English School Jumpers and Sweaters: Colors


Figure 1.--This prep school had maroon sweaters. Note the pullover style. This was not unusual, but less common than V-neck sweaters. Most schools had "V"-necks. For more information on prep schools, click on the image. Apertures Press has both a published book and an E-book on prep schools. 

English school jumpers included both sweaters and sweathshirts. There were some difference as to color. School uniform sweaters were mostly grey. I'm not sure precisely why grey was so common. While grey was the most common, there were several other colors used as well. We have not noted black, but white was used for cricket. We have noted blue in particular. Other colors included brown, green, maroon, and red. In recent years colored sweters became more common. Quite a number of schools, however have begun to replace sweaters with sweatshirts. We are less sure about the colors for sweatshirts.

Sweaters

School uniform sweaters were mostly grey. Rather difficult to estimate, but I would say that more than half of British schools had grey sweaters. I'm not sure precisely why grey was so common. Many grey sweaters were done with added trim to add a little color. Even so there were also quite a number of schools wsith plain grey volors. While grey was the most common, there were several other colors used as well. We have not noted black, but white was used for cricket. We have noted blue in particular. Other colors included brown, green, maroon, and red done in a range of shades. . Almost always these were plain colored sweaters with out the trim used with grey sweaters. In recent years colored sweters became more common. We also noticed white sweaters, but these were for cricket rather than being a school sweater.

Sweatshirts

Quite a number of schools, however have begun to replace sweaters with sweatshirts. We are less sure about the colors for sweatshirts. We notice schools beginning to add sweatshirts to the school uniform in the 1990s. Very few schools in the 1980s had sweatshirts. The English school sweatshirts are done in colors. Unlike English school sweaters, they are rarely done in grey. Also unlike American sweatshirts which very commonly were grey, British sweatshirts were not done in grey. We notice both red and blue sweatshirts, but believe othger colors were also worn. The most common color is blue, but they are done in sevveral other colors as well.






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Created: 4:31 AM 8/16/2004
Last updated: 1:32 AM 4/14/2006