Why did schools change and wear sweatshirts and cheap blazers?

[Neweternal]

I'm curious when I was at school you had wool blazer (expensive yes in the 1980s they were £50) tie shirt etc. Now I see kids going to school in those hideous cheap polyester ones, are the days of school exchanges gone? Also I've seen sweatshirts and polo shirts in primary and secondary and it doesn't look smart at all and after the first term their sweatshirt and polo shirts are bobbled and discoloured. White cotton shirts can be bleached out in the sun. Surely no one thinks that looks better than a shirt and tie? Also children learning to buttons shirts up, tie you ties, they're life skills. What are the pros of sweatshirts, non wool blazers? Yes more ironing is involved with a clean shirt everyday, but my child takes pride in being smart. Poor kids in the 1960s managed school uniform, so I'm not convinced this is purely a financial argument. Should state schools not be competing with private on uniforms? Wearing polo shirts and sweatshirts to secondary if like an acceptance they're going into the trades and not going to need to tie a tie for work, (nothing wrong with trades I have one) but its about aspirations and dressing raises aspirations too. I know private schools still have the school exchange. What's the thinking behind all this?

I think the idea is that a polo shirt and jumper is actually far more practical for both primary and secondary pupils. It's comfortable and much cheaper and easier than a (dry clean only) wool blazer.

I also find it slightly hilarious that you think that this will limit their employment prospects to the trades (although have you seen how much plumbers earn?!?). I am an Cambridge educated professional. I have never worn a tie in my life and have managed ok. Does anyone wear a suit anymore??

Our primary school is shirts & ties - during the heatwave kids were actually starting to suffer heat exhaustion! The local secondary school said pupils could wear PE kits if the wanted. Our primary school refused to allow the kids to wear their PE t-shirts but allowed them to undo their top button.

I almost kept my ds6 home as it was getting stupid & dangerous.

I wish all schools were polo shirts & sweatshirts!

Uniform is there to make kids look the same. Surely 'smart' uniform could be for when they are working adults!

They're more comfortable and practical.

I fail to see how wearing a wool blazer contributes to a child's school education?

I hate ties. They look stupid on little kids and unnecessary for teens. Who the fuck wears a tie in work nowadays anyway (awaits all the posters who wear ties and love them yada yada)

I was in court the other day it appear even "the accused" don't try to impress the judge with a suit so perhaps I'm behind the times. Nothing against trades I have one and done exceptionally well from it. I don't wear comfy clothes for work. I like seeing smart well turned adults and children, may be that's just a personal preference.

Our local primary has just introduced them. Due to h and s, they are elasticated anyway. So no skills there. Hopefully they'll make catapults out of them. Deeply naff idea of 'smartness'

I went to school in the 80s and had a horrible polyester blazer. No primary schools local to me had a uniform at all.

I wonder if a modern survey of what people wear to work has been done? There are an awful lot of people who don't wear a suit or a shirt and tie to work. And most women certainly don't. Things are getting more casual, dress-wise, as they have been for at least 500 years.

I like children to look clean. What they are actually wearing makes not a jot of difference

Clean just a basic requirement surely, but crisp shirt, tie and quality blazer just looks so much better.

🙄 ffs another one.

A good wool blazer where I live for 1 child is £110 I have 2 kids, the older child's would have been more expensive. Not a chance I'm shelling that out for them to be chucked on the ground at school. Plus I would rather my kids were reasonably comfortable in school. I also dont think it's a good idea for kids to wear ties around their neck at school, you wouldn't tie anything else around their necks would you? Why a tie just to look "smart". (I'm talking 4-11 year olds hear, where the y still run wild in the play ground)

Why do you care what other people send their kids to school in? Stop being so bloody judgemental. Dress your kids however you like.

Not sure why you posted in education since this has nothing to do with education

The private schools round here are getting rid of ties for girls comepletely.

When I was at school in the late 80's there were no uniforms and I am an advocate of smart, practical uniforms. Wool blazers are not smart or practical (ds wore one in his last school), they smell when wet and they are hot in summer, not enough in winter.

Personally I don't like polo shirts and sweatshirts in secondary but think they are great for primary.

To be honest though, the schools round here with the most fancy, convoluted uniforms (tartan skirts for girls and fancy trims for boys) are the worst performing state schools. I think they look ridiculous.

Ds goes to n average, good state school now and his uniform is smart but most of it easily obtainable from the high street except the blazer and PE kit.

