Thesis (M. Tech. (Fashion, Dept. of Visual Arts and Design)) -- Vaal University of Technology. / INTRODUCTION: Supporters of school uniforms argue that uniforms serve as a social and economic equaliser, reducing competition regarding clothing and reducing demands on parents to buy expensive, trendy clothes. Other benefits mentioned are functionality, time saving, appearance, safety, and improved academic standards and behaviour. Opponents of school uniforms differ maintaining that compulsory uniform infringes on learners’ constitutional rights to self-expression. The problem statement encompasses the desirability and viability of obligatory school uniforms in South Africa. AIM: The broad aim of this study is to determine the perspectives of parents, learners and educators at public schools in Vanderbijpark on obligatory school uniforms. METHODOLOGY: A structured questionnaire was used to gather data. Section 1 comprised general information, section 2 dealt with the advantages and disadvantages of obligatory school uniforms and section 3 contained options for more trendy school uniforms. A random stratified sample of learners in two grade 10 classes and their parents and educators was chosen from four selected schools. RESULTS: Most of the parents were between 41 and 45 years of age, by far the majorities was white, nearly a quarter had a diploma/certificate and another quarter a degree, nearly three-quarters were married or traditionally married, and nearly a third spent R901-R1200 per year on school uniforms. Most parents and educators and nearly two-thirds of the learners were highly in favour of school uniforms. Regarding the advantages and disadvantages of eight factors with reference to obligatory school uniforms as perceived by parents, learners and educators, the educators rated seven of the eight factors higher than parents and learners did, while parents rated the same factors higher than learners did, implying that learners were the least positive. The order in which they ranked the advantages was often the same or similar. They all ranked the competition aspect first, the academic aspect seventh and the economic aspect eighth, while functionality was ranked either third or fourth. Regarding preferences for more trendy uniforms, three-quarter pants and sandals were rated very low in popularity. All the stakeholders were in favour of the more traditional pants, shirt and proper shoes for both boys and girls, with a slightly more informal jacket instead of the traditional blazer.

Thesis (M.S.)--Oregon State University, 2007. / Printout. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-75). Also available on the World Wide Web.

Causes for parents’ and pupils’ apparent dissatisfaction with the school uniforms in two selected secondary schools in Botswana, namely Ledumang and Gabarone Secondary Schools were investigated. In Botswana, school uniforms are compulsory in all government secondary schools (Internet, Ledumang Senior Secondary School:1). In the year 2003, approximately 160,690 pupils attended secondary schools in Botswana in the 232 secondary schools at the time (Internet, Ministry of Education:1; National Development Plan 9, 2003:287, 288). Weitzel (2004:13) defines a school uniform policy as a policy that states what the pupils must wear and a school dress code policy as a standard of “aesthetic appearance” stating what the pupils are not permitted to wear while at school. It is general practice for the secondary school uniforms to be chosen by the Parents’ Teachers Associations (PTA) or School Board of Governors at a specific school (Corbin, 1999:1; Botswana Education Act, 1967:4). School uniforms are currently supplied by various retailers such as K.M. Dressmaking in the Bontleng mall in Gaborone; Woolworths, Kopano Stores, Cash Bazaar, Ackermans, and Pep Stores as well Taku-Taku that stock the black flat shoes and socks. Parents or guardians are usually advised where to buy the school uniforms. At present there is free trade and lack of quality standards for textiles in Botswana: no quality assurance exists for school uniforms. As at the time of this research, the BOBS (Botswana Buro of Standards) draft was still at an embryonic stage. School uniform manufacturers therefore due to free trade, may buy any fabric to produce uniforms as opposed to definite SABS standards that exist for school uniforms in the Republic of South Africa. The concern then is that of consumers who already experience financial constraints may be negatively affected by school uniforms of inferior quality. Inferior quality may contribute to frequent requests for replacement of school uniforms by needy pupils. Apart from problems that may be related to the use of textiles of inferior quality (Kincade, Giddings&Chen-Yu, 1998:84), dissatisfaction with school uniforms may be caused by the psychological meanings attached to clothes (Dittmar&Cox, 1995:239), for example objections to the style and color of chool uniforms as well as a psychological objection to prescribed dress and limited choice in general. Due to personal experience as a teacher and a notion that dissatisfaction with school uniforms exists, it seemed necessary to investigate parents’ and pupils (girls) satisfaction/dissatisfaction with girls’ school uniforms to identify existing problems. This will enable the researcher to suggest amendments to improve the situation. Data was collected through structured questionnaires. The respective Parent Teacher Associations (PTA’s) were involved (n=10). to complete a questionnaire that contained questions pertaining to quality standards used, school uniform selection procedures and general monitoring processes. PTA members were also asked to comment on pupils’ expectations and satisfaction with school uniforms. Parents/guardians and pupils in forms four and five were recruited for participation (n=105): they filled in a second questionnaire jointly. Questions evolved around their buyer behavior regarding school uniforms; their use of extrinsic and intrinsic quality cues to judge the quality of garments; expectations regarding the durability and performance of the school uniforms and problems experienced with school uniforms. The questionnaires primarily provided quantitative data that was analyzed through descriptive statistics. A few open questions were included to allow respondents to express their views about existing uniforms without much limitation and to provide opportunity for suggestions to improve problem surrounding their school uniforms. The results showed that the majority of parents and pupils always used certain intrinsic and extrinsic quality cues during the pre purchase evaluation of school uniforms. Intrinsic cues included aspects relevant to fit, while extrinsic factors referred to the appearance and texture of the fabric, the service of the supplier, neatness of construction and the functioning of the fasteners. Although up to 50% of the respondents indicated that they always consulted the labels of school uniforms for specific information (specifically colorfastness, care instructions, brand) this information was unfortunately not always present. Responses indicated that extrinsic cues were more often used as an indication of quality than intrinsic cues. Dissatisfaction with school uniforms was attributed to problems that relate to textile of inferior quality, poorly constructed garments as well as fit problems: color fading, variation in the color at point of purchase, loose buttons and unfinished seams were reported. The fact that the majority had to do some repairs to uniforms within the first six months, indicate that urgent measures are required to deliberate and set definite quality standards for the manufacturers and suppliers. In terms of the style of school uniforms, respondents complained that uniforms were not suitable for winter, that they would like some leniency, i.e. having a choice of what to wear (skirts or trousers or dresses). Responses indicated that respondents’ expectations regarding how long school uniforms should last, were not unrealistic. PTA members of both schools were unfortunately not aware of the non-existence of standards for school uniforms. Nor were they aware of the problems that parents and pupils experienced on a daily basis. Although parents’ view regarding the suitability of the school uniforms did not coincide with the views of their daughters, certain problems can be overcome through well-formulated quality standards and some lenience in terms of what pupils are allowed to wear. Results were discussed within the systems perspective, which clearly indicated that although parents and pupils were not totally dissatisfied with school uniforms, certain elements of the school uniforms required urgent improvement. Collaboration with the SA Buro of Standards that already has quality standards for school wear in place, was suggested / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Consumer Science / unrestricted

