Choosing The Right School Uniforms

Most public and private schools in Nigeria wear a uniform. Yours may consist of blazer and tie, full trousers or shorts, skirt or dress, a pinafore or even a hat; formal school wear is a part of everyday school life. We generally accept this because we know that the uniform shows that you are part of an organisation but how do you go about choosing the right school uniforms for your school?

A school uniform is one of the many things potential parents often observe when making a decision to send their children to a new school. Besides giving your school an identity in the community, your school uniform can tell a lot about your school’s values and priorities. For example, when it comes to color, White is often associated with cleanliness, while Black is linked with a feeling of emotional security and safety as well as a professional and efficient image. Blue on the other hand is associated with qualities such as intelligence, helpfulness and trustworthiness and the color Brown, seen most often in nature is said to be indicative of reliability.

The various components of the school uniform also speak volumes. Some schools prefer dresses and pinafores for girls while some others prefer skirts. Some school sport wears have shorts and skorts, others make use of gender neutral track bottoms and t-shirts, all speaking volumes about not only the fashion taste but some core beliefs of the organisation are considered when choosing the right school uniforms.

A student wearing the uniform with pride is indirectly buying into what the organisation is all about. Uniforms also help students to prepare for when they leave school and may have to dress smartly.

Here are some school uniforms from public and private schools in Nigeria. What message do you think they convey about their school?