Seriously? Do you really need to ask?
Expense. Washing (have you seen the cost of dry cleaning a wool blazer?). Comfort and practicality for all types of activities and weathers.

Just because something was done in the 1960s, or traditional public schools do it, doesn't make it a good thing! No, state schools should not be "competing" with private schools on silly, impractical, expensive school uniforms, why should they.

Times change. Children dress informally now. They dress differently outside school from how they dressed in the 50s/60s and they dress differently in school to. So do adults. How may adults wear wool blazers and ties for work. Women certainly don't, and very few men. I'm a University academic. Hardly anyone wears a tie.

I quite like school uniforms because they give parents and children one less thing to have to think about. They reduce visible differentiation between rich and poor. And they can help give a school identity. But I don't think they have to be old-fashioned, uncomfortable or expensive. A school sweatshirt is fine.

Should state schools not be competing with private on uniforms?

No

Ok but the expense thing can dealt with with by school exchange. A blazer only need dry cleaned twice a year. As I said before poor families managed in the past to afford school uniform. Polo shirts at school is a newish thing. It's not judgemental I just think it looks better. So does no one now wear suits? Not in job interviews? Funerals etc? Of course us woman don't wear ties but we are often left teaching our sons how to tie them, so it's a good skill to master. I have to say this has opened my eyes I honestly didn't realise that casual was the norm now. I think on men I know I see them in suits for their work. I haven't been to a solicitor, financial adviser, account who doesn't wear one and dresses in hoodies and chinos, honestly I haven't!

Surely this is a joke thread?

I really don’t think it matters. Some schools still put a huge amount of focus on uniform and it really seems like such a waste of time. I have never bought in to the idea that wearing perfect uniform at school somehow benefits your future career prospects.

And really, hardly anyone wears a suit and tie on a regular basis. I can think of a few that do but none that I would aspire to as a career (estate agent, work in a bank, male secondary school teacher). DP has a professional, well paid job and wears smart trousers and a jumper, sometimes a shirt. Never a tie.

A uniform exchange system only works if there are sufficient items available. If your child is a non standard size then its pointless also the first few cohorts. And a second hand wool blazer was still £20-40 (better than £75-100 but still)

But I've had my kids in private school and whilst one was excellent (and the uniform was normal skirt/trousers and polyester blazer) the other supposedly best school in the area was awful and I completely refute any suggestion that state schools should be trying to emulate private schools.

Poor families didn;t afford to buy uniform in the past. Some children were lucky enough to get uniform grants, but I know plenty of my parents generation who passed to go to grammar school but were not allowed because they couldn't afford the uniform. No primary schools back then had uniforms.

So my child should Dress in a second hand blazer, to suit the snobs out there that think this is the only appropriate attire for school?

Perhaps people wear suits to work bit who out there wears a wool blazer as an adult, or sorry, is forced to wear one as uniform for work? Eh.... No one, because they have me purpose, they are not practical they are pretty shit tbh.

I am accountant.
I do not wear a tie.

My kids comp did have ties and blazers
Polyester blazers are nicer for teachers
(they can be washed so a room full of them smells less bad by the end of term)

I've been to many doctors who wear relaxed but (mostly) tidy clothes. Many of the people designing the software that those bankers and accountants rely on do so in jeans and t-shirts.

Not wearing a tie or woollen blazer is not an obstacle to a good career.

No it's not, news readers in ties, MPs in ties! Car salesmen in ties, even both the men at my sons after school club wear ties and blazers and look smart. The only casually dressed men (for work) i meet are tradesmen, but I appreciate that might just the the circle I'm in. The world surely hasn't changed that much. I honestly believe school uniform is good preparation. Is there no studies on dressing well and success? Children "being comfy" at school has not bridged social mobility or raised attainment in the last thirty years since this came in, quite the opposite. Before you couldn't tell if a uniform was private or state now you can.

Are women not allowed to be professionals then ?

DCs school made the girls and the boys wear ties
DD has only worn one for fancy dress since then.

Ffs let's bring back the straw boaters as well

My child attends an old Public (private) school and they wear a polyester blazer which in our case, needs washing every couple of weeks.

It really seems the material of the blazer doesn't make any difference to the level of education and the pupils are doing rather well.

I feel sorry for those 80s teachers who had to sit in a class full of stinky wollen blazers every day.