Haalarit, the Finnish Student Uniform, is Anything But Uniform

In Finland, college students often wear haalarit, or overalls (what we would call coveralls) to university events, parties, and ceremonies. The appearance of each haalarit will tell you a lot about the wearer. The color indicates what discipline they are studying, which will vary by school. The patches worn are from a student's experiences and accomplishments, so being covered with patches is a sign of status. And sometimes you can tell that a student is "taken" if the overalls have a mismatched part, because they swapped with their significant other. The haalarit are a source of pride for students, and a way to boost school spirit. It also makes it easier to see who has the same interests as you do.        

The custom of the haalarit began in the 1950s or '60s when other students began copying the coveralls worn by Civil Engineering students in Sweden. Further digging reveals that these overalls should never be washed. Well, college doesn't last forever. -via Kottke