Dear Lorraine,
In an earlier letter I mentioned ways in which ladies that would love to purchase a schoolgirl gabardine raincoat could do so. I found a further method a few weeks ago when I bought three ex-nurses' gabardines to add to my collection, from a lady who runs a charity shop.
Two of them were almost brand new. They did need buttons sowing on so that a hood could be fitted but that did not present a problem. They look really smart when buttoned - right up to the neck of course - and belted.
I remember one day trip to London the sixth form had. Some of the girls (not me of course) were annoyed that we had to wear full school uniform even though it was during half term. As I have mentioned previously I was the only 6th former wearing a school gabardine and Wellington boots to school, but what a surprise I got when we went on that trip to London. It was raining heavily on the day of the departure. I wore my gabardine, top-button fastened, my hood up and my shiny black Wellington boots. The other girls were in their anoraks and leather boots or shoes. As we gathered for leaving, a car pulled up and a girl called Jenny got out. I was thrilled to see that she was wearing the gabardine raincoat that all girls had to wear before the 6th form; not only that, but she had her top button fastened and she was wearing Wellingtons rather than fashion boots. She didn't have her hood up but she had an umbrella instead.
I couldn't take my eyes of her! She looked absolutely gorgeous and I know that I could have looked at her fastened top button all day! Jenny came up to me and I told her that she looked absolutely fantastic and she said that she would not have worn her gabardine and Wellingtons if I had not been going, as she knew how I would be dressed.
We shared a room at the hotel and although she wore her gabardine every day, and I persuaded her to always fasten her top button, she did not wear her Wellingtons on the first day, because it was not raining when we left the hotel. It started to rain in the afternoon and she said that she wished she had her Wellingtons on like me.
On the second day, although it was dull (not actually wet) she did (like me) go out in her Wellingtons, but the weather did remain dry. I was hoping that she would wear her gabardine and Wellingtons to school from that day on, but unfortunately she went back to her anorak and shoes unless it was really bad. The London excursion was only a short break, but it meant so much to me to walk round London in full school uniform with Jenny dressed in the same way.
I mentioned in my previous letter that I would love to wear full school uniform again. I found a site on the web where I could purchase traditional schoolgirl box pleated gym slips with two buttons on each shoulder. I bought a navy blue gym slip, and I loved it so much that I now have 6 different coloured gym slips. They are not the short St Trinians' style nor the type that ladies wear for fancy dress parties, because I had them specially made to reach to the top of my Wellington boots. The gym slips are so wonderfully beautiful and smart.
The other night Mum and I attended a meeting of the local "ladies lecture group" to hear a talk about how uniforms had changed over the years, the first half being devoted to school uniforms. The ladies were really interested in a lady in her thirties having such a love for school uniforms particularly when I said that I never ever go out unless I am wearing a full schoolgirl uniform. I told them that I always wear my full uniform for work, going out at night and also when I spend the evenings at home. I was dressed in a green uniform of gym slip, white blouse and tie, blazer, (3 buttons fastened), gabardine (top button fastened and hood up) and of course my shiny Wellington boots, although weather wise it was quite a pleasant evening. My uniform was greatly admired and I was asked quite a few questions so that I felt that I was in fact giving the lecture.
I was asked why I loved wearing traditional schoolgirl unifom and why I had so many gabardines, blazers and Wellingtons. One lady wrote down my answer. I said that "traditional schoolgirl double breasted gabardines are just wonderful to wear, they are so smart when worn correctly which means fastening the belt and the top button at all times no matter whether the weather is cold or hot, they are a classic style, immaculate and elegant, the gabardine material is wonderful and so is either the silky lining or tartan lining." They were very surprised to hear me say that I leave my gabardines hanging on a coat hanger and I feel as though they are saying to me Abi, put your arms into my lining, which I do and get a wonderful feeling; they then say fasten the top button, when I become really excited, now fasten the other buttons and the belt. I now feel that I am so smart that I can go anywhere. In response to wearing a school blazer over a ladies fashion jacket, I could only say that I have always felt so absolutely fantastic in a school blazer. They are so smart, and look perfect when worn with the 3 buttons always fastened. When asked why I choose to wear Wellington boots rather than fashion boots I said " that I love their shape, I love their shiny black appearance, I love wearing them, I find them so comfortable and that to me, they are the smartest footwear to wear with a schoolgirl gabardine raincoat: in fact that to me they are an essential part of a schoolgirl uniform."
It was a wonderful evening enthusing to a group of ladies that I had never met before about my love of school uniforms, in particular the most wonderful raincoats any lady could possibly wear, the traditional schoolgirl gabardine. It would be so wonderful in future meetings if even one of the group would wear perhaps a school blazer, if not a gabardine. (The lecturer herself wore a plain black school blazer, but it was disappointing to see that she did not have her buttons fastened, although she did fasten all the buttons at the end of the meeting. ) I suppose my only regret was that I did not wear the hood of my gabardine that had the face flap on as I have described before, but I have been asked to attend future meetings and I will then have the opportunity to wear the face flap. I found the lecture itself really interesting, particularly when the lecturer handed out some uniform regulations from different schools that she had collected over the years; it would have been absolutely fantastic to have attended certain schools where the uniform regulations were much stricter than even I would have imagined.
I could tell you many other interesting (to me) features about wearing my school uniform, for example the girl's reaction at work etc, but maybe you would publish further letters in the future. I hope you find my life in school uniforms interesting and that you will publish this letter on your site, either in your letter sections or the gabardine uniform section.
I love reading the letters that you publish, particularly any reference to schoolgirl gabardines.
Love
Abi
Thanks, Abi, for all your memories here. How nice for you and Jenny to find each other for the London trip, though I'm a bit surprised you didn't all have to wear uniform for such a big occasion.
Did you make any note of those different sets of uniform regulations? They sound fascinating.
I'm thrilled to say we are now having one or two traditional gaberdines made ourselves!
Best wishes
Lorraine
