Stand-up comedian George Carlin once remarked, “If it requires a uniform it’s a worthless endeavour.” Although often depreciated, the importance of uniforms cannot be denied. Uniforms help us to identify with what we are doing and suffuse us with a sense of purpose and concentration in our undertakings, wether they be professional or recreational, global or menial. As spiritual philosopher Sri Chinmoy explains: “No matter what we are doing, if we have a uniform it will help us get into the consciousness of that thing.”(1)
In celebration of uniforms let’s take a closer look at some of the different fields in which it is active.
1. The fire brigade and the police – why does every single 5-year-old want to become a firefighter or a policeman when he grows up? Naturally it’s because of their cool uniforms. Although grown up police officers may sometimes still act as 5-year-olds they can hardly be blamed for their uncommon degree of self-esteem. You try to be your average Joe in an outfit like that! Mix in a pair of shades and you’re cooler than the Arctic Circle.
2. The army – probably the most well-known sphere for the uniform and certainly one where it can feel its ancient roots most tangibly. An opportunity to dwell upon its countless memories of bloodshed and battle-fury, from the Roman Empire to the Crusades, from the French Revolution to the Second World War, from Vietnam to Iraq, and will it ever end? Not for the uniform to decide, but wether the army is its favourite line of work remains doubtful. The uniform often perishes with its wearer.https://www.uniformliving.com/
3. School – age is no barrier for the uniform, as right from our childhood the uniform makes its acquaintance when we first go to school. Well, if you happen to live in Great Britain, India, Korea, Japan or Australia, that is. Schools in continental Europe are largely de-uniformed. Ah, those undisiciplined Europeans!
4. Sports – that the uniform is not always strict and purely work-minded but also loves its recreation and leisure time becomes clear when we visit the sports field. Aside from rare exceptions like cricket and polo (those Britons and their eternal trousers and jackets!) sports is the area where the uniform shows it can be trendy, dynamic and attractive. From the anonymity of the fencers to the ehm… transparency of the swimmers and from the abundance of American football players to the simplicity of the runners, the sports uniform boasts a wide variety of colours and flavours.