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Prep school boys wearing short trousers commonly wore kneesocks. There were both turn-over-top socks and kneesocks that just came to the knee. The most common color was grey. Many boys wore plain grey kneesocks. Many schools also had kneesocks done with top bands in the school colors. Often girls wore white kneesocks. While English boys almost always wore grey kneesocks, boys in Scotland often wore a variety of colored kneesocks. While grey kneesocks were by far the most common for schoolwear, there were a range of striped and colored socks for rugby. Most schools had kneesocks for year round wear. Other schools had seasonal approaches to hosiery. Some schools had the boys wear ankle socks during the Summer term. A few schools had ankle socks with tops in the school colors, but these were not very common. At a few schools the children wore sandals without socks during the summer.
There were three basic types of hosiery at British prep schools during the late 20th century: kneesocks, ankle socks, and tights. Kneesocks were very common, but seasonal changes occurred at some schools. Some schools changed to ankle socks in the simmer term. Both boys and girls wore kneesocks and ankle socks, but only the girls wore tights. Tights were also commonly worn seasonally.
Children at British prep schools did not go barefoot. We do notice it in some countries like New Zealand, but not in Britain. At a few schools the children wore sandals without socks during the summer. This was never an option, but rather a school rule. Normally this was done with closed-toe sandals, but Roman sandals were wore at a few schools. Usually one of the two syles of sandals was affected as part of the school uniform.
Sorting out the laundry for a 100 or so children where eveyone wears the same uniform is quite a challenge. The sollution is that parents are suspsed to sew labels on each garment. Here the most complicated item was the hosiery. Most mums figured out how to do this so the labels did not show, but some mothers mamaged to sew them on so that they were very prominent. This of course affected how the boy looked even when he was careful with his appearance. Sometimes the labels showed because the boy was not careful about how he put on his socks, especially the turn-over-tops, but sometimes they showed even if the boy was careful.
Boys at many schools wore plain grey socks. Quite a number of prep schools had special socks done. These school socks were particularly common at prep schools, in pat because so many required short trousers. These were usually grey socks with colored bands at the top in the school color or colors. Almost always these were knee socks, but some schools had ankle socks for the summer term that were also done in the school colors. There were many different combinations. Schools varied as to how insistent they were on the wearing of the proper school colors. Some schools insisted and almost all boys wore them. They were optional at a number of schools.
Schools vary as to the hosiery worn by boys and girls just as overall uniforms are differently. Some schools have the girls wear uniforms similar to the boys, only replacing the trousers with grey skirts. Other schools have completely different outfits for the firls, sych as summer dresses or plaid skirts. Hosiery rules are also different. Some schools have the girls wear grey knee socks like the boys wearing short pants. Normally this is plain grey knee socks. It is less common for the girls to wear the school socks with the colored bands. There are, however, other options for the girls. The girls at many schools wear white sicks, both ankle socks and knee socks. British boys do not often wear white socks, except for games such as cricket. Another option for the girls is tights. This is usually an option for the winter term.
