St Trinian's - Party on
Responsible for coining the phrase 'jolly hockey sticks' for inspiring a whole generation of schoolgirls to throw stink-bombs and indulge in 'dirty dealing' during sports, the belles of St Trinian's were the stocking-clad schoolgirls whose antics cheered 1950's and 60's Britain.
The original St Trinian's films produced by Frank Launder and Sidney Gilliat (who also composed the St Trinian's school song - reproduced below), form a chronological quartet and like so many films of the era were produced almost to formulae during what was considered to be the golden age of the Ealing Comedy.
The quartet began with the Belles of St Trinian's in 1954 and all four films, plus a poorly received 1980's revival were based on a series of cartoons by the British cartoonist Ronald Searle. Searle's cartoons were inspired by the real-life St Trinnean's a 'school for young ladies' in Edinburgh and now part of the University of Edinburgh campus.
Searle's cartoons often depicted a dark humour with cartoons often showing dead bodies of murdered girls or those who had succumbed to violent tem sports - this spirit of groups of schoolgirls running riot became one of the mainstays of the films. Much of this riotous behaviour centred around girls drinking, smoking and gambling.
The famous 'gymslip' uniform worn by pupils in both the cartoons and the later films is thought to have been based on that worn by James Allen's Girls School in Dulwich, South London which was attended by Searle's daughter Kate.
In the films the younger girls, who all appeared to be in the fourth form, wrecked the most havoc and were the most aggressive. These fourth formers are the most closely related to Searle's original cartoons. The older girls, the sixth formers, were portrayed as sexually precocious to such a degree that they were considered controversial with scenes of sixth formers disappearing behind the proverbial bike sheds for a bit of Ealing Comedy 'slap and tickle'.
The typical St Trinian's sixth former had managed to convert their shapeless gymslip into something incredibly sexy for the period. Skirts were worn short and dark stocking bands were always to be seen, the gymslip had a tailored look emphasising the busty hourglass figure and long legs that represented the ideal woman of that era.
Apart from their place in the history of the golden age of the Ealing Film Comedy, St Trinian's is remembered in one of two basic ways. Either it's for hordes of young girls running riot and causing havoc or it's the sixth formers behaving coquettishly and causing whiskers to twitch (think Terry Thomas).
Britney Spears in her video for her 'Baby, One More Time' record wore sexy schoolgirl attire that is very similar to that adopted by the sixth formers in the original St Trinian's films.
Party on; St Trinian's. Why not follow Britney and adopt a School related theme for your next party. You can make it as wild as you like either aiming for a traditional school day theme or alternatively opt for a 'skolldayz' disco. Whichever theme you choose you will have ample scope to integrate the St Trinian's sixth former's approach to your costumes!
A St Trinian's also makes a good hen night or girls night out theme, but we would suggest that there is always one teacher with can ready to both keep the girl's in check and also to keep others at bay!
Lastly, the school song accredited to Sidney Gilliat (1954);
Maidens of St Trinian's; Gird your armour on. Grab the nearest weapon; never mind which one. The battle's to the strongest; might is always right. Trample on the weakest; glory to their plight.
St Trinian's St Trinian's; our battle cry. St Trinian's St Trinian's; will never die.
Stride towards your fortune; boldly on your way. Never once forgetting; there's one born every day. Let our motto broadcast; "get your blow in first"; she who draws the sword last; always comes off the worse.
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