This essay will look at the issues and impacts related to uniforms and in particular the uniforms worn by children in school. The uniforms worn by those who carry out the honored profession of firefighters will also be briefly explored. Looking more deeply at two uniforms in particular and how they have evolved helps to understand how uniforms can develop in general. While there are thousands of different professions and roles that an individual can fill, which translates to thousands of different uniforms, uniform issues spread across all professions. This essay will address issues such as how uniforms can offer cultural restrictions and the impact this has had on certain individuals. Issues of sexualisation and sexual connotations surrounding uniforms have also led to some devastating stories told by school children. The way in which uniforms are presented in the media and the effects this can have will also be briefly discussed. In addition to these issues, the positive impacts of uniforms will also be mentioned, such as how they help ensure equality in the workspace and also how, in some cases, without a uniform you cannot do a job. The main takeaway from this essay, however, is to try to come to a conclusion on the huge question of creativity related to uniforms. Do uniforms limit creativity? The goal is to come to understand this problem by looking at how uniforms can suppress an individual's self-expression, but also how uniforms can encourage creativity. “For me, clothing is a form of self-expression, there are clues to who you are in what you wear” (Jacobs, not date, quoted in Hutchings, 2017: online). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay School uniforms are one of many different types of uniform and many people are required to wear throughout their lives. 'The first school uniforms date back to the mid-16th century, when they were adopted in so-called “bluecoat” schools in England. The first school to adopt a uniform was Christ's Hospital in London and other charitable foundations soon followed. (Craik, 2003: 136-7) We often wonder what the purpose of uniforms is and whether they actually benefit children in any way. However with 'children spending around thirteen hours a day wearing school uniform' (Park, 2011, cited in Park 2013: 163) Park demonstrates how the importance of the issue is very high. 'As the name suggests, uniform in literal sense means always being the same" (Reddy, walk-in: online). Unfortunately, bullying is still widespread today and school-age children face unimaginable difficulties at school on a daily basis. From being bullied for their intelligence, wealth, family situation, appearance and basically anything that makes a person stand out in some way, bullying is happening in most schools around the world “The uniform stands for brotherhood, as when adopted universally it covers all differences of class and country." (Baden-Powell, 2013: online) As Powell believes, many agree that the uniform helps eliminate some problems that could lead to an individual being bullied. If everyone wore an identical uniform, then no one's clothing would be different from that of another individual in that school, perhaps reducing appearance-related bullying. If children could choose their own clothes on a daily basis, this would differentiate them more as some childrenthey could afford designer clothes and others could not. This could lead to children feeling less superior than other individuals, which could undermine their confidence and affect their academic performance. However, it can be seen that the uniform brings people from all backgrounds to one platform, no matter if they are rich or poor, everyone is treated equally (Reddy, no dating). As Reddy shows, equality is a great advantage not only of school uniforms but of uniforms in general. The problems that happen at school don't just stop when children leave school, these problems are present in many workplaces where adults find themselves and as a result, uniforms can be seen as a very useful tool to enforce equality. school uniforms began to be recognized as an important fashion code that could help young people express their identity" (Lee and Lim, 2010, cited in Park: 165). Since children spend so much time wearing uniform school, for many it is important to still be able to express themselves and feel confident in a uniform. Celebrities, for many teenagers, play a role in their lives and they idolize and admire various styles, trends and opinions of different celebrities what celebrities dress can impact how children express themselves through their uniform as they may copy certain clothing styles and traits of people they see on TV or in the public eye. “Many young people follow the style of uniforms schools worn by their favorite stars on television" (Lee and Lim, 2010, cited in Park: 165). This however raises a controversial question about the sexualisation of uniforms and whether this issue is a result of the way celebrities have perceived uniforms . An example is that of Britney Spears' "Baby one more time" music video, released in 1998. In the video Britney wears a school uniform with an unbuttoned school shirt and her hair tied up, so she is seen as "sexy". “The sexual and sensual connotations associated with uniforms suggest that some profound issues regarding the formation of sexual identities and gender personalities are associated with and inscribed in the nature of uniforms and the way they are worn” (Craik, 2003: 138). If children have seen this video and adapted their uniform to replicate the way Britney presented herself in uniform, then there remains a serious problem. “With the length of school uniform skirts getting shorter and shorter, some schools announced that they would send girls home if they wore skirts that were too short” (Park, 2013: 167). As Park explains, the fact that girls modify their uniforms to be seen as more attractive or sexy, this way of wearing their uniforms in a way affects their education as if they were sent home losing precious time to learn. A more serious consequence of these alterations and of the sexual connotations linked to the uniform in general is the sexualization of girls by older men. The danger that can arise from sexualisation is that girls are targeted and attacked on their way to and from school by much older men. “When I was 13 and 14, I received sexual advances on three separate occasions from adult men on my journey to or from school” (Jones, 2014: online). This experience experienced by Jones is frightening and girls should not feel anxious and tense in a common situation such as a trip to school, this still has consequences on a child's learning and academic progress. If they were to face problems like these attacks, they might not be able toconcentrate on school or even no longer want to attend school. This problem however is not helped by the