Figure 1.--Most French choirs now have long pants uniforms. A few still wear the traditional short pants uniform with white knee socks, but the very long style of shorts which appeared in the mid-1980s.

Why are choir uniforms important? Surely it is the music that is important? Why have choir over centuries given so much importance to uniforms? Even in America where uniforms for children, until recently, have not been important, choirs have given considerable attention to uniforms. Some European choirs have quite destinctive uniforms.

Destinctive

Probably one of the most distinguishing characteristics of a boy choir is the group's uniform. Uniforms used to be more distinctive than is the case today, but they continue to be important. One American choir master in describing their uniforms, writes,

... the Boy Choir is its immaculately, stiffly-starched white collars, grey flannel trousers, and flannel jackets. In the years past the choirboys have brought their neatly pressed uniforms before thousands of people in all parts of the United States. These people have come to know that the high standards of neatness of the Boy Choir are only in keeping with the high standards of performance.

Impression

The first impression which a person receives of a group is esentially by its appearance, its bearing, and its behavior. The choirboys have been told, and rightfully so, that a large group attracts more attention by its lack of noise and confusion than by any other means. In meeting a person for the first time, one is impressed by outward appearance and inner bearing, both of which give purpose to that individual's presence. We feel that this is essentially true with groups, also.

Figure 2.--French and Belgian choirs have generally worn the uniforms of the catholic colleges (schools) to which they are attached. The most common uniform is a blue sweater, white shirt worn without a tie, blue shorts, and white knee socks.

Group Spirit

Any given group expresses a corporate personality. Such a personality is present, whether there is conscious effort or not. An ill-organized group will express no general direction of its activities and energies. Therefore, it will express no esprit de corps nor inner life which says in effect to the world, "This is a way of life," "This is a philosophy of life," or "This we believe."

We must not forget that every group expresses some kind of philosophy. Each group says by its appearance, its bearing, or its behavior: we are organized, or we are disorganized; we have purpose, or we have no purpose; we are a thoughtful people, or we have no thought for people; our thinking is built on principle, or our thinking principle is not yet built. I am sure that much of your interest in this organization was because of some such realization found in the boychoir.

Interestingly enough, all of us take pride in doing a difficult job well. It is difficult enough to maintain the exacting schedules of home-life, and school-life, but maintaining these schedules in addition to the Choir-life is no average person's job. It takes much fore-thought.

Standards

Probably the most difficult task of all is to maintain a uniform in constant preparedness. We attempt to post the parents as far ahead of concert schedules as possible. Sometimes this is impossible, since sudden opportunities present themselves, opportunities which the directors and executive committee feel should not be by-passed for one reason or another. Then the frantic word goes out that a concert is scheduled for tomorrow night! Confusion ensues. The result is last minute stops at the cleaners, or if there is not enough time, a disheveled choirboy at the concert.

One choir master in which the boys wear long grey flannel trousers, warns the boys and parents:

Other than the usual dictum of not enough starch in the collars of the white shirts, probably the most unsolved is the matter of "baggy-knees" in the grey flannel trousers. Since the material is flannel wool there always exists a basic problem of a need for pressing. If the weather is humid and damp, you may assume that upon return home your choirboy's pants will need pressing. If your family's "nightingale" is not yet in the habit of hanging up his trousers neatly and carefully (something which he must do on tour), you may assume that his trousers will need pressing. Usually, this brief bit of pressing can be done at home, yet it should be done after each performance in which your representative has been on a lighted stage for more than thirty minutes, or has participated in concert for more than 45 minutes, regardless of lighting. If a choirboy perspires this moisture will affect the crease of the wool. We attempt to take necessary precautions to see that no abuse of the uniforms takes place. However, in the case of the Choir jacket, the best insurance against wrinkles, before concert and after, is a coat-hanger.

Figure 3.--French choirs, like the Petits Chanteurs _ la Croix Potenc_e, wear white cassocks when performing. The same costume was worn by boys at some French boarding schools for First Communion.

Practicality

Choir masters, especially in countries where the weather can be quite cold, need to plan for neeed uniform items. In case of cold weather, some alternate jacket should be worn to and from the concert place to prevent any chilling taking place. Scarves should always be worn about the throat after dark in weather below 45� Fahrenheit. Wool navy blue scarves are considered regulation. One choir master suggests to parents that wool navy blue knit caps (no pom-poms) should be worn on Choir occasions when there is a chilling wind which might result in colds and other health impairments. Caps are considered necessary in weather below 40� Fahrenheit.

Non Uniform Items

Shoes and socks also have to be considered as part of the uniform. Black shoes are required by most choirs. Griffin All-White Shoe Polish has broadcast for years, "If you wore shoes upon your head, you'd make sure your shoes look neat." This maxim can certainly be applied to choirboys and black shoes! In bright lights dusty or unpolished shoes look very dull. We are convinced that a weekly polishing (more if necessary) by the choirboy of his choir shoes is a must. We don't believe in the parents doing this job for the boy, even though, as my grandmother used to say, "It's easier to do it myself." The choirboy will take better care of his shoes while he wears them if he has to do them himself. One American choir advises the parents, "in self-defense, you can tell him that "a bright child has bright shoes."

Socks were particuarly important when boy choirs generally had short pants uniforms when the socks were more apparent. Socks are now less important, but still have to be considered as many boys where white atletic soc ks when not advised to do differebtly. British choirs have generally required grey knee socks when the boys wore short pants. French choirs have mostly requirded white kneesocks. American choirs where the boys have usually worn long pants have mostly required black socks.

Hair

Well groomed hair is another matter to be considered. Nothing can detract from a choral group, other than a sour note, like a smattering of poorly coif red heads. As every good choirboy soon learns, he is expected to have on his person when in uniform, one black comb and two white handkerchiefs (one in his jacket pocket, and one in his hip pocket). These simple items insure the finishing touches of a well-groomed choirboy who is presented to the public in concert.

Collars

Some choirs have put a special interest on smartly starched collars. This was particulaly true of the early part of the century when Eton collars were commonly worn. Even today, however, stiff collars are stressed by some choirs. One American choir advises its parents:

Over the years we have learned, or maybe I should say the mothers have learned, that a stiffly starched white shirt is the most economical way to launder a choir shirt. When a choir shirt is well-starched and ironed, and the choirboy's neck is clean, the usual child can use the same shirt for two choir occasions, since the time of wear is about 2 hours. This will vary with the child and condition of the shirt. However, may we say that we must insist on a very stiff choir collar (cardboard stiffness) which is the trademark of the organization. If you know of no special way in which to accomplish this, the following directions are given for your particular help: When new, use Perma Starch for the first time. Starch with hot cooked starch, dry. Then starch with the following cold starch mixture: [Omega] cup water 2 level tablespoons sugar, 3 heaping tablespoons starch. Mix thoroughly and dip collar and lapels into it, squeeze out, then take lapels and collar and rub between hands, rubbing in the starch well. Repeat this cold starch treatment three times. Sprinkle shirt, roll up and place in refrigerator for 24 hours. Iron back of collar first, then iron collar and lapels with white cloth to avoid scorching.

Created: June 3, 1998
Last updated: November 1, 2000