Norah Balls

Portrait postcard of the Suffragette Norah Balls wearing the Summer WSPU 'uniform'. The suffragette regalia and colour scheme was introduced in June 1908. During the winter months members of the Women's Social and Political Union were required to wear 'full dress uniform' of a ' white frock with regalia and colours' to all indoor meetings and breakfast receptions. During the summer months this uniform was also worn to all outdoor processions and rallies.
The 'Suffragette Look' was promoted through a regular fashion feature in the Votes for Women newspaper entitled 'Concerning Dress.' In October 1908 readers were reminded:
‘There are one or two occasions already on the programme when it will be essential to the general effect that all members of the Union shall wear full dress uniform, i.e. the white frock with regalia and colours. So we must see to it that we have at least one white frock in our winter wardrobe. At the meeting in the Albert Hall on October 29th every suffragette shall be distinguished at a glance by her white uniform…for events of lesser importance and for outdoor processions we shall have to fall back upon those shades of purple and green which tone with the belts and regalia and badge in the tricolour.'