The Origin and Importance of Uniforms

Uniforms have been around for as long as people have needed to work together. From a simple sigil on the cuirass and shield of a Roman legionaire to the brightly colored athletic jerseys that our teams wear, uniforms are an integral part of many organizations. Choosing to dress the same may be a benefit to the group. But why is it that so many different groups all came to the same conclusion? 

To grasp the answer to this question, one must first be aware of some basic sociological factors that have influenced humanity from early on and continue to do so to this day. Human are by nature, very social creatures. We have a habit of banding together into small tight-knit groups either by kinship or by familial relations. We do this because since the earliest days of prehistory, working, sleeping and living in a group is much safer and more efficient than work done as an individual. Early people grouped together to hunt, to fend off danger, and to look out for each other just to survive.

As humanity advanced and civilizations arose, the need to stay in small groups diminished as technology and agriculture became implemented in human culture.  Groups became larger, growing from small bands to tribes, and from tribes to larger nations and kingdoms. While small groups have the advantage of being able to identify their friends because they are few in number. Larger nations cannot do this well, and thus created the uniform. This is the primary and most basic reason for the implementation of the uniform. Different groups use different colors or symbols in order to identify their own and organize themselves in all aspects from the battlefield to the settlement arrangements.

The word “uniform” comes from the Latin term uniformis meaning “having one form”. That is the basic concept of the uniform. From the very beginning the goal was for everyone to be perceived as one  unit of equals that is working together to achieve a common goal.

Uniforms themselves also can have a huge psychological boost for the people in them. Uniforms provide a sense of purpose, representing a group that is equal and together for the same purposes. Uniforms in areas like the service industry show the customers that the staff is working together to provide their best for the customers. This has led to a rise in importance of the appearance of the uniform. Companies would discourage an unkempt and disheveled uniform as it tends to reflect badly on that company.

Certain uniforms, such as those of the armed forces and police can have a huge effect because the uniform has been given a certain meaning by those who wear it. A person wearing an armed forces uniform will often be seen as someone deserving of respect in society by strangers as opposed to those wearing regular civilian attire.

In athletics, the uniform is key to identifying players on the court or field. The quarterback on a football team looks for a certain jersey when attempting to make a pass because he wants a team member to catch it. The forward on the basketball court knows to attempt to screen a player wearing a different uniform because he wants his team to drive the ball to the basket.
The sense of unity a uniform can provide a huge moral boost to players as they benefit from the feeling of belonging that a team can provide. A uniform is far more than clothing that one is obligated to wear when participating in a group. Together people can achieve so much more than one person on their own. Uniforms help to identify, unite, intimidate, and make a group look like a team.