Sophie Wynkoop
Last year, Saint Maur announced that they were going to be changing and updating the uniforms. The changes include new colors, materials and styles! This school year is a transition year meaning that there are students who wear the old uniform and students who wear the new uniforms. This uniform change has particularly affected new students, as the majority of old students have decided to continue wearing the old uniform. New students from both Grades 11 and 9 were interviewed to get their opinions on the physical appearance and comfortability of the new uniforms.
When asked about the materials and utility of the new uniforms, Sakura (Grade 9) said, “I’m a blazer wearer, and it’s very neat and in a way saves the new uniform. I like that it has many pockets and I can fit almost everything in my pockets.” She also commented on the dress code for girls, saying that, “I’m also very grateful that girls are allowed to wear pants, it makes it more comfortable.” This is definitely a notable point, as many Japanese schools require girls to wear skirts that are not always comfortable for their female students. In contrast to this opinion, Carol (Grade 11) claimed, “I feel like the measurements don’t really fit everyone and I had to get my uniform altered and it’s not very good quality, honestly. Also, the tie is too long and does not fit shorter people. The measurements for all parts of the uniform also aren’t size inclusive. So even though they have different sizes, they don’t truly fit people’s bodies the way they’re supposed to. For example, I was measured by the uniform company and they gave me the size for my blazer so that it would fit my chest, but it’s too big in the arms and length.” Another Grade 11 student, Martin, seconded this statement, saying that “It’s relatively comfortable but not compared to other clothes. I don’t usually wear a button up everyday so it’s kind of weird.” Martin makes an interesting remark that most Saint Maur students don’t usually wear button-downs in their out-of-school lives, so when considering comfortability, the students interviewed had to take into account how comfortable the uniforms are compared to everyday clothes.
The next question that was inquired of the students was whether they liked the appearance of the new uniforms. This is clearly not as significant to the students’ education as the comfortability is, but can still affect their attitudes and behavior towards wearing the uniform, indirectly impacting their learning environment. Sakura’s sentiment was that, “I appreciate that they were trying to change something, but I like the other uniforms more. The new one draws more attention and is distracting. The sweater is too red.” The color of the new sweater was something that students commented on on multiple occasions. Carol said that, “The red from the sweater is different from the one in the skirt” and Koh (Grade 11) said, “I think the new red color is a bit too bright.” It’s interesting that out of the small pool of students interviewed, the majority felt the need to comment on the color of the sweater. It can be said that many Saint Maur students feel strongly about the new sweater’s conspicuous red color. Martin’s view on the aesthetics of the new uniforms are that, “Gray button-ups are weird.” He is correct in that gray-colored button-up shirts are uncommon in comparison to the typical white or blue color of Japanese and other international school’s uniforms. Koh seems to agree with that statement, saying, “I think the colors are cute but it is different from the “traditional” Japanese school uniform which makes me feel different in public on the trains and such.” Carol also stated that, “The shirt makes me look like a boy, even though I also got it measured by the uniform company.” This can be interpreted as the new uniform having a poor selection of sizes that match their measurements, which is something that other students also agreed with.
The last and final question asked was not particular to the new uniform, but instead centering around school uniforms in general. The students interviewed were asked, “How do you think the new uniform celebrates school pride/enforces a sense of belonging?” The reason for this question was to see how Saint Maur students feel about wearing a uniform in general. Saint Maur students have been wearing uniforms since the establishment of the school, yet we have little insight on if students understand why they wear uniforms. I was very curious to see my peers’ responses. In response to the question, Sakura said, “I think this uniform really brings us together because usually teens would fuss about what they wear to school. It brings us together.
You don’t even have to talk to feel the connection and communication. Good vibes overall.” I definitely agree with Sakura. One could say school uniforms are silent, but are still able to make an impression on the other people wearing them. On the other end of the spectrum, Martin stated, “I don’t think it does, I think it shows the greed of private schools because we have to buy it from Top of the Class and we can’t just do our own thing.” The range of the opinions of the students surprised me. Another Grade 11 student, Hana, commented, “When I was choosing a school to transfer to, I wanted a school that had a uniform as it made me feel it would make my morning routine easier. But, at the same time it took away a fear of judgment that others would have against me or others if we were to wear our own desired clothing. I think it definitely enforces a sense of belonging as you see everyone wearing a certain uniform, and makes you feel a part of that group and people recognize what school you go to, as if you belong to that school. I don’t think it celebrates school pride though, as I don’t feel prideful everyday putting on my uniform. It just made my mornings easier and I wouldn’t have to stress about an outfit.” I personally think many students, including myself, would agree with this statement. Wearing a school uniform makes me feel included in a way. The last student interviewed was Carol, who was of the opinion that, “I have always been against the enforcement of school uniforms. From my perspective, it takes away the individuality and limits self expression for the students, even more when we have such a strict dress code adding up to the uniform. I understand that using uniforms can be a way of grouping us as part of the same school and consequently make us belong to the same community, but for me personally, it does not increase or celebrate my pride in being a Saint Maur student.” This is an interesting perspective that starkly contrasts some of the others.
This concludes the thoughts and opinions of students in grades 9 and 11. It was quite interesting to hear the variance of ideas, and it can be concluded that there may not be one side that the students of Saint Maur lean towards. Hopefully this information gives insight into how the Saint Maur population feels about the new uniforms being phased in and how the Saint Maur students feel about wearing uniforms in general.
Sophie Wynkoop