セーラー(ふく)

せーらーふく
noun
sailor uniform
clothingeducation
1. sailor uniform, sailor-style school uniform
A school uniform modeled on naval sailor suits, traditionally worn by female middle and high school students in Japan. Features a characteristic sailor collar.
A high school girl wearing a sailor uniform.
うち中学(ちゅうがく)制服(せいふく)セーラー(ふく)だった。
My middle school's uniform was a sailor uniform.
Recently, more and more schools are switching from sailor uniforms to blazers.

Cultural note

セーラー(ふく) has been a standard school uniform style in Japan since the early 20th century. While historically very common, many schools have been transitioning to ブレザー (blazer) style uniforms. The sailor uniform remains an iconic symbol of Japanese school life.

Etymology

セーラー (sailor) + (ふく) (clothing). The design originates from European naval uniforms.

Common collocations