Editing School uniforms in Japan (section)

==History==
The usage of School uniforms in Japan began in the mid-19th century. Previously, students wore standard everyday clothes to school: [[kimono]] for female students, with {{transliteration|ja|[[hakama]]}} for male students. During the [[Meiji period]], students began to wear uniforms modelled after Western dress.<ref name=LJ123>{{cite web |title=From Tradition to Today: Japanese School Uniforms |url=https://learnjapanese123.com/japanese-school-uniforms/ |website=LearnJapanese123 |date=23 December 2020}}</ref>

===Late 19th century: The Hakama era===
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| image2 = Shimoda Utako in hifu and hakama.jpg
| image3 = Tamio Kurihara in 1917.jpg
| caption1 = {{transliteration|ja|Bankara}} students in 1949, wearing {{transliteration|ja|[[hakama]]}} and uniform caps
| caption2 = [[Shimoda Utako]] in {{transliteration|ja|[[hakama]]}}; she was an advocate for [[dress reform]].<ref name=intellectuals/>
| caption3 =  A 1917 {{transliteration|ja|gakuran}} with cap
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In the 1880s female students wore Western dress, but this became to be considered impractical.<ref name="History of Gakushuin">{{cite web |title=History of Gakushuin |url=https://www.gakushuin.ac.jp/ad/kikaku/english/history/ |website=www.gakushuin.ac.jp |publisher=The Gakushuin School}}</ref> [[Utako Shimoda]], a [[women's activist]], educator and [[dress reform]]er, found traditional kimono to be too restrictive. She argued that the Kimono prevented women and girls from moving and taking part in physical activities, thus harming their health. While western dress was being adopted at the time, she also believed [[corset]]s to be restrictive and also harmful to women's health.<ref name=intellectuals/> Utako Shimoda had worked as [[lady-in-waiting]] to [[Empress Shōken]] from 1871 to 1879.<ref name="Shimoda">{{cite journal |last1=Suzuki |first1=Mamiko |title=Shimoda's Program for Japanese and Chinese Women's Education|url=https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/clcweb/vol15/iss2/3/ |journal=CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture |date=1 June 2013 |volume=15 |issue=2 |doi=10.7771/1481-4374.2212 |access-date=17 July 2021|doi-access=free }}</ref> She adapted the clothing worn by ladies-in-waiting at the Japanese imperial court, which included {{transliteration|ja|[[hakama]]}}, to make a uniform for her [[Jissen Women's University]]. During the Meiji period (1868–1912) and the following [[Taishō period]] (1912–1926), other women's schools also adopted the {{transliteration|ja|hakama}}.<ref name=intellectuals>{{cite thesis |title=Finding their Place in the World: Meiji Intellectuals and the Japanese Construction of an East-West Binary, 1868-1912.|last1=Racel|first1=Masako N. Thesis|institution=Georgia State University|year=2011|url=https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/history_diss/26}} Source says:"See Shimoda, "Honbō joshi fukusō no enkaku本邦女子服装の沿革 [The Historical Development of Women’s Clothing in Japan]," Part I, Onna, 31 January 1901, in Shimoda Utako chosakushū, vol. 1, 1-3; "Joshi no tainin no han’i ni tsukite," Nihon Fujin, 25 April 1900, in Shimoda Utako chosakushū, vol. 4, 107-127."</ref> It became standard wear for high schools in Japan,<ref name="History of Gakushuin"/> and is still worn by many women to their university graduations.

During the Taishō period, male students began to wear {{transliteration|ja|gakuran}} (matching black trousers and a tunic with a standing collar and five gold buttons, and [[geta (footwear)|geta]]). These, apart from the footwear, are still worn today.<ref name=LJ123/>

