United in uniforms

Local look: Many Chinese schools dress students in sportswear that is cheap and durable. Photo provided to Shanghai Star

Local school uniforms are always a hot topic among young netizens in China. Many people complain about the design and compare local uniforms with their international counterparts around the world.

Western style school uniforms are favored by young students thanks to the popularity of TV series such as Gossip Girl from the United States and the Korean production The Heirs. Local schools, however, dress students in cheap sportswear.

In 1993, the State Commission of Education of China issued Opinions on Reinforce the Management of School Uniforms of Urban Primary and Middle School Students. It stipulated the design principles of school uniforms: simple, natural, bright and practical. Since then sport suits have become dominant on campus.

Design is often not the first thing school administrators take into consideration when it comes to uniforms. Many parents remain skeptical about a school charging extra money in addition to tuition fees. However, the price of school uniforms has been under the strict control of the city's education authorities. According to regulations released in 2013, a complete uniform can cost no more than 300 yuan.

But local schools are beginning to pay more attention to uniform design and are striving to provide students with better uniforms within the budget. Some schools respond quickly. Formal suits with British-styled stripes and tartan and Japanese-styled sailor suits are becoming more common on campus. Schools are also considering ways to improve the design of the traditional sportswear.