Fashion Feature Friday: The School Uniform
The school uniform is a staple of many different cultures around the world. It symbolizes status, unity, and school pride for many. For others, school uniforms may be less commonplace or meaningful, depending on where they live. However, there is no denying its impact on fashion and culture. For example, when we think of school uniforms, we may think of Harry Potter or Britney Spears' music video for Baby One More Time. We imagine button-up shirts, fitted blazers, and pressed slacks or pleated skirts. People also accessorize their uniforms with ties, socks, and badges or pins. There is a universal understanding of what a typical Western school uniform looks like.
School uniforms have a long and storied history across countries. Today, some see them as an old-fashioned status symbol that signifies wealth and conformity. Many public schools, colleges, and universities now have a dress code instead of a standard uniform. They also offer school merchandise, such as hoodies and sweatpants bearing the school's name and logo. It's a way for students to show school pride without having to wear the same thing every day. How did school uniforms come to be, and what do they mean to people now?
SCHOOL UNIFORMS IN WESTERN CULTURES
The history of the Western school uniform stretches all the way back to 16th century England, driven by the industrial revolution. However, what we think of as the British school uniform today first appeared sometime in the 19th century. People began associating school uniforms with the upper classes, worn by students of prestigious schools like Eton and Harrow. By the late 19th century, schools had to update their uniforms as they introduced sports and exercise into their curriculums. The military-like designs of sailor suits and Boy and Girl Scouts uniforms were also popular at this time.
The United States, on the other hand, didn't have school uniforms until the late 1980s. Previously, they had only enforced dress codes that prohibited things like leather jackets and blue jeans. However, the rise of gang violence eventually led to the widespread introduction of school uniforms.
Unlike Europe, both American private schools and public schools implemented new uniform policies. This push for uniforms was especially prevalent due to President Clinton's endorsement of them in his 1996 State of Union Address. The U.S. Department of Education published a manual soon after, entitled "School Uniforms: Where They Are and Why They Work". An estimated half of America's school systems still have uniform policies today.
SCHOOL UNIFORMS IN EASTERN CULTURES
While school uniforms have a long and storied history in Western cultures, England especially, Eastern countries didn't really adopt them until the 19th century. For example, they became widespread in China at this time, representing modernity and solidarity. Their designs were initially a combination of traditional Chinese clothing and Western fashion. Today, they take design inspiration from Korean uniforms (gyobok), including ties, white shirts, and plaid skirts.
Japan, on the other hand, was more influenced by military dress. In the late 1800s, girls initially wore kimonos with long hakama pants, which allowed them to move freely when participating in sports. By the 1920s, they wore Western-style sailor suits instead, as it gave them even more mobility. Boys wore the gakuran, modelled after French and Prussian military uniforms. Today, Japan features two distinctive styles of uniforms: the traditional Meiji-era sailor suits and gakuran, and the modern-day school jacket and shirt with pants or a skirt.
Schools in Asian countries also offer both a summer and a winter uniform. For example, in Japan, the summer uniform includes shorts or a short skirt, while the winter uniform includes a sweater and long pants or a long skirt. This also extends to their gym attire, with the summer uniform being a T-shirt and shorts, while the winter uniform includes a matching tracksuit. Lastly, students don't wear their uniform shoes indoors, as they swap them out for slippers instead.
SCHOOL UNIFORMS: CONFORMITY VS. INDIVIDUALITY
Today, people see school uniforms as a sort of luxury brand. Naturally, when we see someone wearing one, we associate them with a certain school. In turn, that school carries a certain level of wealth or power within its community. It heavily implies that the students wearing them come from a particular background and hold specific values because of it. Private schools even use their uniforms in their marketing to appeal to families. For many, a school uniform is the best way to signal that they're part of an exclusive and elite organization.
For others, they find comfort in the school uniform. It signifies school unity and alleviates some of the peer pressure that students typically experience. Instead of worrying about what to wear and how others will see them, they feel a sense of belongingness among people who are dressed exactly the same way. School uniforms provide a sense of community and familiarity for students that they might not feel otherwise.
Lastly, some people see school uniforms as a way of limiting students' individuality. Clothing is one of the best ways for young people to express themselves, and uniforms take that autonomy from them. People also see them as a false signifier of success. We tend to assume that schools with uniforms offer better education and stricter policies. However, at the end of the day, academic achievements generally come down to the students themselves.
