Sailor fuku
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Japanese high-school students wearing the sailor fuku |
The
sailor outfit or is a common
Japanese school uniform worn by middle school and high school female students. It was introduced as a school uniform in 1921 by the principal of ,
Elizabeth Lee. It was modelled after the uniform used by the
British Royal Navy at the time, which she herself had experienced as an exchange student in the
United Kingdom.
Much like the male uniform, the
gakuran, Sailor-fuku bears a similarity to various military styled
naval uniforms. The uniform generally consists of a
blouse attached with a sailor-style and a
pleated
skirt. There are seasonal variations for summer and winter for which sleeve length and fabric are adjusted accordingly. A ribbon is tied in the front and laced through a loop attached to the blouse. Several variations on the ribbon include
neckties,
bolo ties, and bows. Common colors are navy blue, white, grey, and black.
Shoes, socks, and other accessories are sometimes included as part of the uniform. Accompanying socks are typically navy or white and accompanying shoes are typically brown or black
penny loafers. Although they are not part of the prescribed uniform,
loose socks are also commonly matched by more fashionable girls with their sailor fuku.
Sailor fuku has a nostalgic charactistic for former students and is often associated with relatively carefree youth. Imitation Sailor Fuku is a popular costume for Halloween and other party events and is sold at department stores and costume shops throughout Japan.
The uniform in general is seen by some youth as a symbol of conformity and as such has been modified by rebellious students as a means of exhibiting individualism. Such variations include lengthening or shortening the skirt, rolling up the sleeves, removing the ribbon, hiding patches or badges under the collar, etc. In past decades, brightly colored variants of Sailor Fuku were also adopted in the by Japanese yankee and
Bōsōzoku biker gangs.
Because school uniforms are a popular fetish item, second-hand Sailor fuku and other items of school wear are brokered through underground establishments known as
burusera, although changes to Japanese law have since made such practices difficult. Sailor Fuku, along with other styles of school uniform, plays an undeniably large role in
otaku culture and the Japanese sexual canon as evidenced by the large amount of
anime,
manga, and
dōjinshi featuring characters in uniform. Some examples:
* The popular anime
Sailor Moon, in which the characters all wear elaborate Sailor Fuku uniforms when they transform into super heroines.
* "Sailor Fuku o Nugasanaide" was a popular song by the
Onyanko Club in the 1980s.
* The popular television and movie series
Sukeban Deka features delinquent teenage girls
*
InuYasha female protagonist
Kagome Higurashi almost always is seen in Sailor Fuku
*
Gakuran*
Japanese school uniform*
Sailor suit
