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Several schools had pullovers with a kind of satin shoulder and elbow patch. This seems to have been a military style adapted from the services. Schools began adopting thm in the 1970s. The military sweater goes back to the 1970s at least and was originally
part of the armed forces' more practical combat gear. With or without
epaulettes, to carry detachable flashes bearing badges or insignia (to
denote rank), these eventually found their way into army surplus shops
etc in a wide range of sizes. They were (and indeed still are)
available in olive green and occasionally sand (army), navy blue (Royal
Navy and merchant marine) and light blue (air force). The style was
also used by security firms (even in black), coastguards, prison
officers and other employers of workers, particularly those with outdoor
occupations, whether as part of a recognised uniform or not.
Cadet forces, in schools and separate from them, were issued with
uniforms compatible with more modern military use, thereby replacing the
battle dress familiar from World War I and World War II movies; the sweater was an
essential part of that development.
Combat trousers (plain or camouflage) and sweaters etc became a 'must
have' for teenagers for a time and the sweaters continued to be an
attractive item for leisure, particularly for outdoor pursuits such as
walking, bird-watching etc.
In the 1980s, therefore, the style would have been a popular choice for
wear in boarding schools during the day when blazers were to be kept for
'best'. While army colours would not have seemed right in the
classroom (apart from schools linked to the military), navy blue would have been more suitable and favoured by parents, teachers and pupils alike. A at the prep schools it was the navy blue jumoers we saw.
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