How To Dress Up A School Uniform
[ 30 January 2007 ]
How, indeed? School uniforms are ugly, unflattering & a violation of rights. I wore a uniform for my entire school-going career, so please believe me when I say that I feel your pain.
There are various ways of stamping your own mark on these dowdy articles. Most teenagers end up with shortened skirts, their shirt untucked, holes in their sweater & scuffed shoes — but this is hardly stylish. It really only cements you in your place as a petulant child: not a good look. (The key is to remain petulant but be sneaky about it. I am petulant to this day but it’s a big secret.)
The extent to which you can accessorise will depend on how strict your school is, but sometimes it’s worth causing a sensation in the morning (even if they do confiscate your things at lunchtime). Remember, they have no right to permanently keep anything you take to school (unless it’s something ridiculous like cigarettes, alcohol or drugs), so don’t worry about it too much.
I am fond of the following from Epictetus: “Know, first, who you are; & then adorn yourself accordingly.” If you’re in high school, your body’s probably going crazy every day & things will be changing so quickly you can’t keep up. It can be easy to look around you & be overwhelmed, or to feel pressured to be like everyone else — but it is a choice. Being your own person may not be the easiest choice, & in fact it may bring you pain initially, but eventually, you’ll be glad you did what YOU wanted. (You are probably sick of hearing this kind of thing, but it is important.) Anyway, my point is that this isn’t going to be a blow-by-blow guide on How To Look Cool™, since there is no such thing. Instead I’ll present you with some suggestions & you can take or leave ‘em as you please.
Decoration:
If you can wear a non-regulation coat, buy one which is knee-length & either belted or nipped at the waist.
Start collecting brooches: lots of them. Different ones for different moods. Try to avoid badges (unless they are exceptionally stylish) but snap up any interesting school pins you see. My friend Ana has one she wears all the time which says “Head Librarian”, & to this day I wear a pin with the St. Kentigern crest on it. This sort of thing will cause confusion & delight amongst your peers. Pin them on your sweater or blazer lapels.
Accessorise with hats, scarves & gloves (especially fingerless ones, since you can write with them on). Check out the knit berets from Urban Outfitters (in charcoal, cream, pink & blue) & when shopping, look for oversized knit hats or tea-cozy hats. Get one in a colour that complements the rest of your school attire.
Wear vintage silk scarves on your head when you’re having a bad hair day.
Switch your generic shoelaces for a pair that make you smile — The Sunny Eccentrics have a huge variety.
Instead of boring black lace-up shoes, try a pair of ankle boots, mary janes (with a platform!) or crazy sneakers. If your school will let you get away with wearing legwarmers, do that too.
Look for interesting hair accessories!
Jewellery:
Wear strands of pearls or costume jewellery around your neck — they will only show momentarily behind your shirt & tie & will look fantastic.
The Carrotbox has the biggest range of rings anywhere online that I have seen. They sell some great stuff: I am especially fond of the tall Murano glass bands (though I broke mine, never bang it against anything!), plastic rhinestone hearts, glassfiction (made by the site owner), & the glittery Murano glass bands.
Girlprops.com have diamante initial rings which I LOVE — spell out something crass across your hand (though I would probably just settle for “Gala”).
Bags:
One thing everyone needs at school is a bag. A tote with a design that you like is going to get a lot of mileage, as you lug books to & fro like some demented packhorse. Here are some that I like:
White Palazzo Damask Laptop Bag — this is beautiful & would be my pick.
ModCloth has a huge range of really awesome totes & pencil-cases. They also have clutches but you know, they’re more a weekend thang.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has a cute French fashion tote which I like very much.
Hand-stamped Warhol tote from Enderby on Etsy… but Etsy has a total of 5362 totes for sale, so have a look.
Other:
Get a regular manicure, or at least do your nails regularly yourself. (If you bite them, an expensive manicure that you have to pay for might be all the incentive you need to keep your fingers out of your mouth.) You will feel & look much better.
Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has a blank journal with a marionette on the cover (drawn by Georges Lepape), which would look good on top of a stack of history books.
Paperchase has a great range of notebooks & stationery too. Your yearly diary doesn’t have to be boring!
Let a Jolly Roger umbrella protect you on the walk home.
I love this Classic Valentines lunchbox, but I’d probably use it as a pencil-case…
Extra For Experts:
Not so much style, but the books that got me through the hell that was school were:
Star Girl by Jerry Spinelli, a book about a girl who refused to be like anyone else
Dangerous Angels by Francesca Lia Block, an incredible book which I still love & re-read regularly. Also, when I was in school I was convinced that I was Witch Baby
& American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. What can I say? I was a weird kid.
Super-love & cupcakes,
Gala
Tags: consumption,
how to,
inspiration,
madame Share this! + Email This + Del.icio.us
+ Facebook
+ Stumbleupon
+ Technorati
Comment
Read more tagged consumption...
Makeup Basics Part Two -- Makeup Application Fashion Report: Summer/Autumn 2007 Daily Outfit -- 24th January 2007 Gold Lamé Leggings Winter Lust Trends For 2007 and How To Avoid Looking Like A Fashion Victim Choosing Sunglasses That Suit You Daily Outfit -- 19th January 2007
Read more tagged how to...
