This essay will examine the issues and impacts surrounding uniforms and particularly the uniforms worn by children at school. It will also look briefly at the uniforms worn by those who exercise the honored profession of firefighter. A closer look at two uniforms in particular and how those uniforms evolved provides an understanding of how uniforms can evolve in general. Although there are thousands of different professions and roles that an individual can perform, resulting in thousands of different uniforms, uniform issues extend across all professions. This essay will address issues such as how uniforms can impose cultural restrictions and the impacts this has had on some people. There are also issues of sexualisation and sexual connotations surrounding uniforms, which have led to devastating stories told by schoolchildren. Additionally, the way uniforms are presented in the media and the effects this can have will be briefly discussed. Along with these questions, the positive impacts of uniforms will also be mentioned, such as how they help ensure equality in a workspace and also how in some cases without a uniform a job could not be done. The main objective of this essay, however, is to attempt to reach a conclusion on the immense question of creativity related to uniforms. Do uniforms limit creativity? The goal is to understand this problem by examining how uniforms can suppress an individual's self-expression, but also how uniforms can encourage creativity. “For me, clothes are a form of self-expression, there are clues to who you are in what you wear” (Jacobs, not date, cited in Hutchings, 2017: online). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay School uniforms are one of many types of uniforms and one that many people have to wear during their lives. “The first school uniforms date back to the mid-16th century, when they were adopted in so-called bluecoat schools in England. The first school to adopt a uniform was Christ's Hospital in London and other charitable trusts soon followed. (Craik, 2003: 136-7) We often wonder what uniforms are for and whether they actually benefit children in any way. However, with “children spending around thirteen hours a day in their school uniform” (Park, 2011, cited in Park 2013: 163), Park shows how the importance of the issue is very high. “As the name suggests, uniform in the literal sense means being the same everywhere” (Reddy, no date: online). Unfortunately, to date, bullying reaches a very high level and schoolchildren face unimaginable difficulties at school every day. Whether it's bullying about one's intelligence, wealth, family status, appearance, and just about anything else that sets a person apart in one way or another, the Bullying is present in most schools around the world. “The uniform is a source of brotherhood, because when it is universally adopted, it masks all differences of class and country.” (Baden-Powell, 2013: online) As Powell believes, many agree that the uniform helps eliminate some issues that could result in a person being bullied. If everyone wears an identical uniform, then no one's dress differs from that of any other individual in that school, thus perhaps reducingAppearance-related bullying. If children were able to choose their own outfits on a daily basis, it would further differentiate children, as some children might be able to afford designer clothing and others might not. This could make children feel less superior to others, which could hurt their self-confidence and affect their academic performance at school. However, it can be seen that the uniform brings people from all walks of life together on one platform, no matter whether they are rich or poor, everyone is treated the same (Reddy, n.d.). As Reddy shows, equality is a great advantage not only of school uniforms but also of uniforms in general. The problems that arise at school do not only stop when children leave school, these problems are present in many workplaces where adults work, and that is why uniforms can be seen as a tool very useful for ensuring equality. school uniforms began to be recognized as an important fashion code that could help young people express their identity” (Lee and Lim, 2010, cited in Park: 165). Since children spend a lot of time in their school uniform, it is important for many to be able to express themselves and feel confident in a uniform. Celebrities, for many teenagers, play a role in their lives and idolize and admire different celebrity styles, trends and opinions. The way celebrities dress can impact how children express themselves through their uniform, as they may copy certain clothing styles and traits from people they see on television or in the public eye . “Many young people follow the styles of school uniforms worn by their favorite stars on television” (Lee and Lim, 2010, cited in Park: 165). This, however, raises a controversial question about the sexualization of uniforms and whether this problem results from how celebrities perceived the uniforms. An example is Britney Spears' "Baby one more time" music video, released in 1998. In the video, Britney wears a school uniform with an unbuttoned school shirt and her hair in bushes, so she is considered "sexy". ". “The sexual and sensual connotations associated with uniforms suggest that certain deep-seated issues regarding the formation of sexual identities and gender personas are associated and inscribed in the nature of uniforms and the manner in which they are worn” (Craik, 2003: 138). . If children watched this video and adapted their own uniforms to replicate the way Britney presented herself in the uniform, then there remains a serious problem. “As the length of school uniform skirts became shorter and shorter, some schools announced that they would send girls home if they wore skirts that were too short” (Park, 2013: 167). As Park explains, when girls change their uniforms to make them more attractive or sexier, this way of wearing their uniforms somehow affects their education, as if they were sent home they would lose time valuable learning. A more serious consequence of these changes and the sexual connotations around the uniform in general is the sexualization of girls by older men. The danger that can result from sexualization is that of young girls being targeted and attacked on the way to school by much older men. “When I was 13 and 14, adult men made sexual propositions to me on three different occasions during my walk to or from school” (Jones, 2014: online). This experience that Jones hadis scary and young girls should not have to feel anxious and nervous in a situation as common as a