Few articles of clothing raise such spirited debate among parents, students, and educators than the school uniform. One side contends that uniforms simplify the process of getting ready, minimizes the chances of inappropriate dress, and takes the emphasis away from trends. On the other hand, some claim uniforms hinder self-expression. But what do students – the ones at the center of the whole debate – think? To find out, we spoke to three Beijing high school students, two who attend schools with uniforms and one who doesn’t.
A student at Beijing No. 4 High School International Campus, Hailey Zhang is 18 years old and in Grade 12. She’s from China and has been living in Beijing for 11 years.
Tell us about your uniform.
This is the summer uniform. The vest costs RMB 105 and the skirt is RMB 90. Typically, our uniforms cost RMB 80-100 for each piece, a little bit more for formalwear, which is around RMB 200. We have separate uniforms for summer and winter. For example, we can wear a t-shirt in summer and a sweater in winter. We wear formalwear for ceremonies and the more sporty style for most other events. The winter and summer uniforms are basically the same for boys and girls, except that girls have the option to wear skirts in the summer. Both boys and girls wear trousers most of time.
Tell us a bit about your school’s uniform policy.
Mondays through Thursdays, we wear our uniform and on Fridays we can wear our own clothes. No body piercings are allowed and long hair must be pulled back into a ponytail. Teachers don’t really enforce the rules, but the headmaster is very strict. If she sees you wearing your own clothes Monday through Thursday, she will speak to you about it.
How do you make your uniform your own?
Students can purchase a couple different styles of the uniform from a specific website. Most students have three or four uniform sets. There are no rules about wearing the uniform in a fixed set, so students can customize by mixing and matching the different styles. We are also allowed to wear any style of shoes – as funky as we want.
Is it harder to tell what cliques people belong to when they wear uniforms?
Yes. Even though we have uniforms that come in different styles, the variation is so subtle that we can’t tell anything in particular about a person from their uniform.
What are the advantages of having a uniform?
It saves a lot of time. Otherwise it would take a while to choose what clothes I am going to wear for school. I personally don’t think whether a student wears a uniform or not contributes to academic performance. Some might call clothes a distraction, but I don’t think so.
What do you dislike about wearing uniforms?
They’re relatively monotonous. Uniforms don’t allow much room for personal expression. I wish our uniforms came in more diverse styles that let us to show more personality.
In your opinion, does the uniform policy reinforce gender stereotypes?
Except for the formal wear, boys and girls have exactly the same uniform. To some extent, the uniform obscures gender norms.
At the end of the day, what kind of relationship do you have with your uniform?
It’s positive. It would be sometimes frustrating to have to figure out what clothes to wear the next day.
Fifteen-year-old Ria Margarita Acevedo is in Grade 11 at the British School of Beijing, Shunyi. She is originally from the Philippines and has been living in Beijing for one year.
Tell us about your uniform.
This is the winter uniform. I find it to be quite comfortable, as we are allowed to take our blazers off when we’re in class. The white long-sleeved shirt and skirt each cost RMB 130 and the blazer costs RMB 350. For our summer uniform, the girls wear white short-sleeved shirts, a skirt, white socks, and black shoes. Boys wear pants with white short-sleeved shirts, black shoes and socks, and ties. In winter, everyone is required to wear blazers and ties, although the sweater is optional. In addition, girls have a choice between black tights or black ankle socks. There are also PE uniforms, which are the BSB t-shirt and shorts. We also wear them for sports.
Tell us about your school’s uniform policy. How strictly does it enforce the rules?
Skirts can’t be shorter than fingertip length [when standing]. We can only wear black leather shoes but heels aren’t allowed. Guys can wear black dress shoes only – no sneakers for guys or girls. You can also style your hair differently, though “unnatural” hair colors are not allowed. Girls can wear one pair of stud earrings and a reasonable number of hair accessories. Usually, form teachers [homeroom teachers]enforce dress code, though no one really breaks the rules. It’s not really a problem.
How do you and your peers customize your uniforms?
I suppose you can make the uniform your own by
wearing the jumper or not. Generally, people tend to think that students wearing the same uniform look like clones. However, the uniform looks different on each student considering we all have different body types. I have never actually customized my uniform, but I have friends who have. Other girls like to add elastic waistbands to their skirts so they’re easy to put on. Some girls also get the skirts tailored to fit them better.
Is it harder to tell what cliques people belong to when they wear uniforms?
