By Betty Ding (25A01B), Meryl Lim (25S05A), Peh Zhi Ning (25A01B)

Disclaimer: The following information is accurate as of 8 November 2024. Currently, students are under half-uniform rules, but this may differ in following years as the school’s rules and regulations are subject to change.

Edit as of 17 January 2025: New uniform rules state that the full uniform must be worn on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. On Fridays, only house tees can be worn. Half-uniform guidelines only apply on Wednesdays.

It’s time. You’ve officially become a J1 in Raffles Institution, which means you’re about to heed the call of Sir Stamford Raffles.

Wondering what to wear? No need to fear, Raffles Press is here! 

1. What should I buy?

For starters, we recommend buying 1 set of the uniform first. For girls, that would mean the white blouse and green skirt; and for males, the white shirt and white pants. There is a difference between the blouse and shirt where the latter has an extra pocket on the left side.

Of course, to complete the set you’ll need a school badge too. As stipulated in the conduct book, the school badge must be pinned onto the uniform on the left side of your chest. 

As for the iconic house shirts, there’s no real need to purchase them yet as you’ll be given one by your house during Orientation! However, it may be good to get one or two in your size before they run out, especially for sizes 2XS and XS.

While these may suffice for the January Induction Programme (JIP), they’re certainly not enough to last you the 2 long years in RI.

Post–COVID era required students to wear the formal uniform twice a week — on Tuesdays and Fridays. 

However, due to heat management measures now, students are allowed to wear the half-uniform for all four days of school. Half-uniform refers to formal school bottoms (skirt/pants) with a school approved T-shirt (PE shirt/house shirt/Gryphon challenge shirt etc). 

On Wednesdays (Gap days), students who return to school for CCA/other activities are also allowed to wear the half-uniform. Students are also required to be in half-uniform to be allowed into the school library (i.e. not in shorts), so don’t leave your skirt/long pants at home! 

A usual timetable in RI includes 2 days of PE, and as stated in the Conduct Book, “Students are only allowed to wear the official school PE T-shirt, Year 5-6 House T-shirt, Orientation T-Shirt and Gryphon Challenge T-Shirt with appropriate track/court shoes for PE lessons and for any activities require PE attire.”  

Another thing to note is that only the official Raffles’ black coloured shorts are allowed when you’re not wearing your skirt/ long pants. (No, dark blue shorts do not count.)

While the school bookshop offers the official school PE T-shirt, most students usually just wear their House T-shirts for PE. So, there’s really no need to purchase one. 

For hygiene purposes, do bring an extra set of clothes to change into after PE unless you wish to bless your dear classmates with your irresistible scent.

As for shoes, they must be black-based or white-based, secured by velcro straps or shoelaces. The school also requires students to wear socks as part of the uniform policy.

With all these considerations in mind, you can now proceed in your journey to completing your brand new wardrobe: RI Edition! 

For reference, we recommend, minimally, one full set of the formal school uniform, 3-4 house shirts/polo shirts, and 3 skirts/long pants. 

Then again, you should consider your laundry schedule before purchasing the uniforms. These numbers are just a guide, and you should account for your own needs. 

There’s really no need to worry if you don’t have enough house shirts, or if they’re out of stock at the beginning of the year, as you can always buy more during the school year. 

2. What shouldn’t I buy?

We recommend not purchasing the RI tie since you will not be wearing it often. The only times you will need to wear a school tie is for formal events such as Founder’s Day or other external competitions and official functions. Should you need a tie, you can always loan one from the Student’s Affairs Centre (SAC) or borrow one from a classmate. 

Additionally, buying only one school badge is sufficient – two if you think you’re super forgetful. If you do end up losing your school badge, you can always buy another at the school bookshop.

For RI Y1-4 males, you can continue wearing your full uniform set as long as it still fits well. Do note you are not allowed to wear your Y1-2 white shorts. 

For RGS girls, you can still wear the RGS PE shorts and there is no need to buy the new PE shorts unless you want to. As mentioned before, as long as your exercise shorts are black, you can wear them for PE.

