Not a straight anime article. But as sailor suits are a staple of anime shows (Ranma 1/2, Fushi Yugi, Full Metal Panic, Sailor Moon, Lucky Star, School Rumble, Card Captor Sakura, Kare Kano...) I thought you guys might find this background info to be informative.
I went to Catholic schools as a youngster, so I kinda dig into the nostalgia behind the uniforms.
Conflict arises over origin of Japan's schoolgirl sailor uniforms
10/29/2007
The first western-style uniform adopted by Heian Jogakuin, photographed in about 1920. (Photo courtesy of Heian Jogakuin)
Controversy has arisen over the origin of the sailor outfit, an icon of Japanese schoolgirl uniforms, with a school in Kyoto claiming to have introduced the uniform a year before another Fukuoka school long thought to be the pioneer of the design.
Up until now, Fukuoka Jo Gakuin, which introduced sailor outfits in 1921, was thought to be the origin of the uniforms. However, Heian Jogakuin St Agnes School, located in Kyoto, says it introduced sailor uniforms in 1920.
In spite of the claim, Fukuoka Jo Gakuin in not backing down, saying that the design of today's sailor outfits is based on the uniforms it introduced.
When major school uniform manufacturer Tombow investigated school histories for a renewal of a uniform exhibition venue, it found that Heian Jogakuin was using a one-piece uniform with a sailor's collar in 1920.
"We knew when it was introduced, but we weren't aware that it was the first in Japan," a Heian Jogakuin representative said.
Heian Jogakuin opened in 1875, operating educational institutions from kindergarten to university. It remains unclear how its sailor uniforms came to be used, but at the time they were reportedly so popular that they were one of the reasons students applied to enter the university.
The uniform later changed to a blazer, but last year, the institution introduced sailor uniforms again at its junior high school.
Fukuoka Jo Gakuin, on the other hand, opened in 1885. The school's head, a missionary, came up with the idea of bringing in sailor outfits in 1917, and the school introduced them in 1921. The outfit featured pleated skirts similar to today's sailor uniforms. In the 1980s Fukuoka Jo Gakuin's uniforms were introduced in news reports as Japan's first sailor outfits and a pamphlet for the school called them the "first in Japan." In 2003, major toy manufacturer Takara (now Tomy) introduced a Licca-chan key ring featuring Fukuoka Jo Gakuin's uniform.
As private schools compete for pupils amid falling numbers caused by a declining birth rate, their own history and traditions remain an important factor in their bid to attract students. A representative of Heian Jogakuin indicated the school would start promoting the history of its uniforms.
"It's a new realization that overturns the history of uniforms. Up until now we hadn't really set about marketing our traditions enough."
The sailor outfit introduced by Fukuoka Jo Gakuin, photographed in 1921. (Photo courtesy of Fukuoka Jo Gakuin)Still, Fukuoka Jo Gakuin remains firm in its stance as the pioneer of the sailor outfit.
"A lot of schools introduced sailor outfits based on our school's uniform. We don't intend to change the entry in our pamphlets," a representative of the institution said.
The head of the uniform research office at Tombow appeared keen to save the face of both schools.
"Heian Jogakuin was the first school in Japan to employ western clothing. But the design of today's sailor uniforms came from the uniforms that Fukuoka Jo Gakuin employed at the time. You could say that there is truth to both claims of having the first sailor uniform."
Link:
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news...na004000c.html
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