The schools in my town all require uniforms but, for the public ones (ie, "govt." and not the "private schools") there is some flexibility. In primary schools, shirts are colours that can be bought not just at the two or three shops that stock all the public schools' bits of uniforms but at the elcheapo outlets too. Boys tend to wear grey shorts or trousers no matter what the rest is coloured. Full pinafores (probably the UK tunics and US gymslips, which can have the top bit separated from the skirt), skirts and skorts all tend to be various checks and plaids so are bought either from the respective school clothing pools or the couple of specialist shops. While any school's uniform is likely to be unique in any country town most of the plaids will be used at multiples of schools across Oz so costs are fairly low.

High school (where the fashionistas get keen and my daughters can rate coolth to three decimal places) uniforms are a boon. Shirts at all the schools are white, ties and blazers are kept in a cupboard in the school office and trotted out only for formal photos. Boys wear grey of black trousers and girls wear the same or plaid skirts; although jeans are 'frowned on' nobody gets bothered unless a 'formal' event is involved. Most kids artound here have so much "after school" action (music, dance, sport, drama, etc) that flexibilty in uniform is accepted by all except the private schools where there is a belief that they must demonstrate a sense of superiority, despite performace that contradicts such a belief.

Cotton drill work trousers (and shirts) come in all the colours that schools and govt institutions might want, including grey and navy blue. I haven't yet seen them in black or I'd volunteer to send you some Lynne.

Cheers, Rowan