IN THE USSR school uniform changed several times. There were several models. Girls have a classic brown dress with black (everyday) or white (for special occasions) with an apron tied at the back with a bow.
The dresses were modestly decorated lace collars and cuffs. Wearing a collar and cuffs was mandatory. In addition to this, girls could wear black or brown (everyday) or white (ceremonial) bows. Bows of other colors were not allowed according to the rules. (In general, the uniform for girls was not much different from the pre-revolutionary model).
In addition, after the war, separate education was introduced, which, however, was abandoned a few years later.
The strict morals of the Stalin era extended, of course, to school life. The most minor experiments with the length or other parameters of the school uniform were severely punished by the administration of the educational institution.
Even the hairstyle had to meet the requirements of Puritan morality - “model haircuts” were strictly prohibited until the end of the 50s, not to mention hair coloring. Girls always wore braids with bows.
School uniform era of J.V. Stalin can be seen in the films “First-grader”, “Alyosha Ptitsyn develops character” and “Vasyok Trubachev and his comrades”
Thaw
The “warming” of the regime did not immediately affect the democratization of school uniforms, however, it still happened.
The cut of the uniform became more identical to the fashion trends that took place in the 1960s. True, only the boys were lucky. For boys, from the mid-1970s, gray wool trousers and jackets were replaced by trousers and jackets made of wool blend fabric of blue color. The cut of the jackets resembled classic ones jeans jackets(the so-called “jeans fashion” was gaining momentum in the world).
On the side of the sleeve was a soft plastic emblem with a drawing of an open textbook and a rising sun.

Sleeve emblems.

We can see schoolchildren of the late 1960s in the cult film “We'll Live Until Monday.”

At first 1980s Uniforms for high school students were introduced. (This uniform began to be worn in the eighth grade). Girls from first to seventh grade wore a brown dress, as in the previous period. Only it was not much higher than the knees.
For boys, trousers and a jacket were replaced with a trouser suit. The color of the fabric was still blue. The emblem on the sleeve was also blue.
Very often the emblem was cut off because it did not look very aesthetically pleasing, especially after some time - the paint on the plastic began to wear off.
For girls, a blue three-piece suit was introduced in 1984, consisting of an A-line skirt with pleats at the front, a jacket with patch pockets and a vest. The skirt could be worn with either a jacket or a vest, or the whole suit at once. In 1988 for Leningrad, regions of Siberia and Far North was allowed to wear blue trousers in winter.
In some union republics, the style of the school uniform was slightly different, as was the color. So, in Ukraine, school uniforms were Brown, although blue was not prohibited.
It was this uniform for girls that contributed to the fact that they began to realize their attractiveness early. Pleated skirt, a vest and, most importantly, blouses with which you could experiment, turned almost any schoolgirl into a “young lady.”

Soviet schoolchildren, 1985.

A mandatory addition to the school uniform, depending on the age of the student, was October(in primary school), pioneer(in middle school) or Komsomol(in high school) badges. Pioneers were also required to wear a pioneer tie.
In addition to the regular pioneer badge, there was a special option for pioneers actively involved in social work. It was a little larger than usual and had the inscription “For active work” on it.

School uniforms are starting to come back. Many parents support this initiative of education officials, believing that the general style of clothing will not distract from the most important thing - learning the material. After all, very often, instead of listening carefully to the teacher, classmates look at each other’s outfits and discuss them. In addition, parents of students remember their own youth, when they all wore school uniforms.

Reasons for introduction

In the post-war period, the uniform style was introduced in all departments. Employees had to strictly adhere to the legally prescribed dress code, as they now say. School life was no exception. In educational institutions, wearing a school uniform became mandatory in 1948, when the first, most strict and ascetic version was approved. The education of a true patriot, distinguished by high moral principles, had to begin from childhood. School uniform Soviet times not only taught the child to be neat and disciplined him, but also pointed out the absence of class differences. All children were equal to each other. In any case, during classes it was impossible to demonstrate to classmates any unusual thing, which his parents had difficulty obtaining for their child.