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Sydney, 2009. / Title from title screen (viewed September 18, 2009) Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy to the Dept. of Gender and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Arts. Degree awarded 2009; thesis submitted 2008. Includes bibliographical references.

Sustainability is an important consideration in today’s society and all areas of textiles contribute to a negative environmental impact; in production, during the ‘in use’ phase and importantly, at the end of life. The use of fibres with alternative end of life options, such as recycling, to divert from landfill disposal, along with reduced temperatures for domestic laundering are becoming of increasing importance. However, concern arises when applied to the healthcare market, in particular, healthcare uniforms which could be contaminated with harmful microorganisms. It is common practice for healthcare uniforms in the United Kingdom to be laundered domestically by staff and, therefore, to establish current practices undertaken, a questionnaire to healthcare staff was distributed and resulted in 265 responses. Results were analysed to determine the most commonly used temperatures, detergents, frequency of laundering and items laundered with healthcare uniforms. The data showed that uniforms are not always laundered after every shift and the use of 40°C was common (33%, n=265). The survival of two frequently observed healthcare associated infections in hospitals, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, on the surface of polyester and cotton was established and the attachment analysed using Scanning Electron Microscopy. These results demonstrated that polyester had the lowest survival of both microorganisms and less attachment was seen on the surface of the fibre when compared to cotton. Polyester was selected for textile testing and a range of development fabrics were created using variations in yarn type and fabric structure. Conventional test methods were used to determine the comfort properties of the fabrics created, with results indicating that equal or better performance can be achieved when compared to current fabrics used for healthcare uniforms. To determine the optimal laundering process to achieve removal of microorganisms from the surface of textile items, three household detergents along with a standard reference detergent were tested for their efficacy against E. coli and S. aureus at three temperatures (40°C, 60°C and 71°C) and three times (3, 10 and 15 minutes). A domestic laundering cycle was then simulated whereby an inoculated swatch of fabric was washed and tested for recovery of bacteria to determine the most appropriate temperature for use in the home. The results of the investigation indicated that a standard 40°C domestic wash cycle was ineffective at achieving complete removal of microbial contamination and could allow cross contamination to occur. The use of a 60°C standard domestic wash cycle was found to be significantly more effective, achieving complete removal of microbial contamination.

