Editing School uniforms in Japan (section)

===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"/>