media, advertising and many other forms of presenting something to the public eye. “Coeds are considered sexy, and not just in the mind of the casual pervert, but in normalized, mainstream popular culture” (Jones, 2014: online). Jones shows how this is evident in an advert made by American Apparel, the advert labeled "back to school", featured girls bent over in miniskirts showing off their underwear, being a popular brand aimed at young girls, adverts such as these can be harmful and hence why the ad was ultimately banned. "If you're fetishizing a school uniform, then you're fetishizing the exact part of the image that represents childhood. And surely we can expect advertisers to avoid real children at the very least" (Jones,2014:online). While perhaps some problems can be solved by the way things are perceived in the media and advertising, the individual people carrying out these attacks cannot be stopped completely. This could mean that the issue of school uniforms needs to be looked at more thoroughly as a way of trying to stop these sexualised connotations around a uniform, which evidently can lead to something very serious.'On first meeting, a stranger is pigeonholed as the basis of external characteristics, such as dress, accent and posture' (Stone, 1962, cited in Joseph and Alex, 1972: 724). Stone is addressing the importance of first impressions and appearance. Having a uniform allows the workplace to ensure that their employees/students are presentable, which therefore gives a good impression of the company/school. Furthermore, if an individual feels professional in his appearance, it could be said that this helps to give him a professional mindset and therefore helps him to be more productive in his work. 'The uniform creates a professional atmosphere and sets the customer's standard for what they expect from the employee. Furthermore, citizens tend to trust people in uniform because uniforms make it easy for people to recognize the individual as authorized personnel in that area' (Reddy, no date: online). Some may agree with Reddy and believe that by imposing a uniform you make yourself a trustworthy individual to your customers. Someone who has a clear workplace identity can be more approachable as people have certainty in the person they are targeting. Uniforms also help differentiate an individual's professional life from their social life, once again bringing a professional mindset once the uniform is put on. In some cases, if uniforms were not present, a job could not be performed, for example a firefighter. The firefighters uniform is essential to carry out their profession, entering extremely high temperatures without the appropriate clothing would be seriously dangerous and in this case the protective uniform is mandatory. The first "fireman's office" was founded in 1667 after the Great Fire of London, by a man named Nicholas Barbon. Then in 1699 their own "fire brigade" was formed. The uniform began with a blue jacket and trousers that did not protect at all (Fire Brigade Foundation, no date). As a result of technological and material advancements, fire department uniforms have evolved into what they are today. “Police and fire uniforms, and the organizations themselves, generally have higher levels of prestige than the sanitation department or other groups” (Joseph and Alex, 1972: 721). As Joseph and Alex show, a firefighter hasa high level of prestige and having such an iconic uniform that links to such a recognized and honored profession shows how a uniform can identify a job and the connotations around this job almost immediately. For the person wearing the uniform this is a privilege and an honor and demonstrates how a uniform can have positive impacts on an individual. “The uniform identifies group members, helps ensure that organizational goals are achieved, and orders the group's priorities and status demands for the individual” (Joseph and Alex, 1972: 719). For some, however, fixed uniforms can cause huge problems in relation to an individual's cultural and religious background. Various religions often believe that certain headdresses, clothing, or hairstyles need to be adapted to demonstrate your dedication to that religion. This has undoubtedly caused some problems previously as numerous workplaces believe that these garments should not be worn to work as they are not part of the uniform. “A Muslim woman said she was fired because she refused to remove her hijab at work” (Revesz, 2016: online). Revesz shows how having a uniform can be a limitation to being able to do the job you love as in this case the woman was fired for breaking the rules of the uniform by adapting it to her religion. This is a huge problem and shows how uniforms can limit a person's productivity in a job. However, this problem has begun to be addressed in some professions to try to solve the problem of individuals' cultural limitations. “The new fire department uniforms have another noteworthy feature, being designed for the first time “for a modern, diverse workforce” – including hijab and turban versions, as well as maternity uniforms for pregnant female personnel” ( Addley, 2009: online). Addley shows how firefighters have adapted their uniforms to meet the needs of all individuals to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enter this profession. “We want the widest range of candidates to join the fire and rescue service” (Khan 2009, cited in Addley 2009:1). “Creativity is the ability to come up with new, surprising and valuable ideas” (Boden, 2004, cited in Parco, 2013: 162). While uniforms have their benefits, a major bone of contention in favor of uniforms is the belief that uniforms limit creativity. “The uniform suppresses individual idiosyncrasies in behavior and appearance” (Jospeh and Alex 1972: 723). People often believe, as Joseph and Alex believe, that uniforms are limiting. If you are told what you need to wear for your working life, which for some is the majority of the week, then it could be seen that this repetition day after day can make an individual bored with their job and diminish their passion for the job. that job. 'Fashion is often seen as something that hides the “true” nature of the body' (Craik, 2005, cited in Park, 2013: 162). As Craik states, clothes cover what an individual is truly underneath, so what someone wears should replicate and show an individual's identity that is hidden beneath the clothes. If clothing cannot show an individual's personality, then the idea that this limits creativity may be cohesive. Judy Park has a strong take on the argument for uniforms limiting creativity and explains some valid points and her opinion on the matter. “Clothes can therefore limit or liberate a person due to design, and people often choose their clothes based on their values ​​and how they want to act” (Park, 2013: 163). It is evident when we see a mix of people).