===Early 20th century: Introduction of the Serafuku===
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| image1 = Le bateau jouet.jpg
| image2 = Sailor Suit - Oxford St Sydney - John Hubert Newman.jpg
| image3 = Students of Fukuoka Jogakkou 1920's Fukuoka Japan.JPG
| caption1 = This painting ''Seafaring Men'' (1900) by [[Sep E. Scott]], depicts a British sailor in uniform and a child in imitation dress. 
| caption2 = Sailor-inspired outfits were popular for women and children at the start of the 20th century in the UK and US
| caption3 = A photograph of students at [[Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University]] wearing the ''Serafuku'' in the 1920s
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The 1920s saw the introduction of European/American-style naval uniforms, called {{transliteration|ja|serafuku}} in Japanese. The idea was taken from scaled-down sailor suits worn by children coming from royal European families, while also drawing inspiration from American female [[sailor dress]]es that had been a popular trend amongst the Youths of America in the early 20th Century. It was relatively easy to sew and thus was easily adopted in the country. [[Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University]] adopted the serafuku in 1921, while evidence suggests [[Heian Jogakuin University]] may have adopted the serafuku as early as 1920.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kapur |first=Nick  |date=7 October 2007 |title=Controversy over the origins of the Japanese schoolgirl sailor uniform |url=https://froginawell.net/frog/2007/10/controversy-over-the-origins-of-the-japanese-schoolgirl-sailor-uniform/ |website= |location= |publisher= |access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref>

===World War II era===
During [[World War II]], student uniforms became militarised and were altered to accommodate the fact that schoolgirls were being drafted as factory workers to replace men who had gone to the front lines. Wearing skirts was deemed impractical and so loose slacks known as {{transliteration|ja|Mompe}} (a traditional Japanese farming outfit) were issued as alternatives. Students were also required to wear large name tags ({{transliteration|ja|na-fuda}}) bearing their name, address, and blood type for emergency identification. Additionally, head-protecting cushions ({{transliteration|ja|boku-zukin}}) were distributed to prepare for air raids.<ref name="Sailorsuit for Dummies">{{cite web |last=Kasai |first=Syuji |date=2006 |title=Sailorsuit for Dummies |url=https://seifuku.neocities.org/index_e |website= |location= |publisher= |access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref>

===Mid 20th century===
Following World War II and the [[Occupation of Japan]] by the United States, many schools adopted a more Western-patterned [[Catholic school uniform]] style.<ref name=LJ123/> Compulsory education was extended to include junior high school, and public schools were required to become coeducational. With the establishment of numerous junior high schools nationwide, uniforms for boys and girls were altered. While most public junior high schools retained the traditional gakuran for boys and sailor uniforms for girls, some parents and educators felt uncomfortable with these uniforms' military associations. Seeking a more “peaceful” image, certain schools adopted uniforms inspired by those from abroad. The introduction of the blazer, especially in urban areas, became increasingly popular. Additionally, the advent of synthetic fabrics allowed for the production of durable, colourful uniforms at lower costs, fostering greater variety.<ref name="Sailorsuit for Dummies"/><ref name="Ono 2024"/>

Many [[home economics]] classes in Japan up until the 1950s gave sewing sailor outfits as assignments. Girls sewed sailor outfits for younger children in their communities.

===Late 20th century===
During the counterculture era of the 1970s in Japan, many left-wing and youth-led movements called for the abolishment of school uniforms in Japan entirely. These groups characterised the Seifuku and Gakuran as manifestations of Japanese authoritarianism.<ref name="Sailorsuit for Dummies"/>

In the 1970s and 1980s, {{transliteration|ja|[[sukeban]]}} gangs began modifying uniforms by making skirts longer and shortening the tops, and so schools began switching to [[blazer]] or [[sweater vest]] style uniforms to try to combat the effect.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Healy |first1=Claire Marie |title=Remembering Japan's badass 70s schoolgirl gangs |url=https://www.dazeddigital.com/fashion/article/28261/1/remembering-japans-badass-70s-schoolgirl-gangs |website=Dazed |access-date=11 April 2024 |date=5 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gravili |first1=Mattia |title=SUKEBAN: Japan's 70s Delinquent Girl Gangs |url=https://www.yokogaomag.com/editorial/sukeban |website=Yokogao |access-date=11 April 2024 |date=27 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Schmidt-Rees |first1=Hannah |title=Sukeban - The Forgotten Story of Japans Girl Gangs |url=https://www.per-spex.com/articles/fashion-history/2019/2/16/sukeban-the-forgotten-story-of-japans-girl-gangs |website=Perspex |access-date=11 April 2024 |date=16 February 2019}}</ref>