School uniform worn by girls

The USSR school uniform for girls, introduced in 1948, very much resembled the style of clothing that students of pre-revolutionary girls' gymnasiums had to follow. It consisted of a neat brown dress made of wool and an apron. A black apron was intended for everyday wear, which could be replaced with a white one.

To freshen up a little appearance, cuffs were sewn onto the sleeves white, they also used a white collar. Their presence was mandatory both on a holiday and on an ordinary weekday.

The dress was quite long, below the knee. Any experiments with the elements of the dress, its length and style were prohibited. The school administration usually severely punished fashionistas who dared to break generally accepted rules.

School uniform worn by boys

The school uniform for boys in the USSR had several mandatory elements:

1. Cap decorated with a cockade.

2. Tunic.

3. Belt with a shiny massive buckle.

The tunic and trousers were made of gray woolen fabric. Such products were not very comfortable to wear, as they quickly lost their shape. And after not very careful washing or unsuccessful drying, they could significantly increase in size.

Boys were also not allowed to experiment with their appearance. The USSR school uniform was mandatory for all students without exception.

General appearance

The appearance of schoolchildren had to meet certain conditions. It was not enough just to wear a school uniform; the student always had to look neat.

It was allowed to appear at school only in clean and well-ironed clothes. Cuffs and patch collar that are mandatory attribute Uniforms for girls must always be clean. Coming to school with dirty or poorly ironed cuffs could result in great shame. Shoes also had to be kept clean, regardless of the time of year and the distance of the house from the educational institution.

Schoolchildren's hairstyle

The school uniform of the USSR, the severity and minimalism manifested in it, also dictated a certain type of hairstyle for schoolchildren. There could be no liberties either.

It was compulsory for boys short haircut. Girls could braid their hair using black or brown bows. On a holiday, you could tie a white bow. Other colors were banned, so they were not easy to find in Soviet stores. Braids with bows were mandatory for girls; any other hairstyle was out of the question.

Changing shape

In 1960, school uniforms of the USSR began to change, photos from different periods of existence Soviet Union demonstrate these transformations perfectly. The changes taking place in all spheres of people's lives at this time could not but affect the clothes of students.

The main transformations appeared in the school uniform for boys. Inexpressive gray clothes were replaced by brighter models made of blue wool blend material. It held its shape better and did not stretch out after washing. The cut of the jacket resembled a denim jacket, which was very popular at that time in the West. Emblems were sewn on the sleeves, which were pictures with images of an open textbook and rising sun. The color of these stripes was blue or red.

The USSR school uniform worn by girls did not undergo any special changes. It was only allowed to shorten the dress a little - its length became just above the knees.

Uniform for high school students

The real breakthrough of that time was the introduction of uniforms for high school students at the beginning of 1980. Boys began to wear pantsuits instead of separate trousers and jackets. The color of the uniform also remained blue. Sometimes it was even possible to remove the emblems, since over time the paint on them wore off and they looked sloppy.

The long-awaited transformation of school uniforms also affected girls. From first to seventh grade they still wore their usual dresses with aprons. But from the eighth grade it was possible to wear a three-piece suit made of thick blue material. It included a neat A-line skirt with pleats at the front, a vest and a jacket. The girl herself could choose a blouse for her costume, which provided a field for a huge number of experiments. The skirt could be worn with either a vest or a jacket. In cold weather, the entire suit was worn at once.

Another innovation was the introduction in 1988 of trousers for schoolgirls living in the city. They could be worn in the winter season.

Pioneer badges

The school uniform of the USSR was necessarily supplemented with badges, which were worn by students according to their age and affiliation with a particular organization.

Children studying in junior classes, were Octobrists and wore an Octobrist badge, which represented the face of little Volodya Ulyanov inside a red star. Older schoolchildren, middle school students, wore a pioneer badge. It was also made in the shape of a star, but it had an image of V.I. Lenin. If a pioneer particularly distinguished himself in social work and showed himself to be an active person, he was awarded a special badge. Instead of the inscription “Always Ready,” it bore the inscription “For Active Work,” and the insignia itself was slightly larger than the standard one. The school uniform worn by the pioneers was supplemented

High school students were required to wear This was a small symbol that looked like a red flag decorated with a portrait of V.I. Lenin.

