We ranked the 10 best uniforms from around the world. This is the list.

Let’s be honest, Constance Billard School for Girls has the best uniforms ever. 

Students in this fictional school in “Gossip Girl” personalise their outfits with accessories, bright colours, and fancy shoes, in addition to the standard white collared button-ups and pleated skirts. They look on point.

In the real world though, few of us can afford designer pieces or have the liberty to spice up our uniforms like Blair and Selena.

But what even are uniforms and why do we have dress codes in the first place?

Why do schools enforce uniforms?

Schools enforce uniforms primarily to promote a sense of equality and unity among students, just like everyone can support a school mascot and feel that unique school pride you can’t get elsewhere. 

Bringham Young University conducted a study in 2018 and found that as students age, they feel that uniforms help reduce bullying and teasing. This research, however, has been strongly debated.

One Reddit user says, “If kids are forced to wear the same outfit, they will just bully others for their lack of a new iPhone or weight or looks or one of a hundred other things. I don’t see enforcing uniforms as having a big impact.”

However, another commenter argues with, “It’s just easier. No need to think about what you’re wearing every day. As if being a teenager is not hard enough, you want to add being judged by what you wear to that? No, thank you.”

Another Redditor sharing their for-school uniform opinion says: “School administrators say it’s a waste of resources to police dress on an individual level. They don’t want to waste educational time debating whether a crass slogan on a T-shirt is ‘free speech’ or inappropriate when they have hundreds of kids to educate.”

A counterargument to that is this Redditor’s comment: “Expressing yourself, including the way you want to dress or wear your hair, should be absolutely part of education. After all, school isn’t just for learning; it’s also for socializing. Making six to 18-year-olds behave as if they are in the army, with everyone having to be a carbon copy of each other, is detrimental to their development.”

Despite it all, one thing is clear: there are pros and cons to having school uniforms, and it all depends on individual cases. Still, this enforcement has definitely produced some interesting rules.

The strangest school uniform rules around the world

Boys and girls in Chinese secondary schools in Asian countries like Malaysia, China, and Singapore are banned from having long hair, fringes, sideburns, dyed or permed hair, and wearing hair accessories.

The South China Morning Post reported that Chinese schools believe that having those types of hairstyles “are troublesome, untidy and hurts academic performance.” 

In Japan, female students can’t have their hair up in ponytails as this will “sexually excite” male students due to the “nape of their necks” showing. VICE World News reported that 

And that’s not the only thing Japanese schools ban.

57 junior high schools in the city of Fukuoka require students to wear only white underwear to school. Yes, you read that right. It’s so baffling that the Fukuoka Bar Association is asking schools to reconsider the rule as it is unreasonable and violates human rights.

Underwear aside, students are required to wear socks with vertical creases that are 15 centimetres from the floor. And in 2021, students were required to have jigeshōmeisho (地毛証明書) or “real hair certificates” to prove their hair is untouched and natural.

Luckily, these strange cases don’t pop up too often.

Why some countries do not make school uniforms compulsory

While many schools worldwide require uniforms, many don’t, partly because the history of uniforms has shaped the country’s views and perspectives on them. 

• Germany: Because political parties in Germany believe that having a uniform may restrict students and their parents from personal liberty. Unsettling memories of Hitler’s Youth uniforms during World War II have also dissuaded the country from enforcing school uniforms.
  
• Sweden: The Swedish Schools Inspectorate declared uniforms a violation of students’ human rights as it takes away an individual’s freedom, equal value, and integrity.A Reddit user comments, “Sweden has always been liberal, and it was seen as too strict and ‘conforming’ to have dress codes. Sweden has also always leaned left and dress code was seen as adhering to authority.”
• Italy: Before World War II, Italian fascist dictator Benito Mussolini forced children to wear uniforms inside and outside of school. This event shaped how Italy views uniforms, making them not compulsory in the modern era. However, until the early 19th century, female students wore gowns or smocks, while male students wore sailor suits.

Of course, there are plenty of countries and schools that make uniforms compulsory. Here are 10 of the best uniforms, as well as the most fashionable.

10 best uniforms around the world

More handwriting pens being awarded today. Well done to these students. pic.twitter.com/SR2XIaQyGY

— Auckland College (@Auckland_Coll) January 17, 2018

New Zealand

1. Auckland College

Auckland College is an independent school with the best uniforms for boys and girls aged three to 16. Students must wear uniforms that differ in style between the years: pre-prep, prep, and secondary.

Secondary boys wear a white shirt, grey blazer, black jumper, black trousers, and a black and gold tie. Meanwhile, the girls wear the same top as the boys but swap the trousers for a blue and yellow kilt.

The prices of the uniforms range from US$150 to US$250.

 

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2. Diocesan School for Girls

Located in Epsom, Auckland, the Diocesan School for Girls is an all-girls independent Anglican school with one of the best uniforms, strongly representing its pride. Student uniforms differ among years: foundation, junior, junior high, and senior school. 

