Why were school uniforms for girls brown in the USSR? The evolution of the Soviet school uniform School uniform for girls as in the USSR.

My adolescence was a time of change. The world changed, the country changed - the school changed. This was expressed, in particular, in the refusal of school uniforms. There were no official orders - the students simply gradually stopped wearing it, and the teachers did not object. I wore the uniform until the last moment - how could I refuse it when everyone did it!

But now, year after year, graduates wear a formal Soviet-era school uniform for the “Last Bell” holiday. One can only guess where they get it (is it really parent form still intact?), but the fact remains that the girls go to the party in brown dresses with white aprons...

Speaking about the Soviet school uniform, we should clarify: for quite a long time - from 1918 to 1949 - there were none at all! The reasons for this were different - ideological and economic. From an ideological point of view, school uniforms were a “bourgeois relic,” and, perhaps, they were such in a country where the majority of the population could not buy them for their children due to poverty. Uniforms in Soviet schools were introduced only in 1949. Uniforms for boys are a topic for another discussion, but for girls they actually restored the uniform that existed before October revolution in gymnasiums.

In 1834, Russia legislated for a form of civilian uniform. Gymnasiums were also state institutions, so both teachers and students wore uniforms there. At first, this applied only to male gymnasiums, and only in 1886 was a uniform for girls approved.

It was necessary to appear in uniform not only in the gymnasium, but also in the theater, church, and even on holidays. In such cases, they wore a dress with a white apron, and on everyday school days - with a black one. As for the dress, it was not always brown - in some institutions its color varied from class to class, but brown still predominated. It was he who was subsequently chosen for the Soviet school uniform.

Why brown?

One of the main reasons is its practicality. Dirt is less noticeable on such clothes - therefore, they are most suitable for everyday wear (especially considering that in Soviet time Not every family was able to buy their daughter a “spare” uniform dress so that she could wash it more often). Brown is not an “inappropriate” color for anyone, unlike red or blue.

Perhaps the color brown was chosen intuitively because of the effect it has on the human psyche. This is one of the calmest colors (any teacher who has tried to calm the class at least once knows how important calm is at school). It is also the color least associated with sexual arousal. Perhaps this was correct: school is a place of study, not passion.

Interesting data were obtained during later psychological studies conducted after the abolition of school uniforms. It turned out that at the age of 7, girls prefer brown, and boys prefer purple, i.e. just those colors that were inherent in the Soviet school uniform. From this point of view, the school uniform played another role: it provided psychological comfort when adapting to school.

In this section we have created a special offer for high school girls. Here you can buy a complete Soviet uniform for ceremonial events dedicated to the Last Call. Our entire range is presented with photos , will help you make a worthy choice for the long-awaited holiday.

What's included in the kits?

Each set of USSR school uniform includes the following items:

• School dress.

There are options with long and short sleeve, brown and of blue color, with a fastener on the front and back. All dresses are made from high-quality, pleasant fabric and fit well. Our managers will help you select the size. Even if you big size or high growth, you can easily buy a Soviet school uniform from us, since we offer a wide size chart models of different sizes.

• White elegant apron.

This element of the school uniform can be called the most important, since it is it that gives the image an elegant, festive look. Therefore we devote Special attention developing unusual, interesting and very beautiful aprons. In the online store "Success" you can buy unique models that are sold only here and nowhere else.

• White collar and cuffs.

Each set is designed in such a way that the apron is combined with accessories, and you no longer need to select them yourself.

Do you want to dress beautifully and harmoniously for the holiday bell? Then take a look at our “” section (another name is “Soviet school uniform”) and select a completely ready-made set assembled by specialists.

School uniforms for girls in the USSR with photos

If you want to know what a Soviet school uniform looked like, photos of our models in this category will help you figure out this question. Most of the kits look almost exactly like their historical prototypes, because we use authentic Soviet-era patterns in production. Therefore, the school uniform in the photo in our store brings back warm memories of their childhood and studying at school for many representatives of older generations. Of course, we are pleased with this - it means that we were able to recreate the atmosphere of those years and show what the school uniform of the Soviet years looked like.