IN Lately More and more schoolchildren are trying to find out where to buy USSR school uniforms that would have the exact look of clothing of that time. High school students want, for example, to wear it on last call. This tradition has become widespread in many schools. In this case, the option with a white festive apron is usually used. Finding the shape is not that difficult. It can be seen both in specialized stores and for sale on various online resources, where a considerable number of models of various sizes are presented.

Recently, two Russian ministries - the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the Ministry of Education and Science - offered the government further options for school uniforms, but they various reasons were once again rejected by Deputy Prime Minister Olga Golodets. Meanwhile, 2.5 years have already passed since the decision of the president introduced compulsory school uniforms in all secondary educational institutions in the country. As before, in the Soviet Union.

However, school uniforms did not always exist in the USSR. Until 1948, students wore regular clothes to classes, and the traditional uniform, considered a bourgeois relic, was abolished.

From the history of school uniforms

Mandatory uniforms for gymnasium students were approved back in 1834 and included in the general system of civilian uniforms of the Russian Empire. Two years later, the Regulations on gymnasium uniforms for girls were developed and approved.

A gymnast, belted with a wide leather belt, a cap, shiny metal buttons, emblems and piping - in style and color, the uniform of high school students in Tsarist Russia resembled a military uniform. The obligatory outer uniform, the overcoat, also added to the similarity. The schoolgirls’ uniform was not much different from their outfits pupils of boarding houses for noble maidens, at the same time resembling the work clothes of maids. In this form, school uniforms for boys and girls existed in Russia until the revolution of 1917 and were preserved in the first year of Soviet power. The only change concerned outerwear: The uniform overcoat for boys became optional.

The schoolgirls' uniform dresses were the most simple cut, they were accompanied by white (on holidays) and black (on weekdays) aprons, as well as a white lace cape, which in the USSR was transformed into a removable collar. Senior schoolgirls also wore white gloves. An interesting point: the age of the girl could be determined by the color of the uniform. Thus, the youngest students of the “preparatory” classes, who were from 5 to 7 years old, wore brown dresses (this color of school dresses later became the main color in the USSR). High school girls from 8 to 10 years old were required to wear blue or light blue dresses. Secondary school girls aged 11 to 13 wore gray uniforms; senior high school students - white.

How did school uniforms appear in the USSR?

IN post-war years In the Soviet Union, a certain boom in “universal uniforms” arose, when entire departments were dressed in uniforms. It was then that they remembered about schoolchildren - so in 1948, the Soviet school uniform arose, which in cut, color and accessories was actually copied from the uniform of the Tsarist high school boys and girls.

School uniform for boys

Created in the image and likeness of the uniforms of pre-revolutionary high school students and approved in 1948, the school uniform for boys existed unchanged until the end of May 1962 - that is, until the end of school year. On September 1 of the same year, the boys went to school in an updated uniform, which lacked a tunic with a waist belt and a cap with a cockade.

The new uniform completely lacked elements of “militarism”: instead of paramilitary clothing, the boys received a wool-blend civilian suit gray: single-breasted jacket with three plastic buttons and dress pants. A white or plain light shirt was recommended under the jacket.

In 1975, the boys' school suit again underwent significant changes. The gray fabric was replaced with dark blue, the jacket with a classic denim jacket in favor of the “denim fashion” that was flourishing at that time. The cut of the school trousers has not changed, but the jacket is decorated with shoulder straps and chest pockets with flaps resembling a brace in shape. Plastic buttons were replaced by aluminum ones, and a patch like a military chevron with the emblem of enlightenment appeared on the sleeve: an open book against the backdrop of the rising sun.

Upperclassmen now wore a classic navy blue pantsuit with a blue emblem on the sleeve. In such elegant suits, the guys looked quite handsome, arousing keen interest not only among their classmates, but also among girls from middle and even junior classes. Is it true, stylish look somewhat spoiled by the not very aesthetic emblem, which, moreover, quickly wore off and became sloppy look. Therefore, the high school boys simply cut it off.

While a significant transformation of the boy's school suit was taking place, the girl's uniform remained the same: a brown knee-length dress with a white detachable collar, a white festive apron and a black casual apron remained until the early 70s. The only slight change concerned the length of school dresses: they became shorter.

