United in uniforms

1934: Standardizing school uniforms for the country

In 1934, the government initiated the New Life Movement (新生活运动). According to an article written by Zhao Yucheng in Dongfang Daily, this campaign was centered on schools. Unifying school uniforms was seen as a way of making education patriotic and collective. A high school boy of that time would wear a Chinese tunic suit and an army cap according to the regulation. However, only one third of schools in Shanghai implemented the new regulation on school uniforms.

1950s to the 1970s: Workers' uniforms and army uniforms

During this period, there were no specific regulations on what to wear to school. Style on campus was heavily influenced by the events happening in wider society. Students initially wore white shirts and blue trousers, which were similar to what workers wore at that time. Later, army uniforms, became popular on campus.