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SCHOOL UNIFORMS AS we know them may soon become a thing of the past.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has announced new plans which will see schools consult with parents to decide upon uniforms, what they should look like and if they want them at all.
Imagine if uniforms were gotten rid of entirely? For most of us, it would be a brave new world. A world where decisions like this, once agonised over, were no longer important.
Yes, we’ve heard your gasps, but in recent years many girls are given the option of wearing trousers instead of a skirt.
But if you chose to wear them, what did that say about you? In some schools it made you cool, in others it made you a weirdo. The dynamics are so complex!
Skirt length
Photocall Ireland
Photocall Ireland
This was a key decision, particularly if your school skirt was mid-length rather than full length.
Would you roll it up? Get your mam to hem it? How short could you get away with? Would it make you look like a slapper?
Of course, there were also the girls who flat out refused to mess with the length of their skirts and in fact stood in disdainful judgment of those who did. For them the length of a school skirt was far too frivolous a concern.
Holes in your jumper sleeves
For some people, tearing some holes in the sleeves of your jumper for your thumbs to stick through was the epitome of comfort and coolness.
For others it meant you were an Emo who listened to bad music.
For female students, the selection of hair accessories was a complex process. While one didn’t want to look like one had tried to hard, an artfully tied ribbon or carefully place hair slide could set you apart from the rest.
Never again in life are hair accessories so carefully considered. (Aside from weddings obv.)
Both style and decoration were to be considered here. Should you go for a two strap backpack? Or a one strap messenger bag? Jansport or Roxy? Should you use one strap, or two?
Should you decorate it with band’s names or leave it clean?
While some schools had very specific guidelines regarding your jacket, others were a little loose, allowing you to exercise some personal preference. Should you choose a short jacket or a long coat? Should you include a decorative scarf?
Or perhaps you were a total rebel and ignored the school guidelines, in which case you may have even experimented with a denim jacket or tracksuit top. You were very cool, weren’t you?
Thursday 14 November, 2024
Thursday 14 November, 2024
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9 very important decisions you had to make about your school uniform
SCHOOL UNIFORMS AS we know them may soon become a thing of the past.
Education Minister Ruairi Quinn has announced new plans which will see schools consult with parents to decide upon uniforms, what they should look like and if they want them at all.
Imagine if uniforms were gotten rid of entirely? For most of us, it would be a brave new world. A world where decisions like this, once agonised over, were no longer important.
Skirt or trousers
Yes, we’ve heard your gasps, but in recent years many girls are given the option of wearing trousers instead of a skirt.
But if you chose to wear them, what did that say about you? In some schools it made you cool, in others it made you a weirdo. The dynamics are so complex!
Skirt length
This was a key decision, particularly if your school skirt was mid-length rather than full length.
Would you roll it up? Get your mam to hem it? How short could you get away with? Would it make you look like a slapper?
Of course, there were also the girls who flat out refused to mess with the length of their skirts and in fact stood in disdainful judgment of those who did. For them the length of a school skirt was far too frivolous a concern.
Holes in your jumper sleeves
For some people, tearing some holes in the sleeves of your jumper for your thumbs to stick through was the epitome of comfort and coolness.
For others it meant you were an Emo who listened to bad music.
Which were you? WHY IS LIFE SO COMPLICATED?
Shoes
Despite the strict guidelines around colour and occasionally style, your school shoes were a real opportunity for self-expression.
Would your shoes have laces? Would they be loafers? Heels? Kickers? Dubes? Doc Martens? Pumps from Penneys? IT’S A MINEFIELD PEOPLE.
Tights or socks
If you wore a skirt to school, the tights/socks decision was very important.
People were judged harshly for making the wrong call around the change of season, and if you went socks too soon you felt like a total goon.
Short sleeved/long sleeved shirt
It’s warm. There are several short sleeved shirts in your wardrobe, but if you wear one you will be condemned to social death. WHAT DO YOU DO?
That’s if you were a boy. If you were a girl it wasn’t such a big deal.
Hair accessories
For female students, the selection of hair accessories was a complex process. While one didn’t want to look like one had tried to hard, an artfully tied ribbon or carefully place hair slide could set you apart from the rest.
Never again in life are hair accessories so carefully considered. (Aside from weddings obv.)
School bag
Both style and decoration were to be considered here. Should you go for a two strap backpack? Or a one strap messenger bag? Jansport or Roxy? Should you use one strap, or two?
Should you decorate it with band’s names or leave it clean?
SO MANY QUESTIONS!
Coat and outerwear
While some schools had very specific guidelines regarding your jacket, others were a little loose, allowing you to exercise some personal preference. Should you choose a short jacket or a long coat? Should you include a decorative scarf?
Or perhaps you were a total rebel and ignored the school guidelines, in which case you may have even experimented with a denim jacket or tracksuit top. You were very cool, weren’t you?
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