school uniforms

[80sChav]

Re: school uniforms

Ours was Sky Blue only, but could be any kind of shirt, so some people wore normal shirts, some grandad shirts, some button downs, some tie downs etc.

I recall upon seeing this thread you posted here Mulletino, not strictly as it was related to what we wore at school - iuniform-wise as we wore them general, because Grey Shirts was uniform we often managed to pass of those very thin (not soft material) but those Jean type Grey Shirts that was not like Jean Material but an halfway point between Jean and faarah/Cordaroy Material like say Skinny Jean Material of back in the day. Did you recall/have this fashion in your area - even generaly, not at School mate?

80sChav

[George 1978]

Re: school uniforms

We didn't have uniform at Infant or Junior School - I was at those schools from 1982 to 1989, and I know that the Junior school only introduced uniform in 2001 after a referendum on the issue.

We did have uniform at comprehensive school. For boys, it was:


Black blazer with school badge
Black trousers
Black shoes
Black or navy blue socks
White shirt
School tie (striped)
Black or navy blue pullover (optional, but welcoming during winter months when it was a bit colder)


For girls, it was:

Black blazer as before (optional, I think in Years 10 and 11).
Black trousers or skirt
White socks or black tights
Black shoes
White shirt (or blouse if you wish)
Pullover (optional)
Tie (as boys, although probably optional in Years 10 and 11)

My sister used to go to the same school in the mid 1980s and I remember her wearing a navy blue skirt as well as a blue shirt/blouse - I believe that back then, she didn't have a choice of wearing trousers. She left two years before I started there, and so there was a huge change with regards to uniform at the school in the mean time, and by the time I started in 1989, trousers and skirts were optional, and I am not too certain but when I was there, over 90% of girls wore black trousers - some of the Year 7s still wore skirts, probably because of the fact that they worn them as part of their uniform at Primary school. Ironically, I remember two girls from my form did come to school wearing skirts when in Year 10, and one was so used to seeing them wear trousers that skirts seemed to be a "novelty" part of the school uniform rather than the default part of it for girls as it actually was some seven years previously. I am certain that my sister would have chosen the trousers option if she had been given a choice as a pupil a few years after she was there.

[George 1978]

Re: school uniforms

Also, I saw a year group photograph of my old school on Friends Reunited dated 1988 and the girls were sitting on the front row, all wearing skirts. That would have been unimaginable when I was a pupil there a couple of years later.

[George 1978]

Re: school uniforms

Navy skirt and blazer with pale blue shirt and navy tie - not forgetting the navy blur regulation knickers

Blue, and not Blur?

Amazing how the attitudes to school uniforms have changed - skirts changed from "we have to wear them" in the 1980s, to "they are sexy" in the 1990s when girls were given the trousers option.

The liberation of school uniform!

[Silver Bear]

Re: school uniforms

Blue, and not Blur?

Amazing how the attitudes to school uniforms have changed - skirts changed from "we have to wear them" in the 1980s, to "they are sexy" in the 1990s when girls were given the trousers option.

The liberation of school uniform!

Any boy at my school who had turned up in a skirt would have had six of the best! BTW, I don’t believe in corporal punishment: it should only be legal between consenting adults.

[Silver Bear]

Re: school uniforms

Our uniform was a dark blue blazer, white cotton shirt, grey flannel trousers, blue ribbed wool v-neck and a black tie (there was a rumour that we were still in mourning for Queen Victoria!). Oh yes, and our underwear had to be white and our socks had to be black, dark grey or Navy blue.

[80sChav]

Re: school uniforms

Trouble with school uniforms parents had to buy them from the authorised shop that had the school contract. No buying of uniforms allowed from outlets such as C&A or the equivalent back then to George at Asda & TU Sainsbury. It is obvious schools received a cut of the profits before they started selling off playing fields

We could select par the Blazer, Tie, and School Crest for the Blazer from ny other Shop

I recall going from Primary - we got a list and it had all these Coloured Jumpers on - Burgendy, Navy, Grey, Black etc and I thought wow fine a nice choice here, though they had not defined which Schools it applied to. I guess at least we could have Navy or Black at my Secondary so a choice existed

On a sub-note on the first day in Year 7/1st Year I made a Conserevative effort to not wear a Jumper as we had got Shirt and Blazer anyhow and probably a Coat - so I guessed doing that eqauted to looking cool minus a Jumper - then all mates "ribbed" me jokingly say it was mandatory - then how times changed in I often had a Jumper on from Oct to Feb or so and no mates did'nt ... so the screw was well and truly turned there to make me look daft after I thought/realized!

