I went to a school that required it and felt it was unnecessary. Some sort of unifying mark is a good thing, but I disagree with a whole uniform.
Poll: Your opinion on School Uniforms.
- Thread starter Rossco64
- Start date
I went to a school that required them, and I'm going to have to say a huge NO. I hated them, they were uncomfortable, impractical, and most of all retarded looking (no one looks good in hunter green... I don't care who you are) Also, seeing as the most common retort I got to this statement was 'it stops bullying about clothes', it does no such thing. At my school if you had to get yours second hand you got made fun of, if your SHOES were 'uncool' you got made fun of. The uniform did nothing to stop that. That is why I'm against them. (Sorry if I'm coming across a bit bitchy, I am PMSing so hard right now...)
I went to a school with a uniform (UK) and I really didn't care, i didn't have an interest in fashion so non-school uniform days were always a hassle, even into the 1st year of 6th form..
But if I was asked to wear a uniform now that I'm at uni, i would really hate it, unless i was just required to wear my kickass suits everyday, that i could live with
But if I was asked to wear a uniform now that I'm at uni, i would really hate it, unless i was just required to wear my kickass suits everyday, that i could live with
I mostly seems like people don't like them if they haven't tried them. I personally like them because you don't have to worry about what you wear that day. You get up, have a shower and then your clothes are already picked out for you. Unfortunately, they tend to be a little expensive as they often require a blazer.
I thought this thread said "School Unicorns". I am totally in favour of school unicorns. Or non-school unicorns. Unicorns, in general, get my vote.
Other than the cost, yeah it works, and I only complain about the cost 'cause a full set of summer and winter uniforms for my school would be costing close to $700.
I can't be bothered picking clothes to wear, and my mother and sister will constantly bang on about how I need to get some fashion sense and stop just wearing what's on my floor.
School uniforms are also good practically for the purpose of identification on excursions or interschool sports. Rather than have every teacher in the school memorise what every student in the school looks like, you just look for the uniform.
It also slightly dispels the stupid group system some people seem to try and put in place, where you categorise people by their looks and what clothes they wear into groups that are discouraged from interacting with each other.
For some people there is even the feeling of school pride, though they are rarer.
Uniforms in and of themselves aren't a bad thing. The bad side of it comes in with all the extra rules added on regarding uniforms. Some I can understand, like having to wear your school uniform properly if you are wearing it outside of the school grounds, or during a tour - your are representing the school.
Other rules regarding not being allowed to come to school in sports uniform on a sports day, and having to change at lunch time instead, strike me as stupid, however.
Requiring your uniform to be perfect whilst in class or playing at lunch is also stupid - you're inside the school grounds, not representing anything but yourself; you should be allowed to wear the uniform how your like.
Requiring families to spend ridiculous amounts of money on your uniform is also stupid and pointless, and if you want your uniform to be that elaborate you should pay for it yourself.
I can't be bothered picking clothes to wear, and my mother and sister will constantly bang on about how I need to get some fashion sense and stop just wearing what's on my floor.
School uniforms are also good practically for the purpose of identification on excursions or interschool sports. Rather than have every teacher in the school memorise what every student in the school looks like, you just look for the uniform.
It also slightly dispels the stupid group system some people seem to try and put in place, where you categorise people by their looks and what clothes they wear into groups that are discouraged from interacting with each other.
For some people there is even the feeling of school pride, though they are rarer.
Uniforms in and of themselves aren't a bad thing. The bad side of it comes in with all the extra rules added on regarding uniforms. Some I can understand, like having to wear your school uniform properly if you are wearing it outside of the school grounds, or during a tour - your are representing the school.
Other rules regarding not being allowed to come to school in sports uniform on a sports day, and having to change at lunch time instead, strike me as stupid, however.
Requiring your uniform to be perfect whilst in class or playing at lunch is also stupid - you're inside the school grounds, not representing anything but yourself; you should be allowed to wear the uniform how your like.
Requiring families to spend ridiculous amounts of money on your uniform is also stupid and pointless, and if you want your uniform to be that elaborate you should pay for it yourself.