trip to school, it still impacts a child's learning and academic progress. If they face problems like these attacks, they may no longer be able to concentrate on school, or even want to go. This problem is not helped, however, by media, advertising, and many other forms of presenting something to the public eye. “Schoolgirls are considered sexy, and not just in the minds of casual perverts, but in normalized and dominant popular culture” (Jones, 2014: online). Jones shows how evident this is in an advert made by American Apparel, the advert titled "back to school", featured girls bent over in miniskirts showing their underwear, being a popular brand targeting young girls, adverts as these can be harmful and therefore why advertising was ultimately banned. “If you fetishize a school uniform, then you fetishize the exact part of the image that represents childhood. And we can surely expect advertisers to at least avoid real children” (Jones, 2014: online). Although some problems can be solved by the way things are perceived in the media and advertisements, the individuals who carry out these attacks cannot be completely stopped. This could mean that the issue of school uniforms needs to be looked at further in order to try and stop these sexualised connotations around a uniform wearing event, which can obviously lead to something very serious. “Upon first meeting, a stranger is categorized on the basis of external characteristics, such as dress, accent and posture” (Stone, 1962, cited in Joseph and Alex, 1972: 724). Stone addresses the he real importance of first impression and appearance Having a uniform helps a workplace ensure that its employees/students are presentable, which then gives a good impression of the company/school. Plus, if a person feels professional in their appearance, it could be said that it gives them a professional mindset and therefore helps them to be more productive in their work “The uniform creates a professional feel and sets the standard. customer as to what they expect from the employee Additionally, citizens tend to trust uniformed individuals because uniforms make it easy for people to recognize the individual as authorized personnel in that area.” (Reddy, n.d.: online). Some may agree with Reddy and believe that imposing a uniform makes a person trustworthy among their customers. Someone who has a clear workplace identity may be more approachable because people have a certain certainty in who they are talking to. Uniforms also help differentiate an individual's professional life from their social life, again providing a professional state of mind once the uniform is put on. In some cases, if the uniforms were not present, a job could not be performed, for example a firefighter. A firefighter's uniform is essential to carry out his job; entering extremely high temperatures without suitable clothing would be very dangerous and in this case a uniform is mandatory for protection. The first "Fire Office" was established in 1667 after the Great Fire of London, by a man named Nicholas Barbon. Then, in 1699, its own “fire brigade” was created. The uniform started with a blue tunic and pants which didn't really offer any protection (Fire-fighter Foundation, withoutdate). With advances in technology and materials, firefighter uniforms have evolved into what they are today. “Police and fire uniforms, as well as the organizations themselves, generally enjoy a higher level of prestige than that of sanitation departments or other groups” (Joseph and Alex, 1972: 721) . As Joseph and Alex show, a firefighter has a high level of prestige and wearing such an iconic uniform linked to such a recognized and honored profession shows how well a uniform can identify a job and the connotations around that job almost immediately. For the person wearing the uniform, it is a privilege and an honor that shows how much of a positive impact a uniform can have on an individual. “The uniform identifies group members, helps ensure that the goals of the organization will be achieved, and orders the group's priorities and status requirements for the individual” (Joseph and Alex, 1972: 719). For some however, fixed uniforms can cause huge problems in their relationships. to the cultural and religious origins of an individual. Often, various religions believe that certain head coverings, robes, or hairstyles must be appropriate in order to demonstrate your dedication to that religion. There is no doubt that this has already caused some problems, as a number of companies believe that these garments should not be worn to work as they are not part of the uniform. “A Muslim woman said she was fired because she refused to take off her hijab at work” (Revesz, 2016: online). Revesz shows how having a uniform can be a limitation to being able to do the work you love since in this case the woman was fired for breaking the rules of the uniform by adapting it to her religion . This is a huge problem and shows how uniforms can restrict a person's productivity in a job. This problem, however, has begun to be addressed in some professions in an attempt to solve the problem of culturally limited people. “Another notable feature of the new fire service uniforms is that they are designed for the first time “for a modern, diverse workforce” – including hijab and turban versions, as well as maternity uniforms for pregnant female staff » (Addley, 2009: online). Addley shows how firefighters have adapted their uniforms to meet the needs of all to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to enter this profession. “We want as many people as possible to join the fire and rescue services” (Khan 2009, cited in Addley 2009: 1). “Creativity is the ability to conceive new, surprising and valuable ideas” (Boden, 2004, cited in Parc, 2013: 162). Although uniforms have some advantages, one of the main arguments in favor of uniforms is the idea that they limit creativity. “The uniform suppresses individual peculiarities in behavior and appearance” (Jospeh and Alex 1972: 723). Often people believe, like Joseph and Alex, that uniforms are limiting. If you are told what you need to wear for your professional life, which for some is the majority of their week, then we could see that this repetition day after day can make a person bored of their job and diminish their passion for it. “Fashion is often seen as something that masks the “true” nature of the body” (Craik, 2005, cited in Park, 2013: 162). As Craik says, clothing hides what an individual really is underneath, so what someone wears must replicate and show an individual's identity that is hidden beneath the clothing. If the).