Then vs. Now: How Japanese School Uniforms Went from Wild to Sophisticated | FRIDAY DIGITAL

Then vs. Now: How Japanese School Uniforms Went from Wild to Sophisticated

|CULTURE
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The sagging pants & kogyaru style that emerged in the mid-1980s

Elegant yet conventional

“In today’s era, when it comes to school uniform design, how it looks when worn by a group is a very important factor. When hundreds of students wear it and line up together, how attractive it appears matters. The trend favors designs that are elegant yet conventional and suit anyone,”

says Nobuyuki Mori, an illustrator and school uniform researcher. He is the author of Tokyo Girls’ High School Uniform Encyclopedia (Yumitate Publishing, 1985), a major bestseller, and has written numerous works on uniforms, including Girls’ School Uniform Handbook and Heisei Girls’ High School Uniform Chronicle (both Kawade Shobo Shinsha).

Mori supervised Nippon Uniform Chronicle, published by Kawade Shobo on June 30 this year. Currently, the Yayoi Museum (Bunkyo, Tokyo) is hosting a collaborative exhibition with the book, titled Nippon Uniform Chronicle — 100 Years of Showa! The Evolution of Style and the Future of School Uniforms.

This exhibition is the third installment of the Yayoi Museum’s student uniform series, following the 2018 Sailor Suits and Schoolgirls exhibition and the 2019 100 Years of Japanese Uniforms exhibition. This time, the focus is on how uniforms are styled.

Since the exhibition opened on June 7, it has become a major topic among educators and Showa enthusiasts, attracting a diverse crowd, including older women, current high school students, and young women cosplaying in uniforms.

The first-floor gallery displays uniforms by era: starting with the 1950s gakuran and sailor suits, then the altered “tsuppari” (delinquent) uniforms popular from the ’70s to early ’80s, such as long coats and wide pants (bontan). From the mid-1980s came the blazer-style casual wear known as the “kogyaru & sagging pants” look. Following the ’90s and ’00s, the evolution leads to today’s uniforms, which consider LGBTQ inclusivity.

Among them, the “tsuppari & sukeban” (delinquent girl) style stands out. Boys wore long gakuran coats and wide bontan trousers, while girls wore sailor suits with long skirts, completing the look with flattened leather school bags.

The first to jump on YMO were the “tsuppari” (delinquent) crowd

“Looking back now, it seems really uncool, but at the time it was cutting-edge. Trend-conscious and stylish students wore these looks. The YMO music unit, which was just starting to become a hot topic, was quickly embraced by tsuppari students. The sagging pants & kogyaru style involved standard uniforms, but it was all about how far one could deviate from them. The desire to show off one’s own sense of style created these unique ways of wearing the uniform,” says Mori.

On the second floor of the exhibition, uniform illustration works are on display. These include pieces by the artist wataboku, who worked on the MV for Ryokushoku Shakai and the jacket artwork for tuki.’s Bansanka, and illustrator Gemi, known for the Cabinet Office’s Barrier-Free of the Mind commercial and Ito En’s O~i Ocha Sakura package designs.

“When expressing the theme of youth, school uniforms are a very important motif. They represent a path everyone has walked or is currently walking. They are subjects everyone can relate to. By seeing works that express this in different ways, visitors can encounter pieces that resonate deeply with them,” Mori explains.

From Nippon Uniform Chronicle:

“The psychology of adolescents is complex. On one hand, they want to assert themselves; on the other, they strongly desire to be like those around them and are sensitive to group dynamics. These delicate feelings show up in how uniforms are styled. Skirt lengths, trouser widths, the way ties are knotted, sock lengths—these may seem like minor differences to outsiders, but they convey a wealth of information.”

For those who wish to meet the old self once again, visiting the exhibition is highly recommended.

From the 1950s, the standardization and mass production of gakuran and sailor uniforms progressed. The blazer uniform on the far right appeared in the 1960s.
“The uniform industry refers to this as a dark history,” says Mori, pointing to the representative style of tsuppari students.
The so-called “tsuppari” altered student uniforms that appeared in the 1970s, as noted by illustrator Nobuyuki Mori, who also supervised the exhibition.
The back button attached behind the buttons of altered student uniforms—a very stylish touch.
The “tsuppari” style that swept Japan in the 1980s, famously associated with Namenneko ©nameneko japan.
The tartan-checked skirts that appeared in the 1980s were first adopted by the private integrated middle and high school Shoei Girls’ Academy in Tokyo.
The sagging pants and kogyaru styles, which showed individuality by loosening up standard uniforms, were later followed by the emergence of yamanba gals.
At Shinagawa Gakugei High School, girls’ slacks and boys’ sailor uniforms are actually adopted, designed not only with LGBTQ inclusivity in mind but also with a focus on fashionable appearance.
On the second floor, art inspired by school uniforms is on display. The image shows a work by artist wataboku.
A piece by illustrator Hiromi Matsuo, who mainly creates works featuring women.
A work by illustrator Gemi.
Illustration works by Mori showcasing the latest uniform trends.
The second-floor exhibition rooms are organized according to specific themes.
In April 2023, the school-approved idol group “7th Period Fleur” debuted at Saku Chosei High School (Nagano Prefecture). Their costumes were designed by Miki Asano, known for designing outfits for AKB48.
Mori, who also designs uniforms, collaborated with uniform manufacturer Takimoto to create a “Future Uniform” piece. The uniform on the largest mannequin incorporates a boys’ kilt inspired by traditional Scottish attire.
Concept models for future school uniforms devised by major uniform manufacturer Kanko Gakuseifuku, based on ideas such as resource & reuse and how to stay comfortable for three years.

  • PHOTO.： Takehiko Kohiyama

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