In 1986, the Akashi School Uniform Company published the book ''“Seifuku Kakumei” (School Uniform Revolution)'', which successfully advocated that high schools should have their own unique variants of the Seifuku. Two years later, in 1988, the company introduced student uniforms designed by the fashion designer [[Hanae Mori]], sparking a trend where other uniform companies began collaborating with well-known designers to create stylish uniforms.<ref name="Ono 2024">{{cite news |last=Ono |first=Hiroshi |date=17 February 2024 |title=School uniform makers evolve, changing outfits to echo the times |url=https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15127949 |work=[[Asahi Shimbun]] |location= |publisher= |access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref> Amongst the designers who became involved in uniform design following Hanar Mori was [[Kansai Yamamoto]].<ref>{{cite web |last= |first= |date=5 November 2020  |title=About Japanese School Uniforms: Symbols of Freedom, Rebellion, and Fashion |url=https://livejapan.com/en/in-tokyo/in-pref-tokyo/in-tokyo_suburbs/article-a0002110/ |website= |location= |publisher= |access-date=11 March 2025}}</ref>

{{multiple image 
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|image1 = 制服 (5346443876).jpg
|image2 = Japanese-gyaru-loosesocks-feb7-2013.jpg
|image3 = 自動改札 (34709068793) (cropped).jpg
|footer = [[Kogal]] culture: Japanese schoolgirls wearing short skirts and [[loose socks]].}}
During the 1980s and 1990s, Japan experienced a period of economic prosperity often referred to as the "[[Japanese asset price bubble|Bubble Era]]." This period brought significant cultural shifts, especially among young people, who embraced the concept of [[kawaii]] (cute) as a form of self-expression. Schoolgirls, in particular, became trendsetters by adopting playful and colourful fashion elements into their uniforms. The sailor uniform remained popular, but it was often customized with longer skirts, colourful ribbons, and loose socks. Another popular style was the [[burusera]] look, combining sailor uniforms with casual elements like cardigans and loafers. This trend coincided with the emergence of the [[kogal]] subculture, where girls tanned their skin, dyed their hair blonde or brown, and wore shortened skirts. While these styles were seen as rebellious, they were also perceived as empowering expressions of individuality. This fashion movement significantly influenced Japanese pop culture, from music videos to television dramas, and sparked international interest in Japanese youth fashion.<ref name="Sailorsuit for Dummies"/>

===21st century===
As Japan entered the 21st century, educational reforms and societal changes led to the gradual standardization of school uniforms. Many schools moved away from sailor suits in favour of blazer uniforms, which were considered more practical and professional. These new uniforms typically featured pleated skirts, blazers, ties, and loafers for girls, while boys wore blazers with trousers and ties. The [[gyaru]] subculture of the 2000s, with its bold fashion statements, continued to influence school uniform modifications. However, as social norms tightened and dress codes became stricter, overt customization became less common. Instead, the focus shifted towards more subtle personalisation, such as varying the style of socks or adding discreet accessories.<ref name="Sailorsuit for Dummies"/>

{{As of|2012}}, 50% of Japanese junior high schools and 20% of senior high schools use sailor suit uniforms. The {{transliteration|ja|[[Asahi Shimbun]]}} stated in 2012 that, "The sailor suit is changing from adorable and cute, a look that 'appeals to the boys,' to a uniform that "girls like to wear for themselves." As of that year, contemporary sailor suits have front closures with zippers or snaps and more constructed bodices. The {{transliteration|ja|Asahi Shimbun}} stated that "the form is snug to enhance the figure—the small collar helps the head look smaller, for better balance."{{citation needed|date=January 2022}}

In the 2020s many Japanese high schools are pivoting to items such as gender-neutral blazers to accommodate LGBT students. However, the Serafuku remains popular and is still retained for female students.<ref name="Ono 2024"/>