My last school was in the Good Schools Guide. The kids there had all sorts of 'dos - I had a few mohicans in my classes, one boy whose entire head was neon pink, and it was the fashion to have streaks of various colours. They were quite lax with uniform, too. The ethos of the school was fantastic, the kids' behaviour was excellent and they had a great reputation in the local, upmarket area.
My current school thinks it's a bit special and has strict uniform/hair rules. The ethos doesn't even compare with my last school and the behaviour, at times, is crap. The kids are regularly in trouble with police for smoking/fighting etc outside the school grounds. This is in an even more upmarket area tan my first school.
Uniform has NOTHING to do with it. There are crap schools with strict uniforms and fantastic schools with none.
FTR I think there's a place for uniform but I think kids should also be entitled to a bit of individuality. Yes, in certain workplaces they will need to wear a certain dress code, but when they're adults they'll be able to choose whether they want to work in such places - not so when they're young.
Besides, how difficult a lesson is that to learn anyway? 'Don't wear a mohican to your office job' - there. Job done, without twelve years of training.
Bizarre, honestly, and none of your business. IME people who get hepped up about such things have their priorities all wrong.