Designer uniforms

Bruce Oldfield for McDonald's, 2008: Disastrous in the style stakes - tacky print, horrendous kick-flare-hem skirt and a soon-to-be deep-fried neckscarf. But Stephanie Slark, a loyal shift manager at the Cameron Park branch in Newcastle, says: “I feel like a businesswoman in it.” She rates it for practicality, too. “The skirt is loads better than the old pencil skirt - it’s so easy to pick stuff up off the floor in it.” 2/10 Photograph: Teri Pengilley/PA

Ally Capellino for the Brownies, 2002: Brownie fashion is all about being “relevant and keeping with the times,” according to Jess Bond, an assistant guider at the 1st Pontypool Brownie unit. Thus, Capellino ditched the brown culottes that were de rigueur in the 1990s and introduced the hybrid “skort” (shorts in fact, but skirt in spirit). “New Brownies think it’s cool and modern,” claims Bond. The ultimate in chic for seven- to 10-year-olds. 6/10 Photograph: PA

Christian Dior for SAS, 1971: Those Scandanavian stewardesses have all the luck. Not only was their tropical uniform already chic - note the vanilla skirt suit on the left - but in 1971 their bosses employed the Parisian maestro Christian Dior to redo their winter uniform, shown on the right. No styling tricks or fussy scarves, just classic tailoring in bold, block ­colours accessorised only with the airline’s logo and a unisex cap. Uniform perfection. 10/10 Photograph: Public domain

Paul Costelloe for British Airways, 1993: Immediately, the Princess Diana reference stands out, but on further examination ­Costelloe’s BA design is a classic cabin crew uniform. First, there’s the geometric motion sickness-inducing print favoured by transport companies, then there’s the gold-buttoned blazer that hints at pseudo-efficiency and jobsworthiness. All topped off with a useless felt hat that serves no practical or sartorial purpose other than to irritate passengers. 5/10 Photograph: Public domain

Paul Smith for Tate, 2000: It seems like Paul Smith missed a trick here. Surely a man who loves stripes enough to put them on his carrier bags could have rustled up some Bridget Rileyesque stripes? Instead we get plain salmon orange shirting. Hell, easyJet orange is more iconic, Paul. The verdict? Smith was overawed by the arty commission and panicked into blandness. The look survived for five years, until what the gallery described as a “refreshing exercise". 2/10 Photograph: Sarah Lee/Guardian

Ralph Lauren for Wimbledon, 2006: The grandmaster of the American preppy look brought this Gatsbyesque look to the All ­England Club three summers ago to great acclaim. Out went the purple and green and in came navy and cream. The retro 1920s styling with the mannish blazers and below-the-knee hemlines of the line judges added just the right amount of quaintness to contrast with the increasing aggressiveness of the sport. Fabulously ­practical. 8/10 Photograph: Martin Argles/Guardian

Philip Treacy for London Underground, 1998: Milliner Philip Treacy and designer Anne Tyrrell model the new uniforms for London Underground staff which were unveiled on 12 October 1998 Photograph: PA