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Japanese schoolgirls, legs and blankets

EmmaB

後輩
30 Jan 2010
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I know that Japanese school uniforms involve very short pleated skirts for the girls and they're not allowed to wear tights because my school (in England) has an exchange program with a Japanese school and I got to know one of the girls last year, who told me how much happier she was in my country because our skirts are longer and the winter isn't nearly so cold. She said that in Japan, even if tights were allowed, no girl would wear them because it was a matter of honour to make out that they didn't notice the cold and wanted to dress that way (including shortening the hems or rolling up their skirts) and that this is quite hard for them because not only is it colder outside than here but the classrooms often don't have heating.
This year we've got another girl over from a different school because the exchange school she was supposed to go to wouldn't take her for some reason. She said that at her school, the girls were allowed to bring blankets to school to cover their legs in the classrooms, and almost all of them used these. She brought one to our school and walked around with it for a couple of days but didn't use it because nobody else had one (not surprisingly!).
From what the other girl said, about Japanese girls not wanting people to think they notice the cold on their legs, I'm surprised that girls there would use such a thing. Or maybe it's just a fad/fashion at that one school, or for this year?
Can anyone here explain more about this strange trend? I'd like to try to explain it to others at my school so people don't think this girl is strange for the blanket thing.
 
From what I gather each school has a different policy when it comes to dress code, but they tend to be pretty strict. Now I'm not sure what the definition of a "very short skirt" is but generally they are not that short in Japan, the ones that are short are because the girls wear them that way, in kind of an act of defiance I suppose. Having a strict dress code was just something the students could rebel against in one way or another (guys and girls).

I don't know about the whole blankets policy, I typically think it is crazy how Japanese students dress in the winter though, rarely do I see them walking with hats or gloves etc. Honestly though, looking at elementary schools.. I think they are kind of toughened up there, whenever the kids go out for gym their uniform always seems to be shorts and a t-shirt, even though it is cold enough to be wearing a coat. Oh and there is usually no heating or cooling systems in the classrooms at any school.
 
Well, I wouldn't say there isn't CENTRAL heating, but they do bust out those kerosene stoves here every winter. I can't imagine how hard class would be to get through without those things on 0 degree days, let alone how it must get in northern Japan.

The computer room is almost always climate controlled, because you can't have expensive equipment like servers operating above their optimal operating temperature (20 degrees or so while on) for extended periods of time.

Our staff rooms also have a/c, which will get turned on occasionally after an especially hard day like the sports festival to allow teachers to relax and calm down.

As far as the skirts, it is indeed a matter of pride. 1st years aren't "allowed" to wear tights by the upperclassmen at some schools, in fact, as they haven't "earned" it in the social hierarchy.
 
I consider not letting students keep themselves warm for the sake of their health, and to be able to focus on studies, as well as not investing in basic insulation and heating is pretty much archaic stupidity.
 
I think some of the reasons for them to keep their skirt so short is because everybody else in their school dresses like that and to maintain that "schoolgirl look". They started to be around when I was in high school, which is over 20 years ago; skirt above knee length with long and baggy socks that kind of draped over your shoes. Man, do they still wear those socks?

I haven't heard about the blankets method, but I think they should keep their legs warm in any possible ways. A lot of students in rural areas have to commute on their bike in the middle of winter, and I remember the heat in the school buildings was kept on the low side.

For all those years while I was in school, I kept wishing that they'd abolish the uniforms, and I could wear my own clothes instead...
 
Japanese girls still walk the streets after hours wearing revealing short skirts and shorts without even stockings in Hokkaido at 10 degrees below zero, exposing their frozen bright pink legs without a care in the world. It's cultural pride too insane even to be an issue just of school conditions or requirements. :eek:
 
I think the blanket thing is not the normal way for girls beeing around at school at winter time. At most schools in Japan the requirement is that the thigths and knees have to be bare independant of temperature and it is seen as a matter of honour for the girls, not to notice the cold on their legs.
The school aloowing to take a blanket to school might be an exeption.
 
Most schools' rule says that the skirt must be at least the knee length, not shorter.
But many girls think ultra mini skirt is cool and try to make it short as much as possible.

When I was a junior high school student, it was opposite. Girls try to make it as long as possible, haha.
The high school I attended had no uniform, so students wore whatever they want. Some students wore uniforms though, the kind of uniforms they wanted to wear at junior high so they bought the type of uniforms they like.
 
I can't help but mention that the title of this thread still looks so soooo illegal lol :D
 
Japanese girls still walk the streets after hours wearing revealing short skirts and shorts without even stockings in Hokkaido at 10 degrees below zero, exposing their frozen bright pink legs without a care in the world. It's cultural pride too insane even to be an issue just of school conditions or requirements. :eek:

I agree with you that it has to be cultural. Last year two had 6 Japanese girls at our school on an exchange scheme and when it was snowing they took great pleasure in throwing snowballs at each other's legs. Why on earth would they make their legs even colder than they had to be, unless it was to show how brave they were?

I think the blanket thing is not the normal way for girls beeing around at school at winter time. At most schools in Japan the requirement is that the thigths and knees have to be bare independant of temperature and it is seen as a matter of honour for the girls, not to notice the cold on their legs.
The school aloowing to take a blanket to school might be an exeption.
That's what I was thinking, about the girls not wanting to admit they had cold legs. That's why I couldn't understand why a Japanese girl would use a blanket to keep her legs warm, even if the school allowed her to have one.
 
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