If I asked you (& I am) to recall any memorable (good or bad) clothing items from your childhood, which would you remember with fondness or indeed horror?

I’ve got a season of horror/comedy to remember.

The year I turned 10, my father told me he’d be giving me the government-issued Baby Bonus money to use for my clothing. It was a quarterly cheque, so I’d have money every three months.

The first cheque arrived just about my birthday in June. My father took me shopping at S&R the Discount Department Store. He said I could buy what I wanted but to keep in mind this was it til the cheque that would arrive just before school started. I could wear what fit from the year before or what I bought from this cheque.

I went crazy. Pink shorts, pink sweater, pink tops, pink bathing suit, pink underwear, pink jacket, pink sneakers.

… and a week later I was sick of it.

Went to my dad. So sorry, no more money for you.

I wore pink and some way too small clothes from the previous summer for 3 months.

I didn’t wear pink again until I was in my 30’s.

Now I can laugh when I look back at the photos from that year.

I learned a lot of lessons that summer.

Haha, pink to make the boys wink ;-}

1. In first and second grade, I went to a private Catholic School, and more a uniform First and second grade boys wore gray flannel shorts with suspenders, with a white shirt with a Peter Pan collar, a red v neck pullover sweater, and a blue blazer. I looked adorable.

8th grade, start of year, my mom bought me new slacks for school that were of a material similar to hopsacking, made of gold and black material. They were flashy, and noticeable to the point one would not want to wear them more than once a month. My mom wanted me to wear them ever other day. Plus, they were too hot to wear in California. I hated those pants.

At 10 years old after a 6 month confined to bed rest illness I had to learn to how to walk again. Because of a gait issue I was forced to wear Thomas Heels shoes all the time. To school, in gym class, the playground for 2 years. It was awful and kids made fun of my shoes almost daily…it was not fun to say the least.

Oh. That’s easy. I was 12 or 13. We were getting ready to visit relatives in Oklahoma, stay at their cabin for a week. It was summer time and I had no shoes, of course. So on the morning of, on the way out, we stopped at TG&Y to pick up some tennis shoes. Mom insisted that I buy these God awful, gawdy orange goofy looking shoes. They had other colors, like white, but Mom said I had to get those.
Oh, I hated them. After that week I never laid eyes on them again. I was embarassed every second I had to wear them.

That was the same trip I almost got raped in a boat by a 15 year old boy.

I got a “hand-me down” from my Grandmother, she had made a long sleeve shirt (patterned shoulders and arms, hidden front in the seam between patterned cloth and color matching solid body, sleeves were raglan shoulders.) My uncle wouldn’t wear it. This is in the 1955. I was the hit at school.

Do you still have it @Tropical_Willie?

I was a total tomboy and remember coming home from school one day in the 4th grade to find 5 new, frilly, girly, dresses laid out on my bed. I had a complete breakdown. My poor mom, trying to surprise me and dress up her little tomboy. haha
Out of the 5 there was one, ONE dress I consented to wear, the others only when forced, like once a week for Sunday dinner or when we went to visit other family or friends.

I had this oversized wool sweater that was itchy. I kept it through my growth spirt and I out grew it.

I don’t think there is time or space to answer this @ucme!

I do remember with fondness the nurse’s uniform I was bought as a little girl. I’m not sure which fool thought there was the remotest chance of me becoming a member of the caring profession – I don’t and never did fit that bill. However, I did like to wear the nurse uniform – everywhere. To the shops, to visits to relatives and while at home or playing out.

On the horror side, I remember a velvet dress with a fabric pattern reminiscent of an axminster carpet. It was further decorated with white ruffles (think Tudor ruffles) at the neck and wrists. I was 13 and this was bought for me (with no input from me) to wear to the school end-of-year party. In response to insistence that I wear this abomination, I didn’t go to the party.

Similarly, I remember insistance that I wear micro-mini skirts when midi skirts were well entrenched as the fashion choice of teens. My step-sister (kindly???) donated these horrors to my wardrobe. Obviously she hated me.

Why did our parents do that to us, @Earthbound_Misfit? Why would they force us something to wear that was so hideous to our senses that it made us cry? I never did that to my kids.

Conversely, I found myself in a situation with my oldest once, when she was 8 or 9. She dressing for school one morning, and she came out wearing the most ghastly outfit! It was a pink with white polka dot, homemade dress my mom had made for me way back in the 60s, paired with grey, fuzzy ankle snow boots, and purple and white jock socks.
I told her no way was she going to school in that!
Emotions started to escalate….and I finally had to rein my self in. I had to ask why it was upsetting me so much. What was it really going to hurt?

After a bit of soul searching I relented.

Then I laughed.

Then took a picture.

@Dutchess_III, it’s a weird form of parental-imposed contraception. The “no boy will ever find my daughter alluring wearing this outfit” method.

My old gimp suit come to mind.

One morning when I was about three, my mom announced that she was taking my big brother and I downtown to buy new shoes. This was a big event and I was really excited about new shoes. Against all protestation, she bought me a pair of these and made me wear them out of the store. I was freaked. They were the ugliest things I’d ever seen. I hated them and wouldn’t wear them unless I was forced to. I threw fits every morning that they made me put them on. God I hated those sandals.

Never had any trouble after that.

Hm. Actually, I had the opposite problem @Earthbound_Misfit. When I actually started developing Mom would make me these outfits that showed WAY more cleavage than I was any where near comfortable with. I only wore each one one time, because each time I literally had men / boys (whatever) following me. I was too young to drive, 14, 15 or so, and a car would go by, turn around and guys hanging out and yelling, driving around the block to come along side of me and it scared me.

Oh, I’m so sorry @Espiritus_Corvus. They really are pretty bad!

