1950s and 60s leisure wear. Was school uniform worn socially?

Straight out of the uniform in order to keep it clean, mum would only wash it at the weekend and I only had one uniform. When playing out after school I wore hand me downs from my sister or cousin, usually dresses, many of which my nana, who was an accomplished seamstress, had made.
Woolies were knitted by my mum.

I took off my uniform as soon as I got home.

But yes I wore it sometimes at weekends if we were going to town or to see relatives. They were my ‘smart’ clothes as opposed to my at home set of clothes.

The cost of the uniform meant that there wasn’t any money for a second smart set for going out.

We have a black and white photo of my dad and brother on a trip to London in probably 1961/2 and my brother (then aged about 12) appears to be wearing his school uniform of peaked cap, belted gabardine mac, white shirt with a tie, short trousers, knee high socks and black shoes. It’s a black and white snap so it’s difficult to tell, but you did often see boys dressed this way on trips out. Possibly no other dressy clothes to wear, I suppose.

BlueBelle

School uniform (strict) from 4/17 for me but never outside school Straight off when I got home

Yes.

It wasn't washed every day as it seems to be now, either!
Blouses lasted two days, cardigans washed once a week. gymslips and blazer dry cleaned,

Something to do with rationing or rather coupons perhaps? Were school uniforms included? Everyone had fewer clothes in the '50s.

Yes, my older siblings often wore their uniforms on family outings and the photographs show this. This changed as we started senior school a few years later.
Why?
We were better off plain and simple.

My C went to a local primary which was built to take the children from the newly developing area.
Mt D was in the first intake and the uniform included purple blazers with the school insignia of an oak tree embroidered in silver on the pocket, they were very attractive.
One neighbour, who had grown up in a not very nice area, took her two boys to a family wedding back in her home town and was delighted to have them wear their blazers and grey short trousers to impress the family and friends.
This is over 50 years ago.
The school is still there but the blazers are no longer part of the uniform.
I couldn’t wait to get out of my navy gym slip and Viyella blouse and school tie.
They were hideous.

My school had a rule strictly forbidding the wearing of school uniform out of school. Not that we wanted to.

I can't imagine many boys wearing school uniform out of school, the risk of getting it dirty or damaged was far too high

At one point my parents couldn’t afford to buy me a coat other than my school one so I’m wearing my purple (yes, really) school gaberdine in all our holiday pics for a couple of years. It was the early 70s and purple was fashionable then so I didn’t feel too bad! My husband had to go to school on Saturday mornings as many did then (direct grant school) so wore his uniform in town on Saturday afternoons.

M0nica

Winter outer clothes were expensive so my school winter coat, whether woollen coat or gaberdine mac was the only winter outer garment I had and I wore it whenever I went outside, rgardless of whether I was in school uniform or not.

I had my first non-school winter coat for my 13th birthday, a lovely scarlet 3/4 jacket. I loved that coat and wore it on all occasions. I was still wearing it when I first went to university. I wore it until it was completely worn out; fraying and worn.

Same here MOnica. Ditto with my school kilt and jumpers, but not not the tie and the hat.

I went to a comprehensive school at 11, and my mum spent a fortune on a grey duffle coat which was listed as part of the uniform. As was the norm, it was at least a size too big, to allow 'growing room'. When I got to the school, most people wore grey or black coats that were in fashion, so I stood out in my Paddington Bear coat, and as it was so expensive I didn't get a separate winter coat that year, so had to wear it out of school, and stood out there too. I loathed that coat .

David49

I can't imagine many boys wearing school uniform out of school, the risk of getting it dirty or damaged was far too high

Yes they did- I have photographs to prove it.

Maybe not for playing 'out' in, but certainly for family parties and get-togethers.

Maybe you had a privileged childhood, or you are too young to remember?

I did wear my school blazer when visiting with my parents in the mid 1950's. I think I only had that and a coat for Sunday best.

I didn't have many clothes apart from uniform. My parents bought/ made my uniform too big and consequently it lasted most of my secondary school life!
As soon as I could sew I made my own non school clothes out of whatever I could find or was given.It was the 60s and I was mad on fashion ( still am) and London fashion was yet to filter down to the West Country. My school skirt had to do for Guides too...I don't remember it ever being washed, not all things could be then.

