Figure 1.--Many schools had kneesocks done with top bands in the school colors. Another less common option was to do the whole top of the turn-over top in a single color, often a bright color. Notice how the red top is coordinated with the sweater trim. |
Many schools also had kneesocks done with top bands in the school colors. Other schools had socks with the whole turn-over-top bit done in the principal school color--often the color of the blazer.Not all prep schools had these banded turn-over-top socks, but they were very commonly part opf the uniform. This detailing and color combination was also commonly employed in the school cap, tie, and school jumper trim. The socks with the colored bands were always the turn-over-top type. They were also always grey socks. They were more common in England than in Scotland where a number of schoold had colored rasther than grey turn-overtop socks. The white socks often worn by the girls never had these colored bands. There were a wide range of color combinatuions. Some just had one of the school colors. Schools commonly had two colors, usually the cap and blazer color and the main trim color. Schools commonly incouraged the children to wear the turn-over-top kneesocks with the colored band. Many children, however, wore the less-expensive plain grey kneesocks without the turn-over-tops. The main reason for this as mums found them much less expensuive. Here some schools were much more permissive than other schools and did not take any strenuous objection. Thus at many schools you see noth children with and without the colored bands. The schools did insist that the children wear grey kneesocks as part of the uniform, only the colored bands became optional.
Many schools also had kneesocks done with top bands in the school colors. Not all prep schools had these banded turn-over-top socks, but they were very commonly part of the school uniform. We would say that well over half of the prep schools had them. They were also worn at state primary schools, but much less commonly. More common was there use at Anglican primary schools. This was more apparent at some schools than others because many schools that had the banded kneesocks did not insist that the boys wear them. Thus these schools might give the apoearance of not really having the banded kneesocks.
There were two basic options with these colored bands. Many schools had actual bands, done in one to three colors on a basic grey sock. Here the combinations could be quite varied. There were a wide range of possible color combinatuions. Some just had one of the school colors. Schools commonly had two colors, usually the cap and blazer color and the main trim color. The one colorbands were twin bands of equalwidth separated by the grey background. Two color combinations were also common abnd commonly included a bright or dark contrasting . Only a few schools used three colors. The other basic option was to have the whole turn-over-top bit done in the principal school color--often the color of the blazer. This was not as common as the banded socks, but there were a number of schools that chose this option.
The detailing and color combination on the banded kneesocks was also commonly employed in the school cap, tie, and school jumper trim. The various garments allowed for quite a range of variations among schools even though some of the colors like blue were very commonly used.
The socks with the colored bands were always the turn-over-top type. We have never seen the less expensdive grey kneesocks done with the colored tops--even the very common single-colored band like red and blue.
The banded kneesocks were also always grey socks. TBanding the socks was more common in England than in Scotland where a number of schoold had colored rather than grey turn-overtop socks. The most common color for kneesocks were grey. The great majority of British prep schools had grey kneesocks as part of the school uniform. Virtually all English schools had grey kneesocks or grey socks with colored tops. Many boys wore plain grey kneesocks, although quite a few schools had stocks done with bands in the school colors. These banded socks were almost always grey socks. Often girls wore white kneesocks instead of grey ones. The white kneeocks were not commonly worn by boys, although some boys did wear white kneesocks fpr cricket. While English boys almost always wore grey kneesocks, boys in Scotland often wore a variety of colored kneesocks, including blue, purple, and red.
The white socks often worn by the girls never had these colored bands.
Schools commonly incouraged the children to wear the turn-over-top kneesocks with the colored band. This was especially the case when the children dressed up for church or some special occassion. Many children, however, wore the less-expensive plain grey kneesocks without the turn-over-tops. The main reason for this as mums found them much less expensuive. Here some schools were much more permissive than other schools and did not take any strenuous objection. Thus at many schools you see noth children with and without the colored bands. The schools did insist that the children wear grey kneesocks as part of the uniform, only the colored bands became optional.
