Blouse Shirt Top
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I will always do not forget my Nana’s words when I asked where my shirt was. To say she was horrified was the surprise of my short life. “Ladies don’t wear shirts ~ Men wear shirts~ ladies wear blouses!” So when did women commence wearing shirts and how come I missed it? Women’s blouses are still available today but so oftentimes now we see the less formal blouses called shirts. I believe the name change came from the marketing stores rather than any social distinction or equalisation. A womans shirt is commonly worn not tucked into a waistband so perchance this is another distinguishing factor amongst a blouse and a shirt for women. Women’s blouses were normally worn neatly tucked into a waistband of a skirt and looked much more effeminate too with a bit of crochet or lace on the collar or cuffs. Some had a lot of lace around the neck to the point that a great deal of blouses made galore women look more like a frill-necked lizard than an elegantly dressed lady. My Nana always wore a brooch at the neck of her blouse whether it had a collar or not. But my Nana was a bit of a ‘toff’ and tried to get this ‘young lady’ to mind her lady-like ways so she wouldn’t grow up being a tom-boy; but to her dismay, I was much happier out in the Paddock with my Dad mustering sheep or dipping or fencing or just being out in the open air with the birds, sheep dogs and cattle. Today most women’s wardrobes will have a mixture of women’s blouses, shirts and t shirts because that is the costume that we all wear today. It is far more comfortable to wear and there is much less stressing over having the ‘right’ outfit to wear anywhere. Formality has largely gone with the decades unless you are attending an official function in which case that requires a very dissimilar wardrobe. Those days of official functions are rare today and something else I’m thankful for. Poor Nana, she had such high hopes of me getting a social butterfly like she was yet in her own day and way, she was known as being ‘different’ and was an passionate women’s rights activist. Perhaps it is more than shirts and blouses that tie us together after all. |
