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I always hated it growing up, too. My school didn't even have a uniform, only a dress code, and I hated that, too.
But my kids go to a school with a uniform, and now I can see the advantages:
this school subsidizes the uniforms heavily, even to the point of giving them away outright to students in need, so it represents a form of clothing that is affordable for all
kids can't fight with parents about what they wear to school, because it's predetermined
every kid wears the same thing, which helps smooth out class-indicators: kids don't get bullied for wearing hand-me-downs or unfashionable clothes because everyone wears the same thing
makes it very easy to determine who is supposed to be on campus and who is not; similarly, since the school has a big emphasis on outside-the-classroom learning, makes it very easy to identify students out on fieldwork
saves me money since the uniforms are unisex and my son can wear the hand-me-downs of his older sisters
And to address your criticism: Yes, uniforms tend to promote group cohesion but that's not always a bad thing. It encourages collaboration over competition, for example.
Point 3 has always been a great equaliser. I grew up in a household that was tight for money, and I never felt that my school wear defined my "class", quite the opposite.
Now I'm older and am in a comparatively fortunate position financially, I'm happy to kit out my kids in a uniform. I don't really want them flashing brand names or in an arms race to look the most fashionable, and I don't want the less fortunate folk in the class to feel left behind.
If a uniform is plain and inexpensive, I think the positives outweigh the negatives.
As a parent of 2 kids under 10, at this age they don’t care about brands. The school uniforms are much more expensive than any t shirts or shorts or track pants from Kmart or bigW (Aussie retailers). Poorer kids still get hand me downs and second hand, whereas richer kids get brand new. Most kids are only-child these days, so the concept of hand me downs is less prevalent within a family.
For teens, I can understand that point, but for teens I think self expression and exploring identity are key parts of growing up.
My oldest is a senior in highschool. From what I have observed, appearance -- especially for teenage girls -- is less about self expression and more about seeking approval from other girls. Clothing is entirely a status symbol.
There's often a few girls who are the "trend setters", a much larger group of "followers" that basically look like carbon copies of one another, and yet another group that doesn't follow the latest "trend" because they either can't afford to or (much less often) don't care.
My daughter is obsessed with looks, as are most of her peers. Trying desperately to fit in because she's not yet mature enough to realize that it doesn't matter if all the other girls "like" her. It only really matters if she likes herself.
I've told her, only half joking, that she will know a guy is good boyfriend material when he asks her which books she's read lately.
Parts of growing up that are intentionally suppressed
I guess it depends on the strictness of a dress code but theres usually ways to express and explore even with a set clothing expectation.
About the class indicators thing: don't people find a way around that by wearing expensive watches, jewelry or accessories?
Usually people find a way to value signal imho.
In my experienfe they just verbally brag about how rich their parents are lmao.