Emeraldforest

I didn't have many clothes apart from uniform. My parents bought/ made my uniform too big and consequently it lasted most of my secondary school life!
As soon as I could sew I made my own non school clothes out of whatever I could find or was given.It was the 60s and I was mad on fashion ( still am) and London fashion was yet to filter down to the West Country. My school skirt had to do for Guides too...I don't remember it ever being washed, not all things could be then.

I remember some clothes being washed infrequently. And Saturday night was bath night, we didn’t have a bath any other day, though we would get a rub over with a flannel some days.

I started grammar school in the late 60’s, this was the first time I had to wear a uniform.

I didn’t wear any item of school clothing outside of school. First thing I did on arriving home was to take it all off (including regulation underwear) and put on something else.

You’re joking! Wouldn’t have been seen dead in it, especially the horrid pinafore dresses we had to wear in the 6th form (and we had to make them!)🙄

keepingquiet

David49

I can't imagine many boys wearing school uniform out of school, the risk of getting it dirty or damaged was far too high

Yes they did- I have photographs to prove it.

Maybe not for playing 'out' in, but certainly for family parties and get-togethers.

Maybe you had a privileged childhood, or you are too young to remember?

Not wanting to get school uniform dirty or damaged does not mean a privileged childhood. I would have thought quite the opposite, that it was too expensive to wear when playing out in case it got damaged. It was carefully hung up as soon as we got home.

Some of my out-of-school clothes were hand-me-downs from my Mum's employer who had a daughter a bit older than me. They were very well-off. I remember going out in a coat from Jane, climbing a tree, slipping and ripping it on a branch. 😲

My gabardine secondary school Mac was my only coat , so I wore it everywhere I went.
I had a couple of blouses but only one school skirt which was purchased far too long so like emerald, I gradually unrolled the waistband as I slowly grew,. It had to be kept clean in the week, and was handwashed every Friday evening, ready for Monday.

By the time I started work at 15 it actually fitted me properly. So I think I still wore it. Those were the days……

Our school unifors were so expensive that we certainly were not allowed to wear them at home, or when going visiting. Or the shoes that were regulation either.
But we were photographed in our new uniforms.

Uniform was to be changed out of and hung up or folded neatly the MINUTE we came home. We put on an "everyday dress" or a skirt or slacks and a jumper.

We were never allowed to wear outdoor shoes in the house, but changed them for slippers or indoor shoes.

My mother wore some of her older clothes at home, with an apron, which she took off before putting on her outdoor things to go shopping. Only on formal occasions did she change into a "better dress" or what she called "a nice skirt and blouse " before going out.

Indtil I was about ten, Daddy wore a suit, consisting of trousers, waistcoat and jacket with a starched shirt, tie and black or brown shoes when doing his rounds, and donned a starched white coat in his consulting-room. Afer 1961 (when I was ten) his suits were made without waistcoats, which I never thought look so nice, and he continued to wear suits in the practice until he retired in 1980.

For casual wear he wore an ancient pair of trousers (from his demob suit, if I remember correctly,) and checked shirts. For formal wear, his kilt usually with a tweed jacket, although he did have a velvet one for evening wear.

We girls could wear shorts in the summer, but I have never seen either of my parents in shorts. And shorts were strictly casual wear for us girls - we had to change into a skirt or a dress if we were invited out to afternoon tea or for dinner with friends.

We were never allowed to wear outdoor shoes in the house, but changed them for slippers or indoor shoes.

We had to have outdoor shoes and indoor shoes for school too. Along with a science overall, PE kit, hockey stick, tennis racquet, pumps, hockey boots, a gaberdine mac and a wool reefer coat for winter etc. I'm not sure how my parents afforded it.

I was confused when I saw a photo of my husband as a boy wearing his full school uniform on what was obviously a family afternoon party. Weird I thought. He explained he’d been at school all Saturday morning so no time to change. Extra lessons, prep work ? I asked. No, he said it was a whole morning of detention for not wearing full uniform the day before! His tie hadn’t been knotted properly! Harsh.

My DGM was so proud when I passed the 11plus and got a place in a top grammar school in 1964 , that she took me in full uniform to visit her cousin 20 miles away 😂.
I think it was because she gave birth to my dad in 1925 ‘out of wedlock’ and was looked down on by her family. She wanted to show them that her life had turned out ok despite having had her baby .