fri 13-Nov-20 21:32:14

Trying again!