However, our assortment does not completely copy the samples of previous years. There are differences. First of all, they are in the choice of fabric and accessories. The cost of uniforms in the USSR was low to make it accessible to all segments of the population, so expensive fabrics and lace were not used when sewing them. We are not limited by such strict social guidelines and GOST requirements, so we can use any fabrics permitted for sewing children's clothing. And we wholeheartedly take advantage of this opportunity.

For example, even our most Soviet aprons are decorated with expensive printed lace, which is produced according to our order at special machines in Turkey. Or look at the “Elite” and “Caprice” aprons - can you imagine that school uniforms for girls in the USSR (photo in the section) looked so expensive and chic?

Sizing for girls

Before placing an order in our store, you must measure your chest, waist and hips. And also take into account growth. Measurements are taken closely, with no allowance for a loose fit.

Size	Height	Bust	Waist circumference	Hip girth	The length of the sleeve	Full Length products*
30	110-118	58-61	52-55	69-72	44	63
32	120-128	62-65	55-58	73-76	45	65
34	131-136	66-69	58-61	77-80	48	72
36	137-142	70-73	61-64	80-82	50	77
38	144-156	74-77	64-66	82-86	54	82
40	155-165	77-80	66-70	80-86	59	85
42	155-169	84-87	68-74	86-96	60	86
42-2r	167-175	84-87	68-74	86-96		93**
44	160-170	87-91	70-80	90-98	63	88
44-2r	167-175	87-91	70-80	90-100		94**
46	163-170	92-95	74-86	92-104	63	90
46-2r	168-177	92-95	74-86	92-104		96**
48	165-172	96-99	80-92	100-110	63	91
48-2r	170-178	96-99	80-92	100-110		99**
50	166-177	100-104	86-95	105-112	64	94
50-2r	172-180	100-104	86-95	105-112		102**
52	167-177	105-108	90-102	108-114	64	94
54	167-177	109-113	96-104	110-118	66	96

*Full length of product is measured from shoulder to hem of skirt
** Dresses of the 2nd height (with an extended skirt) are available in 2 models in chocolate color: and

Sizing for girls (size 30-38)

For girls of the junior school group, sizes 32r-38r include height and fullness.
Those. Size 34, with a chest volume of 68 cm, can correspond to 3 dresses: 34-1 height (122-128 cm), 34-2 height (128-134 cm), and 34-3 height (134-140 cm).
When choosing a size, you must first consider child's height, and then the chest and waist volume.
Also in sizes 36r, 38r, 40r, fullness is presented - these are dresses with a large margin along the waistline and chest circumference.
Our technologists took into account all aspects of this age group, and developed models of USSR school uniforms with a comfortable cut and for different heights of children.
You can always get advice from our manager and check the availability of a certain model in stock.

Size	Height, cm	Chest circumference, cm	Waist circumference, cm	Hip circumference, cm	The length of the sleeve	Full product length*
size 30
36p (2nd completeness)
38n (2nd completeness)

40 n (2nd completeness)
42n (2nd completeness)						-	-	-	-	38	38	38	38	38	38	-	-	-	-
Cuffs long sleeve, cm	21	21	21	21	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	24	24
* error is +-1cm

Table of measurements of school dresses for finished products

Size	Chest semicircle, cm	Waist semi-circumference, cm	Semicircle of hips, cm	Sleeve length with cuff, cm	Total length, cm	Arm circumference, cm
40	41	39	42	59	87	15
42	45	39	46	60	90	16
44	47	43	48	63	90	17
46	50	45	49	63	90	17
48	52	48	53	63	91	18
50	55	49	54	64	94	19
52	57	51	56	64	94	19.5
54	58	52	57	66	95	19.5

School uniforms are starting to come back. Many parents support this initiative of education officials, believing that general style in clothes will not distract from the most important thing - learning the material. After all, very often, instead of listening carefully to the teacher, classmates look at each other’s outfits and discuss them. In addition, parents of students remember their own youth, when they all wore school uniforms.

Reasons for introduction

In the post-war period, the uniform style was introduced in all departments. Employees had to strictly adhere to the legally prescribed dress code, as they now say. School life was no exception. In educational institutions, wearing a school uniform became mandatory in 1948, when the first, most strict and ascetic version was approved. The education of a true patriot, distinguished by high moral principles, had to begin from childhood. School uniform Soviet times not only taught the child to be neat and disciplined him, but also pointed out the absence of class differences. All children were equal to each other. In any case, during classes it was impossible to demonstrate to classmates some unusual thing that his parents had difficulty obtaining for their child.