I've yet to see an actual school uniform that looks halfway decent, and I've yet to wear one that wasn't an ill-fitting, overpriced piece of crap. And the sheer amount of rules that get bolted on regarding what's allowed end up being so restrictive and annoying, especially because they're essentially entirely pointless. It just feels like the school is deliberately trying to make life difficult. When I finished Year 11, the feeling of never having to bother with any of that again was so good -.-
More to the point he's saying you don't need specific clothes to express your personality. If you can't express it in any set of clothes, it doesn't exist - its the clothe's personality, not yours.Father Time said:
Even with a school uniform you find people who wear it completely proper; Blazer on 40'C days with shirt tucked in and tie on no matter the weather, people who follow the rules but don't try to look exemplary; wear everything properly to school and then take of your blazer, untuck your shirt and loosen your tie to increase your comfort, those who don't give a shit about the rules; never wearing the blazer with shirt and tie always untucked and loosened with a few of the top buttons not done up. You have people that exhibit their disdain for wearing it, those who exhibit acceptance and those who try to turn it into a fashion show even with just a school uniform, always showing off their clothes and trying to make them look stylish no matter what they are.
Its not that you can't express yourself by wearing specific clothes, you just don't NEED to. If you do need those specific clothes to express your personality, you don't have one - or you have a very bland and blank one.
Couldn't care less, I'd feel self concious about people judging me for wearing the same set of clothes over and over, I have about 5 pairs of jeans but if I changed my clothes every other day a pattern would build up. On the other hand it would give me the opportunity to blue jeans and a white shirt 
Are people so stupid they can't pick out an outfit to wear? That seems to be a common point brought up but is it really that hard to put on pants and a shirt? Besides if your outfit is already chosen how do you dress for the weather?
Not to mention all the other issues I'd have with it such as the cost, washing it since I only do laundry every 2 weeks and all the panty shots from wearing a skirt. I see no positives to uniforms whatsoever.
Not to mention all the other issues I'd have with it such as the cost, washing it since I only do laundry every 2 weeks and all the panty shots from wearing a skirt. I see no positives to uniforms whatsoever.
I'm in Australia and had to wear a uniform in both primary and high school. Uni is the first time I've been educated without one. And I think they should be optional. Both primary and high school were blue and maroon (white shirt for seniors in highschool and a few other deviations, but basically that), and I thought they were stupid the entire time. Eliminating discrimination based on clothes by standardising a uniform doesn't work. Kids who think they're badasses will have their shirt untucked and short sleeves rolled up and wear trousers in summer. Kids who buy second-hand (me) will be easily distinguishable because they keep changing the fucking uniform every few years. And you can't force everyone to wear the same uniform, the same way, because that's impractical and even if you could it wouldn't be a true solution, it would be an overcompensating cover-up measure. Without a uniform, kids can wear what they want in accordance with who they are rather than try to express themselves through a stupid uniform. Secondly, the people who design the uniforms are morons, and unless you have a fashion designer behind your school, or at least someone with colour acuity, I'd rather pick my own. Thirdly, I have a chip on my shoulder because I won the competition to design our Year 12 jersey and then 'executive oversight' took the black out because it didn't mesh with school colours, almost leaving a massive white patch and ruining the design (before I emailed them a revised version out of desperation). The one thing I can think of in favour of school uniform is that PE teachers know the sports uniform is practical for sports. So I say have a sports uniform and let the rest be optional. Approve other colours of shorts + T-shirt if they're practical, but if people have sports on a day, rather than have to change, which is stupid, they can wear it the whole day or have their 'uniform' cleared. The only other reason is identification, and to that end I say just have an armband or a tie or a hat or something, for the most part everyone else wears the same colours (in highschool) anyway, so why should that even be considered as differentiation?
tl;dr: Stifles creativity, is unnecessary, contributes towards childhood depression and advocates killing seals.
tl;dr: Stifles creativity, is unnecessary, contributes towards childhood depression and advocates killing seals.
Went to a similar school. It's not too bad if you have practical clothing and a range of different clothes. Allowing skirts and just t-shirts is a great way to combat the heat and wearing your jumper and trousers makes up for it in the cold. I prefer a jumper/polo combo to a blazer/shirt affair just for it's sheer practicality. I also just think a uniform is more appropriate for school, though A-Levels should at least do away with a fixed uniform and at it's strictest have a smart casual standard.Fractral said:
Coming from London, UK yeah we all were made to wear school uniforms till Sixth Form for ages 17-18.
