School uniforms

[Mirrorglass]

Most schools here, public and private, have uniforms. I support them. The thought of kitting out a 13 year old girl in designer clothes each day is terrifying.

I don't see what's so terrifying about it. My little sister has been wearing the latest fashion since she was twelve, and so have most of her classmates. I haven't seen it lead to any mayhem.

I myself, of course, didn't have a clue about fashion at that age. But then again, I still think wearing a button-down shirt makes me look cool.

 

[welshdean]

As I recall, the blazer I mentioned cost my mother £65 in 1980. I had the same one 'til '84. It was a dendrochronologists dream, you could count the years that I'd worn it by the rings around the arms.

 

[bit_pattern]

Actually 4 of the 5 high schools here single sex, and the only co-ed is similar in pricing for the girl's uniform.

Still interested as to whether its private or public. If it's public then its outrageously expensive, no doubt about it.

 

[TragicMonkey]

Yes I can. Kids like to "fit in". Since they have to wear the same clothes, essentially, they do to a certain extent. So there is no competition who has the most expensive clothes, or the most fashionable, or for some, the most revealing.

Exactly! Instead the kids will judge each other on how attractive they are. There will be no way to disguise personal unattractiveness when everyone's dressed the same. Can't pick something slimming, or a color that draws attention away from your acne. It'll be just Plain Jane and Gorgeous Sally. In identical clothes. The difference will be all the more obvious.

I wonder if anyone's done a study to show if there's a relationship between school uniform use and the prevalence of eating disorders? I bet there is one.

 

[Zep]

OK, so differences where possible, but only in a lesser way. Correct?

Officially, no differences. In private schools which have stricter disciplinary protocols (think military colleges in the US), not much could be gotten away with most of the time. Public schools have a much higher tolerance for individualism.

 

[Zep]

Exactly! Instead the kids will judge each other on how attractive they are. There will be no way to disguise personal unattractiveness when everyone's dressed the same. Can't pick something slimming, or a color that draws attention away from your acne. It'll be just Plain Jane and Gorgeous Sally. In identical clothes. The difference will be all the more obvious.

How about this?

 

[sgtbaker]

Exactly! Instead the kids will judge each other on how attractive they are. There will be no way to disguise personal unattractiveness when everyone's dressed the same. Can't pick something slimming, or a color that draws attention away from your acne. It'll be just Plain Jane and Gorgeous Sally. In identical clothes. The difference will be all the more obvious.

I wonder if anyone's done a study to show if there's a relationship between school uniform use and the prevalence of eating disorders? I bet there is one.

From a personal comparison; the school my kids were first enrolled in, did not have uniforms. We moved and the school that my kids went to, two years ago was a uniform public school (slacks and polo shirts). The school they go to now does not have uniforms. There is no difference for them, they made friends and enemies in the same way, at the same rate. The fact is, kids suck and kids are mean. Like you said, they will just find another way to be exclusionary.

I prefer uniforms because it's cheaper and I never second guess myself. Am I being over protective, not letting my kid wear this or that?

 

[PhantomWolf]

Still interested as to whether its private or public. If it's public then its outrageously expensive, no doubt about it.

Our Girls' and Boys' High and our co-ed are all Government funded. The other Girl's and Boys' ones are semi-private, they are Catholic, but still get Government funding.

 

[The Fool]

You should inseminate women in a suitable sequence so that the children's uniforms can be handed down in an orderly manner.

Sure, the hand-me-downs may cause them to get self esteem issues and hate you but thats probably going to happen anyway.

 

[foxholeatheist]

My uniform while I was in high school was a dirty Black Flag or Clash t-shirt, torn jeans and 14 holed Oxblood Doc Martins.

I always considered school uniforms un-American.

 

[Puppycow]

Here's some of the list from the local girls' high....

Junior Skirt 56cm – 107cm $85.00
Senior Skirt 56cm – 107cm $90.00
Short/Long Sleeve Blouse 8 – 24 $60.00
Navy Jersey 82cm – 122cm $80.00
Red Jersey 82cm – 122cm $65.00

So based on 5 Blouses, a jersey of each colour, and 2 skirts, that's $590, not including stockings and shoes, which could be another $90-$150, or the uniform for Phys Ed which is another $200+ for 2 polos, trackpants and shorts.