Doctor of Philosophy(PhD) / This thesis maps the sixty year history of the Qantas flight attendants’ uniform. It figures the Qantas uniform as a prism through which to explore a history of modern Australian fashion and design, and the social and cultural web that gives life to the image of the Qantas flight attendant, rather than a history of the airline itself. Qantas, with its humble origins in the rural town of Longreach, Queensland, became the national carrier when it combined interests with Britain’s Imperial Airways to form Qantas Empire Airways in 1934. From the time the first female Qantas flight hostess appeared on board in 1948, the aircraft aisle became a 'catwalk for the image-makers'. It is particularly important to the role of the flight hostess, later the flight attendant, that the dress of the cabin crew, although clearly defined as uniforms, also responded to current fashion from the beginning of this history. Although the story of Qantas has been well documented, this thesis will focus on the uncharted area of the evolving design history of flight uniforms from the clinical white dress of the 1940s, through the military designs of the 1950s and the synthetics and stilettos of the 1960s, right through to the corporate designs of the present day. The analysis of such corporate design is a relatively new field. This study uses the flight attendants’ uniform to chart the links between the Australian fashion and textile industry and with militarism, versions of Australian nationalism and cosmopolitanism, the corporate world and the role of international designers in Australian design history. While the method of this thesis is largely archival, meticulously detailing the changing facets of the Qantas uniforms and unfolding those details into an engagement with these historical context, there are other theoretical influences on this study. In particular, it is underpinned by the ‘semiotics of uniformity’ drawn from fashion and design studies and by an equal focus on discourse analysis. The flight hostess’s uniform was always a complex ‘articulation of discourses’ as national image had to be played off against international trends, dominant and emerging gender norms, and the language of professional 'decorum' for people with high levels of responsibility and public exposure. Across each of these registers, the frisson of glamour was also a factor, morphing across this history from images of modernism and internationalism via the quasi-erotics of uniform fetishism into ‘postmodern’ performativity.

Doctor of Philosophy(PhD) / This thesis maps the sixty year history of the Qantas flight attendants’ uniform. It figures the Qantas uniform as a prism through which to explore a history of modern Australian fashion and design, and the social and cultural web that gives life to the image of the Qantas flight attendant, rather than a history of the airline itself. Qantas, with its humble origins in the rural town of Longreach, Queensland, became the national carrier when it combined interests with Britain’s Imperial Airways to form Qantas Empire Airways in 1934. From the time the first female Qantas flight hostess appeared on board in 1948, the aircraft aisle became a 'catwalk for the image-makers'. It is particularly important to the role of the flight hostess, later the flight attendant, that the dress of the cabin crew, although clearly defined as uniforms, also responded to current fashion from the beginning of this history. Although the story of Qantas has been well documented, this thesis will focus on the uncharted area of the evolving design history of flight uniforms from the clinical white dress of the 1940s, through the military designs of the 1950s and the synthetics and stilettos of the 1960s, right through to the corporate designs of the present day. The analysis of such corporate design is a relatively new field. This study uses the flight attendants’ uniform to chart the links between the Australian fashion and textile industry and with militarism, versions of Australian nationalism and cosmopolitanism, the corporate world and the role of international designers in Australian design history. While the method of this thesis is largely archival, meticulously detailing the changing facets of the Qantas uniforms and unfolding those details into an engagement with these historical context, there are other theoretical influences on this study. In particular, it is underpinned by the ‘semiotics of uniformity’ drawn from fashion and design studies and by an equal focus on discourse analysis. The flight hostess’s uniform was always a complex ‘articulation of discourses’ as national image had to be played off against international trends, dominant and emerging gender norms, and the language of professional 'decorum' for people with high levels of responsibility and public exposure. Across each of these registers, the frisson of glamour was also a factor, morphing across this history from images of modernism and internationalism via the quasi-erotics of uniform fetishism into ‘postmodern’ performativity.

Thesis (M.S.)--Worcester Polytechnic Institute. / Keywords: Navy Clothing and Textile Research Facility; firefighers clothing; fire protection. Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-109).

The current belief that fashionable clothing worn to school by students influences their attitude and behavior is the major impetus behind the adoption of stricter dress policies, including uniforms (Behling, 1994). Data available in the United States do not support any specific conclusions about the effects of school uniforms (Palikos & Rist, 1996). A mandatory uniform dress policy was implemented at an urban middle school located in southeastern Virginia. Students in the 9th grade during 1997-98, who also completed three consecutive years at this middle school from 1994-95 through 1996- 97 were the participants in the study. Information was collected and analyzed using an Analysis of Variance for attendance, discipline, grade point average, and self-esteem data using an alpha of .05. The sample of 146 students included 96 Black students (48 men and 48 women) and 50 White students (27 men and 23 women). Independent variables were race, gender, and time. Findings revealed that uniforms had a negative impact on attendance, grade point average, and self-esteem. Discipline indicators (total number of referrals, rule violations, and out-of-school suspensions) showed mixed results. The first year of uniform implementation showed a significant decline in the number of referrals, rule violations, and suspensions for study participant. During the second year of implementation, however, the trend reversed with an increase in all discipline categories exceeding the baseline or non-uniform year. / Ed. D.

It was the purpose of this study to (1) point out the needs, values and advantages of uniformity of dress in boys’ physical education; (2) to serve as a guide in aiding both the instructors and the administrators to gain a fuller understanding and comprehension of the place of the uniformed program in physical education; (3) to place in written form factors vitally related to the organization of the uniformed program. These factors include uniform characteristics, uniform constituents, selection and purchase principles, financing of the uniform, care of the uniform (laundry, marking, storage, issuance, regulations, prevention of stealing) and the selling of the uniform.