On International Women’s Day, Caeryn Collins, Chief Vision Officer at Impressions Uniform, discusses parity and equity in school uniform.
It’s International Women’s Day and the theme this year is embracing equity. I’ve been campaigning for equity in schoolwear for the past 18 months. I firmly believe that there’s been a real lack of it.
In general, a whole uniform for a girl will cost more than that for her male counterpart. Girls are often ‘expected’ to wear skirts which, for many, are relatively more expensive, uncomfortable and impractical. If a girl wants to wear trousers, there is a massive inequality in the number of styles available in comparison to the number of styles available for boys.
Despite only being a relatively small supplier in the north of England, I have regularly challenged our suppliers to create a more inclusive range of schoolwear.
Historically, school uniform has had a masculine look.
Certainly, from the top up, the blazer, shirt and tie are based on traditional formal wear for men. This style of uniform introduced decades ago is still the most common today. When I was in school, nurses and policewomen wore skirts, too. But, like most other sectors, they have moved on. So why haven’t we? I believe there are several reasons.
The first is that there isn’t a traditional customer/supplier relationship within the schoolwear industry. We have manufacturers, retailers and customers. Sitting in amongst this relationship are schools – which neither produce, design or buy – so where does the demand come from? Secondly, the schoolwear industry was, until recently, dominated by men – generally upwards of middle-aged and, in the main, suit-wearing individuals.
There is an (often unconscious) bias in schoolwear that suggests girls should wear skirts. This is perpetuated in the language of uniform descriptions produced by schools, photographs in brochures, window displays, and general images in the media. If, as a girl, you decide to wear trousers, you are automatically putting yourself into a smaller minority and subconsciously that’s going to affect our girls.
The other thing that concerns me is the insistence on putting girls in a pleated skirt or a short straight skirt.
This can be limiting and impractical on several levels. A study in Ireland found that secondary school boys are 18 times more likely to cycle to school than girls. Ever tried to cycle in a pleated or a short, fitted skirt? It is widely accepted that exercise habits are formed in our early years. Are we setting girls up to be less fit because of the type of uniform that we’re putting them in?
But more importantly, I think the choice of uniform doesn’t help girls. So, for instance, if a boy comes in and wants a pair of trousers, I can offer him probably 10 to 12 different styles of trouser. Everything from a slim skinny and ultra skinny to a sturdy fit and a regular fit. You name it, I can get that boy in a pair of trousers that fit him no matter what shape or size. Can I do that with a girl? No, not a chance, because each supplier may only do one or two types of girls’ trousers. And even with an adjustable waist and various leg lengths, sometimes that simply isn’t enough.
Our girls often say to us, ‘why don’t girls’ trousers have pockets?’
And I’ve asked that question to our suppliers; why not? After all, every boy’s trouser has pockets. Do girls not want to put the same things in their pockets as boys? I.e., their hands? For anyone, especially when carrying a large bag around your shoulder, being able to put your hand in your pocket is fantastic.
Cost inequality is an issue too. I’ve got a big supplier with a great range of PE kits, but the girl’s top is more expensive than the boys. At primary school, if a girl wears a cardigan, it’s generally more expensive than a sweatshirt. Whilst I appreciate it costs more to make a cardigan than a sweatshirt, perhaps we have to look deeper. Girls are often paying a lot more for their uniform because a school will introduce something like a tartan skirt for a girl. Yet a boy can wear plain black trousers that effectively they can get from anywhere.
‘Dressing Girls to Fail’ – a report published in 2021 by Let Clothes be Clothes – talks about many of these in more detail, and goes further by suggesting the number of rules imposed in girls’ clothes is also unequal and suggests we are creating opportunities for punitive measures on girls that shouldn’t exist.
Some interesting developments are coming through.
For instance, zip jackets for primary kids that work for both boys and girls; better ranges of trousers for girls (including the introduction of pockets); unisex shirts, and more inclusive labelling. However, I think we need to look harder and be braver. I think we need to work with our schools and our young people to start designing uniform that really does, once and for all, promote equity in schoolwear.
