|
We are not sure how common uniform requirements are in South Africa. At first they were worn at private schools. Today we note that they are also worn at public schools. As far as we can tell, the uniform items are all standard English school uniform garments. In the past this has meant rather formal school uniforms, but an increasing number of South African school uniform garments are casual. This of course reflects the overall impact of Britain on the South African school system. As uniform were adopted at public schools they began to become less formal. This of course affected the garments being worn.One difference we have noted are in the colors. Khaki is more popular in South African school uniforms than is the case in England. The garments all seem to be standard English school uniform garments. Perhaps the greatest difference is even at the uniform schools, many children come to school barefoot. Not all South African schools of course require uniforms, especially at the primary level. At the schools without uniforms, school wear reflects popular fashions, although some parents may choose basic school uniform items. Overall, the clothing worn at the non-uniform schools tends to be more informal. We also see many children at these schools to come to school barefoot. You do not see ties, kneesocks, or leather shoes at these schools. Even collared shirts are less common.
As in England, the primary school uniform headgear was the peaked cap. I'm not sure, however, that it was as widely worn in South Africa as in England. A few private scholols still had boaters years after they were dropped for boys at almost all British schools.
The school blazer is another school uniform ite essentially adopted in South Africa. Many South African schools have English styled school blazers. Private schools and many state schools have blazers, although they were not always worn at primary schools. They were much more common at secondary schools. The blazers in recent years appear to be somewhat less common. We do not have a lot of information about South African blazers yet. We know as in England that they came in several different colors.
The shirts worn by South African schoolboys seem similar to those worn in Britain. One difference that we have noted is that some schools have khaki shirts. We have also noticed the light-weight matching grey shirts and shorts combination that are popular in New Zealand during the summer.
Most secondary schools required ties even during the summer. State primary schools usually did not require them. Private preparatory (primary) schools did require them, alothough in the 1980s many prep schools began adopying more comfortable every day uniforms.
Short pants are common at both South Africn uniform and non-uniform schools, vrtually standard school wear. At the uniform schools, the most common are standard British grey school shorts. Shorts are worn at the non-uniform schools, but a wide range of tyoes. We also see more diversity at pre-chools where unforms are less standard. One of the destinctive garments worn by South African schoolboys are khaki shorts. A few English schools had khaki shorts, but they were more common for leasure wear. Khaki shorts were also worn in Australia, but it was in South Africa that they were most common. Grey shorts are much more also widely worn. Both primary and secondary-level boys commonly wore shorts to school. This was nearly universal at the primary schools. It was more varied at secondary scgools. This has continued well after shorts had become less common in England. Many South African schools now allow the older boys to wear long pants, but at the unifiorm chools, shorts are more common, especially at the primary schools.
Kneesocks were commonly worn as part of the school uniform in South Africa. As in England, grey kneesocks were commonly worn by South African schoolboys. Grey kneesocks were even worn with khaki short pants. Grey was by far the most common color of kneesocks in South africa. Some schools had tan kneesocks for wear with khaki shorts. We have noted other colors of kneesocks, such as black or dark blue. Some kneesocks had stripes at the top. Boiys did not wear white kneesocks, this was a color reserved for the girls. An exception might be made for cricket.
I have little information at this time on the shoes and sandals South African children wore to school. The styles seem very similar to English footwear styles. One significant difference from England is that many children go to school barefoot. One notiable trend is the tendency of many primary school children to go barefoot. This appears to have been an option even at schools which had required uniforms. We are not sure why children go barefoot. As it occurs even at private schools, we assume that many children prefer to go barefoot.
South African children wear gym uniforms for physical education which was a required subject. The boys gym uniform is basically a "T"-shirt and shorts. I'm not sure what early girls gym uniforms were like, but now are essentially the samr as the boys. We also note the children wearing a variety of sports (games) uniforms. Here the sports and sports uniforms are virtually identical to those in England. Important sports include cricket, football (soccer). hockey, and rugby. A variety of individual sports like tennis are also played. The colors of the sports uniform of course vary from school to school, but the basic design is quite similar. One major difference is that it is more common for boys to go barefoot in gym classess. This is less common for sports as there are specialized footwear that are worn for most sports. Boys performing barefoot would be at a disadvantage. Private schhools tend to give more attention to sports than state schools, in large measure because of the costs involved.
We see South African students with book bags. We are not sure how common this was. We do not have much information on school trends before World War II, but we do not see any Black children with school book bags. We believe that sone White children had them, but we do not yet have much information. Before that, education was primarily for whites and to a lesser extent colored (Kaapse Kleurlings) meaning mixed race children. Black education was sorely neglated. Since the end of Apartheid, this has cganged an increasing attention has been given to Black education.
schools are mow available for all children. Many low income childre, especially black children have to walk
substanial distances walked to school every day. And many low income families afford book bags their own bag to carry their books and homework back and forth. We notice charity groups providing book bags to the children. We note a company (Repurpose) that has created a stylish and sturdy all-purpose backpack out of 100 percent recycled material from old plastic bags. Repurpose is a small South Africa based start-up company. The children with the longest walk tend to come from homes that are off the electic grid, amking it difficult for thm to do their home work. Many of these himes have kersone lamos which are both dangrous and do mot produce a lot of light. Particularly notable on some of the Rpurpose back packs is a small solar panel that's capable of charhing up from the sun's energy while they walk back and forth to school every day. As a result, when they arrive back home, the bag is capable of powering a small lamp for up to 12 hours so that they can complete their studies at night. Repurpose works with no-fee public schools schools that lack many basic supplies, as well as �giving partners� who are willing to fund the creation and delivery of the backpacks. The idea is to make the trip to school easier for disadvantaged children and at the same time extending their study time into the evenings, boosting their education in the process.
South African schools have also adopted the classic girls' uniform items worn by English girls. One of these is the gym slip. Americans might also call in a himper, which in England means a sweater. Girls also wore dresses and skirts, some times with blazers. We are less sure about headwear.
Related Chronolgy Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Main Chronology Page]
[The 1900s]
[The 1910s]
[The 1920s]
[The 1930s]
[The 1940s]
[The 1950s]
[The 1960s]
[The 1970s]
[The 1980s]
[The 1990s]
Navigate the Relate Boys Historical Clothing Style Pages
[Main country page]
[Long pants suits]
[Short pants suits]
[Lederhosen]
[Kneesocks]
[Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers]
[Blazer
[School sandals]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Country School Pages
[Return to the Main South Africa School Uniform specific garments Page]
[Return to the Main South Africa School Uniform garments Page]
[Return to the Main National School Uniform Page]
[Australia]
[England]
[France]
[Germany]
[Ireland]
[Italy]
[Japan]
[New Zealand]
[Poland]
[Scotland]
[South Africa]
[United States]
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Page
[About Us]
[Activities]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Debate]
[Economics]
[Garment]
[Gender]
[Hair]
[History]
[Home trends]
[Literary characters]
[School types]
[Significance]
[Transport and travel
[Uniform regulations]
[Year level]
[Other topics]
[Images]
[Links]
[Registration]
[Tools]
[Return to the Historic Boys' School Home]
