However, school uniforms also carry many advantages for parents that extend beyond the classroom. For starters, the extra student discipline and school pride that educators enjoy can also translate to home life. Parents are happy to see their children expressing greater interest in school activities and spending more time focused on schoolwork. This transference of good behavior can also be a blessing for parents who frequently struggle with unruly children who are prone to acting out.

Detractors of uniforms in public schools argue that the policy places an additional financial burden on parents. However, the opposite effect is more often the case. Children rely upon their parents to purchase new clothing at the start of and throughout the school year. This can involve buying an entirely new wardrobe several times a year to keep up with the changing seasons and fashion trends. School uniforms allow parents to buy a smaller number of outfits that can be washed and reused time after time – saving them hundreds if not thousands of dollars over the course of their child's school career. If the parent has multiple children attending the same school, uniforms can be passed down from older to younger siblings.

Finally, school uniforms can create a better social situation for children struggling to make friends in and outside of school. This strict dress code helps to eliminate social barriers that keep some students apart because of fashion trends or economic status. As a result, children can feel more confident in themselves and their school relationships – leading to a happier and more successful life.

In the hospitality world, almost every employee is required to wear a uniform of some kind in order to create a sophisticated and comfortable aesthetic. Hotels in particular feature a diverse range of service positions that each has its own functional attire – valets, cooks, maids, concierges, bellhops and more. By tailoring the style of each uniform to the employee's particular role, hotel managers can provide a more enjoyable and professional experience for visitors. Here are some guidelines for determining the individual look of staff uniforms.

Customer service employees such as the concierge, valet, front desk staff, security guards, doormen and tourist information staff interact directly with visitors on a daily basis. These individuals are often the first and last people guests see when staying at a hotel. As a result, their uniforms should be some of the most fashionable and attractive of the entire hotel staff. Often, hotel customer service uniforms will feature a blend of formal and utilitarian styles to demonstrate that they are both authoritative yet there to serve guests' needs.

Though they also work directly with visitors, restaurant employees operate in a different capacity than hotel customer service staff members. Restaurant managers and hosts should be dressed in somewhat formal attire, similar to the concierge, yet distinct to show a separation between the hotel and restaurant. Wait staff uniforms should be neat and attractive without becoming too elaborate – a style that can be achieved by a simple button down shirt and dress pants.

Apparel for maids, kitchen staff and gardeners generally focus primarily on functionality over visual appeal since much of their work involves behind-the-scenes labor.

In a hospital setting, it can be especially challenging to achieve attractive career apparel. Women doctors and nurses benefit from the flexibility and comfort of hospital scrubs when running from patient to patient. However, the loose and flowing material can be worn in an inappropriate manner without a keen eye for professional fashion. Here are some of the top "don'ts" for women's hospital scrubs.

Tacky
One of the easiest ways to dress up hospital scrubs is by playing with fun colors and patterns. While a bright ensemble can help make patient care more cheery, some women go overboard with their designs and cross into tacky territory. Avoid clashing colors, weird patterns, over-the-top statements (American flags everywhere?) or cheesy cartoon character illustrations.

Too revealing
ScrubsMag.com warns against V-neck scrubs tops. While the design may be flattering, it doesn't exactly constitute appropriate professional attire. This revealing style may warrant a face-to-face meeting with supervisors about hospital dress codes.

Wrong size
As with any type of clothing, wearing oversized or undersized scrubs is far from flattering. Looking good at work requires finding a uniform that appropriately matches body type and size. Wearing scrubs that are too small may draw unwanted attention. Similarly, overly baggy scrubs can swallow up and hide the wearer and may appear disheveled or too casual, according to the source.

However, these benefits largely depend upon the appropriateness and attractiveness of this career wear. Women and men donning dated or ugly uniforms can be a detriment to your business' image, regardless of their performance or skill. Similarly, overly revealing or gaudy attire will lead customers to believe workers are unprofessional and unqualified for their positions.

Making sure that your employees' uniforms are simultaneously professional and fashionable is an important balancing act of different elements. For starters, different colors can send different messages to customers, according to She's Daily.

Fashionably speaking, gray is often taken to represent a conservative or traditional organization, while black achieves this same distinction with a more fashionable aesthetic. Blue uniforms can make employees seem more approachable, while red is typically considered an eye-catching and aggressive color. White is often seen as a perfectionist's choice. For a practical and grounded persona, brown is the ideal color. It's important to take these ideas into consideration, as employee uniforms often become co-mingled with a company's overarching brand and logo.

Selecting an apparel suit as opposed to a blouse and skirt can also send a conservative or more progressive message. Deciding between these styles of uniform should reflect the way you would like to portray your organization.

Proponents of this strict dress code policy argue that school uniforms help to create a sense of unity and school pride among youths while diminishing economic and social barriers.

If you're thinking of implementing mandatory school uniforms for your school district, there are several considerations you should evaluate beforehand. First off, what are you trying to achieve with this new policy? Is gang violence a potential danger at your school? Do an unacceptable number of students seem unfocused or uninterested in academic achievement? If so, mandatory uniforms may be of some assistance in establishing a greater level of discipline throughout your school.

