How do SA school uniforms stack up when critiqued by Adelaide fashion identities?
While these personalities usually take aim at haute couture, now they are critiquing Adelaide’s high school uniforms. See what they think.
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A school uniform is designed to make students feel proud to be part of a community, while teaching them how to take pride in their appearance … so how do these Adelaide schools’ outfits measure up?
We asked couture+love+madness designer Cristina Tridente, South Australian Fashion Industry Association (SAFIA) board director Dr Nathan James Crane and industry identity Chris Kontos, who recently worked on ADL Fashion Week to give their verdicts.
The Advertiser fashion editor Anna Vlach and education reporter Shashi Baltutis also had their say.
LORETO COLLEGE
The prominent Catholic school in Marryatville has been educating girls since 1905.
Anna: I’ve always liked this school’s uniform. This version is classy too.
Chris: Loreto blue has always been recognisable and more fashionable than the others.
Cristina: Clean and timeless. A bit of a different take on what I wore when I was there!
Nathan: Classic, crisp, consistent.
Shashi: From a practical perspective, a dark uniform doesn’t show spills and dirt which may find its way on there.
ST DOMINIC’S PRIORY COLLEGE
In 2024, the North Adelaide Catholic school revealed a uniform which allowed its girls to wear trousers and shorts for the first time in its more than 140-year history.
Anna: There’s a good mix of uniform options here, but my pick is the traditional dress, blazer and hat combo – it’s old-school cool.
Chris: It’s chic, I love the matching accessories.
Cristina: Great option to include a trouser. The big checks are very bold.
Nathan: The straw hat and blazer combination is always eye catching en mass.
Shashi: The option for trousers is always a good one for students who may find that the most comfortable choice.
CHRISTIAN BROTHERS COLLEGE
Christian Brothers College, in Adelaide’s CBD, recently revealed a new, simplified uniform for its boys. The new items form an all-seasons wardrobe for the school’s students.
Anna: I’ve always liked the purple colour of CBC’s blazer.
Chris: That purple!
Cristina: Love the iconic purple, stands out in a crowd
Nathan: I love the depth of the CBC purple – refreshing in a sea of blues and greens.
Shashi: Reducing the number of uniform items a student is required to wear and therefore lowering costs for parents, is a smart move when families across the state are struggling.
WALFORD ANGLICAN SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
For the first time in more than four decades, the historic girls’ school in Hyde Park overhauled their uniform.
They launched the new all-seasons uniform last year for students to wear when they return to school for term 1 of 2025.
Anna: Back in the 1980s, when I went to Walford, our summer dress was light blue with a big W embroidered on the pocket. It made after school trips to the supermarket like work experience because shoppers would often ask me for help – even though my local was BI-LO, not Woolworths. Launched with a fashion parade last year, this new transeasonal uniform’s colours and cuts are much more stylish than what we wore: I love the way students can mix and match the pieces and that a sun-smart summer hat appears to be in vogue.
Chris: This uniform is preparing for the scholared summers in Europe. It gives too many resort vibes for a uniform but it’s very fashionable.
Cristina: My favourite! Great mix of options that all look clean and classic.
Nathan: For me, Walford is the strongest – bring on that colour! To quote Miranda Priestley from The Devil Wears Prada: ‘That sweater is not just blue, it’s not turquoise, it’s not lapis, it’s actually cerulean …’
Shashi: The school and its community have come up with a classic and practical uniform after they engaged in an extensive consultation process last year. Bonus points for an all-seasons wardrobe too.
ADELAIDE HIGH SCHOOL
With its more than 1800 students from years 7 to 12 and having been established more than 100 years ago, the CBD school is one of the state’s largest and most prominent public campuses.
Anna: Adelaide High School’s uniform doesn’t look like it has changed all that much from how I remember it in the 1980s. It’s time for a makeover.
Chris: This is public school rebel, with a twist of private school chic.
Cristina: Seems to be a more casual approach, would like to see some new options.
Nathan: Not as composed as it could be – a simpler take would really work here.
Shashi: Apart from a minor change to the logo, it’s pretty much the same uniform I wore when I finished my schooling there almost a decade ago. The boys uniform I wore was always simple and friends from other schools liked it.