Author's digression

According to the rules, the uniform dress was just above the knees. But which of the girls followed these rules? In my memory, no one, including me. Moreover, at one time my mother and I had a silent duel: she unbent the hem of her school dress, and I stubbornly folded it again. Then my mother, without saying a word, seizing the moment while I was not looking, went through the same procedure again: unbending the hem and carefully steaming it with an iron through damp gauze. This went on for some time until I got tired of this silent argument - and then I took drastic measures: I simply cut off the hated piece of fabric. Mom had to come to terms with it. And it became just like in the photo.

The last change in girls' school uniforms during the USSR era was in 1984, when for high school girls, instead of traditional brown dresses, a blue three-piece suit was introduced: a pleated skirt, a vest and a jacket with patch pockets. Individual elements of the costume were allowed to vary: the skirt was worn either with a vest or with a jacket, and in some areas of Siberia, the Far North and the Leningrad Region, the skirt was allowed to be replaced with trousers in winter.

In addition to the everyday uniform, in Soviet schools there was also a ceremonial pioneer uniform. For the girls it was a white uniform shirt with long sleeve, aluminum buttons and a pioneer emblem on the sleeve and a gray-blue slightly flared skirt. Boys did not have a separate pioneer uniform, but for special occasions they were provided White shirt and uniform trousers. And, of course, the dress uniforms of both were crowned with a pioneer badge and a pioneer tie. This uniform was worn during ceremonial pioneer events: festive lines, detachment and squad gatherings dedicated to any important event etc.

*****

In 1994, three years after the collapse of the USSR, compulsory uniforms in Russian schools were abolished. For 19 years, starting in the spring of 1994, a school uniform was an optional attribute of schoolchildren throughout post-Soviet Russia; its presence or absence was regulated by the internal rules of each individual school or by order of the school director. Several years ago, the president, by decree, returned compulsory uniforms to Russian schoolchildren. But this decision, like many others, remained only on paper. How and by whom it will be fulfilled, and whether it will be fulfilled at all – we’ll see.

The question of the need for school uniforms still remains open. He has many opponents and supporters. Today in Russia a uniform has been introduced that is very similar to the style in which school uniforms were created in the USSR, although parents and children have the opportunity to choose styles, colors, and quality of fabric.

The main argument of opponents of school uniforms is the assertion that they deprive a person of individuality and do not allow self-expression. Supporters of the uniform argue that it disciplines children and motivates them to study. Both are right.

Today it is fashionable to wear a Soviet-era school uniform for the first and last bell. This is a tribute to the past and an immersion in the history of school uniforms. The photos presented on the site will help you remember how the school uniform of the USSR arose, and what it was like a few decades ago.

In pre-revolutionary Russia

The school uniform of the USSR is rooted in the history of uniforms for schoolchildren in Tsarist Russia. The year of reference is usually called 1834. It was at this time that school uniforms for boys were introduced, as shown in the photo. Under Nicholas the First, it was very similar to the military uniform.

Girls acquired uniforms much later - in 1896. At this time, students of the Smolny Institute had to wear a uniform, which depended on the age of the girls:

• 6-9 years – brown;
• 9-12 – blue;
• 12-15 – gray;
• 15-18 – white.

In 1918, after the revolution, school uniforms were abolished and called “a relic of the past.” However, there were other reasons for this:

• the state did not have the money to sew identical clothes for all children;
• the uniform was associated with the upper classes;
• it limited the freedom of students.

The stage of “formlessness” lasted until 1949.

For boys

After the Second World War, school uniforms were introduced as compulsory clothing for students. During the time of I. Stalin, the uniform for boys was very similar to the clothes of high school students: a tunic and woolen trousers, as shown in the photo.

In 1962, there was a reform in clothing for boys. Now it was a gray suit made of wool, but the military style remained in fashion for a long time. In addition to the gray suit, the young men wore caps with cockades and a belt with a badge (see photo).

In 1973, another reform of boys' clothing took place. The color changed: the suits were now dark blue. This is clearly visible in the photo. Iron stripes, buttons and cuffs were added to them. Two chest pockets remained from the form of former times.

