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Boarders often did not commonly wear either caps or blazers at school during the normal school day. The basic attire at boarding school during the school day tended to be utilitarian. We note boys wearing basically shirts and trousers. Jumpers (sweaters) were an optional item worn during cool weather. Most schools required ties, but not all. Especially during the summer a few schools dropped the tie requirement. Socks might vary seasonally. Knee socks were most common for the boys wearing short trousers. Ankle socks were worn during the summer at some schools. Footwear varied while at school. We note both sandals and shoes. The sandals were mostly closed-toe sandals, but a few schools did not spdecify the type, We noted a few schools that diring the summer had the boys wear sandals without socks.
Many prep schools by the 1980s had dropped the once ubiquitous school cap. Even the schools that still had caps did not have the boys wear them duing the school day. There were several reasons for this. The caps were in the first place not all that practical nor were the boys especially enamored of them. In additiin, if the boys did wear them there would have been a very significant attrition rate given how boys treat their clothes, especially caps.
Most British preparatory schools had uniforms that included blazers. The barders at the schools, however, did not wear their blazers duting the school day. The schools generally insisted that they hang them up and wear them only for special occassions so they looked smart. The blazer was the most expensive part of the uniform and thdy could get rather ragged if worn for every day given the rough wear to which boys normally subject their clothes.
The necktie has become a symbol of Britain's private schools as expressed in the term, "the old school tie". And schools often had different ties, depending on accomplishments such as school colors or status such as prefects. Here rules varied from school to school. Neckties were once almost universal at British prep schools. They still are still very common. One notable aspect of ties at prep schools is that the boys do not loosen them during the school day for comfort. They tie them in place and leave them there. Most schools required ties, but not all. Especially during the summer a few schools dropped the tie requirement. This has become more common over time.
A reader tells us about his experience. "Yes, in my time at prep school and in public school a tie was essential
even to move from one room to another. As a result it remained properly tied from dressing first thing until preparing for bed. I recall an occasion, when I was about 15 (1960). I had just started to undress and a message came up to the dormitory that the head of the house wished to see me; that meant going to find him in his study. At that time of the day I could have reported in pyjamas and dressing gown but, as I was so nearly fully dressed and not arriving very promptly or
leaving clothes in a heap would have been the cause for even more disapproval, I put tie and jacket back on and proceeded downstairs. It was an era, I suppose, of all or nothing! Your illustrations are, I guess, about twenty or twenty-five years on and things had relaxed enormously by then. Home casual clothes, jeans and T-shirts etc, however would have marked out those differences which uniforms so successfully masked."
Jumpers (sweaters) were an optional item worn during cool weather. Unlike many other uniform garments, the jumper was optional. A boy could chose to wear the jumper or not wear it. Often boys put them on in the morning and then later took them off when it got warmer. We note many boys wearing them in side and outside. A factor here was that quite a few schools were not al tjat well heated.
We note boys wearing basically shirts and trousers.
Socks might vary seasonally. Knee socks were most common for the boys wearing short trousers. Ankle socks were worn during the summer at some schools.
Footwear varied while at school. We note both sandals and shoes. The sandals were mostly closed-toe sandals, but a few schools did not spdeciify the type, We noted a few schools that diring the summer had the boys wear sandals without socks.