Yes. Usually, the way someone dresses gives some sort of hint as to who they are and their personality. The fact that everyone dresses the same changes the way we talk to people. Sometimes wearing uniforms makes it easier to approach people.
What are the advantages of having a uniform?
Having a uniform means you don’t have to think about what to wear the next day. I also don’t have to worry if what I’m wearing is good enough, too casual, or too formal.
Some say they take the focus off appearances so students can better concentrate at school. Do you agree?
Yes. Some people want to impress others and focus more on that instead of studying. Having a uniform means that you don’t have to worry about competition and you can concentrate more on schoolwork.
What do you dislike about wearing uniforms?
I used to go to a non-uniform school and I miss not being able to wear my favorite shirt. I miss having a choice about what to wear. Sometimes it gets a little boring wearing the same clothes everyday.
In your opinion, does the uniform policy reinforce gender stereotypes?
Yes. Boys have to wear pants and have short hair, and girls have to wear skirts. In Sixth Form, students don’t have to wear uniforms but they do have to follow some guidelines: boys have to wear a suit and tie, and girls have to wear a skirt or pants with a blouse.
At the end of the day, what kind of relationship do you have with your uniform?
I’d say it’s positive. I’m not really that bothered about not having a choice about what to wear. I save money not having to buy more clothes for school.
Harrison Curtis (US) is 17-year-old and is a Grade 12 student at the International School of Beijing. He has been living in Beijing for three years.
Tell us a bit about your school’s dress code. How strictly does it enforce the rules?
We can’t have depictions of drugs, body parts, or disturbing things like knives or guns [on our clothes]. For girls, shorts and dresses have to be longer than fingertip length when standing up. Tank top [straps]have to be at least the width of three fingers and no crop tops are allowed. Girls can’t show bras and guys can’t show boxers. Ripped jeans or pants aren’t allowed. How strictly the dress code is enforced really depends. If the administration is busy with something else, they’re not focused on dress code.
Have you ever gotten into trouble over your appearance?
Yes, I’ve gotten dress code once before, but mostly it’s girls who get in trouble for wearing shorts or dresses that are too short. The first time a student gets dress code it’s just a warning. The second time gets you a detention and after that I think there are other disciplinary measures.
What other dress code rules are there (e.g. hair and makeup)?
Specific rules on hair are a little ambiguous. I believe there’s no restriction on makeup or hair length. There’s no restriction on hair color or style either, unless you manage to style it into something really inappropriate. I believe piercings are restricted to ear piercings only and tattoos aren’t allowed unless they’re sufficiently covered by clothing.
How much time do you spend each day thinking about what to wear to school?
Before I go to bed, I plan out what I’m going to wear the following day and it usually takes ten minutes or less. That way, I’m not rushing or freaking out the next morning.
Do you compare your clothes to other people’s?
For me, if it looks nice I wear it and I don’t care much about other people’s clothing. That being said, there are definitely some students who care very much about clothes and the brands they’re wearing. However, I think a large majority of students just don’t care about that.
Do you think there’s more competition at schools that don’t have a uniform policy?
At ISB, I don’t think that students are going out of their way to compete or “out-wear” their classmates. I wouldn’t feel uncomfortable or judged if I showed up in a t-shirt and gym shorts. Not everyone can look beautiful everyday and people understand that. If you wear something nice, you might you get a “Hey man, looking dapper today” or a “Dang girl, I like your flower dress.” Generally, people have other things to worry about.
How would things change if your school decided to introduce uniforms?
[Laughs] At least principally, there would be a clash between the administration and students. But in terms of the day-to-day, I think people wouldn’t need as much time deciding what to wear to school. Also, there wouldn’t be a need for a dress code.
What are the advantages of not having a uniform?
Definitely self-expression. There’s a lot you can tell about someone’s culture from their style of clothing. You just feel free. If a student wants to dress a certain way, if they want to dress in all pink or come in pajamas, they can. You don’t get that same experience with uniforms.
How would you design a school dress code if you were the one in charge?
My ideal dress code would be anything a student wants to wear – within reason, of course. All individuals should have the opportunity to express themselves regardless of gender. However, putting this into a school context, I think nicer clothing does help establish an environment that is warranted by an educational institution like ISB. That’s not to say that uniforms consisting of suits are the best option.
This article originally appeared on p40-43 in the November 2014 issue of beijingkids. To view it online for free, click here To find out how you can obtain your own copy, email distribution@truerun.com
Photos: Ken