Makeup Basics Part Two -- Makeup Application How To Walk In High Heels How To Age Gracefully How To Throw A Tea-Party Shorts For Men Trends For 2007 and How To Avoid Looking Like A Fashion Victim Choosing Sunglasses That Suit You What Goes and What Clashes?
Read more tagged inspiration...
Fashion Report: Summer/Autumn 2007 Super Street Style or Why These People Look So Damn Good How To Throw A Tea-Party Dressing For A Wedding Winter Lust Trends For 2007 and How To Avoid Looking Like A Fashion Victim Carousel -- Week Ending 19th January 2007 Marie Antoinette Style
Read more tagged madame...
Makeup Basics Part Two -- Makeup Application Fashion Report: Summer/Autumn 2007 Super Street Style or Why These People Look So Damn Good How To Walk In High Heels How To Age Gracefully How Wearing Make-Up Affects Your Career Dressing For A Wedding Winter Lust
gala darln, u truly are a genius… im sartorially challenged i’d say, but hell. i just read your site for the quality of the writin and the research. neat.. and well ya never know i might learn to how to apply make up properly one of these days. my wife’d love it ;)
Thank you Mr.! I’m glad you like what I’m doing. I am working on a lot more articles for men so maybe you’ll be a super-dapper man by the end of the year!
this makes me almost wish i wish back at school! (almost.)
star girl is a lovely book. american psycho is also excellent, but i don’t think that ‘lovely’ is a word i would ever use to describe it.
xoxo
Sophie — Ja! I think a school uniform can actually look really good (well, a stylised version which hasn’t been selected by a group of 50 year olds). White shirt, tie, v-neck sweater, blazer & tartan skirt is a good combination really.
you’ve got a lot of lovely ideas! but, all the private schools around here (including my own), don’t allow any variations on coats, shoes, or just about anything.
i almost got a detention today for wearing a rainbow scarf, even.
i’ll borrow the accessory ideas for every day, though. :>
Aw, Ms. Hyuju, I’m sorry! Sometimes schools can be so backwards. My school was like yours though, we used to get detention for wearing nailpolish or a necklace. I used to catch the bus with some kids who went to a public high school & they could do pretty much anything they wanted with their uniform. Made me jealous! You will just have to make up for it when you get out of school. Use it as motivation. Go to your reunion looking fabulous!
Thank-You for all the tips..x
They helped alot but as other people have said, some of the things are not allowed..x
I am allowed a coat [&&] i am allowed hair accesories but that is about it..x
I still wear scalf and gloves and also wear jewlery but i often get told to take my scalf and gloves off..x
We are NOT allowed legwarmers but i wear them anyway as all the teachers like me and i get away with it..x
As i said thank-you..x
This is my last year in high school, so I’m really excited to make it the best so far and leave a lasting impression on the school that..er…ahem will leave a lasting impression on me. (Sometimes, not in a good way.)
Thanks for this! :D
only if my school would let us do that.my school is so LAME!lol.but its true.your ideas are SO FAB* TOOLDES
Thanks for the tips!
I go back to school tomorrow (I’m boarding so I go back on a sunday… grrrr…) but I’m going into 6th form now so we have more space and can wear what we like in terms of jewellery etc. Well – ish…
Thanks again!
Love n sumdged eyeliner.
Thanks for this!
Ive been home educated for almost two years now, and I am going back into a different school to take my GCSE’s.
This has given me great ideas on how to rock the school =D
love xoxo
I tend to dress up my uniform by wearing some anklets, a chunky bangle and watch, fake big pearl earrings and lots of body gel glitter around my eyes.
I wear no makeup and tend to wear my hair in funny ways like 3 plaits or 3 little buns on one side of my head.
A armband can help too, and a few cray rings that contrast each other (my favorites are my buzzy bee ring that I got from a woman close enough to be my mother, when I was five. In represents my kiwi, childish side. I wear it with my huge blue, sparkly, slightly goth ring that I got in London.).
Thanks
haha great article :) i go to public school and i’m fairly brainy so i get away with alot. Today i wore; white school blouse (I replaced the buttons with little cherries), school tie, Red tartan school skirt, black suspenders worn around my bum, black studded fake leather belt, black fishnets, red and black arm warmers, black satchel, platform Maryjanes, and a red alice band
P.S Why not get yourself elected onto your student committee and change your ugly school uniform ;)
sorry about the huge post
The tips are so awesome. But my mom insists that i pay for everything myself so i cant buy all that. I need ( and trust me NEED bc my school is strict) tips on stuff you can do yourself without buying a lot. Thanx alot
I know I’m about a year late on this, but I was clicking through “best of” and found this article. Now I’ve realized the big old ring collecting lint at the bottom of my jewelery box is a Murano Glass Ring! I had no idea because I only own it by accident. It was in a pile of stuff that my roommate’s friend left behind in our dorm at the end of the school year in 2007. I don’t feel I can personally wear it, but I certainly feel foolish that it took me a year to figure out it’s glass and not plastic!
Now I just need to decide if I’ll ever work up the cajones to wear it, or if I should find a friend who would adore it ;]
This stuff is amazing
=]
anyone know any good places to get some school pins from?
xx