Model: Elva; Photo: Adam Wallacavage
born again
Bad girls do wear uniforms. While the rest of the world gets to choose what they will be wearing
this fall, Catholic school girls are dreading a season full of
modest pleats and kneesocks. "Regulation saddle shoes must be worn," reads the dress code regulation
of Little Flower Catholic High School. "Socks must come up to
the knee in winter; ankle in summer. Shirt must be tucked in.
Skirts must not be higher than the knee. Only one small ring may
be worn on each hand; earrings are to be no bigger than a quarter.
At no time is a student to wear a dog chain as a necklace; nor
is a student allowed to wear a visible tattoo. No nose jewelry,
eyebrow jewelry, or tongue studs may be worn at any time." If you think that's strict, we've come a long way, baby. In the early 1960s, Catholic girls - at least at West Philly's
West Catholic (when it was just for girls) - weren't even allowed
to go out of the house with socks on; they had to wear stockings
with garter belts (pantyhose weren't yet widely available). Girls could wear only religious earrings. The only acceptable
alternative were strings (yes, threaded through the hole). They weren't permitted to wear bows or other large hair accessories.
(West Catholic girls' remedy was to tease the hair: higher, wider,
more hairspray; there weren't any rules against that.) No makeup.
Shirts had to be starched and so stiff they could stand up by
themselves (as well as gym uniforms, ouch). You never washed your "wool surge" uniform - you aired it out on the line
and dry-cleaned it twice a year: during Christmas and summer breaks.
You wore one itchy-scratchy outfit in winter and summer - for
four years. "It's been proven," says Bud Rose, who's owned Rose's Uniform
Shop for 40 years, "they're better-behaved. Kids act different
when they are in uniform." Better-behaved? Explain the tales of knuckle-beatings from Mother
Superior. There's a paradox lurking in those jumpers. How reserved are uniforms, really, when you see them on willowy doll-faced
girls writhing all over Steven Tyler in Aerosmith videos? And how about when they're wrapped around the waists of just-turned-21
Upstairs at Nick's scenesters, complemented by a pair of high-heel
saddle shoes? Anne Smock, assistant fashion design professor at Philadelphia
College of Textiles, says, "There's a dichotomy: The skirts are
short, flippy and flirty, yet [with the pleats and plaid] they
are modest and subdued." But that's just what excites some. "The thought of a blooming woman in a tiny little skirt that barely
covers anything - it's naughty," says Larry McGearty, owner of
Retroactive Clothing Co., which specializes in T-shirts and girlie
wear. "It all goes back to the Catholic B&D thing," he surmises. McGearty attributes his, um, fascination with saddleshoes and
pleats to his father: "He was an Irish Catholic." But uniform style isn't limited to schoolgirls. Mention uniforms
to Philadelphia corset designer Psydde Delicious and he gasps,
"Ohhh," and informs me he created his own version of a boy scout
uniform. Though Ballyhoo, the Old City vintage clothing shop where
he works, doesn't have any uniforms in stock currently, South
Philly's American Thrift has a generous selection. On a recent visit to American Thrift at Eighth and Wolf Streets,
I found at least 12 uniforms. Though all grade-school size, there
were a few big enough for a woman - well, almost. I tried one
on. It fit well, except for the chest. The dress smooshed it into
one lump. Just think of women who had to wear corsets, I told
myself. All for the sake of beauty. Up at the register, on the wall behind the sales clerk, hung an
8-by-10 Jesus in Crown of Thorns hologram. "I'll take that, too, thanks."
Bad Behavior