White Clothes and Page Boy Outfits (England, 1970s)


Figure 1.--.

An English reader tells us about white clothing he wore as a boy. He recalls boys didn't wear white much, except PE suits and white shirts, among other colors, for school. There was one outfit he did wear. He remembers in particular a page boy outfit he wore. He remembers in particular a white page boy outfit that he and his cousins really disliked. At first they were going to weak kilts. In retrospect he tells us that the kilts would have been preferable. Our reader writes, "I've just followed this link on the film "Pennies from Heaven and read the comment reference costumes here. I thought the comments from 'an English reader' possibly worthy of further comment."

PE Suits

As has been said, it was not common for boys to wear all white outfits of any description other than PE kit which invariably included white t-shirts or vests, white shorts (usually brief cut cotton or polyester style for gymnatics or athletics or heavier cotton tennis style for tennis or cricket) with white short socks and white plimsols. I am sure that the schools' ideas of a smart, fit and healthy image was not quite so popular with the laundries and Mothers who had to wash it!

School Uniform Shirts

School uniform shirts for the most part were white, grey or light blue; shorts grey; trousers black or grey and blazers black or navy in state schools. Independent schools seemed to go for a wider variety of colours; some highly garish. Grammar schools and some of the faith schools seemed to go more for striped blazers or contrast edging (sometimes reserved for prefects and other school position holders).

All White Outfits

Even 'for best' clothes would not include an all white outfit for boys and I would agree that long white socks would have been the start of a scene and tantrum. In the realms of films which are somewhat idealised it may look cute but such clothes never made it onto the backs and seats of regular kids.

Weddings

The exception about all white outfits were the inevitable Wedding!!! Under the age of 15 and especially if you were not a strapping 6 footer there was always the fear of being selected as a Page Boy of some sort at a relative or family friends wedding. I befell that fate twice. Once when I was about 6 or 7 and the second when I was 12.

First Wedding

The first time was not so bad, at least I can't remember much about it. I can remember wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, shorts and short white socks with white sandals.

Second wedding

The second time was a real nightmare as the bride originally wanted a Scottish theme, including kilts. I can remember my cousins and I being horrified at the thought (not being Scottish and not realising that we would actually look really smart and match the men attending). Collective sigh of relief when she went off that idea and suits were on the menu. We should have been more supportive of wearing 'skirts' as the eventual choice was hired light grey mourining suits and light blue waistcoats for the men but the bridesmaids and pages were to match the bride and wear all white with light blue. I am sure the three girls were delighted with their fancy frills and the then 9 year old was not as self-concious but myself and my then just turned 13 year old cousin did make several very vocal appeals not be decked out in light blue waistcoats (hired), white shirts with blue ties, white tennis shorts, long white socks with light blue ribbon acting as garters and white plimmsols. We were not bothered about anything other than the white long socks which we felt were very much a girls item of clothing and made us look and feel stupid. No end of 'but you will look so nice' etc was going to placate that. Upshot? We wore what we were told all day and were under orders to be happy about it. Not wanting sore backsides amd mega grief from our Mothers there really was no choice even with the also inevitable winding up by older siblings. Good job the wedding was well away from home. I can still just about remember the embarrassment of the first time we had to come out dressed up but that must have been fairly shortlived as I don't think I was traumatised for life about it although I will not be volunteering the few photos of the occasion to the site. Now adult I still cringe for some of the youngsters at weddings I've attended even if they do look smart and part of the 'perfect image'.

Girls' Dresses

Other than at weddings I can't recall any girls wearing white dresses although white and other colours were quite common as 'best' or special occasion clothes for them. As suggested, girls were maybe not expected to go for the rough and tumble and want to play in the mud that boys are attracted to; also the sugar & spice image that girls were 'supposed' to like all that fancy dress up nonsence.






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Created: 4:17 PM 5/28/2007
Last updated: 4:17 PM 5/28/2007