tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post6387020485966419615..comments2024-03-28T23:30:19.366-07:00Comments on Being Me: Evidence that hats give Fran bad memories Fran Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-82378398375183957832017-05-24T10:11:32.335-07:002017-05-24T10:11:32.335-07:00My hair's always been dead straight. In terms ...My hair's always been dead straight. In terms of colour, I'm at that point where my hair still looks dark from a distance and only those close up can see the grey. I'm keeping well away from folks. Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-36881636081947467882017-05-24T02:48:12.177-07:002017-05-24T02:48:12.177-07:00Ah, you're a different generation. When I was ...Ah, you're a different generation. When I was a teenager, long straight hair was the thing, and I had long curlyish hair, not at all fashionable. However, with the menopause my curls kind of vanished, as did much of the thickness of my hair. Now I could do with them back, to make my hair look thicker. The only good thing about it is that I don't really care much any more!Pam https://www.blogger.com/profile/12641269043817163165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-72019859866640234832017-05-23T13:46:41.878-07:002017-05-23T13:46:41.878-07:00Yes, oddly enough, despite what I said above, I te...Yes, oddly enough, despite what I said above, I tend to wear a fairly uniform selection of clothes to work! I wanted big hair as a child. The only time I managed it was with a very unwise perm when I was fourteen. That only happened once ...Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-70421578939927446792017-05-23T13:45:23.066-07:002017-05-23T13:45:23.066-07:00I was really surprised to find that some employers...I was really surprised to find that some employers can still make women wear skirts. I know someone who worked for an airline recently, for instance, and she wasn't allowed to wear trousers. Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-59176916576848971252017-05-23T13:44:34.277-07:002017-05-23T13:44:34.277-07:00Some schools here are now considering changing to ...Some schools here are now considering changing to a gender-neutral uniform in which the boys can wear skirts if they like. Makes sense, bearing in mind girls have been able to wear trousers for years. Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-76298039981023187092017-05-23T13:40:45.073-07:002017-05-23T13:40:45.073-07:00I love uniform - it so saves one from having to th...I love uniform - it so saves one from having to think what to wear. I'd be happy to wear uniform still... come to that, I sort of do (black trousers, shirt). I would also have loved tassels. I wanted long hair, to toss around in pigtails, but my hair was curly and my mother wouldn't let me have long hair in case it disguised the curls - curls which she would have liked, herself, and didn't have. I would have pretended that the tassel was a pigtail. Ah, the difficulties of youth... and parenthood...Pam https://www.blogger.com/profile/12641269043817163165noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-58002381524497869112017-05-23T13:05:35.730-07:002017-05-23T13:05:35.730-07:00The dizzy delight of doing my A levels at the unif...The dizzy delight of doing my A levels at the uniformless tec' , though we girls still had to wear skirts , not trousers . ( mid 1960s ) SmitoniusAndSonatahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11210817141287881808noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-36917151231521965162017-05-21T14:58:18.345-07:002017-05-21T14:58:18.345-07:00South Africa has school uniforms but I can see the...South Africa has school uniforms but I can see the kids now have kinder simpler more flattering options than we did. Primary school was a convent in royal blue (a colour I still love) but fighting into a, was it a gym slip?, with a zip at the waist, in winter!! Now the girls are allowed to wear trousers in winter.<br />High school was a particularly nasty bottle green. And the hats are history. Diana Studerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12286066768376135880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-56441451985807458872017-05-21T14:57:55.314-07:002017-05-21T14:57:55.314-07:00Gosh, when you think about it, you wonder how it i...Gosh, when you think about it, you wonder how it is that, at 11, we think we are old enough to make our own decisions! They would all be rather unwise, no doubt. Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-12120502016509234492017-05-21T00:01:59.629-07:002017-05-21T00:01:59.629-07:00Aged 11 I was furious with my mother for securing ...Aged 11 I was furious with my mother for securing me a place at the former Grammar school my eldest brother had attended = green blazers. I wanted to go to the comprehensive = black blazers.<br />My mother said, " How would you like a green Blazer ? " Not much really... however I have since told my mum that she made the right decision as I grew to love that school.BadPennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09889591351222591488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-35254174675338830972017-05-20T13:24:20.188-07:002017-05-20T13:24:20.188-07:00Hi Mandy - I guess you're saying the same as R...Hi Mandy - I guess you're saying the same as River above, about how uniform levels students. On the other hand, somehow they still manage to form cliques - the cool ones, the conformists, the rebels, etc - and their uniforms (or not-quite-uniforms) reflect that. Kids are very resourceful! Thanks for your comment, and glad you enjoyed the story. Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-57596919734895234432017-05-20T13:22:28.304-07:002017-05-20T13:22:28.304-07:00You're right about the 'levelling' fun...You're right about the 'levelling' function of school uniform. It certainly does that. Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-13264142127298335412017-05-20T04:49:23.145-07:002017-05-20T04:49:23.145-07:00Brilliantly written Fran, loved the story. Brought...Brilliantly written Fran, loved the story. Brought back memories only we didn't have berets with tassels (thanks goodness), our threat to avoid was having your head shoved down the loo and flushed.