Gakuran

The or the tsume-eri (詰め襟) are the uniforms for many middle school and high school boys in Japan. The color is normally black but some schools have navy and dark blue as well.

The top has a standing collar and it button downs from the top to bottom. Buttons are usually decorated with the school emblem. The pants are straight leg and are one color, and a black or dark colored belt is worn with them. Boys usually wear penny loafers or sneakers with this uniform. Some schools may have the students wear on the collar pins representing the school and/or class rank. In manga and anime, the gakuran of protagonists or tough-guy characters may be notably different, with a distinctly lengthened or shortened jacket length, or a distinctive color.

The second button of the top of a male's uniform is often given away to the girl who likes him, and is considered a way of confession. Other buttons may be given away if more than one girl asked for it.

The Gakuran is derived from Prussian army uniforms. Such clothing was also worn by school children in South Korea and pre-1949 China.

See also

* Japanese school uniform
* Japanese clothing
* List of Japan-related topics