[HPforGrownups] Robes and other Clothing

[eloiseherisson at aol.com]

No: HPFGUIDX 45730


> Bboy_mn
> 
> >I think this type of choir/graduation robe was not that uncommon in
> >higher UK private schools in the not too distant past. Worn mostly, I
> >assume, as a matter of tradition, much like UK judges and members of
> >Parliment (do they still dress like that in British Parliment?).
> 
Richard has replied fairly comprehensively to this.
I completely concur that, on the whole, choir/graduation type robes are not 
normally worn in British schools. 

But I wonder if Bboy has in mind the uniform of the Bluecoat Schools? These 
were set up as charitable institutions in Tudor times and still retain their 
Tudor costme, most bringing them out only for special occasions although boys 
at Christ's Hospital in Sussex still wear their traditional garb everyday. It 
consists of a navy blue cassock-like garment (with a collar similar to a 
clergyman's preaching bands) worn over knee breeches and yellow stockings and 
is said to be derived from the ordinary attire of Tudor school boys and 
apprentices.

If anyone is interested, there are some great pictures of British schoolboy 
uniforms at,

http://home.freeuk.com/mkb/SUG/SUG.html

(The 'Traditional English Schoolboy' uniform is almost identical to my 
children's school, although these days short trousers are rarely worn by any 
but the youngest boys.)

The page devoted especially to the Bluecoat Schools includes a painting by 
Tissot which includes two Bluecoat boys, one of whom is dressed awfully like 
Snape in the CWMNBN (the fact that the uniform looks black helps!)

http://home.free.com/mkb/SUG/Blcoat.htm

Otherwise, anything approaching the everyday wearing of *gowns* is, I *think* 
(although I'm sure someone out there will correct me!) confined to a handful 
of universities. At Oxford and Cambridge they are (or at least were) required 
when taking exams and for formal halls (dinners) and students at St Andrews 
also wear gowns, although in their case, red ones.

But in the case of the Potterverse, JKR is surely just drawing on the 
traditional picture of the robe-wearing witch or wizard (robe in this sense 
being an over-the-head, dress-type garment). I'm not really sure where this 
comes from, or how old the image is although I would hazard that where 
wizards are concerned, it is to do with the exotic, oriental garb adopted by 
stage magicians and the fact that witchcraft implies ritual, which implies 
ritual-type garments. Where does the pointy hat come from?

Someone on this site once quoted the reason for the film's change to 
(academic) gowns over school uniform being to do with the fact that all those 
plain black work robes would result in a sea of black which would not worked 
cinematically. Sorry, I can't remember who or when and I don't feel like 
confronting Yahoomort today!

Eloise



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