Figure 1.--Blazer are becoming increasingly less common at state schools, but they are till worn at most private school in New Zealand.

New Zealand school uniform garments were once almost ideantical to the garments worn by British children. This of course dervises from the fact that New Zealnd was a former British colony and the educational system was once heavily influenced by the British system. Given the very different climate, garments over time have changed. There is, however, a very significant British influence. In fact traditional patterns appear to have persisted in New Zealand longer than in Britain itself. Modern New Zealand school uniform garments reflect both traditional British school uniforms and the developing more casual styles. Caps are now rarely seen. Blazers are still common, but not worn at many schools. The use of ties very greatly from school to school. Casual shirts and short pants are common. Kneesock are worn seasonally at many schools as are sandals.

Caps

Virtually all New Zealand schoolboys, like their British counterparts, wore peaked caps as recently as the 1950s. Caps began to become less common in the 1960s. Both state and private secondary schools required them. A great variety of colors were used. As the fashion of wearing caps and hats wained, school capsbegan to disapear in the 1960s. By the 1980s only a handful of privateschols still required them.

Blazer

A great variety of colors and stripped blazers were worn by British boys from the 1920s through the 1970s. Blazers are now much less common. The cost of the blazers and a trend of simplyfying the uniform as well as New Zealand's warmer climate caused many schools, especially the boys' schools to discard them for every day school wear. By the 1970s many schools were adopting more casual uniforms. At most state secondary schools where uniforms are worn, the younger boys rarely wear blazers. Boys normally wear just shirts to school, adding jumpers (sweaters) when the weather got cool. At some schools the older boys may still wear them. Many of the private preparatory schools continue to require blazers as do the secondary-level private schools.

Tie

British schoolboys wore ties to school. Both state and private schools required them. The ties were usually stripped in the school colors. Often prefects or boys who "won their colors" received the honor of wearing distinctive colors. This pattern was continued in New Zealand, but generally has been discarded in recent years. Boys at most state schools wear casual open collar shirts. Only a state secondary schools continue to require them, but many private schools still do, both prep schools and secondary schools. State elementary schools generally do not have uniforms, but Catholic schools do and ties are commonly worn there.

Sweaters

Most school uniforms sweaers were grey. This was especially the case where boys wore grey shorts. While most school uniform sweaters were grey, we have also seen green, blue, brown, and green sweaters. There are also white sweaters to be worn for cricket. The sweaters are mostly "V" neck so that they can be worn with ties. Many school uniform sweaters were all grey. The sweaters were, however, commonly done with trim in the school colors done at the neck, or sometimes the wrist cuffs and waistband as well.

Shirts

The standard school boy shirt after Eton suits disappeared during the 1920s were grey straight collared shirts. Grey was selected because it did not show the dirt like white shirts. For dress occasionsa white shirt was substituted. These are shirts made to be worn with ties. We are not sure about the mid-20th cebtyry, but by the 1980s many schools were no longer requiring ties to be worn wth these shirts. Some elementary schools in recent years have intoduced more casual white or blue polo-style shirts. These are also worn at a few secondary schools. One private school had turtle-neck shirts.

Trousers

Most secondary school boys have traditionally worn grey or blue short trousers , a light-weight cotton style in the summer and a more formal hewvy-weight pair in the winter. Some schools now allow long trousers for the older boys or during the winter. Boys at a few schools now wear mostly long trousers. Most New Zealand secondary school, however, still require at least the younger boys to wear shorts.

Shoes

Many primary school children go to school barefoot in New Zealand. Primary-age British boys often wore closed-toe brown "T" strap sandals, referred to as school sandals, for normal school wear. Some younger boys or girls wore redish-brown or blue sandals or double strap sandals. This style was never as popular in New Zealand, but was common until the 1960s. Currently such sandals are usually only worn by girls. Roman-style sandals with out socks are commonly worn by secondary schoolboys as part of the school uniform. At some schools contests are known to see who can continue the summer style of sandals and no knee socksthe longest during the winter.

Socks

English boys wearing shorts generally wore grey knee socks, although colored socks were more common in Scotland. New Zealand boys commonly went barefoot in the summer. At secondary schools they generally wear grey or blur knee socks as part of the winter uniform. At most schools the grey socks have colored bands at the top in the school colors. As in England, New Zealand boys never wore white socks, except for cricket, as white socks, both ankle and knee socks, were generally worn by girls and thus seen as girls' socks.

Gym/Sports Uniforms

New Zealand boys wore the same gym and games (sports) uniforms as British boys. After World War II some differences have appeared showing the American influence and the introduction of American sports like basketball and baseball. These are minor sports and the uniforms for major sports continue to be similar to England as they are the same games played in England. Rugby dominates the New Zealand sports scene in New Zealand while in England it is an important, but not dominate sport. Probably no where else in the world is rugby as important as in New Zealand. In recent years the sports uniforms have become very stylish. One interesting aspect of the New Zealand school gym/sports scene is the effort to provide athletic opportunities to students of a wide range of athletic abilities. Thus schools generally organize a number of teams rather than just one team for the most talented atheletes. One of the most destinctive aspect of gym in New Zealand is the number of boys who play barefoot. In the United States and Euyropean countries this is not common. For one reason boys in other countries do not like going barefoot so much and for insurance and liability reasons, the schools would not let them.