Forced to wear them from a young age up until their late teenage years, adolescents tend to despise their school-appointed attire. Whether it’s because the colours or the cutting is ill-fitting on them or that they do not feel comfortable and confident in their clothes, it doesn’t matter as the animosity these teens feel for their uniforms stays the same. So why do we have uniforms? Why do teenagers hate them so much? Are they in the right or are they “overreacting”?

This attire set out by schools is used with the aim of inclusivity and uniformity, hence the word uniform. Uniforms even date back to 1552 in England and are now a part of a wide range of schools and cultures, such as that of Japan, South Korea, the UK, and many more. Through uniforms, academic boards aimed to achieve many things, such as promoting socio-economic status inclusivity, limiting distractions, increasing attendance, reducing the “stress” of having to pick an outfit, among many other things.

Some say, because children wear the same clothes the majority of the week, it is easier for parents to bear the cost in cases of families which struggle financially as they do not have to pay for more, different and branded clothes in order for their child to fit in. Hence, uniforms provide a simple, cheap and inclusive solution, which has been proven to be linked with higher attendance in school. 

Additionally, school boards seem to view fashion as a form of distraction for the students, whether within the classroom by wearing something glamorous or revealing, or at home, trying to figure out what they will wear to school the next day, who they will match with, and impress with their impeccable style and physique. In comes the uniforms to save the day. Every student now has to wear the exact same thing. Every day they wear the same shirt, same jacket, same trousers, same skirt. Quick and efficient, allowing for more time dedicated to “focused” studies.

However, uniforms aren’t all that good and the claims of uniform enforcers can, in some aspects, be excessive. Uniforms, especially in the teenage years, can be viewed as a killing machine for creativity. Students are not allowed to express themselves freely through their garments. Their only outlet can be accessories ,but sometimes, even that is not possible. In certain cases, especially after a prolonged period of time with uniforms, students can experience an identity crisis. They do not get to express themselves for the majority of their daily lives. They miss out on learning who they are because of uniforms. Fashion is meant to be a tool of expression of one's true self from their likes in colours to even their interests in media (ie music, movies, series, styles etc).

Fashion should unite people. Even though it is supposed to be achieved through uniforms, it is done in a very bland manner. When everyone is the same, things become boring and potential bonds over certain things get lost. You can’t get a peek into what someone is like to see if you match or not. Some may say that free reign of clothes in school can lead to bullying. But it shouldn’t, and even if it does, that is caused by bigger issues than allowing children to wear what their hearts desire. They allow bullying due to someone’s appearance and choice over an insignificant matter such as clothes, when they should be teaching children to be inclusive no matter who they are with. 

Studies even show that uniforms have little to no impact on students' academic practices, and can sometimes even have a negative impact on them. The excuse of personal clothes being too distracting can be extreme and an excuse for schools to show parents that the additional expense of uniforms is well-founded. How does wearing a specific blue top which I find comfortable, distract me more than an itchy, ill-fitting shirt with the school's logo which makes me feel insecure about myself? Won’t I think more about my insecurities than my simple comfortable shirt? In fact, allocating a small reasonable amount of time at the end of each day, dedicated to planning the outfit for the next day at school can actually relax and create something that students could look forward to and enjoy as a small break from their rigorous studies.

Overall, uniforms have some structure to them; they promote inclusivity and aid parents who are struggling financially still enroll their child without worrying that they will be bullied due to their socio-economic status. However, uniforms can be too extreme and excessive, killing a child’s ability to cultivate its identity and creativity. In my opinion, uniforms should be implemented in early years of school, in junior school for instance, while children are being taught the importance of inclusivity and the wrongness of bullying. Then, as they get older and move into senior school, they should be allowed to choose what they wear to school. Although there should be some guidelines to ensure modesty and respect, teenagers should nonetheless be entitled to choosing their outfits for school. What do you think? Are uniforms too much a restriction on a child or are they key to ensuring inclusivity and uniformity? 

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