An example of a typical school track suit, worn by Malle’s host sister.
In Beijing, my home for the next two months, I noticed my host sister and most students in the city wearing almost identical uniforms, which only vary slightly based on the school’s name. Different from any American attire I have seen, these outfits consist of a pair of white track pants and a matching jacket. Intrigued by this concept, I asked my most trusted source, my 12- year-old host sister, to share her thoughts. She said, “I don’t like my school uniform because I think it’s uncomfortable and ugly. The material is not great quality and is very hot. It’s also white, which easily gets dirty. However, I do think it helps students because Chinese teachers want us to pay attention to studying rather than focusing on what to wear
the next day and looking pretty or cool. I don’t think not having uniforms would make students feel unequal or more exposed to bullying. I will say that if I could choose between having or giving up the school attire, I would choose to keep it. Its advantages, such as being able to keep us in order and knowing which students are ours if we go out to study, are bigger than its disadvantages. In China, people say that wearing a uniform shows honor toward one’s school.”
I found her unexpected answers interesting because of the maturity she had in understanding the reasons behind having to wear her outfit every day of her schooling years. I’m positive that if American students were obliged to clothe themselves daily in full-length track suits, a majority of them would protest for lack of freedom of self expression. I stand on both sides of this argument. On one hand, I think that having a homogeneous community permits students to not have to think about how to present themselves to the community everyday and makes people equal on a certain level by avoiding conflict. On the other hand, as perhaps many Choate students would argue, being able to express oneself via clothing during such a key time of growth is essential.
This ambivalence becomes more complex when questioning the comfort or safety of students. Some might feel the need to show everyone what kind of person he or she is or who he or she wants to be through clothing. Others, though, might feel safer not having to portray their sense of fashion.
In any case, I have a difficult time actually imagining myself wearing a track suit every single day, year after year. Could you?
