The Evolution of the Marymount Uniform
December 10, 2018
Turns out, evidence of the “evolution of the Marymount Uniform” is not easy to come across. The oldest yearbooks that were initially available to us dated back to the 1970s. Of course, we were thrilled to see that the uniform had, indeed, evolved since then. But, we ultimately had little substance. We knew that there was more to be discovered. Perhaps there were hidden shelves with records of the days before penny loafers and blazers. Maybe even years before skirts and white polos.
Finding the Marymount Archives was a complicated task that led us in many directions. It seems that the Archives have had many location over the past several years. Mixed information put our writing process on pause, but certainly did keep us wondering…
First, we heard that the Archives were in the office next to the English office.
Incorrect.
Second, that they were in the yearbook room…
Nope.
Third, that they were next to Ms. Patino’s office.
Not at all.
Fourth, that they were in the DRC.
Um…. no.
We asked many teachers, but only when we happened to mention this article in Senior Den did someone know where the Archives were. Charley Caland, thank you! Why you happen to know where they are and nobody else does, we do not know!
In case you are wondering, the stash of yearbooks is next to the Tech Office.
30’s-50’s
As it turns out, we were right about the “days before skirts.” Marymount girls clad in a dress enjoyed activities ranging from archery practice to debate club. The 1930’s Marymount uniform featured a standard dress, both black and white. Students wore white shirts under their dresses, hence the large white collar and white-cuffed sleeves. Forget p-loafs: it seems that the OG Marymount girls preferred lace-up Mary Janes. Especially fascinating are the uniforms that students wore on the first sports teams. Maybe the basketball team should consider switching their current uniforms for these ultra-athletic pleated dresses?
The uniform did evolve in the 1940’s and 1950’s. Marymount girls quickly traded their long-sleeves for short sleeves, but the original collared dress stuck around for the next decade. The 1940’s introduced the blazer, which has not changed much since its earliest days. Perhaps the biggest difference in the blazer is the absence of the white-stitching that once lined the collar and sleeves. In the 1940’s, Marymount girls also began to wear penny loafers – white ankle socks, of course, required…. But it seems that plenty of girls swapped their pennies for sneakers. Bowling shoes were a favorite, and it appears that everyone enjoyed frequent free-dress.
60’s-80’s
As Marymount welcomed the “baby boomers” in the 1960’s, the school also welcomed skirts (although some girls stuck to the long, black dress)! The age of the white-stitched blazer (fortunately) continued, and more and more girls traded in their lace-up saddle shoes for blindingly white sneakers. The button-down white blouses also evolved: many girls continued to rock the peter-pan collar, but the butterfly-collar of the seventies also grew prevalent. This vast array of collars could serve as a reflection of the vast and evolving culture of the 60’s – from an age of innocence to an age of rebellion.
The time has come. The confusion of the 60’s is gone, where the far-ranging collars were worn, and the black dresses were a hit. Now, we only wear the butterfly collar, and we welcome the one, the only…pleated skirt. The girls are now given more of a selection in terms of sweaters and a choice in terms of shoes – Marymount, when did you ever set the rule for all of us to wear solely P-loafs?
The 80’s! In addition to the pleated skirts and butterfly collars (which are starting to grow on us,) Marymount girls now had the option of a white, scientist-like, lab-coat/dress! (Maybe this was meant to be worn as an undergarment?) Well, now they were a hit. Also spotted are the black and white saddle shoes! Wow, those shoes really carried the girls over for decades. However, an era has to end eventually…
90’s-2010’s
The 90’s – the age of grunge, Leo Dicaprio, and the Macarena. How has the uniform evolved, you might ask? The lab-coat dresses are gone and so are the saddle shoes…for good. Marymount girls now enjoy school in pleated skirts…and shorts! P-loafs on dress uniform days are even more common, and now, the stiff, crunchy blouse is evolving into the polo.
2000s:
As you can see, the blouse is slowly losing its popularity, and the polo is the go-to. Most girls are sticking to the grey skirt and not taking a chance on the navy – but this will soon change. The blazer is back in action and the white-stitch is gone for good! There is also a trend of wearing hoodie sweatshirts…sound familiar?
2010s:
And, here we are! The white and navy polos (long and short sleeve), the pleated skirts (navy and grey), and the navy blazer. Although Marymount tried to sneak in a skort in the past few years, the uniform has been pretty consistent and will hopefully stay the same for years to come. Saddle shoes anyone?
Tom Zimmerman • Dec 11, 2018 at 11:00 pm
I interviewed a bunch of alums from the 1920s to the 1960s some years ago. The uniform they always mentioned with a complete lack of nostalgia was the First Friday of the Month (a very big deal to Catholics then) white dress that had 16 buttons and seemingly got stained by walking through the air. Back in the ’70s when I started here they were still in the Navy blue jumpers. The good news there if you were taking Photo was that you could spill all the chemicals on it you wanted and it never stained. Super material, obviously.