Wearing cute miniskirts topped with white shirts to school, South Korean students have always been the envy of their counterparts in China, where the majority of youngsters think their tracksuit-style uniforms are ugly. 

South Korean school girls in uniform. /HereinUK Photo 

However, the grass is always greener on the other side: it may come as a surprise that South Korean students have been expressing their jealousy of Chinese school uniforms.

Chinese school girls in typical uniforms. /Guancha.cn  Photo

Too loose, too baggy, no aesthetic values…Such are the complaints of Chinese students when asked for their comments on their school uniforms.

Designed in the 1950s, modern Chinese uniforms are unisex tracksuits featuring a zip-up jacket, a casual T-shirt and loose-fit track pants, mostly made of light, synthetic materials.

Designs of Chinese school uniforms. /HereinUK Photo

While Chinese students loathe their uniforms' lack of style, South Korean students, after discovering pictures of Chinese students in sporty uniforms on South Korea’s online forum Instiz, praised Chinese uniforms for being comfortable and practical.

“Wow! I’m so envious. Being comfortable is the best.” @eundanggum commented. “Our school uniform was pretty but it was uncomfortable to wear.”

Another netizen @kimtaehyung thought Chinese school uniforms actually stand up to her dressing preference. “This looks perfect for me since I change into my PE uniform as soon as I get to school.”

Korean students posted positive comments praising Chinese school uniforms. /Guancha.cn Photo 

While the comfort and practicality of Chinese school uniforms have won over South Korean students, they still struggle to please Chinese youngsters.

In an online survey by Weibo, netizens were asked about their thoughts on Chinese school uniforms. Nearly half of those polled criticized the uniforms as ugly, with only 10.3 percent saying the uniforms look good.

“Uniforms? They are just tracksuits and sportswear! The slackness and looseness make them good for doing sports, but they have no aesthetic values,” @benbaobaoyaosiniao commented.

Another netizen Zhang Xiaodong went further with the criticism, claiming that ugly uniforms may lead to a lack of confidence. 

A Chinese student believes ugly uniforms lead to lack of confidence. /HereinUK Photo 

Interestingly, some 44.6 percent of people said that it is one’s physical appearance that decides if he or she looks good in Chinese school uniform.

Female Chinese student in  school uniforms. /Guancha.cn Photo

Male Chinese student in school uniform. /HereinUK Photo