Considering Singapore’s hot and humid weather, it might not be a good idea to buy too many Polo T-shirts. These black Polo T-shirts are collared, and slightly thicker than the house tees. Additionally, many CCAs offer customised Polo T-shirts with the CCA name embroidered on the collar during the school year, so you can hold back from purchasing more than 1 Polo tee first. 

3. What should I wear for Orientation/CCA trials? 

For JIP and CCA trials, you can just wear your secondary school uniform. There’s no rush to wear the RI uniform just yet—after all, you’ll be spending your next 2 years in it. 

As for Orientation, you’ll first report to RI in your secondary school uniform/PE attire, and you’ll be given an Orientation shirt and your House T-shirt on the first day! More details will be sent to your inboxes before Orientation. 

4. Where do I go to buy them?

We hope you enjoy shopping, because you’ll have two stops to hit! 

For our school uniform (blouse and skirt for girls, shirt and pants for boys), our supplier is Bibi&Baba. Bibi&Baba is located at Far East Shopping Centre, 545 Orchard Road, #02-28, Singapore 238882. 

Make sure that it’s open before heading over! Bibi&Baba is open from 10.00 am to 7.00 pm, Monday to Saturday. As for Sunday, it’s open from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm. However, it is closed on Public Holidays. 

As for our PE attire (PE shirt, PE shorts, House shirts, and Polo tees), our supplier is Jeep Sing Fashion. Jeep Sing is located at 4012 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10, #01-09, Techplace 1 Singapore 569628. 

It is open from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm, Monday to Friday, but it is closed from 1-2pm for lunch. It is also open from 10.00 am to 2.00 pm on Saturday, but it is closed on Sundays and Public Holidays. 

As Bibi&Baba is also the supplier of many, many, secondary schools, you might want to purchase your uniforms before the national school exams’ results are released, lest you be bowled over by the hordes of RI, RGS, ACSI, MGS, and CHS newcomers (and their parents). Additionally, purchasing them early also guarantees you your perfect size. 

Now, if traipsing around Singapore doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, you can always buy your uniforms during JIP, at the Hodge Lodge, or from the bookshop after JIP. Please refer to the upcoming announcements for the exact details. However, do be warned that the JIP season may lead to many sizes being out of stock. 

5. General Disclaimers

Prior to going on your next shopping spree, do take note of the guidelines for accessories and attire. For example, female students are allowed to wear one pair of small ear studs with one piercing on each ear. You are also not allowed to wear jackets with large logos of other institutions or brands.

Additionally, before you ask your hairdresser to give you that bold neon green mohawk you’ve been eyeing for the longest time, do know that you need to abide by RI’s hair standards. For example, hair at the front must be above your eyebrows at all times, and your hair should not be dyed or tinted.

Now, similar to a video game, there are certain skins that you can unlock here! For example, you’ll soon be getting your Orientation T-Shirt. If you’re a runner and a track star (fulfilling The Gryphon Challenge), you can get the TGC shirt in Semester 2 too. 

Should you join the Students’ Council, you’ll unlock yet another shirt, the SC shirt. CCAs, too, can choose to create their own shirts or jackets, such as Sports CCAs’ jerseys and Raffles Interact’s shirt. 

Last but not least, do try on your uniforms before purchasing them and ensure you have sufficient time to alter them. School rules mandate that “the hemline of the female students’ green skirt should reach the kneecap,” and “all students are to ensure that their shorts/long trousers/skirts are not oversized or too tight.”  

Feeling overwhelmed by the information overload? Don’t worry, you’ll get the hang of it in no time. We hope our updated uniform guide has helped you feel less clueless and more confident as you navigate the maze of dos and don’ts. 

In a way, buying the school uniform is a Rafflesian’s rite of passage—a key to unlocking the gates of JC life. 

Whether you’re calm and collected, or feeling apprehensive and dreading this new journey, there’s comfort in knowing that when it comes to what to wear, almost everyone begins on the same footing (just remember, only white-based and black-based shoes are allowed!).

Special thanks to the generous owners of the attires we scanned, and shoutout to Isaac Chan (25A01B) for graciously providing us with the extensive selection of the RI male’s wardrobe.