For Japanese schoolgirls, the school uniform has gone from being a glaring reminder of rules and regulations to a trendy fashion statement.
"When I go out, I change into what pretty much looks like a uniform, but it's not my official uniform," says a 15-year-old girl, who calls herself Ami, in central Tokyo.
"I know of girls who wear real school uniforms, but not theirs," she said. "Why? It's cute, cool and fun."