For those school districts fortunate enough to be free from excessive violence or dwindling student performance, uniforms can still be a helpful tool for creating a feeling of community among disparate social groups. While students may resist the mandatory dress code at first, there are methods of winning them to your cause.

When deciding upon new school uniforms, consider reaching out to students for style recommendations. Consulting some fashion-forward pupils or leaving out a suggestion box will give the student body a say in the final decision and make them more receptive to the idea. You may even discover some support for uniforms and forge a greater bond between the administration and students.

For guys, rolling up their sleeves, unbuttoning that top button and loosing the tie can add some youthful appeal to the typical school uniform. Girls should feel free to get a little more creative when it comes to establishing a unique fashion sense. What you can add to your uniform depends largely on your school's dress code policy, but here are some helpful hints to shake up your everyday look.

While there's only so much you can alter when it comes to the actual uniform, an exciting new hairstyle is your next best bet for achieving an eye-catching appeal. Wear it up, wear it down, wear it to the side – whatever you do, try a look that resists the ordinary. Switching up your hairstyle every few days will help to keep your classmates guessing. A colorful headband will also add some excitement.

If you wear uniforms to school, you'll have to consult your student handbook regarding what does and doesn't cross the line, but a beautiful silver necklace or inspired pair of earrings can do wonders in combination with your standard uniform. Try not to wear the same pieces every day – mixing and matching is one of the best ways to establish a style all your own.

These are just a couple of suggestions to get you started. Take a look through your existing wardrobe and accessories to find hidden gems that will add personal flair to your school attire.

Advertising
Every organization, whether it's a state institution or a Fortune 500 company, recognizes the vital role that advertising plays in disseminating information, attracting new clients and creating brand awareness. Requiring employees to wear uniforms featuring your company's name and logo creates a mobile advertisement for your business. Even when out for a lunch break or on their way to a meeting, your employees will be making your company a recognizable member of the local community.

Employee performance
Corporate uniforms aren't just effective at representing your business – they can also encourage your employees to remain professional and diligent both inside and outside the office. With your company logo and name directly visible on their suit blazers, employees will recognize that they are acting as a representative of your company and perform accordingly. This can also prove beneficial for networking opportunities as potential clients and customers will instantly recognize your organization at a business meeting or convention.

Team spirit
Sports teams wear uniforms because it creates a sense of unity and pride among players. This same principle applies to corporate uniforms. Employees may feel more connected to the company and their coworkers when wearing similar clothing. Uniforms also eliminate the need for staff to spend hundreds of dollars on new work clothing every few months to keep up with current fashion trends.

In recent years, a growing number of public institutions across the U.S. have adopted school uniforms with noticeable levels of success. David L. Brunsma, editor of Uniforms in Public Schools: A Decade of Research and Debate (2005), reports in his book that about a quarter of public elementary schools and one out of eight middle and high schools now apply a student uniform policy.

Several research studies have measured the impact of blazers, uniforms and fixed color codes on the student population. Some have focused on the level of disciplinary issues and whether dress codes had any role in mitigating these concerns. In 1994, the Long Beach, California, public school district began a social experiment among its pupils. After being plagued with disruptive and sometimes violent students, the school district found that a year after mandating school uniforms, fights and muggings decreased by 50 percent and sexual offenses declined by 74 percent, according to PublicSchoolReview.com. Similar results were achieved at Ruffner Middle School in Norfolk, Virginia, which found a 42 percent reduction in necessary disciplinary action.

Across the globe, many nations are coming around to the idea of public school uniforms. Proponents argue that students become less concerned with outward appearance and are more focused on academic school work. Uniforms also help to foster a sense of school spirit that seems to be dwindling among many public school systems.

A high speed rail line, which will run between London and Birmingham, is expected to be given the go-ahead by the government later today (January 10th).

The High Speed Two (HS2) link, set for completion by 2026, will span 100 miles and will cost an initial £17 billion.

It is expected that transport secretary Justine Greening will give backing to the project, which is expected to expand to a Y-shaped section that includes Manchester and Leeds by 2033, giving a total cost of £32 billion.

Supporters of the project claim that it will cut the journey time between the capital and the UK's second city to 49 minutes, taking pressure off the busiest lines.

However, its opponents claim that it will harm the local environment, with country wildlife trusts estimating that more than 150 nature sites could be affected. They are currently looking into ways to delay the project.

The BBC's business reporter Jorn Madslien claims that it is unlikely that opposing parties will ever agree on the project.

Marks and Spencer (M&S) has said that strong food sales helped to offset weaker trading elsewhere over the Christmas period.

Like-for-like sales for the final 13 weeks of last year saw a small rise of 0.5 per cent when compared with the same period in 2010, while food sales saw a three per cent increase.

The retailer has confirmed that profit margins would be smaller this year because of promotions, but said that it had performed well in a "challenging trading environment".

M&S boss Marc Bolland said: "Our food business performed very strongly as customers enjoyed our new and traditional Christmas products."

He added that the company's focus on providing customers good value had worked and that he expects to hit profit targets for the year.

John Lewis and its supermarket arm Waitrose recently reported that it had seen strong Christmas sales. The grocery store saw a rise of 3.8 per cent in sales in December when compared with the same period in 2010.