80sChav

[George 1978]

Re: school uniforms

Any boy at my school who had turned up in a skirt would have had six of the best!

Sounds like something out of a St Trinian's film.

[80sChav]

Re: school uniforms

It seems every secondary school had at least one teacher who used to ruthlessly implement the uniform policy.

There was one at mine, but I never managed to fall foul of him, though it helped I tried to stick to the rules & was was based in another school building.

We had a few who was keen at mine, Richard - but they never went o.t.t ruthlessly

My 2nd school was way more keen than the first - but the first one told you first day in Year 7 - what to expect and though the 2nd was more keen (they had more "favourites" as such who they'd let off)!!

80sChav

[80sChav]

Re: school uniforms

From the 70s wore black blazer and trousers. Black shoes. Still have the striped tie. Then for some reason that I cannot recall I began wearing gola trainers and even began wearing football boots with studs.
Some students wore Farah trousers.

Wow how amazing stylish you was Moonraker - if the Boots was astros though, i'd endorse that 120% .... though they would'nt be obviously of course!

Going back to my First Secondary - most lads (as i say had a choice of White, Sky Blue and Grey shirts) which enabled the hard and tough kids to wear Denim Shirts as Grey ones - though subbing your White Shirt for a White polo (especialy after PE remained an exclusive choice to break the rules that earned you immense instant "School Street Cred" too

Though with the Denim shirt - I never got that or a Light to Medium Grey Shirt - at school or otherwise!, and always thought my School was alone on the Grey Shirt plus White and Sky Blue! I mean yep I appreciate it more these day's (a lot, lot more) but to create such looks with Denim and leather and Grey shirts you have to match ertain items, like the Demim Jacket, White T Shirt and leather trousers (like Joey on Bread), not all "all at once" and no John Travolta look was this when done as so, and as regards copying Paul Weller and the Guys from Tears For Fears at school or at School Discos say with Tight Sleeved Polos and Skinny Ties with a Sports Jacket/Blazer and skinny tie - either reverse-tied or "the Real McCoy", all this was in another stratosphere too!

80sChav

[George 1978]

Re: school uniforms

I would have liked school uniform to be optional (cf Grange Hill series 3 and 4) - mind you, the girls could continue wearing it as far as I was concerned...

[80sChav]

Re: school uniforms

I would have liked school uniform to be optional (cf Grange Hill series 3 and 4)

Like in Warterloo Rd where they dressed Chavvy was good George yeah - but not optional like GH in that sense in Series 3 and 4!

That just made the Prgo look daft then in my opinion and never made it realistic (even though this was what was being trialed at the time etc)!!

80sChav

[W1 Rover]

In secondary school it was the usual blazer, shirt trousers and tie. In 1977 along came punk rock and the lapels of our blazers were embellished with pin badges, The Clash, Stranglers, Sex Pistols and The Jam being typical examples with a few safety pins added for good measure. Shortly afterwards Sham 69 came on the scene and there was a skinhead revival of sorts. I'll always remember turning up for school one morning and finding some of the lads had gone through a transformation overnight. There they were, standing in a group in the playground sporting very short haircuts, plaid shirts, braces and their orange label drainpipe Levi's turned up to the top of their Doc's.
Oh yes, you'd never have the top button of your shirt done up! You'd be known as a top button boy. It was never good to be called a top button boy

[Moonraker]

My uniform in 1977 consisted of a black blazer and black trousers. Odd thing is I came across my school tie whilst clearing out.

[George 1978]

I think my old school uniform probably went to the charity shop, although my school (the only one where uniform was worn where I went to) closed a year after I left. On second thoughts, I can understand how much hassle someone would get for wearing second hand school uniform from a charity shop.