One of the funniest one-liners I have heard takes a dig at Captain Kirk of the TV series Star Trek. It goes something like this: “Ok Scotty, very funny – now beam up my clothes!” So, with that as an introduction I would like to address the matter of the dress code adopted by bowlers.
On occasion I have been known to say that most male ex-cricketers who take up the game of bowls these days are extremely lucky because, apart from their shoes, they can simply recycle their cricketing whites. Even their old floppy white hats are acceptable. I maintain that what was good enough for cricket, is good enough for bowls!
My, oh my, how things have changed! Most dramatically, and I would suggest ‘most comfortably’, for lady bowlers I would imagine, but before discussing that issue let’s take a look at how things used to be and are now regarding dress code for men.
In the past, a club necktie (and even a blazer way back when …) had to be worn when playing. Shoes, as required today, had to have flat soles but in those days they had to have brown uppers. When arriving on the green and on leaving it to enter the clubhouse, the bowler was required to wear a blazer (preferably one with the club’s badge on its pocket) no matter how hot the day! Hats were removed when under the roof of the clubhouse, which is still the case these days, because it is etiquette for men to do this. The wearing of caps back in the day was totally unheard of!
And how do things now stand? To begin with there is no mention at all in the rule book of ties and/ or blazers. Let me quote what the latest rule book says about bowling attire.
“In all representative matches (all matches other than social games and club competitions) players shall wear either white or cream clothing … Controlling bodies may authorise variations in these clothing specifications from time to time. Players, umpires, markers should wear heelless footwear which has either a smooth or ribbed [upper] but no mention of colour is made.
Therefore, loosely speaking, it seems that if you wanted to wear purple takkies with yellow polka dots, no bowling official can prevent you from doing so, as long as the ‘smooth sole’ rule applies. On the other hand, one bowling association recently issued a directive prohibiting the wearing of ‘Crocs’ or similar footwear on the bowling green. Headwear (which I understand can be a hat, cap, peak, beanie or anything worn on the head because the rule book doesn’t define what is meant by ‘headwear’), if worn, may have (so it’s not obligatory) approved hat bands and/ or insignia. Trousers shall be full length and shirts shall have conventional collars and be adequately buttoned.
Ladies, on the other hand, had it tough in days gone by, even though some diehard lady bowlers still maintain that they really didn’t mind their rather restrictive dress code. They had to wear a white or cream bowling dress, hemline to well below the knee, with “at least one” petticoat. Stockings were mandatory.
Shoes had to be brown lace-ups. As for the rest, what applied to the men applied to the ladies, except ladies could wear hats indoors, as they still can today.
And now? Footwear and headwear rules are the same as for men. Regarding the clothes: “A bowling dress with collar, a skirt or tailored slacks of any length together with a blouse with a collar, is permissible provided they are not manufactured from Lycra or any other body clinging material.”
Hmm, no Lycra or body clinging material … well, this can be either a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your individual perversions. I personally like the “a skirt … of any length” rule though, because YES, we certainly do need a lot more mini-skirts on the bowling green! But, considering the ‘mature years’ of some lady bowlers, perhaps not … So come on all you young ladies out there, start playing bowls; hemlines need to be raised you know!!
Joking aside, the dress code for bowls these days is quite ‘relaxed’ when compared to some years ago. Some clubs wear highly coloured or patterned shirts or blouses but these are usually the exception, while Randfontein Town Bowling Club’s shirts for example are white and maroon. The club’s logo, reflecting its roots, is embroidered on the pocket together with the club’s name. And very nice it looks too.
When you come to think of it, all mainstream sports adopt dress codes, also called uniforms, strips, kit, colours, etc. Bowls is no exception and to be frank, to see a bowling green filled with nearly 50 bowlers in a tournament, all looking smart and very neatly turned out (whites have that effect) and having a whale of a time is indeed quite a sight.
Star Trek’s dress code however wouldn’t cut it on the bowling green, especially those Lycra tights worn by the men and the form-hugging attire of the women,. So maybe, just maybe, Scotty was making a fashion statement when he beamed up Captain Kirk and left his clothing behind …
