On thing about being old is you have memories about things that went on during a lot of earlier years. Especially remembering what was worn at school in the classroom and out on the playground. Recently I saw a picture of a second grade class in the late forties where about 15 students were sitting on a bench in front of the school and I noticed that only two of the students were wearing shoes. Going to school barefooted in those days was quite common the only problem with that was the old schools had wood floors and splinters were a big problem. A lot of students spent time getting first aid for their feet. I can’t remember what grade people really started wearing shoes but I’m sure it was probably in junior high.
Jeans worn back in those days were called Blue jeans. They were worn to school almost every day and when they were torn your mother or your grandparents patch them up and you continue to wear them. Today they sell those jeans in stores that have torn places all in them and they charge a very high price for them.
When we’re a little older we had a phase where pink was the color of choice. People wore pink shirts, pants and even pink sports coats to Brahms and dances. This fad didn’t seem to last very long.
Girls about this time went through the petticoats faze where the petticoats were so thick
girls could hardly sit down and be comfortable in a chair.
In sports, the football shoes were mostly leather and after getting wet or in cold weather they became very hard and still and you can hardly keep them on your feet. Today they are very different comfortable and they perform well. In basketball the shoes back in those days were Converse All Stars and they were used by most everybody. In the 50s they so far $6.95. The same shoes are sold today but you can’t get them for that price.
Later on we had bell bottom pants and knit suits, that was another of our fads. Swimwear has gone from one piece bathing suits to now almost wearing nothing.
And earlier years the boys chose not to have long hair or beards and then Along Came The Beatles and all of that changed. During this time I had problems coaching with the kids wanting to have long hair like the Beatles and once I send a player to the barber shop three times in one afternoon to get his hair out of his eyes so he could play basketball. Most parents appreciated that.
It is actually good to be able to sit back and see how apparel has changed through all the years most of it is good but there’s always those that go to the extreme. I don’t need to explore today’s fashions mostly because I don’t know enough about them. I know that you are well aware of the Fashions of today and like the old days, fads come and go. Apparel is constantly changing and most of the time is for the better.
