UNIFORM & STAGEWEAR
MENTORING & COMMUNITY
23 November 2020
THE DUSTING FAMILY
24 November 2020UNIFORM & STAGEWEAR
Since its inception, wearing a uniform and performing in either uniform or robes has been standard for the Australian Boys Choir. However both street and stage wear have seen a number of incarnations over the years.
The first uniform was a grey double breasted suit (with shorts), with ‘ABC’ embroidered on the pocket in royal blue. A blue shirt, royal blue tie and panama hat completed the uniform.
In 1954, inspired by a visit from the Vienna Boys Choir, a blue blazer and a (rather unpopular) navy beret were introduced. The following beret non-compliance notice was to be repeated several times by Director VJ Kelly before the beret was finally doffed for good in 1972:
It has been noticed that, lately, some boys in the Gold Choir have given up wearing the beret. It must be pointed out to these boys that the beret is a part of the Choir uniform and MUST be worn. It is also necessary to repeat once again, that the official dress of the Choir includes short trousers. The ONLY exception to this may be considered after a boy has turned 14 and then only if the Director considers that he is too big to wear shorts.
Little else changed until 2009 when a choir re-branding exercise brought significant changes in the colour scheme, the logo, and various elements of the uniform.
Stage wear has taken several forms over the years. Early stage wear included a white shirt with monogrammed pocket, a tie and sash. Robes and yokes (varying colour schemes) have been a mainstay, particularly for religious music. Seventies stage wear included white trousers with a red skivvy and wide white belt, replaced by pale blue trousers and shirt in the eighties. The current ‘reds’, a double-breasted military-style jacket, came into use for the 1989 world tour, but are now worn with black trousers rather than the initial black knickerbockers and long white socks.