Students in the junior school wear a red/dio blue striped blazer, navy with Petersham trim dress, navy and red ‘V’ neck jersey, navy tunic, oxford blue long-sleeved shirt, and a red with blue striped tie. Those in the senior school keep the blazer, and pair that with a navy skirt pleated on basque skirt, white short sleeve with blue stripes, and a navy with red/blue/gold stripes cardigan.

The prices of the uniforms range from US$183 to US$250.

South Korea

1. Jeonju Fine Arts High School

Hands down, Jeonju Fine Arts High School has the most fashionable uniforms.

Known as Girls Generation’s Taeyeon’s alma mater, the private high school in Jeonju offers music, art, and theatre and has the prettiest and most fashionable uniforms for female students. It may seem simple, but simplicity goes a long way. It accentuates the students’ elegance. 

Boys wear white collared shirts, a dark green and red plaid tie, dark navy blazer, and dark navy trousers. Girls wear a white collared cropped light blue top with short sleeves and a light blue skirt in the summer. In the winter, they switch to a white collared shirt, dark green and red plaid vest, dark navy blazer, dark green and red plaid skirt, and a dark green and red plaid tie to complete the look. 

The prices of the uniforms range from US$135 to US$150.

 

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2. Seoul Performing Arts High School

Known for producing several famous K-pop artists, Seoul Performing Arts High School, also known as SOPA, has one of the best uniforms. K-pop enthusiasts can immediately spot the uniform from miles away.

Throughout the years, uniforms have been standard for students; boys and girls wear identical pieces. This includes a white long-sleeved, black-collared shirt, yellow vest, yellow with a black detailed blazer, and a black school tie with yellow stars and red dots. Boys wear that with black trousers, while girls wear a black skirt instead. 

The prices of the uniforms range from US$700 to US$800.

 

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UK

1. Christ’s Hospital

Christ’s Hospital’s uniform is one of the best uniforms for preserving history. It is known as the oldest uniform in existence and has hardly been altered since Tudor times, remaining unchanged for over 470 years. The fashion style for this uniform may look a little outdated, but again, it holds a significant part of history in its style. 

All students wear a base of a white shirt with “bands” and an outer blue coat. Boys will add breeches, yellow socks, and leather belts to the look, while girls swap the breeches for a pleated skirt.

The prices of the uniforms are undisclosed.

2. Eton College

Educating over 19 prime ministers and Prince William of the UK monarchy during their younger years, Eton College is an all-boy Tudor-era boarding founded in 1440 by Henry VI. Known for its world-renowned education, its uniforms are also making their rounds across the internet as one of the best uniforms. 

Students here have a wardrobe of a white tunic shirt, overcoat, tailcoat, waistcoat, striped trousers, format shirt, chinos, black v-neck slipover, and a pink formal shirt. 

The prices of the uniforms range from US$1117 to US$1300.

 

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Indonesia

1. ACS Jakarta

ACS Jakarta is a Methodist school that offers world-standard education to children from ages three to 18. Students attending the school get to dress in one of the best uniforms in the world, as it’s simple yet beautifully designed.

The school has recently updated its uniform design in 2023. It was created by a student who won a Batik Design Competition 2022 in Jakarta. Boys here wear a batik-collared shirt with black trousers, while girls wear the same top or can switch it for a white-collared top alongside a batik or black skirt and a black vest. 

The prices of the uniforms are undisclosed.

 

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2. SIS Kelapa Gading North East Jakarta

SIS Kelapa Ganding North Jakarta is an international school that offers students a Cambridge and IB curriculum in a family-like environment. Not only is the school located in North East Jakarta, it has campuses in nine other locations in Indonesia, one in South Korea, one in Myanmar, and two in India.

Compared to its sister school, SIS Kelapa Ganding North East Jakarta has one of the simplest yet the most fashionable uniforms, consisting of a blue batik-collared shirt with navy shorts for younger boys and girls, and trousers and skirts for the older kids. 

The prices of the uniforms are undisclosed.

 

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Canada

1. Branksome Hall

Branksome Hall, Toronto’s leading independent International Baccalaureate World School for Girls, has state-of-the-art technology and facilities and provides one of the best uniforms. The uniforms differ between the junior, middle, and senior years. Here are a few examples of what the school requires students to wear.

Junior girls have a wardrobe of a turtleneck, polo shirt, long sleeve blouse, tunic, varsity knitted cardigan, blazer, summer skort, and a green tie. Senior girls swap the skort and green tie out for a kilt and a red and black tie. 

The prices of the uniforms range from US$400 to US$500.

 

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2. St. Clement’s School

Founded in 1901, St. Clement’s School is an Anglican independent school for girls in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The school offers a world-class education and fashionable uniforms — honestly, they’re almost on par with Gossip Girl’s Constance Billard’s uniforms.

Students here have a wardrobe of a short or long-sleeved oxford shirt, tunic, skirts, dress trousers, a school blazer, and a tie.

The prices of the uniforms range from US$340 to US$500.m