This is what yearbooks are for. I, too, called it “dressing out,” it was “P.E.” and not “gym,” and we were in “junior high,” not “middle school.” Our uniforms were as horrible as Lisa’s description of hers.
The first two years, we wore white cotton shirts that snapped (rather than buttoned) and had cap sleeves, which I loathe. The shorts were a vivid green–who knows why; not our school colors–and they fit weird. I know that I ironed my P.E. uniform; I don’t know if everyone did.
I HATED P.E. Except for the times we did volleyball and basketball, and a six week-period in the spring that was sort of free-to-play-whatever (and included volleyball as well as fun stuff like badminton and archery), I found every conceivable excuse I could not to participate. Particularly during the gymnastics and softball units. AAAAAACK.
I faked injuries and illnesses as often as I could, and then, glory be, Mother Nature made me a woman and I could add fake periods to the mix and get bonus days of no dressing out.
Here’s a photo of that uniform:
My third year, they changed our uniforms to these sleeveless, one-piece blue polyester things that were flattering to no one and had the most uncomfortable habit of crawling up one’s ass. Here’s what that uniform looked like:
Then I changed schools and never took P.E. again.
I hated PE. Hated it. I was this underdeveloped kid, and all the other girls had boobs. Of course, now things are drastically different but still. Those uniforms were not flattering. I had orange shorts and a yellow t-shirt! Ugh.
THe first photo reminded me of some movie–Grease. Yep. I am reminded of Grease. I love that style. The second pic reminded me of my highschool PE days.
the blue polyester one reminds me of the gym suit my sister had in high school. And I wont even mention the terrors of what I had to wear.
Oh, and I forgot to mention, we called it, “dressing out” and we called it P.E. Middle school was 6th grade for me, Jr. High was 7th through 9th. High school was 10th through 12th.
*I threw out all my year books, years ago. I hated high school that much.
For the record, we called it “dressing out,” too. I also still have and wear my middle school P.E. shorts… great for playing softball in. =)
As I mentioned, I for some reason have never heard this phrase “dressing out” before. It is a novelty to me.
I hated P.E. as well, and used every excuse in the book I could to get out of it. It was only manditory until 10th grade thankfully.
if we didn’t ‘dress out’, points were taken off our grade for the 6 weeks. i don’t recall awful uniforms, but i’m sure they weren’t any sort of fashion statement.
tho i did enjoy p.e. – dodge ball and basketball were my absolute favorites. we usually talked the coach into playing with us. good times, good times…
once i got to h.s. tho? i hated the entire planet and seeing how p.e. was part of the planet, i had to hate it as well.
We called it “dressing out” or “being dressed out” for PE also. Okay, so the shorts I had to wear were NOT made for a skinny lil kid like I was. My whole body would have gone thru one leg. It looked more like I was wearing a skirt or skorts.
PE was mandatory till graduation. I despised it. I was always last chosen and often they tried to “give me” to the other team. So much for any self esteem I might have considered having.
In my senior year, every chance I got, I told the coach that the librarian needed me to help with a project in the library. Most of the time he sent me there. hhehehee.. I won the “Library Award” that was given to “the senior most involved and dedicated to library science” Is it any wonder that I love books so well?
I love that you ironed your P.E. outfit. And when you’re in a bitchy mood. And that you called me an author in your links. Quick, give me something to hate or I’m going to sprout a glittery rainbow-colored horn from my forehead.
gym class and uniforms
Becky,
The yucky blue no sleeve uniform looks like we had. Of course, I went from “flat to fluffy” over the summer and had a terrible time with the uniform. It wasn’t meant for a big girl with curves. The fact that I went from a training bra to a 36C didn’t help either. The showers were the worst though. Ugh!!!!
Ellen
Re: gym class and uniforms
Nobody ever showered in girls’ P.E. Isn’t that weird? There were showers in there, because I think visiting sports teams had to use them. But I don’t remember a classmate ever using those showers.
We had wire baskets that our clothes went into while we were in P.E. class, and I don’t recall those having locks on them. That could never happen today.
Re: gym class and uniforms
Very few girls in our class ever showered.
Most of us had a problem with the ‘everybody naked in one big room’ concept. There are enough body image issues at that age without advertising them.
Re: gym class and uniforms
Exactly.
We called it “dressing out” as well. You know what? Your gym uniforms were high fashion compared to ours. Until high school, we had sleeveless white cotton shirts that snapped up the front. The fabric was not unlike cheap white bedsheets. The bottoms were made out of the same material and, get ready for this, they were BLOOMERS. No WONDER we all skipped gym with regularity!
If by bloomers you mean they had elastic legs, and a cuff came down over the elastic to conceal it, that’s what ours were, too.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Horrid.
In junior high we had those snap front shirts with cap sleeves paired with hideous blue polyester shorts. In high school for required sophmore PE it was just any blue shorts and any white t-shirt (with no print), so that was better. I also took PE as a junior and senior, but it was as an elective, and we could wear whatever we wanted.
What the hell was with those sleeves? Hideous. Blue shorts and a white T would have been all right. But P.E. still would have sucked, because I still would have been terrified in gymnastics and closed my eyes whenever a ball was headed my way in softball.
I didn’t dare close my eyes, someone woulda taken my head off with a hard all thrown at top speed. I had to have my eyes open and be ready to DUCK!!!!
Oh the horrors this post brings back to me — though also comfort knowing I wasn’t the only one! PE was the hour that I dreaded most throughout junior high and high school — and I have the years of therapy to show for it. But in my senior year, the PE coach, seeing how excruciating it was for us, would let me and my best friend (who was also secretly my boyfriend) (which is another story!) do whatever we wanted most of the time.