Sailor uniform (serafuku)

Where the sailor uniform comes from

The design borrows from 19th-century navy uniforms, especially the square flap collar. Sailor suits became fashionable children's wear in Europe, and Japanese girls' schools adopted sailor-style uniforms in the early 1920s as a practical, Western-style alternative to kimono and hakama.

In Japan the word seifuku simply means uniform; serafuku is the sailor-collared kind specifically. In fiction it signals a school setting and, by convention, a slightly classic or traditional school compared with the blazer type.

Sailor uniform variations

• Winter uniform: navy or black blouse with long sleeves, white collar stripes, matching dark skirt.
• Summer uniform: white short-sleeved blouse with a navy or coloured collar.
• Neckwear: a long scarf tied in a knot, a looped ribbon, a short bow tie, or a scarf threaded through a loop sewn on the chest.
• Collar stripes: one, two or three lines; anime designers often use them to tell schools apart.
• Kansai collar and other regional cuts change the collar's width and stripe placement.
• Layers: cardigans, sweater vests or a blazer worn over the blouse in colder scenes.

How to draw a sailor uniform

Start with the collar, because it carries the whole design. From the front it forms a V that ends at the knot of the scarf; from the back it is a large square flap covering the shoulder blades, and it lifts and flutters in wind. The blouse itself is usually a loose pullover that hangs straight over the waist rather than tucking in.

Draw the pleated skirt as a cylinder or cone, then divide it into evenly spaced pleats that converge toward the waistband. Pleats open when the legs move and the hem forms a zigzag edge. A common mistake is drawing the collar as a lapel; it should lie flat against the shoulders with a clean border.

Wearing a sailor uniform for cosplay

This advice is for adult cosplayers. Fit matters most at the collar: it should sit flat and centred, so steam it and pin the scarf so the knot stays in place. Choose a skirt length that matches the character design and add plain socks or tights to complete the look.

Natural, everyday poses suit the outfit best: holding a school bag with both hands, walking with the collar catching the breeze, or turning to look over the shoulder so the back flap shows. Outdoor locations with stairs, railings or trees fit the theme without needing an actual school.