School uniform

Yes, it was me! How dare you tell everybody.

We wore blue and white candy striped dresses in Summer, made of some awful heavy material ( certainly not cotton) and it had to be well below the knee (this was in the swinging 60's, so you can imagine how stylish we all felt.) We also had to wear short white socks and clumpy shoes to complete the fuddy-duddy look, and a beret on our heads (ruining our back-combing.)Can you imagine 16-18 year olds wearing that now?

Still, the boys from the neighbouring boys grammar school still fancied us.

Wasn't it Dame Edna Everage, not Average?

I don't think schools are abandoning uniforms these days. They're perhaps not as strict as in our day (purple felt hats with the school badge on and purple blazers...) but most seem to have a dress code of sorts.

Yes, its Everage.OMG purple felt hats! I got away lightly with a beret then.

My Granddaughters High School has just introduced a more strict uniform of grey skirts/trousers white shirts, navy jumper, tie and blazer. They are very strict about the shoes they wear they have to be leather, black not patent or canvas. They all look very smart, of course sixth formers get to abandon uniform.

I saw the thread title and thought ....."ere we go, ere we go, ere we go" but see I was wrong.

Me too, Daphne!

There is still time though Ana!

I thought it was the opposite all the schools in my area are uniformed not one primary or high without we have four high schools and numerous primaries

Yes, it's definitely Everage (this b....y autocorrect!) Rosesarered you are cracking me up!! I remember the name of the girl and somehow I just don't think it was you!

We've just found out that wee DGD will need a uniform for her nursery at the beginning on the year ... she will be 3. DD having much trouble finding stuff to fit as she is a wee skinny malinky. Can't help but wonder why the school (nursery is attached to the local private school) don't keep stock of small sizes. Not all 3 year old are built like tank after all!

I'm sure she'll look very smart, if somewhat drowned on her first day.

Thingamajig are you in Scotland by any chance? what is a malinky? sounds scary.

Oh alright Antonia It wasn't me ( didn't need specs until I was 45) but your school sounds much like mine.

We had a very strict uniform, available at only one store. The V-necked cardigans had a stripy button band made from the three school colours, which made it rather difficult to duplicate with a pair of knitting needles! One enterprising mother managed to do just that for her daughter, who was roundly ticked off in front of the whole school at assembly and told not to return to school without the correct uniform .
Straw hats in summer, felt ones for winter. each with the enamelled school badge pinned to the band. Regulation everything, even knickers! No-one I knew complied with that particular regulation, and I don't recall any nun asking a pupil to lift her skirt for inspection

Non-compliance with knicker regulations, Indinana, how very slack! Weren't you caught out when you were getting changed for PE? Though perhaps you didn't have a mustachioed gorgon in a divided skirt and hockey boots prowling the changing room? Our knickers had to be navy blue, and yes, bought from one of two ruinously expensive outfitters. I don't know anyone who didn't comply!

My DD1 was (and still is) very dinky, Thingmajig, and I can remember having to order her an age 3 uniform from M & S when she started school, even though she was 5 a couple of weeks later. Happy memories!

* roses* yes a Scottish expression
According to my dad it went ...
'Skinny malinky long legs
Umbrella feet
Went to the dance
And couldn't get a seat,'

Skinny malinky.
Is a skinny person or child.
Its just like rhyming slang.

Yes all nursery and school uniform in our area
One primary has a lovely purple uniform with matching schoolbags

Everage = Average in an Australian accent! Sorry if this was obvious to everyone. Clever name.

Thanks cherry you are a mine of information we softy Southerners have no idea of the sayings 'beyond the Wall'.

We didn't have to wear uniform at primary school but our secondary school colours were bottle green and gold. There was a delightful green gaberdene (sp) Mac and green beret, thank goodness they weren't compulsory.
Cherry one of our local primary schools wears purple blazers white shirts and striped ties, the girls wear purple tartan skirts. A bit OTT for 4-5 yr olds in my opinion.

One school I went to in the far east many years ago had a unique way of insuring we wore the uniform. The last term in the 'primary school' we had to make our school uniform for the 'senior' school in the sewing class. From measuring ourselves, to making the pattern, to actually cutting out and sewing it on old fashioned treadle machines, under the stern instructions of the nun in charge. One false stitch and it had to be redone.

that should have been 'ensuring', too buy sewing to learn how to spell!!

All the schools I know about have uniforms - I thought that there had been a bit of a u turn on that policy.

Did boys have to sew their own secondary school uniforms, pippa?