Japanese high school students in uniform. The boys in this picture are wearing gakuran.
The gakuran is the uniform for middle school and high school boys in Japan. It is usually worn at an all-boys school, and the color is normally black but some schools have navy and dark blue color as well.
The top has a standing collar and it button downs from the top to bottom. Buttons are usually decorated with the school emblem. The pants are straight leg and are one color, and a black or dark colored belt is worn with them. Boys usually wear penny loafers or sneakers with this uniform. Some schools may have the students wear on the collar pins representing the school and/or class rank.
The second button of the top of a male's uniform is often given away to the girl who likes him, and is considered a way of confession. Other buttons may be given away if more than one girl asked for it.
Although usually only the girls' uniforms are known as "sailor" uniforms, the gakuran is also ultimately derived from United States Navy uniforms, specifically officers' dress blues (although the resemblance is usually tenuous here as well).
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