Students
Uniforms
ver
the years, the students of St. Anns were required to wear
a variety of uniforms. Uniforms were seen as a social leveller,
as it was not clear through clothing what level of society the pupils
parents were from. By having all the students wearing the same thing,
there was no way to judge on appearances. One of the difficulties,
however, of having everyone dressed the same was that, on laundry
days, the clothes would all get mixed together, and often the soap
and water would rinse away the name tags, so nobody knew what belonged
to whom!
Tampering with
the uniforms was a way to rebel, so one of the first things many
of the girls would do when they got outside was rip off their tam.
The Sisters often let them get away with this, as it took
care of all the other naughtinesses in their systems that
they might be hatching. The belted tunics were also a problem for
some of the girls, and they would take off the belt as soon as they
left the grounds. By the late 1960s, mini skirts had become popular,
and the girls tried to have this look by rolling their kilts up
at the waist to make them shorter, then disguising the wad of fabric
around their waist under their school sweaters. Sisters would test
skirt lengths. by having the girls stop and kneel on the floor.
If the hem of their kilt did not reach the floor, they were in trouble!
The uniform was required, and if it was worn inappropriately or
not at all, the students were expected to leave, and return properly
dressed.
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St.
Ann's Academy Students, 1965
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Makeup was
not allowed, but small items of jewellery were permitted. This modesty
in earlier years was lost when the beehive hairdo became popular
in the 1960s. Two hundred girls would all rush to check their hair
at the same time, in one small mirror in the second floor bathroom.
This congestion became such a problem that the Student Council purchased
several mirrors and hung them in the hallway to keep the traffic
moving through the school.
![](images/images_people_early_students.jpg) |
Early
Students of St. Ann's Academy 1928
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Looking at
old prospecti,
school brochures, and archival photographs, the similarities and
changes in the school uniforms over time become clear. The earliest
photographs show young women dressed in dark dresses, of varying
designs. In later years, a regulation set of garments was required
for all the students. By 1910, the wardrobe included 2 coloured
summer skirts, 2 dark winter skirts and a student's cap. The girls'
outfits changed according to the seasons, and they were expected
to have clean blouses.
The prospectus
from 1930 lists the items that were required by boarders. This was
referred to as the wardrobe and stayed basically the same
throughout the time that the Academy took in boarding students.
It included:
3 changes
underwear
Kimona and Bedroom Slippers
3 face towels
napkin ring
2 all-over work aprons
Bathing Suit
Toilet Set - combs, brushes etc.
laundry bag |
3
night dresses or pyjamas
4 pairs black hose
2 bath towels
6 table serviettes
2 black sateen aprons for juniors
Umbrella and rubbers
12 handkerchiefs
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The uniform
was also part of the wardrobe. Navy blue dresses were worn
with white collars and cuffs at that time, and a coat and hat, blazer,
and shoes were required for going outside. A white net veil is specially
mentioned. This was for the girls to wear at chapel, to cover their
hair. The other items were found in shops, but there was a note
that the veil could be procured at The Academy.
In the 1950s,
under the heading Regulation Uniforms for Boarders,
a navy blue tunic and white tailored blouse (4 required) were listed.
The tunic was worn with a dark blue tie and black hose. They began
to allow the girls to wear nylons, as well as the woollen tights
and socks permitted in the past. There was no separate uniform to
be worn as gym strip, and the pupils played, studied and exercised
in the same type of outfit. In the springtime, they substituted
white socks for the black stockings.
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Last
Graduating Class of St. Ann's Academy, 1973
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By 1971, in
an attempt to be more modern, the school uniform had evolved to
a Black Watch kilt, navy blue v-neck sweater, navy tie, navy knee
socks, and a white pointed collar blouse. This was the general uniform.
The gym strip was now a different set of clothes, including navy
shorts, a white short-sleeved shirt, white ankle socks and white
runners.
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here for more on St. Ann's Students
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