Looking back, I think I really took the whole school uniform thing for granted. I mean, visually it guaranteed you a means of fitting in and a sense of belonging. I never really cared about my appearance until my late teens, and as such I really helped myself by having my top button done up and wearing trousers that were perhaps a bit too short (both a big no no in British schools). Yeah I got bullied quite a bit...
We were allowed our own type of shirt vest/jumper though, something that I love wearing today when I go to work. I kinda wish I could go back in time and tell my younger self to buy one.
Looking back, I think I really took the whole school uniform thing for granted. I mean, visually it guaranteed you a means of fitting in and a sense of belonging. I never really cared about my appearance until my late teens, and as such I really helped myself by having my top button done up and wearing trousers that were perhaps a bit too short (both a big no no in British schools). Yeah I got bullied quite a bit...
We were allowed our own type of shirt vest/jumper though, something that I love wearing today when I go to work. I kinda wish I could go back in time and tell my younger self to buy one.
i went to school in Australia and Japan.
In both cases i went to a private catholic school so they had uniforms, and I liked it.
You dont have to worry about what to wear, you look smart, you are identified and protected by the uniform while at the same time, you knwo that people can identify you from the uniform so you dont want to do anything stupid and get in trouble.
Also, the Aussie school had a on campus store that sold second hand uniforms so you did not have to spend too much on your uniform even if you out grew them.
The Japanese school was a sailor suit ( think sailor moon, but pre-fighting scene) and allowed enough space for the uniform to be adjusted to the student's growth.
Not one girl i knew had to purchase a new skirt or top during their six years in school.
So if you calculate that to having to buy normal clothes, I think the cost per day is way better with a uniform.
Also the good thing about uniforms in Japan is that it also acts as your formal wear. So if you have a funeral, you just wear your school uniform, not black funeral clothes.
Even interviews for university was easy because you dont have to worry about being over or under dressed.
also.
The uniform thing was so romantic.
Like for example you go to a catholic private all girls school, and you get seen dating a boy wearing a school uniform from boy's school XXX or the "cool" school YYY was something of a status.
And until this day, when I see kids in a certain school uniform it brings back memories...
In both cases i went to a private catholic school so they had uniforms, and I liked it.
You dont have to worry about what to wear, you look smart, you are identified and protected by the uniform while at the same time, you knwo that people can identify you from the uniform so you dont want to do anything stupid and get in trouble.
Also, the Aussie school had a on campus store that sold second hand uniforms so you did not have to spend too much on your uniform even if you out grew them.
The Japanese school was a sailor suit ( think sailor moon, but pre-fighting scene) and allowed enough space for the uniform to be adjusted to the student's growth.
Not one girl i knew had to purchase a new skirt or top during their six years in school.
So if you calculate that to having to buy normal clothes, I think the cost per day is way better with a uniform.
Also the good thing about uniforms in Japan is that it also acts as your formal wear. So if you have a funeral, you just wear your school uniform, not black funeral clothes.
Even interviews for university was easy because you dont have to worry about being over or under dressed.
also.
The uniform thing was so romantic.
Like for example you go to a catholic private all girls school, and you get seen dating a boy wearing a school uniform from boy's school XXX or the "cool" school YYY was something of a status.
And until this day, when I see kids in a certain school uniform it brings back memories...
There are a number of things that you can express through how you wear any set of clothing that mean far more than what that clothing is. Yeah, all the uniforms will look the same but read the second part that you quoted and you'll notice that there is more than 1 way of wearing these clothes, and that speaks more about who you are then wearing tracksuit pants instead of jeans ever will.Father Time said:
No, but they are far outclassed by how the person expresses themselves through behaviour and attitude. Having an ACDC picture on your shirt means absolutely nothing except that you are likely a fan of ACDC. How you're wearing that shirt, what you're doing at any given time, how you treat other people and your manners of speech are all far superior ways of expressing yourself compared to having something written on your shirt that most people with sense will take with more than just a grain of salt.
Its like I said, you don't need clothes to express yourself, and they're not even the best method of doing so.
We could go on all day listing things that don't NEED to happen, but that's rather irrelevant to the discussion. School's don't need to have uniforms, students don't need to wear free dress, and the rules come down to the individual choice of the school. Some feel that the benefits of a uniform aren't enough to outweigh the negatives, many feel the opposite.