When did you get new outfits?

Our Sunday School Anniversary was held in May and my sisters and I all had a new summer dress and sandals bought specially for the occasion.
If you could call it an outfit, I bought a new skirt and sparkly jumper to wear at our friends' house on Christmas day.

Those shoe shop x ray machines were banned in the 1970s because of health risks.

I wonder if any research has ever been undertaken to see if their use was limked to later life cancers. According to AI "safe" use was linited to 12 times a year, but shop workers would hsve been exposed to many more times as the rays were not confined to the machine.

I used one at every shoe change in my early childhood. Amazing to think now that it was acceptable and unquestioned.

A new summer dress every Spring time and new Clarks sandals. But I lived mainly in an airtex shirt and shorts once the weather wamed up and I got out on my beloved bicycle.

I have always fancied an adult tricycle, but would hold back now on the airtex blouse.

No, my family weren’t religious and didn’t attend church unless it was a wedding , christening or funeral.
We got new clothes when needed . My grandmother was an excellent seamstress and made us dresses with matching knickers and knitted our jumpers and cardigans . I got my cousins hand me downs which then went to my sister and then my younger cousin. My brother got my male cousins clothes .
We got new uniforms and shoes for the new school year in August .
My aunt who didn’t have children, loved clothes and often bought clothes for my sister and myself . She lived just off Sloan Square in London and would take us to the kings road . This was in the 60s and it was another world to us .

Liaise

I’ve just remembered my aunt made my cousins and me nightdresses and knickers made out of parachute silk acquired but my grandfather. They were lovely.

As a small child all my underwear was made of parachute silk and dressing gowns were made from old army blankets.

Both my mother and grandmother were vey good needlewomen. My grandmother was a professional dressmaker. My father was serving in the army in India from 1957-48 and he used to send my mother regular parcels with all kinds of textiles in them.

I didn’t have T-shirts as a child, just aertex blouses

Yes, they were.

Sorting through old photographs today, I found a couple of me in my dress and bolero. Sitting astride Muffin the Mule in Hove.

I had a new dress at Easter for going to church. I don’t recall getting anything at Whitsun.

One lovely dress I had was cut on the bias and we children loved these circular skirts which would splay right out when we twisted around in them.

I didn’t have T-shirts as a child, just aertex blouses. I don’t think the T came into being until later (I grew up in the 40s/50s.

The only footwear I had was carefully measured Clarks sandals where I had to stand in an X-ray machine to get the right size.

All knitwear was made by my mother, who loved knitting.

Always had new dresses for Whitsuntide and Easter and always made by my mother.

My only recollection of a whole new outfit was ordering my grammar school uniform when I passed the 11+.
The other memorable day was being taken to Oxford Street C&A and coming away with not one but two new summer dresses!

I do remember the old Whitmarch French text books.
One chapter was all about the Mercier family getting new clothes for Easter.
They had a hidden agenda there - agreement of adjectives -
Une jolie robe neuve was one I distinctly remember.

I hardly ever had anything new -it was nearly all hand me downs from my sister or cousins, who were much better off - but also fatter. There was once a probably very expensive coat I hated - because it was a ‘fat’ coat.

It was so unusual to get anything new, I still remember a new summer dress - actually new, from a shop!! I would have been 9 or 10.

I was friends with two sisters who had a very talented mum. She made them very pretty dresses with matching jackets and I was mad with envy.
They were the only Welsh people I knew and thought this the reason they were so stylish!
Funnily enough, I have now found this to almost always to be true, that and the lovely accent is still pure glamour to me!

I’ve just remembered my aunt made my cousins and me nightdresses and knickers made out of parachute silk acquired but my grandfather. They were lovely.

New shoes in the autumn and Clark’s or Startrite sandals in the summer. New clothes were only bought when necessary. Everything was on ration so new clothes were few and far between.

As children we were given a new dress at Christmas and at Easter. These were not considered presents, as we had outgrown our winter and summer best dresses from the previous year.

Sometimes we did have a Christmas present that was a blouse or a cardie, but there was always a toy as well.

I think that I had dresses bought or made through the year-not particularly for an occasion .
My memories are a bit hazy.
I seem to remember an Easter bonnet when small.
It was maroon velvet and decorated with tiny violets .
My mother was highly skilled at sewing ,knitting and embroidery. She was educated at a convent and was a perfectionist .
She lost interest in making anything for a many years .

I was born and grew up in London, we were not well off but had something new at Easter. Went to Church with extended family on Sunday and depending which of Friday or Monday had the best weather, London Zoo or Southend was our usual Easter weekend. Had a new 'best outfit' for Christmas.

New clothes at the start of the autumn term, for boarding school. Not just uniform but two non-uniform warm dresses, usually home-made, to change into after lessons. The same, in cotton, at the start of the summer term.

My Yorkshire Nan used to send a parcel of new clothes for us every Easter, and Christmas, and our trip out from East London was always to the zoo. It indicated the start of Summer to me.

We always had new holiday clothes. For some reason, new knickers were seen as essential for the summer holidays! Also smart Christmas outfits. A far cry from the family pajamas that are so popular now!

Almost every week, I like buying clothes

Straw hat and a new outfit ( my granny called it a ‘rig out’) for Easter Sunday, and a new winter coat at Christmas.
I remember for a few Easters I had a ‘duster coat’, then after that foam backed coats became popular.

sodapop

I remember having new clothes for Easter and Whitsuntide. Usually suitable for Chapel and definitely included gloves as befitted a young lady

Whitsuntide was a big deal in Manchester in the Sixties with the annual Whit Week Walks.
Where Inner City Church children used to have lovely dresses and walked in the main roads in processions into the City Centre..

At Whitsuntide. You always went to church in your 'Whitsy best '

Yes, new clothes at Whitsuntide, here in West Yorkshire. New dress, Clarks sandals and white ankle socks. I don't remember wearing a hat - pity, because I love a hat!
If I remember correctly , I was taken to visit my grandparents and various elderly aunts on Whit Sunday to show off my new clothes, and I think I was given a sixpence as a treat!
We didn't have a lot of spare money, but Mum made sure I was always 'nicely' dressed. She often made my dresses and skirts, and always knitted us ( Mum, Dad and me) a new cardigan or jumper for our summer holiday.
I don't remember new clothes as such at Christmas. What I do remember is her insisting that I was washed and dressed before starting reading my new books on Christmas morning! No lounging about in PJs until lunchtime for me!

We would certainly wear our best dresses for Easter, but I don’t remember having new clothes - except when new uniform was needed. My best dress was worn for many years - let down several times. One grandmother had a sewing machine, my mother knitted and the other grandmother crocheted so clothes could be adjusted, extra bits knitted on as we grew. We usually had a mix of handmade and hand me downs. When we went up to secondary, ( I was a twin) we had to have school dresses made because we were too short for the smallest pre-made size. The expensive shop bought dresses had very full skirts, but the pattern for home made dresses was a simpler economy shirt style which marked you out as hard up. However it was simpler to let down!

Always new clothes at Easter for the Cymanfa Ganu (Singing Festival) in chapel. Either a new coat or matching jacket and skirt. The latter would be called a “costume”.