The evolution of the Soviet school uniform. History of Soviet school uniforms Blue school uniforms of the USSR
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 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. The school uniform from the times of the USSR not only taught the child to be neat and disciplined him, but also indicated 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 were manifested 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.
Tomorrow is the first of September!!! Inspired by... I reviewed a lot of material and decided to put it together somehow. Here's what happened
History of school uniforms in USSR and R Russia
If we remember Soviet times and school years, then many immediately have associations with school uniforms. Some remember her as brown with white collars, others as blue. Some remember elegant white aprons, while others remember big bows on their heads. But everyone agrees on the fact that Soviet time school uniforms were compulsory, and the question of whether to wear a uniform or not was non-negotiable. On the contrary, for non-compliance school discipline were severely punished. The memory of the USSR school uniform still lives on.School uniforms in Russia have a rich history.
Until 1917, it was a class feature, because Only children of wealthy parents: nobles, intellectuals and large industrialists could afford to study at the gymnasium.The exact date of the introduction of school uniforms in Russia— 1834. It was in this year that a law was adopted that approved a separate type of civilian uniform. These included gymnasium and student uniforms of military style: invariably caps, tunics and overcoats, which differed only in color, piping, buttons and emblems.
The introduction of uniforms for students in educational institutions of Tsarist Russia is primarily due to the fact that these institutions were state-owned. In those days, all civil servants were required to wear uniforms corresponding to their rank and rank, according to the Table of Ranks. Thus, all teachers in state educational institutions (gymnasiums) wore uniform frock coats. Based on this, it was natural to introduce uniforms for students.
The uniform was worn not only in the gymnasium, but also on the street, at home, during celebrations and holidays. She was a source of pride. All educational institutions had uniforms.
The caps were usually light blue with three white edges and a black visor, and a crumpled cap with a broken visor was considered especially chic among boys. In winter, headphones and a natural-colored hood were added. camel hair, trimmed with gray braid.
Typically, students wore a blue cloth tunic with silver convex buttons, belted with a black lacquered belt with a silver buckle, and black trousers without piping. There was also an exit uniform: a dark blue or dark gray single-breasted uniform with a collar trimmed with silver braid. An invariable attribute of high school students was a backpack.
Before 1917, the style of the uniform changed several times (1855, 1868, 1896 and 1913)— according to fashion trends. But all this time the boys’ uniform fluctuated on the verge of a civilian-military suit.
At the same time, the development of women's education began. Therefore, student uniforms were required for girls as well. In 1896, regulations on gymnasium uniforms for girls appeared. Pupils of the famous Smolny Institute were required to wear dresses of certain colors, depending on the age of the pupils. For pupils 6 - 9 years old - brown (coffee), 9 - 12 years old - blue, 12 - 15 years old - gray and 15 - 18 years old - white.
To attend the gymnasium, they had three types of clothing provided by the charter:
1. “mandatory uniform for daily attendance,” which consisted of a brown woolen dress and a black woolen apron.
2. dark formal dresses with pleated knee-length skirts.
3. On holidays - a white apron.Girls always wore braids with bows
The charter required “to keep the dress clean and tidy, not to wear it at home, to iron it daily and to keep the white collar clean.”
The dress uniform consisted of the same dress, a white apron and an elegant lace collar. In full dress uniform, schoolgirls attended the theater and the Elenin Church on holidays; they wore it to Christmas and New Year's Eve. Also, “no one was forbidden to have a separate dress of any model and cut if the parents’ means allowed such luxury.”
The color scheme was different for each educational institution.
For example, from the memoirs of Valentina Savitskaya, a 1909 graduate of gymnasium No. 36, we know that the color of the fabric of the gymnasium students’ dresses was different, depending on age: for the younger ones it was dark blue, for 12-14 year olds it was almost sea green , and for graduates - brown. And the pupils of the famous Smolny Institute were required to wear dresses of other colors, depending on the age of the pupils: for pupils 6 - 9 years old - brown (coffee), 9 - 12 years old - blue, 12 - 15 years old - gray and 15 - 18 years old - white.
However, soon after the revolution, as part of the fight against bourgeois remnants and the legacy of the tsarist police regime, a decree was issued in 1918 abolishing the wearing of school uniforms. Undoubtedly, in the early years of the Soviet state, wearing a school uniform was an unaffordable luxury in a country devastated by world war, revolution and civil war.
From the memoirs of Valentina Savitskaya, a 1909 graduate of gymnasium No. 36: “The old uniform was considered a symbol of belonging to the upper classes (there was even a contemptuous nickname for a sentimental girl - “gymnasium student”). It was believed that the uniform symbolizes the lack of freedom, the humiliated, servile position of the student. But this refusal of form had another, more understandable reason - poverty. The students went to school in what their parents could provide them with.”
From the point of view of the “class struggle”, the old uniform was considered a symbol of belonging to the upper classes (there was even a contemptuous nickname for a sentimental girl - “schoolgirl”). On the other hand, the uniform symbolized the student’s absolute lack of freedom, his humiliated and subservient position.