In Japan it's expensive too. Normal clothes are cheaper.
And they buy the designer clothes anyway for after school and weekends. So its uniforms and designer clothes not uniforms or designers clothes.

 

[sgtbaker]

In Japan it's expensive too. Normal clothes are cheaper.
And they buy the designer clothes anyway for after school and weekends. So its uniforms and designer clothes not uniforms or designers clothes.

My kids are still in the "play hard" phase so after school clothes are Walmart. I make sure they are presentable in school but if they are going to be getting grass stains and dirt on their clothes, it'll hurt a lot less if I paid $4.00 rather than $40.00.

 

[Cuddles]

The price thing seems a bit weird to me. In the UK, there isn't much specific clothing you need at all, at least not at any of the schools I know about. Uniform is along the lines of "Black non-denim trousers (or skirt for girls), white shirt, black shoes, specific colour jumper, specific tie". The ties are generally very cheap, the jumper could be bought anywhere as long as it's close enough to the right colour, and everything else is entirely generic. While there are shops catering to school uniforms where you can get it all together, you can buy most of it wherever you like for whatever price you can find.

Private schools tend to be rather stricter but if you can afford private school, the cost of the uniform is unlikely to be much of a concern.

 

[arthwollipot]

In Japan it's expensive too. Normal clothes are cheaper.
And they buy the designer clothes anyway for after school and weekends. So its uniforms and designer clothes not uniforms or designers clothes.

Are school uniforms mandatory in Japan?

When I was at school, uniforms were recommended but not mandatory. Most kids wore uniform. Mind you, the uniform consisted of black pants and yellow shirt. Yes, that was the only restriction. You could buy specific yellow shirts, and most parents did, but frankly, any yellow shirt would do.

 

[commandlinegamer]

When I was at primary school most wore a uniform of white/blue shirt/blouse and grey/black trousers/skirt. That was pretty much the case at secondary; there was a uniform but they could not force people to wear it. However certain things like jeans, would have you sent home to change.

Kids did invidualise things with jackets/jumpers, etc.*; very few wore blazers or ties. I really don't remember much in the way of designer gear; the only names that I can remember kids maybe sporting from that period being Lacoste or Fred Perry.

* - about 82/83, waffle trousers were popular, along with leg warmers (worn by guys and gals).

 

[leon_heller]

With kids growing out of their uniforms very quickly, many prep schools here in the UK sell second-hand clothing in the school shop. I don't know how popular it is, though.

Another weird uniform is that worn by boys at Hill House school in West London. The somewhat eccentric founder decreed that they had to wear knickerbockers.

 

[arthwollipot]

"Waffle trousers"?

 

[iknownothing]

Here's some of the list from the local girls' high....

Junior Skirt 56cm – 107cm $85.00
Senior Skirt 56cm – 107cm $90.00
Short/Long Sleeve Blouse 8 – 24 $60.00
Navy Jersey 82cm – 122cm $80.00
Red Jersey 82cm – 122cm $65.00

So based on 5 Blouses, a jersey of each colour, and 2 skirts, that's $590, not including stockings and shoes, which could be another $90-$150, or the uniform for Phys Ed which is another $200+ for 2 polos, trackpants and shorts.

A friend of mine just outfitted her public school kindergartener with the uniforms. Walmart knows what the local schools there require and has them in package deals -- polo shirts and pants in specific colors. IIRC the polo shirts came to around $5 each, pants a bit more. (No, they probably won't last for a long time, but a kindergartener will outgrow them before they have a chance to wear out.)

 

[Shrike]

Are school uniforms mandatory in Japan?

Only for girls....
Sorry, must be channeling plumjam.

Thanks everybody for the answers.
I remain doubtful whether school uniforms are an answer for the usual, discussed teenage problems. Maybe a niqaab?

 

[Almo]

Personally, I am for school uniforms. As I did that school thing in the US, I didn't do them, but I think they're a good idea. Mainly from a "nobody sticks out because of their clothes" perspective.