A recent BBC News magazine article took a look at the way parents have dressed their offspring over the years and the hidden meaning behind such choices. It comes as no surprise that according to the experts a mother who dresses her children in matching outfits is trying to create a family identity.

I know from personal experience that children develop their own ideas of how they wish to dress very early on in life particularly daughters, my youngest having refused point blank to wear anything that she has not personally selected since the age of three.

I can clearly remember the first time I had a choice in selecting my own outfit, it was for the wedding pictured above. My mother had very strong opinions about every item I wore up until that point. I think that I was indulged on this one occasion due to my disappointment at having not been chosen as a bridesmaid.

As the photograph is black and white I feel overwhelmed by the need to describe the finer details of my sartorial elegance for you. I am wearing a gorgeous turquoise and Absinthe green silk paisley patterned blouse under a matching turquoise taffeta pinafore! Accompanying the outfit is a pair of navy leather sandals which had a kitten heel and clip clip clopped all the way across the stone flags outside the church and the wonderful tiled floor within. Delicious!

Have you identified me yet? My mother is in the row behind me looking towards the bride and my cousin the groom. My little sister is at the front of the photograph holding my precious box camera which I had just been forced to allow her to play with in the hope that she would keep still for the photographer. I was subsequently left holding my mother's camera by way of compensation and I am suitably unimpressed by the honour.

I think that there are some wonderful examples of dress style on display here, from an eccentric aunt to the prim and proper ones as well as my cheeky cousins on the front row. Don't you just love the way the socks slid down your legs in those days!

Do any particular outfits stand out from your childhood?

Labels: Family History, Photographs

Posted by Miladysa at 1:18 PM

29 Comments

 Miladysa posted at 2:31 PM  
BTW, It was 1968 :-D

 Demon Hunter posted at 4:35 PM  
Great picture, Miladysa. :-) I didn't care about picking my clothes until I was about 12 or so. I've seen some awful outfits in old pictures though. LOL.

 FANCY posted at 5:48 PM  
I think it is a fabulous story you share with us...it give me flashbacks on the time I had to wear itchy woolen trousers...*LOL*...it was awful ;)

 jason evans posted at 5:57 PM  
Thanks for bringing that photography to life. :)

 Am In Trance posted at 6:05 PM  
Wow.. Thats such a nice picture..
I don't remember what clothes I had but one... A Blue coat with a White Striped Tie..

I see that ol' pic n' I see myself so young...
:)

U made too long to comeback to your blogs...
Don't go away again...
:)
TakeCare n' GodBless You...

 Lana Gramlich posted at 7:04 PM  
Neat picture! Since we were both purchased on the black market close to the same time, "mom" started out dressing us the same (family identity, as you say.) You have no idea how many times we were asked if we were twins, solely because of our clothes. Later on I ended up w/my brother's hand me downs more often than not, unfortunately, & regardless, nothing I ever wore, said, did, etc., etc. was good enough for anyone.

 Charles Gramlich posted at 7:06 PM  
Love the pic. I'm not sure which you are but the outfit sounds grand.

 Miladysa posted at 7:30 PM  
DH - "I've seen some awful outfits in old pictures though."

When I was searching for this photograph yesterday I came across some real shockers :-D


Fancy - "itchy woolen trousers"

Oh yes! Worn a few myself :-D


Jason - My pleasure :-D


am in trance - Have I been away? ;-D


Lana - I am sorry to hear that.

My sister and I had to wear a number of matching outfits on occasion. Sometimes I wanted to crawl under a stone! LOL


Charles - If you click on the photograph you can see a larger image.

There are two little girls holding cameras. I am the tall one with with the disastrous fringe. LOL

 Melissa posted at 7:50 PM  
What a great photo! And isn't it funny that every family has an aunt or a grandmother that has a particular funky style? :D You look so cute in your outfit and I love the sagging socks on those boys.

I remember clearly the first time my mother let me pack to go visit family ... boy, did she regret it. Nothing I packed matched and half of it was pulled from the (dirty) laundry. I think she would have driven 2.5 hours back home, just to restock my suitcase! Charlotte went through a "hummingbird" phase that was all about prints ... different ones, of course, all worn at one time. Both girls are particular about their clothing ... C usually has to color-coordinate her outfits to the color of whatever character she loves. She's wearing a lot of yellow these days, because of her love of lions and Aslan. Iris takes forever to choose an outfit each morning.

Thanks for a great post, Milady!

 Ghost Particle posted at 8:32 PM  
:)

i jst remembered my album with all my pre 10 year old pics. heh. i gave it 'back' to mom when i left to India. i cant remember specific ones, but it was always T's with stripes :D i liked them since small. Nowadays its more of the single tone shirts.