I know. I guess it was the fashion in 1956 to put your toddler in those. But it’s a pretty strong signal to a parent when a usually quiet kid just completely flips out when you make them wear something they obviously don’t like. I mean, my reaction was uncharacteristically violent. Just the fact that I still remember that says something.

[ as shrink ] How did those shoes make you feel?

Huh?

Enraged. I think I actually saw red. I think this is where axe murderers come from.

@Dutchess_III Wore it out by 1963.

I didn’t get new clothes often when I was a kid. Anything I did get that was new to me, was hand-me-downs form my mother’s half-sister who was 6 years older and three times my size, or leftover donations from the church rummage sale. I basically had to deal with whatever I got.

I remember in sixth grade, I was ten years old, and I’d gone to school in whatever I had lying around – in this case some purple sweatpants and some t-shirt or other – and one of the populars stopped me while I was rushing across the courtyard to class and looked me up and down and said “You just let me know next time you go shopping. We’ll get you a whole new wardrobe.” I was mortified.

Just before high school, I spent the summer with my grandmother who took in teenaged foster kids. There were four other girls in the house my age, and she bought all of us new back to school clothes from the mall. It was my first fashionable outfit ever, from a store called “Rave”. Cute little skirt, a barely-acceptable-to-code tank, some thigh-high stockings to wear with my new Mary-Janes. Whole set of brand-new makeup from the department store counter. Very Clueless. I was ecstatic to restart my social life.

One of the girls moved back to her family two days before school started. Lo and behold, the morning of the first day of school, my new outfit was gone, down to the eyeliner. Poof. No fashion statement for me. I cried my eyes out, then ended up going to school in some jeans and a tee and thus began again the continuing saga of Seek the Social Recluse.

I still hate shopping for clothes.

@Espiritus_Corvus haha, Sandal induced madness. I think your wittle sandals are adorable, they look like something a little royal would wear with short pants and a cardigan. haha

I gave my dad hand me ups when I got taller than him. My growth spirt made it difficult to find , big and tall, clothes that fit. In grade 10 I was going to class without a shirt and I wore my coat ( in class) ,to hide it.

With fondness That’s me to the right in the Fonzi shirt.

@Earthbound_Misfit “Obviously she hated me” I laughed out loud :D
@jonsblond The girl next to you looks like a jockey, a good memory for you though…happy days ;-}

Cheers people of the internet, good stuff

@jonsblond: The Fonzi shirt has such a 70’s look with the darker bands around the sleeves and the neck. Hahaha!

The Leisure Suit.
Chairman Mao, anyone?
The horror! I would certainly wear one if I had one today.

For me, two “landmarks” stand out
I loved my Doc Martin boots, black, 12 hole, red laces with several D rings attached to each pull-on loop so that you jingle when you walked, like a cowboy & shit.
I loathed this purple corduroy coat which fastened with a belt attached like it was a fucking dressing gown, my mam made me wear it to a school xmas party when I was 6.
Thankfully no photo evidence & if there ever was I would surely have burned it long ago.

Ah @Seek. Your stories just break my heart. You’re an amazing woman.

me too

I just bought a men’s red, medium, onesie. Carhart, brand.

^^^^
Does is have a trap door flap in the back? ;-p

@ibstubro That “onesie”, if it has a flap in the back, has been known as a “union suit” since at least the 1860’s. They were earlier a women’s garment, part of an ensemble called “Emancipation Wear.” But that was too early for it’s time, but men liked them for their practicality in winter. They flap in the back was called a fireman’s flap for reasons of exigency. They came in either red or white. Red was by far the most popular because it was harder to see the dirt after a couple of weeks without changing. See ladies? Guys really do care. But they didn’t have feet. Does yours have feet?

Yes, the onesie has a “trap door”. And it’s a frigging button, not a snap. Really old school.
Guys no longer have the physical memory to button their butts.

Here’s an add for them from 1902. WInter weight 100% cotton, 80 cents each, or $9.60 for ten of them (about a half-ounce of gold in 1902). How much did you pay for yours a century later?

$6, but there was a premium for the Carhart brand name.

Yeah, Carhart makes amazingly durable clothing. I have one of their railroad jackets. Rainproof denim with excellent heavy-duty metal fittings, best zipper I’ve seen in 40 years.. I hate those bloody plastic things that break in the first month. This thing will last into the next century. $6 is shockingly cheap for a pair of quality long johns. I thought they’d run you around $20.

Thrift is key, @Espiritus_Corvus.
I was not the first to button the butt hole.

I found beautiful brand-new Carhart overalls at a Goodwill once. About 3 sizes too big for me. Took them to a tailor and had him custom-fit them for me – and make new cross-over straps out of the foot of fabric he cut off the bottom of the pants. $4 + $20 and I had the best overalls. People kept asking where I bought them. Ha! my special boutique.

Why would a grown up have a onesie? Well come to think of it I had a couple as a young teen girl In the early to mid 70s when I wanted the shirt to stay stretched and tight to compliment whatever I was wearing over them at the moment but going pee was such a pain I soon ditched them.
Why did you get one @ibstubro?

@Dutchess_III Maybe he has one of those baby fetishes and wants to be diapered and put in his Onesie and given a baba. lol teasing you @ibstubro

Carhart Union Suit that would fit me for $6, @Dutchess_III.
Retail is up to $60. If I can’t sell it for more than $6, then, when it’s cold I’ll have to learn how to button my butt. That won’t be a snap, either.

Flock you, @Coloma!!

@ibstubro Oooh, baby cranky, how ‘bout a nice, warm, baba. lol

What do you use it for @ibstubro? Why won’t just a regular shirt, or T-shirt, work? Why do you want one that buttons up at the crotch. Doesn’t it make going to the bathroom a pain?