The official explanations were as follows: the uniform demonstrates the student’s lack of freedom and humiliates him. But in fact, the country at that time simply did not have the financial capacity to put a huge number of children in uniform. Students went to school in what their parents could provide them with, and the state at that moment was actively fighting devastation, class enemies and remnants of the past.
1945 M. Nesterova. "Study excellently!"
Still from the film "Two Captains"
The period of "formlessness" lasted until 1948.School uniforms become mandatory again.The new uniform resembled the old uniforms of high school students. From now on, boys were required to wear gray military tunics with a stand-up collar, five buttons, and two welt pockets with flaps on the chest. An element of the school uniform was also a belt with a buckle and a cap with a leather visor, which the boys wore on the street. Girls wear brown wool dresses with a black apron tied at the back with a bow. It was then that white “holiday” aprons and sewn-on collars and cuffs appeared. On ordinary days, one was supposed to wear black or brown bows, and white bows with a white apron (even in such cases, white tights were welcomed).Even the hairstyle had to meet the requirements of Puritan morality - “model haircuts” were strictly prohibited until the end of the 50s, not to mention hair coloring. Girls always wore braids with bows.
The October and Komsomol badges remained a mandatory addition to the school uniform. The pioneers added a badge to their pioneer tie. Other types of badges appeared, including award and commemorative ones.
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, Soviet school uniforms 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 clothing 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.
See also other posts in the series :
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| Old foreign cinema. Leaders of Soviet film distribution. Part 1 | Drinks of our childhood | Yards of our childhood | Soviet stationery | How they bought gadgets in the USSR | Legends of video salons | Bicycles of our childhood |
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The question of the need for school uniforms still remains open. He has many opponents and supporters. Today in Russia a uniform has been introduced that is very similar to the style in which school uniforms were created in the USSR, although parents and children have the opportunity to choose styles, colors, and quality of fabric.
The main argument of opponents of school uniforms is the assertion that they deprive a person of individuality and do not allow self-expression. Supporters of the uniform argue that it disciplines children and motivates them to study. Both are right.
Today it is fashionable to wear a Soviet-era school uniform for the first and last bell. This is a tribute to the past and an immersion in the history of school uniforms. The photos presented on the site will help you remember how the school uniform of the USSR arose, and what it was like a few decades ago.
In pre-revolutionary Russia
The school uniform of the USSR is rooted in the history of uniforms for schoolchildren in Tsarist Russia. The year of reference is usually called 1834. It was at this time that school uniforms for boys were introduced, as shown in the photo. Under Nicholas the First, it was very similar to the military uniform.
Girls acquired uniforms much later - in 1896. At this time, students of the Smolny Institute had to wear a uniform, which depended on the age of the girls:
- 6-9 years – brown;
- 9-12 – blue;
- 12-15 – gray;
- 15-18 – white.
In 1918, after the revolution, school uniforms were abolished and called “a relic of the past.” However, there were other reasons for this:
- the state did not have the money to sew identical clothes for all children;
- the uniform was associated with the upper classes;
- it limited the freedom of students.
The stage of “formlessness” lasted until 1949.
For boys
After the Second World War, school uniforms were introduced as compulsory clothing for students. During the time of I. Stalin, the uniform for boys was very similar to the clothes of high school students: a tunic and woolen trousers, as shown in the photo.
In 1962, there was a reform in clothing for boys. Now it was a gray wool suit, but the military style remained in fashion for a long time. In addition to the gray suit, the young men wore caps with cockades and a belt with a badge (see photo).
In 1973, another reform of boys' clothing took place. The color changed: the suits were now dark blue. This is clearly visible in the photo. Iron stripes, buttons and cuffs were added to them. Two chest pockets remain from the uniform of earlier times.
In 1980, the previous trousers and jacket were replaced by wool suits. The color remains the same. Pioneer paraphernalia is added - red ties, as in the photo.
The school uniform was completely abolished in 1992, but today this tradition has been resumed, and each school has the opportunity to independently choose the color and style of clothing for students.
For girls
The USSR school uniform for girls remained practically unchanged and reminded many of the clothes of the students of the Smolny Institute. Clearly visible in the photo Long Dresses and neat aprons with frills that almost covered the skirt of the dress.
During the time of I. Stalin, the uniform for girls was a brown dress with a skirt below the knees and an apron. Subsequently appeared blue dresses. The everyday apron was black, and the formal apron was white (see photo).
To prevent the student’s outfit from seeming gloomy, white cuffs were sewn onto the sleeves and collar. When they became dirty, new ones were sewn on. The hairstyle consisted of braids in which bows could be woven.
There could be differences in the color of dresses in different republics. For example, in the Uzbek SSR, girls wore blue dresses and aprons. However, otherwise, experiments in the style and style of school uniforms could be severely punished.
It wasn't until the 1980s that students' skirt lengths became a little shorter. At the same time, blue three-piece suits were introduced and rules regarding hairstyles were slightly relaxed. The photo shows what they were like last changes in the style of a Soviet-era school uniform.
Despite significant differences in school uniforms of modern educational institutions, tradition to wear dress uniform Soviet times in honor of significant events in the lives of students is being resumed.