I think girls were dressed better, gorgeously. Beauty admired. Furthermore boys mess up their cloths! hahaha.

another refreshing post Milady, now it got the mind working. :)

 laughingwolf posted at 9:06 PM  
mad, but still cute! ;)

eons ago, i looked like that guy in the back row, beard/glasses, except i left the hair on both cheeks, unlike him....

 Miladysa posted at 9:27 PM  
Melissa - We have more than our fair share of eccentrics in our family :-D

I loved your story and sympathise with your Mum! LOL

I was aware of C's penchant for yellow and I hope it continues at least for the next couple of weeks. As for Iris, I know another little girl just like her LOL.


Ghosty - You shall have to post a photograph of yourself as a little boy when you return from your travels :-D


Wolfie - I have no idea who that chap is, if I had to guess I would say the best man or a relation of the bride.

My father had 10 siblings who survived to adulthood so you can tell from the photograph it was a quiet wedding for us :-D

 Baino posted at 9:32 PM  
I was rarely 'allowed' to pick my own clothes and forced into Marks and Sparks specials but my Grandfather of all people was quite wealthy and would take me shopping on occasion, I suspect to 'buy' affection. We returned once with a long sleeved A-line black velvet dress with a little lace collar and a red panel down the front . . my mother would rarely let me wear it because it was 'dry clean' only! I remember the first pair of 'cloppity' shoes as well, little black patent buckle-ups with a kitten heel, I loved the sound they made! Class photo Miladysa ... now I feel the urge to skim through the old albums!
Green and Turquose paisley! GAH, send in the fashion police!

 Jannie Funster posted at 9:43 PM  
I'm guessing 1972?

How far off am I?

 Miladysa posted at 11:44 PM  
Baino - I think we would have all gone around half naked if there had been no M&S! Do you remember C&A as well? LOL

I hope you succumb to that urge and post some of those photies :-D


Jannie - 1968 - close :-D

 Steve Malley posted at 7:15 AM  
Any particular outfits stand out?

Yes, but I'm trying to forget...

 Miladysa posted at 12:57 PM  
Steve - Now I am wondering about that drunken half naked body sprawled out on a table which you posted last week.

That wasn't you in a blond wig and a thong was it?

 Ces posted at 4:58 PM  
This is absolutely beautiful - post, story, image. A perfect record of a classic event.

 laughingwolf posted at 5:59 PM  
10? SOMEbody was busy! ;) lol

 Deb posted at 9:46 PM  
Great photo, these are always fun to look at. I see you in there!

As a kid, I didn't really care about clothing style...it's obvious when looking at family photos. And some of my mom's choices for me were questionable also. :D

 Miladysa posted at 10:14 PM  
Ces - Thank you :-D

It was a nice little post to write.


Wolfie - Yep :-D

There was 13 altogether but two failed to make it past the 1920/30s :[


Deb - I thought I was easy to discover from the description. Don't have nightmares now :-D

hee hee

 Ropi posted at 4:50 PM  
Well parents have influence on kids but I think it is overrated at times. I mean kids have brain and what they find bad they won't follow. If one day I become a father I will follow some of my parent's policies but I will do some things differently.

 Miles McClagan posted at 12:42 AM  
Looking back at my fashions in early 90s Ayrshire, I'm glad most of my outfits were picked (shell suits? What was all that about?)

 kj posted at 4:10 PM  
i love staring at this photo. my mother has a similiar one with her in it as a little girl. as for me, my mother starched my dresses and folded down my little white socks. when i left for school, i tucked my dress into my winter leggins and pretended i was sherlock holmes. !

 Citizen of Earth posted at 11:26 PM  
he he
I had you picked out the moment I saw the photo - and yes before I read the text,beyond the third paragraph...

No no outfits from my past that I wish to remember

Unfortunately there are some I can never forget

Bell bottoms
Polyester

No platform shoes though...

 Miladysa posted at 12:44 AM  
Ropi - I think all parents follow the example you plan to adopt :-D


Miles - OMG! Shell suits! What a ghost from the past they are! :D

Bet you wore one once right? Come on... tell the truth :D


KJ - LOL! What a picture you paint with your words :D


COE - *grin*

What no platforms? Why ever not? Do tell :D

 Miles McClagan posted at 12:39 PM  
All I can say is Google search the Scotland 1990 World Cup soccer shell suit, and weep for humanity (EVERYONE had one...it was our national dress)...

 Miladysa posted at 1:45 PM  
I had a fuchsia pink one, it was essential for our Centre Parc holiday. Got the photographs to prove it too! ;D

 Deepak posted at 6:05 AM  
It is curious how you remember such finer details from 40 years back!

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