<br /><br />On the subject of school uniform, I much preferred it because my parents couldn't afford the 'in' clothes. Maybe it would be easier these days but in the 80s if you didn't wear Levis on non-uniform day it was a bit rubbish. I dreaded non-uniform days for that reason but we all matched in our uniforms. But I suppose from a teacher's POV, non-uniform is much less stressful xScamperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10777425117697788921noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-24436892652611955742017-05-20T04:46:51.618-07:002017-05-20T04:46:51.618-07:00Schooldays were so traumatic!! Sounds as though yo...Schooldays were so traumatic!! Sounds as though you found a solution, though!Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-4921967149209419222017-05-20T04:23:51.109-07:002017-05-20T04:23:51.109-07:00my school beret was navy with a cerise tassel - we...my school beret was navy with a cerise tassel - we were opposite the boys' high school, and the risk was the beret being ripped off your head and thrown on a tree. A dozen kirby grips kept it on your head but nearly had your hair ripped out as they tried it. We resorted to hockey sticks in the end.Kathrynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13651957401241319733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-44598450099962892522017-05-20T02:51:46.489-07:002017-05-20T02:51:46.489-07:00Thanks, Martin. I love your story! I hated our sch...Thanks, Martin. I love your story! I hated our school uniform and not just the beret. I remember wearing my school summer dress one day in the middle of winter, just to make a point that I could wear what I liked. I probably froze near to death during my after-school detention!!!Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-12774048403179628552017-05-20T02:49:17.699-07:002017-05-20T02:49:17.699-07:00Ouch. I really felt your embarrassment here. Linin...Ouch. I really felt your embarrassment here. Lining up in height order, though - I remember that too. And I was somewhere near the end of the line, similarly!Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-6541344441549807102017-05-20T02:48:23.220-07:002017-05-20T02:48:23.220-07:00Gosh, you did well to buck the trend of teenage se...Gosh, you did well to buck the trend of teenage self-consciousness! As you say, a valuable lesson. I think I learned that at the age of .... er ... maybe next year!Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-15491065537212042502017-05-20T02:27:25.874-07:002017-05-20T02:27:25.874-07:00Secondary schools in Australia are all uniform sch...Secondary schools in Australia are all uniform schools. The private schools have a strict policy, the public schools mostly do, but some have relaxed the rules so that children can wear clothing in the school colours as long as it is appropriate, not obviously "street wear" or too casual. Public primary schools do recommend a uniform, but it isn't compulsory unless it is a private primary school. Some of the private schools take children from early learning right through to year 12, so the kids wear uniform from age 5. <br />Even though uniforms are expensive, I do approve of them. They are usually sturdily made, so wear well, and there's no one-upmanship, particularly with girls, over the wearing of current fashion items. Also I think attitudes to each other are better when everyone wears the same thing.Riverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14794655013673748992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-26081329560953686042017-05-20T01:42:50.945-07:002017-05-20T01:42:50.945-07:00'Top drawer' post, Fran. Unsurprisingly, I...'Top drawer' post, Fran. Unsurprisingly, I hated school uniform. At 14 I took to wearing a roll-neck sweater instead of shirt and tie. I was taken to task, but pleaded poverty. "My parents can't afford the uniform. This sweater is a donation from a wealthier neighbour," I claimed. My mother was fuming after the next parents evening. She still edges it into conversation, occasionally. Martinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13494219959077922220noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-81422046546229211752017-05-19T21:10:01.462-07:002017-05-19T21:10:01.462-07:00... my biggest embarrassment form my school days w...... my biggest embarrassment form my school days was when we had marching practice for our Combined Schools Sport Competition Day ..... we had to march in height... and I was short. So.. when I was in 6th class I had to line up with the 4th class girls ... I hated it .. <br />I also was prone to cold sores on my mouth.. no doubt to school stress.. My mother used to send me to school with Triple Dye on my mouth.. this was a dark purple liquid that stained the skin. I was constantly teased about 'drinking from the ink bottle' ... mortifying ... <br />... Barb xxxxxxBarbara Neubeckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12129774816143303590noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-73928390354871549162017-05-19T16:30:50.196-07:002017-05-19T16:30:50.196-07:00I was such a profound outsider in school that I le...I was such a profound outsider in school that I learned very, very young not to care what other kids thought about me. So it was no big deal to me that my Mom never let me wear jeans despite jeans being the de facto uniform of every teenager. Learning how to survive as an outsider was the most profound lesson I needed for Life, so it was all valuable.Debra She Who Seekshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01845703092794695023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-78816579663798283052017-05-19T14:25:01.917-07:002017-05-19T14:25:01.917-07:00Me, too. I mean the laughing and crying, not the S...Me, too. I mean the laughing and crying, not the Sudocrem. I pray for less discomfort for you. It has gone on too long :( Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-43802739679364108182017-05-19T14:06:35.215-07:002017-05-19T14:06:35.215-07:00Well, I know I've had a tough week (you could ...Well, I know I've had a tough week (you could tell if you saw the Sudocrem on my nose)but this made me laugh, then cry. That is all xDeborah Jenkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11156120348177986321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74882821337502001.post-7554015324168896002017-05-19T13:38:38.857-07:002017-05-19T13:38:38.857-07:00Gah, no I don't. Did we send you without walki...Gah, no I don't. Did we send you without walking boots? Crikey, the shame goes on :( Fran Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07935088780461825341noreply@blogger.com