What is dressing Waldorf? - Page 2

[browneyedsol]

I will add that as a teacher there is a bit of pressure to dress a certain way. It depends on the school. I've had to be careful not to rock any Waldorfian boats strolling through halls in my black Fluevog "tank girl" boots (motorcycle type boots with a couple extra buckles).
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[Rhonwyn]

Originally Posted by browneyedsol

I will add that as a teacher there is a bit of pressure to dress a certain way. It depends on the school. I've had to be careful not to rock any Waldorfian boats strolling through halls in my black Fluevog "tank girl" boots (motorcycle type boots with a couple extra buckles).
:

Fluevogs rock! I have seen very conventionally dressed teachers (Kindergarten especially) and some not so. One of the teachers, who has taught at both schools, always dressed like the tomboy she was.

[anamama]

Originally Posted by zinemama

At the WS I went to we totally mocked the kids and teachers from the local anthroposophic community who "dressed Waldorf."

Wow. That's mean.

It seems at our school, parents and kids have an eclectic way of dressing. You still see a lot of tights and handknits, but it tends to look funky and fun, with lots of bright colors and different textures. The things that are most stressed are hats (sun hats in summer, warm hats in winter), sturdy play shoes or boots, comfy slippers to wear indoors. I agree with the idea that children need warmth so that they can focus on other things. My children have a few pieces of wool unders, but I generally dress them in cotton layers. We have very few synthetics, but sometimes a fleece pullover will serve as a sweater.

[Deborah]

Just had a flashback. My daughter, a couple of years after she graduated from the Toronto Waldorf School, moved on to college at Humboldt State University which is in Arcata, California. She told me she felt right at home, because people dressed just the same in Arcata as at the waldorf school. Arcata, at that time, was called "the last refuge of the hippies." It may still be, I haven't been there in a few years.

Funny.

[zinemama]

Originally Posted by anamama

Wow. That's mean.

Yup, kids can be mean. I hope this isn't a newsflash.

Of course, it's possible that back in the 70's, at this particular WS, kids were meaner than most. I certainly remember there being an intense pressure to have "cool" clothes. And anthroposophical garb was just plain uncool.

[Shaki]

Oh I don't know...I don't think Zinemama and her fellow students were being mean (just, as she said, being kids). And I'm glad Zinemama shared that story with us. I like hearing about Waldorf students thinking critically about Waldorfy stuff.

[HelloKitty]

I think the most imporant thing for the Waldorf school environment is that the clothes be fairly plain - no distracting pictures or crazy colors, obviously no characters or anything else. This is quite different than general public school attire which often is full of many characters and flashing sneakers, etc.

We buy all our kids clothes from thrift stores so sometimes it can be hard to find totally natural fibers or organic items, we just pick the most plain stuff we can find that is still cute.

[anamama]

Originally Posted by zinemama

Yup, kids can be mean. I hope this isn't a newsflash.

Of course, it's possible that back in the 70's, at this particular WS, kids were meaner than most. I certainly remember there being an intense pressure to have "cool" clothes. And anthroposophical garb was just plain uncool.

Oh, I did my share of mean stuff in HS, too. Those were not my shining moments.

[zinemama]

Originally Posted by Shaki

I like hearing about Waldorf students thinking critically about Waldorfy stuff.

Ha ha! Don't get me started on what we thought of eurythmy! (sp?)

[Shaki]

Originally Posted by zinemama

Ha ha! Don't get me started on what we thought of eurythmy! (sp?)

Actually I'd love to hear about it...perhaps a topic for another thread?

[StarChild]

I work at a Waldorf School and we don't have any rules about natural fibers. Our only rules are no logos and no oversized pictures on clothing. Of course no media inspired pics either. This is just so clothing won't be the focus or too distracting.
My daughter is always hot, so we buy a lot of cotton. If the kids are warm after running around on the playground on a chilly day, they can't take of their coat unless they have 2 layers on (an undershirt). I struggle with my daughter to wear one, but she usually does to school because of that rule!
Natural fibers just feel better anyway. We make a lot of stuff out of felted sweaters too.

