52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History: Clothes

This week the 52 Weeks of Personal Genealogy and History prompt from Geneabloggers is clothes:


What types of clothes did you wear as a child? What was “in fashion” and did your style compare?. What types of clothes did you wear as a child? What was “in fashion” and did your style compare?


As I was born in 1970 I grew up in an era of flares and big patterns. My mum was a thrifty housewife at the time and she often made our clothes from Clothkits kits. She would run them up on her trusty Jones sewing machine (which still works now!). UnFortunately I don't have any photographs of me in any of these creations but its one of those projects for cold winters' nights to get scanning on the old family album. The only survivor of this era was the minature copy of the dress and cloak I had for my aunt and uncle's wedding in 1975 that my mum made for my dolly using leftovers. I wish I had the same talent as my mum but I nearly failed needlework at school as I was so useless!

My brother and I in late 1970s fashion

In the 1980s by friends and I made our fashion statements with ra-ra skirts, neon, leg warmers etc. I have to say that this had to be one of the worst ever decades for fashion and I'm not sure that I want to scan any of those photographs into my computer...


I am actually quite glad that the 1990s and 2000s so far haven't seen me following any weird fashion trends. I have been much more comfortable in the very middle of the road jeans, chinos and classic lines that are pretty timeless. Hopefully as well when my children look back at photographs of them in the clothes I chose for them they won't be embarrassed! Though as my 7 year old daughter and 4 year old son have forceful opinions already as to what they wear then I doubt they'll be able to point the finger at me..