- Sep 3, 2013
- 1 min read

Back to School Special: School Uniforms Then and Now

Hard to believe it, but back to school season is already afoot, and here at Wix, we’ve prepared this special themed photo showcase to celebrate.

While most of the world’s pupils are not required to wear uniforms as part of their schools’ dress codes, uniforms are arguably the strongest visual association we have with the world of youth education. We’re talking pleated plaid skirts, navy blazers with school logos, neckties with diagonal stripes, silkscreened polo shirts, pointed beanies, culottes, Eton collars and, of course, knee-high white socks.

Many associate the stuffier, more traditional styles of uniforms commonly required at prep schools with the fat cats of society. Ironically, when they were first introduced, at the British “charity schools” of the late 1500s, uniforms were designed for the common folk to wear.

Today, the school uniform debate remains unresolved, with advocates citing benefits like discipline, fostering an “all about business” focus on learning, school pride and the minimization of of distractions and inequalities. Opponents, on the other hand, argue that school uniforms encourage conformity at a critical time when individualism ought to be nurtured.

Say what you will about the value of strict dress codes in education, but they sure do make for interesting photos. Some of our favorites, from around the world and spanning the generations, appear below.

Contemporary School Uniform for English Students