In 1980, the previous trousers and jacket were replaced by wool suits. The color remains the same. Pioneer paraphernalia is added - red ties, as in the photo.

The school uniform was completely abolished in 1992, but today this tradition has been resumed, and each school has the opportunity to independently choose the color and style of clothing for students.

For girls

The USSR school uniform for girls remained practically unchanged and reminded many of the clothes of the students of the Smolny Institute. The photo clearly shows long dresses and neat aprons with frills that almost covered the skirt of the dress.

During the time of I. Stalin, the uniform for girls was a brown dress with a skirt below the knees and an apron. Subsequently appeared blue dresses. The everyday apron was black, and the formal apron was white (see photo).

To prevent the student’s outfit from seeming gloomy, white cuffs were sewn onto the sleeves and collar. When they became dirty, new ones were sewn on. The hairstyle consisted of braids in which bows could be woven.

There could be differences in the color of dresses in different republics. For example, in the Uzbek SSR, girls wore blue dresses and aprons. However, otherwise, experiments in the style and style of school uniforms could be severely punished.

It wasn't until the 1980s that students' skirt lengths became a little shorter. At the same time, blue three-piece suits were introduced and rules regarding hairstyles were slightly relaxed. The photo shows what they were like last changes in the style of a Soviet-era school uniform.

Despite significant differences in school uniforms of modern educational institutions, the tradition of donning Soviet-era dress uniforms in honor of significant events in the lives of students is being renewed.

And autumn, as you know, begins on September 1st. And this is a school holiday, well, in any case, it is a holiday for those who are going to school for the first time. So for Vovka it was a real holiday, he really wanted to go to school, although he still didn’t know what was there and how it would be in this school, but he felt that everything should be great! He will have to learn to read and write, like his older brother, and then he will read. Yes, he will read himself, and not just listen to radio plays and look at pictures in books or wait for someone to read an interesting book to him. He had long imagined, ever since the winter, how he would enter the new school being built in the yard, how he would sit down at a new desk, open the alphabet and... Of course, he already knew the letters from the alphabet, almost all of them, but he had not yet learned how to read it didn't work out. But that’s what he’ll learn at school!
And he also really wanted to dress in a new, personally bought, school suit with a white shirt and pick up his personal school bag. About two weeks ago, he and his parents walked around the school bazaar and looked at the variety of school items: notebooks, pens, pencils, plasticine and other school supplies, everything was beautiful and interesting, but most of all he looked at where school uniforms were sold. There, on hangers, hung suits and white shirts with emblems on the sleeves and attracted me to them like a magnet. Vovka was afraid to think that now his parents would pass by this beauty, and he would have to go to school in what he had, in what his older brother once wore, and he really wanted to have his own personal thing, smelling of the freshness of newness. He was silent and glanced furtively at his parents to see if they would pass by or stop.
They stopped and the father said:
- Well, cockerel, choose your suit and shirt.
After these words, everything in him turned upside down and it seemed that the whole world was silent, waiting for his choice...
Vovka carried his new purchase, wrapped in crisp white paper, in front of him proudly, like a flag, and it seemed to him that everyone around was looking only at him, understanding his joy and rejoicing with him, and the sun was shining and warming somehow in a special way : brighter and warmer than always. He felt very happy that he wanted to run in circles and jump on one leg, and maybe even just fly into the air. But he, as befits a man, with difficulty restraining his emotions, feigning calmness, quickly moved towards the house, although faster than if his mother had called him home from the street, three or four times faster, he was so impatient with everything This means getting dressed and walking around the apartment like a dandy.
Then, when his parents went to work during the day, Vovka would dress up and walk around the apartment for a long time in a new school uniform, getting used to the role of a first-grader, rehearsing his gait in front of the mirror, talking to his reflection, proving something to him. And only when the shouts of his friends were heard from the street, calling him to come out, he carefully took off his uniform, carefully placed it in the wardrobe, and only then, quickly putting on his casual clothes, jumped out of the apartment onto the street. (from the book “Vovka’s stories”) samlib.ru/editors/g/guljaew_w_g/0001-2.shtml