ADELAIDE BOTANIC HIGH SCHOOL
While it shares the CBD with another large public school, Adelaide Botanic High School is the new kid on the block and therefore so is its uniform. The school was opened in 2019 and expanded further after it unveiled a $98m development in 2024.
Anna: I love this smart-looking uniform – especially the tartan and the green piping on the blazers – and I reckon the students do too, judging by the huge grins on their faces. This is my favourite.
Chris: I’m itchy looking at these kids. Next!
Cristina: Love the pop of green, looks fabulous.
Nathan: The contrast in this uniform is subtle, but really tailored.
Shashi: If I were at school when Adelaide Botanic was up and running, I would have been green with envy.
SCOTCH COLLEGE
A South Australian mainstay in education for more than 100 years, the Torrens Park college has a reputation of prestige.
Anna: I don’t think this uniform has changed all that much either – but in this instance it’s a case of ‘if it ain’t broke …’. It’s a classic.
Chris: These ties are working hard but delivering the goods.
Cristina: Bit too many colour combinations for me; I would choose three base colours and stick with them.
Nathan: Another case of punchy piping. This time in citrine yellow.
Shashi: A vibrant uniform from a prestigious school.
PEMBROKE SCHOOL
In 2024 Pembroke School, in Kensington Park, was the most expensive school in the state and remained one of the most prestigious coeducational private schools in Adelaide.
Anna: Another colourful, smart uniform that has stood the test of time.
Chris: Pembroke blue has a strong vibe. It gives Prada.
Cristina: Looks smart and concise.
Nathan: This uniform’s rich colour speaks to Pembroke’s heritage and prestige.
Shashi: No one’s going to complain about this one. Classic and timeless.
PRINCE ALFRED COLLEGE
Prince Alfred College, in Kent Town, is one of the state’s most prominent boys’ schools. It is also one of the most historic, having been established in 1869.
Anna: Gen Xers who remember a time when every senior school student in Adelaide would flood into Rundle Mall on a Friday (night in the 1980s), will also recall how easy it was to spot a PAC boy in what was a sea of mostly blue and green uniforms. Unchanged, this distinctive maroon blazer is still a standout.
Chris: Perfection, in every sense of the word.
Cristina: Love the maroon, stands out from the more traditional shades of blue.
Nathan: I’m easily won over by anything burgundy. A strong choice, but one that remains a classic.
Shashi: A uniform which distinguishes itself from other schools, anyone can tell a Prince’s boy from a mile away.
ST PETER’S COLLEGE
Another of the state’s historic and prominent boys’ schools, St Peter’s College, in St Peters, was established in 1847 and remained traditional from its buildings to its uniform.
Anna: Again, another uniform that has stood the test of time.
Chris: The uniform is giving ‘dress for the job you want’ vibes.
Cristina: Classic! Don’t need to reinvent the wheel.
Nathan: Classic, preppy, composed.
Shashi: If it weren’t a school uniform, you could almost get away with wearing this to dinner.
GLENUNGA INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
One of the state’s biggest and most prominent public campuses, the school in Glenunga is known for its high academic achievements, in part due to its Ignite Program. In 2024 it had enrolments of more than 2300 from year 7 to year 12.
Anna: This looks like a really practical unisex uniform. I especially like the trendy rugby tops.
Chris: Very relaxed. Very street. Very public school.
Cristina: More casual approach, love the asymmetric stripe.
Nathan: This uniform is accessible and inclusive, reflecting Glenunga’s values.
Shashi: Again, dark and easy to care for, this must be popular with parents.
NORWOOD INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
One of the newest large public schools in South Australia, the school at Magill was opened in 2022 after one of the state’s largest refurbishment. Its predecessor, Norwood Morialta High School, was split into two campuses, one at Magill, the other at Rostrevor.
Anna: Love the colour palette of this uniform. The tie and bright school emblem on the pocket are also really smart additions.
Chris: It’s giving private school vibes without the fees.
Cristina: Timeless colour combination.
Nathan: The blazer taps into the archetypal design, but with a refreshing cool palette.
Shashi: The classic uniform gives the impression that the school has existed for more than its three years.
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