Club Foyer>The Uniform Gaberdine Raincoat

Dear Lorraine,

I continue to read with interest all the letters you receive, particularly those connected with schoolgirl gaberdine raincoats and of course Wellington boots. It is superb to read how much the writers loved to wear their top buttons fastened and also how some writers loved their Wellingtons. I must admit, that if I did not love wearing my own gabardines so much, I would certainly wear riding mackintoshes, as the letters clearly indicate how fantastic they must be when worn with the top button and the stormcollar fastened right up.

Last year, at work, we started a new venture in which we now have contact with schools within a reasonable travelling distance of the office to discuss possible careers within our fields and I am the liason officer with the schools. I visit the schools to meet up with any interested 6th former or GCSE leaver. Before the meeting, I always check on the school's uniform policy wherever possible and when I meet the pupils I am always wearing the appropriate uniform of blazer, gabardine and Wellingtons, even on pleasant days. I really enjoyed the two day visit to a school which had a purple uniform. On both days, I travelled in my purple blazer with the three buttons fastened and my purple gabardine, fastened to the neck and with the hood up and neatly tied under my chin. It was quite dull on day 1, so I wore my shiny black Wellington boots, whilst on day 2, which was a much nicer day, I wore my patterned purple Wellingtons. It was really interesting to note the reaction of the girls to my appearance, not only in this school, but the other schools I have visited. At this school, I was really pleased to see that perhaps a third of the 6th form girls wore their 3 buttons fastened on their blazers, (how smart they looked!), unfortunately they were allowed to wear any coat and any reasonable shoe or boot in the winter.

Whilst at school, I noticed one girl in particular, Fay,who seemed to be really interested in my appearance. At the end of the session, she told me quite clearly that she wanted a career in which she could always wear a uniform, for example, the police or the navy. She was genuinely interested in my appearance, and I was really pleased when she complemented me on my appearance, and we spoke for some time about our love of school uniforms. We both agreed that it was so important to always wear our blazers fully buttoned, indeed she decided that she would continue to wear a fully buttoned school blazer after leaving school and going to university. Fay also thought my purple gabardine was absolutely fantastic and she loved the way I buttoned it up. She was amazed that the gabardine was an essential part of a girl's school uniform until its demise in the 80's. Fay said that she would loved to have worn a schoolgirl gabardine and she was genuinely upset that they were no longer part of a girl's school uniform. She did indeed wear one of those forces greatcoats, because it was auniform coat and she looked so smart as apparently she always had her topbutton and storm collar buttoned up. I told Fay about the school uniform gabardine that you are selling at Lakeland, unfortunately the price was way beyond her budget.

I invited Fay to come to visit me at my house so I could let her see my collection of gaberdines and that was prepared to let her have two or three if she promised faithfully to wear them. Our meeting was arranged for half term last October and I asked Fay to wear her school uniform, her forces greatcoat and if possible a pair of Wellington boots. Although the weather was good when I picked her up at the station, she looked absolutely fantastic in her greatcoat, fully buttoned, and a pair of the new patterned Wellingtons. She was amazed by the number of blazers, gaberdines and Wellington boots I have in my collection and could not wait to be dressed up. My friend Christine was at home at the same time and what a wonderful day we all spent constantly changing our blazers and gabardines and Wellingtons and fastening each other's buttons ensuring that every button was fastened. At the end of the day, Fay went home with three of my gabardines, navy, green and grey and from our regular phonecalls I know she has kept her promise and has worn her correctly buttoned gaberdines for school each day since our meeting unless it has been really cold when she has reverted to her greatcoat. Although she has worn her Wellingtons on very wet days, she is reluctant to wear them when dry because of the reaction of the other girls, but I know that she will wear Wellingtons when she leaves school. Both Christine and I are really looking forward to Fay's 3 day visit during the February half term so that we can have three more fantastic schoolgirl dressing up days.

Christine and I now meet up every weekend and we never ever appear in front of each other without wearing full school uniform. Blazers are always buttoned up correctly, gabardines always worn buttoned to the neck with the hood worn up, and our Wellington boots, whether they are our shiny black Wellingtons or our coloured patterned Wellington boots are worn every day. I don't know whether people make any comment about our appearance, but we are so happy together and it is very difficult to put our feelings into words as we go out in public as two 35 to 40 year old schoolgirls in identical full school uniform and Wellington boots.

If you would like to read about my life with my schoolgirl chum,Christine, I know that Christine would love to write to you about our wonderful schoolgirl friendship.

Love Abi

SHOP | CLUB FOYER | CHILLOUT ROOM | ASK LORRAINE