Date of Degree
5-2018
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Program
Fashion Design
Advisor
Lalon Alexander
Advisor
Michaele Haynes
Advisor
Zazil Reyes Garcia
Abstract
While the effects of school uniforms have been studied, a gap exists within the literature, which includes the effects of fashion trends inspired by schoolgirl uniforms. The purpose of this ethnographic pilot study was to fill the gap within the literature on the practice and transgressive use of female school uniforms and to determine the need for a larger study, while researching if schoolgirl-inspired fashion trends influence the perspectives of women who wore school uniforms as children. Eight participants were interviewed one on one about their experiences and their perceptions of school uniforms and the fashion trends they inspire. All of the participants were women between the ages of 18 and 39 and wore school uniforms in elementary, middle, and/or high school. The data shows that half of the participants acknowledged the existence of sexual connotations associated with schoolgirl-inspired trends. However, the majority of the women stated that the trends and their connotations do not impact their perception of either the uniform’s meaning or purpose. In conclusion schoolgirl-inspired trends appear to have minimal impact on the perceptions of women who wore the uniform, however other effects may exist. Further research in the form of a larger study is needed to further explore these implications.
Recommended Citation
Lazarine, Christiana, "The Effects of Fashion Trends on the Perceptions of School Uniforms" (2018). Theses & Dissertations. 327.
https://athenaeum.uiw.edu/uiw_etds/327