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Design

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School uniforms

This tutorial explores the issues to consider when designing a school uniform for Australian students. It addresses the following areas of study: Design.

Almost all Australian schools have uniform guidelines. While these may not be compulsory in some schools, most students tend to wear something to school that closely resembles the uniform, other schools of course have very strict uniform guidelines.

Why do schools like uniforms?

'There's no question that uniformity offers vital anonymity. Prescribed clothing pushes distinctions of class, wealth and superior dress sense to the edges of the school grounds and there's a chance to find your sense of self-worth in something other than outward appearance. Most schools seek to foster pride without prejudice in the laying down of dress rules and the brandishing of school colours.' (Filatoff, 1993:24)

The 'right' clothes for girls?

'Girls should share with boys an entitlement to a form of dress for school which is comfortable and appropriate to the educational activities being undertaken. Any dress requirements should reflect a sensitivity to girls' self-images as well as to their images of 'femininity', rather than to personal, and often outmoded, images of femininity held by adults in authority. It is clear from the strong representations of girls themsleves, that this is an issue of great concern to them, particularly affecting attitudes to and participation in physical education and sport, as well as schooling more generally.' (p53, National Policy for the Education of Girls in Australian schools)

Following a survey of its students, a school

... in Sydney's west recently made shorts a summer option for girls. Says 14-year-old Belinda Spalding, "normally I don't really like wearing a uniform. Skirts aren't very practical, but I'm pretty happy with the shorts." Just above the knee, in dark blue, they're worn with a polo-style shirt in the same colour (seniors wear white shirts). The school jacket is also an innovation: blouson-style, a little like an anorak, it's in a lighter blue and has the school's name emblazoned on the back. (Filatoff, 1993: 24)

Functional requirements of a uniform

• durability (two years wear)
• a dirt-resistant colour
• washability with little or no ironing or dry cleaning required
• suit all figure types
• not inhibit students from becoming involved in normal activities
• adjustable
• patterned fabric needs to be a small two-way pattern for economical use of fabric
• sun safe

Other considerations

• colours should suit most colourings. Bright red for example is a hard colour for many people to wear
• able to be adapted to meet the change of weather at short notice
• is within the price range of all students in the school. Some families have very low incomes
• available for sale from an accessible outlet
• winter clothing needs to be loose enough for students who feel the cold to wear additional layers underneath.

Activity

1. Draw, colour and label a summer and winter school uniform for a boy or girl which meets these requirements. Discuss the functional and aesthetic requirements of the design that you have used.
    
2. In Japan, French navy and white are the colours for all school uniforms:

   allowing variations in style and trim and the incorporation of school emblems to give each school its own identity. In this way, the cost of newer, more comfortable materials might be brought down by their use across the board. (Filatoff, 1993: 24)

   Draw thumbnail sketches of a variety of uniforms (summer, winter, boys, girls, seniors, juniors) using this theme of French navy and white.
    
3. How would the colour be incorporated into/onto the fabric for these uniforms?

Sun protection

The aim of sun protective clothing is to reduce a person's ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure. Although skin cancer can occur at any age it is known that

exposure to the sun during the first 18 years of life is associated with an increased risk of developing melanoma; the most serious form of skin cancer, this means that school students are one of the most 'at risk' groups for developing skin cancer. (Queensland Health)

Key features of a sun safe uniform are:

• design
• tightness of the fabric weave
• colour of the material.

References

Filatoff, N. (1993) Uniformly due for change. The Sydney Morning Herald. February 2, p. 24.