[Deborah]

I'm reminded of the rules at the waldorf HS my daughter attended. They had slightly different rules for the HS, quite appropriately, as older kids want different stuff than younger kids. So, in addition to the no logos, no pictures, no words rule, they had no blue blue jeans. You could wear any sort of jeans as long as they weren't blue. The reason was the popularity of wearing blue jeans that were next door to rags, with large holes, etc. So the kids, being kids, ingeniously pursued alternative jeans with interesting looks. My daughter, for example, saved up her babysitting earnings and acquired a pair of jeans with pinstripes. I think it was some sort of political statement

There is a certain amount of gaming to be expected with teenagers and schools work a lot better if the teaching staff has a sense of humor.

[counterGOPI]

: must remember to get that book!

[smilla653]

I can't speak to the older, school-agers, but for parent-child/early childhood, parents tend to gravitate towards dressing their children in comfortable, functional, seasonally appropriate clothes. We have never been specifically told anything about a dresscode, but people "pick up on" the fact that prominent logos and media characters would be out of place. Most people dress their children in cottons. Many Moms scavenge at consignment shops in fancier neighborhoods and trade tips.

We are in cold, cold Chicago, but no one I know does the woolen undies. There ARE lots of layers, hats, good outerwear for our walks to the garden, and a strict no-shoes policy, though.

My own personal slant is that I am REALLY into vests for DS. He can wear soft cottons, but the vests keep his core quite warm. Babylegs are also very popular in our Waldorf community.

[Deborah]

I think my daughter does the woolen undies because they live in Vermont and have a very cold, drafty house. It seems to be the easiest way to keep kids warm all winter under those conditions.

[Rhonwyn]

Woolens are very popular in wet and chilly Seattle. Many of the kids have at least a woolen undershirt. Never could get my sensitive kids to wear them. Too itchy. Even the silk mixed ones.

[pixiewytch]

Okay, I'm new to Waldorf and don't know much, but I wanted to pop in here and ask what about people in warm climates? I live in Florida and I can't imagine my child wearing very much wool or layers at all.

[Melaniee]

We're in a, generally, warm climate. I always dress my children in layers. Even when it's 70 degrees, that is still cool. It may warm up later, of course, thus the layers. We don't have any 'woolens' other than scarves I've knit. Just cotton layers. No logos, I do do a lot of stripes but that is mostly born out of what's available to me and that solids show Soup Day stains more. One thing that really sticks out in my mind is the layers. I read something once that pointed out if their little bodies are expending extra energy to keep warm, then it is energy diverted from growing and developing or learning. So, even when it's 70 Dc wear two layers until I notice they're hot. Ds is old enough to speak on his own about how he feels so I don't worry about him at school. Now, when it's 80 or 90 or more we just dress in one layer, cottons of course.

I wonder how bamboo fairs as far as breathability? Or Hemp?

[mistymama]

We're in Alabama which is warm most of the year. And then it's cold the kids stay indoors anyway .. my guy is hot natured and would die of heat stroke if I put wool on him! I have not been able to put wool on him since he potty trained and I had to put away our wool covers!

We do lots of cotton. Of course we try to limit logos, etc too. But mainly I look for sturdy, comfortable cotton clothing that will wash well. When they go outside he gets FILTHY at school!

[Rhonwyn]

Originally Posted by mistymama

We do lots of cotton. Of course we try to limit logos, etc too. But mainly I look for sturdy, comfortable cotton clothing that will wash well. When they go outside he gets FILTHY at school!

I used to make my ds disrobe on the front porch because of the sand in his pockets, on his clothes, in his hair and in his shoes. He did love the sandbox in Kindergarten. No wonder the school had to get new sand every year.