From white dresses to plaid skirts: a history of the Carrollton uniform 

Charlotte Rudkins

Mrs. Fernandez keeps old Carrollton uniforms displayed in her office.

From rainbow-striped tights and blue dresses to khaki skirts and red polos, Carrollton has gone through five different uniforms since the 1960s before landing on our current colorful polos and plaid skirts.

School archivist Mrs. Fernandez, who has past uniforms displayed in her office, shared her favorite. “My favorite version of the uniform is the primary [uniform],” Mrs. Fernandez said. But while most current students adore the blue polo and deeply miss its long-sleeved version since its removal in the early 2020s, Mrs. Fernandez favors the least-worn teal polo for its vibrancy and uniqueness, especially since no other neighboring schools have a teal option. 

Speaking of uniqueness, Mrs. Fernandez shared an interesting detail with us: our specific plaid is actually patented. When Sister Taylor created the new uniform, she got a patent for both the pattern and material of the skirt so that no other schools could copy it. Besides its distinctiveness, the plaid skirts have a deeper meaning; not only do they unify our school’s community, but they represent Miami’s rich, diverse culture and history. “I think it symbolizes Miami, because the colors are much like Miami [with] the water, the sky, and the flamingos. It is a very pretty uniform,” Mrs. Fernandez said.

Since 1992, Carrollton students have been modeling the classic plaid skirt, plentiful polos, and well-loved gray quarter zip with the occasional varsity sports jacket. But some of the uniforms that came before this are difficult for us to imagine wearing today.  

Starting in the early 60s, students wore long white dresses paired with gorgeous pale blue sashes. Although very elegant, Miami’s hot temperatures and humidity definitely made it challenging for students to move around comfortably. Later, Carrollton moved to blue and white striped dresses. Although they were very cute and reflected the time period well, we now definitely see them as dated. This version of the uniform was then followed by the lively short blue dresses worn in the 70s, which were styled with glamorous rainbow-striped tights. This was quite an interesting look considering the hippie fashion of the era. Then came the red polos with long pleated khaki skirts. This uniform was nice but lacked distinction and blended in with nearby schools’ uniforms.

This is why the switch to our current uniform was a great decision. Mrs. Fernandez shared that she’s very proud every time she or her colleagues are around the Coconut Grove area and can spot a Carrollton uniform from a crowd. 

While some students still complain about the style of our official uniform, we should be grateful for where we have landed, as there have been drastic improvements since the first uniform came out in 1961. “I love the 60s, but I know you would never be able to wear gloves,” Mrs. Fernandez said. So, the next time someone comments about something they dislike, remind them that it’s better than long dresses and exotic tights.