As kids prepare to return from their summer holidays for another – hopefully less disrupted – school year, parents across the country are stocking up on all those back-to-school essentials.
This includes, of course, getting them suited and booted with everything they need for their school uniform.
But as always at this time of year, a lot of people will find themselves asking – why do kids have to wear school uniforms at all? After all, stocking up on new jumpers, shirts, trousers, skirts and shoes every year is a pricey business.
Here, we’ll take a closer look at this age-old debate.
When were school uniforms introduced?
One of the earliest forerunners of the modern school uniform was introduced by Christ’s Hospital, founded in 1552 to provide an education to fatherless and destitute children. Pupils there today still wear similar blue coats, breeches and yellow socks.
However, it wasn’t until the 19th century when uniforms were widely adopted by schools. Eton College, for example, introduced its famous Eton suit in around 1820.