School uniform worn by girls

The USSR school uniform for girls, introduced in 1948, very much resembled the style of clothing that students of pre-revolutionary girls' gymnasiums had to follow. It consisted of a neat brown dress made of wool and an apron. A black apron was intended for everyday wear, which could be replaced with a white one.

To freshen up a little appearance, cuffs were sewn onto the sleeves white, they also used a white collar. Their presence was mandatory both on a holiday and on an ordinary weekday.

The dress was quite long, below the knee. Any experiments with the elements of the dress, its length and style were prohibited. The school administration usually severely punished fashionistas who dared to break generally accepted rules.

School uniform worn by boys

The school uniform for boys in the USSR had several mandatory elements:

1. Cap decorated with a cockade.

2. Tunic.

3. Belt with a shiny massive buckle.

The tunic and trousers were made of gray woolen fabric. Such products were not very comfortable to wear, as they quickly lost their shape. And after not very careful washing or unsuccessful drying, they could significantly increase in size.

Boys were also not allowed to experiment with their appearance. The USSR school uniform was mandatory for all students without exception.

General appearance

The appearance of schoolchildren had to meet certain conditions. It was not enough just to wear a school uniform; the student always had to look neat.

It was allowed to appear at school only in clean and well-ironed clothes. Cuffs and an overlay collar, which are a mandatory attribute of the uniform for girls, must always be clean. Coming to school with dirty or poorly ironed cuffs could result in great shame. Shoes also had to be kept clean, regardless of the time of year and the distance of the house from the educational institution.

Schoolchildren's hairstyle

The school uniform of the USSR, the severity and minimalism manifested in it, also dictated a certain type of hairstyle for schoolchildren. There could be no liberties either.

It was compulsory for boys short haircut. Girls could braid their hair using black or brown bows. On a holiday, you could tie a white bow. Other colors were banned, so they were not easy to find in Soviet stores. Braids with bows were mandatory for girls; any other hairstyle was out of the question.

Changing shape

In 1960, the school uniform of the USSR began to change, photo in different periods the existence of the Soviet Union perfectly demonstrates these transformations. The changes taking place in all spheres of people's lives at this time could not but affect the clothes of students.

The main transformations appeared in the school uniform for boys. Inexpressive gray clothes were replaced by brighter models made of blue wool blend material. It held its shape better and did not stretch out after washing. The cut of the jacket resembled a denim jacket, which was very popular at that time in the West. Emblems were sewn on the sleeves, which were pictures with images of an open textbook and the rising sun. The color of these stripes was blue or red.

The USSR school uniform worn by girls did not undergo any special changes. It was only allowed to shorten the dress a little - its length became just above the knees.

Uniform for high school students

The real breakthrough of that time was the introduction of uniforms for high school students at the beginning of 1980. Boys began to wear pantsuits instead of separate trousers and jackets. The color of the uniform also remained blue. Sometimes it was even possible to remove the emblems, since over time the paint on them wore off and they looked sloppy.

The long-awaited transformation of school uniforms also affected girls. From first to seventh grade they still wore their usual dresses with aprons. But from the eighth grade it was possible to wear a three-piece suit made of thick blue material. It included a neat A-line skirt with pleats at the front, a vest and a jacket. The girl herself could choose a blouse for her costume, which provided a field for a huge number of experiments. The skirt could be worn with either a vest or a jacket. In cold weather, the entire suit was worn at once.

Another innovation was the introduction in 1988 of trousers for schoolgirls living in winter time of the year.

Pioneer badges

The school uniform of the USSR was necessarily supplemented with badges, which were worn by students according to their age and affiliation with a particular organization.

Children studying in the lower grades were Octobrists and wore an Octobrist badge, which represented the face of little Volodya Ulyanov inside a red star. Older schoolchildren, middle school students, wore a pioneer badge. It was also made in the shape of a star, but it had an image of V.I. Lenin. If a pioneer particularly distinguished himself in social work and showed himself to be an active person, he was awarded a special badge. Instead of the inscription “Always Ready,” it bore the inscription “For Active Work,” and the insignia itself was slightly larger than the standard one. The school uniform worn by the pioneers was supplemented

High school students were required to wear This was a small symbol that looked like a red flag decorated with a portrait of V.I. Lenin.

