How much do Japanese school uniforms cost on average?

[two_heads_talking]

IIRC the school does not allow you to sew it, as they expect it to come from, as Mike said, a kickback option.

When I was living in Japan, I thought about buying a seifuku and when I had totalled the cost of it, I decided it wasn't worth the purchase

[lalaith]

two_heads_talking wrote:
IIRC the school does not allow you to sew it, as they expect it to come from, as Mike said, a kickback option.

When I was living in Japan, I thought about buying a seifuku and when I had totalled the cost of it, I decided it wasn't worth the purchase

What, are they going to be checking for labels? Because if you can get a match on the material, that would be the only way to tell the difference. Heck, with the computerized embroidery machines I see on the market today, you could even make your own copies of the labels. (There are still some incredibly good home sewers out there. One of the finalists in the last "Project Runway" was a home sewer who had only ever sewed clothes for herself.)

[lalaith]

two_heads_talking wrote:
IIRC the school does not allow you to sew it, as they expect it to come from, as Mike said, a kickback option.

When I was living in Japan, I thought about buying a seifuku and when I had totalled the cost of it, I decided it wasn't worth the purchase

What, are they going to be checking for labels? Because if you can get a match on the material, that would be the only way to tell the difference. Heck, with the computerized embroidery machines I see on the market today, you could even make your own copies of the labels. (There are still some incredibly good home sewers out there. One of the finalists in the last "Project Runway" was a home sewer who had only ever sewed clothes for herself.)

[two_heads_talking]

yes, they do check labels. (well they did in the 80's it might have changed) it's very very strick as to what you are allowed to wear.

[lalaith]

two_heads_talking wrote:
yes, they do check labels. (well they did in the 80's it might have changed) it's very very strick as to what you are allowed to wear.

You know, in the broader perspective that explains a lot about Japanese culture and their obsession with brand names.

It's funny, my mother couldn't have cared less about brand names -- I think most of her generation was that way. But the generations after hers seem to be obsessed with conspicuous consumption. At least from what I saw in the 90s. Then again some of that might have come from being in a metropolitan area like Tokyo.

[two_heads_talking]

WELL the older generations were concerned about brand name. it's just that those brand names were'nt internationally recognized. You ask your mother if she would buy her kimono from just anyone or if there was a specific person who made them. I think you will find the older generations had a very strong following of brand name.. it might just be the local tailor whose brand people were coming after. Just like tatami's have specific borders (this has changed more recently) but in the past they were specific to region. one could tell where one bought the tatami from based on the weave and border of the mat..

[Mike Cash]

Brand names have nothing to do with it. But they specify certain designs, colors, etc. that are only carried by a few stores around the school. I'm not joking in the least about it being a total scamfest between the powers-that-be in local education and a few select merchants. It's ought to be a national scandal, but nobody says a word. It's the subtle Japanese-style corruption that slides so neatly under the radar that most people assume there is no corruption here at all.