IN Lately More and more schoolchildren are trying to find out where to buy USSR school uniforms that would have the exact look of clothing of that time. High school students want, for example, to wear it on last call. This tradition has become widespread in many schools. In this case, the option with a white festive apron is usually used. Finding the shape is not that difficult. It can be seen both in specialized stores and for sale on various online resources, where a considerable number of models of various sizes are presented.

One of the signs of the decline of the Soviet era was the spontaneous refusal of students to wear school uniforms. In 1988 our classroom teacher refused to pose for a group graduation photo because almost all the students came to be photographed in loose clothing. Just a year ago this was simply unthinkable!

Original taken from dubikvit in Along the waves of our memory! Soviet school uniform

Today, September 1, let's remember our old school uniform, in which we went to school, some a long time ago, and some not so long ago...

The Soviet school uniform is, in fact, an analogue of the gymnasium uniform of Tsarist Russia. It also consisted of a dress and an apron, white in holidays, and black on weekdays. For primary school The color of the dress was brown, blue for middle school students and green for high school girls. At balls, older girls appeared in white dresses.
In 1920, it was customary for all high school girls to wear a brown dress and apron. Only rich people could afford such a uniform, so wearing this uniform was considered a bourgeois relic. Even the contemptuous nickname “high school student” appeared.

The unified Soviet school uniform in our country was introduced during the Stalin era. The USSR school uniform for boys was gray and consisted of trousers and a shirt, like a soldier's tunic. This was complemented by a wide belt with a massive buckle and a cap with a cockade.

The USSR school uniform for girls continued to consist of a brown dress and an apron. The dress was Brown, perhaps because this color matches the business environment, helps you concentrate, and does not distract attention from your studies.

During the era of Stalin, strict morals reigned in our country. This also applied to school life. Even small experiments with the style or length of the dress were strictly punished by the school administration. In addition, wearing braids with bows was mandatory for girls. No haircuts were allowed.

In the 1960s, the Soviet school uniform for boys changed.

First-graders boys went to school on September 1, 1962 in a gray wool blend suit - trousers and a single-breasted jacket with three black plastic buttons

And in the seventies there were changes again

Now for schoolchildren junior classes it began to consist of a jacket and trousers of dark blue color. The trousers became narrower, and the jacket resembled a modern denim jacket in its style. The buttons were metal and white. They were made of aluminum. On the sleeve of the jacket was sewn a soft plastic emblem with a drawing of an open textbook and a rising sun.

In the early 1980s, uniforms for high school students were introduced. (This uniform began to be worn in the eighth grade). Girls from first to seventh grade wore a brown dress, as in the previous period. Only it was not much higher than the knees.
For boys, trousers and jacket were replaced with pantsuit. The color of the fabric was still blue. The emblem on the sleeve was also blue.

Very often the emblem was cut off because it did not look very aesthetically pleasing, especially after some time - the paint on the plastic began to wear off.

The Soviet school uniform for high school students was, quite good quality, and was inexpensive. Men willingly bought it as clothes for work. Therefore, the USSR school uniform for high school students fell into the category of shortage in those days.

For girls, a blue three-piece suit was introduced in 1984, consisting of an A-line skirt with pleats at the front, a jacket with patch pockets and a vest. The skirt could be worn with either a jacket or a vest, or the whole suit at once. In 1988, the wearing of blue trousers in winter was allowed for Leningrad, regions of Siberia and the Far North. Also, girls could wear a pioneer uniform, which consisted of a dark blue skirt, a white blouse with short or long sleeves and a pioneer tie.

A mandatory addition to the school uniform, depending on the age of the student, was the October (in primary school), Pioneer (in middle school) or Komsomol (in high school) badges. Pioneers were also required to wear a pioneer tie.

In addition to the regular pioneer badge, there was a special option for pioneers actively involved in social work. It was a little larger than usual and had the inscription “For active work” on it. And the senior pioneer badge, which was a regular pioneer badge against the background of a red banner.