Difficult to understand foreign cultures, in case of Russian

Sometimes, I think I never understand other country's culture.

Why? How? What?

Of course, I am Japanese, one of mysterious, dubious, weird, exotic, eccentric, etc., etc. nations.

But, even though I'm such a ??? nations, races, still world is mysterious....(・o・)

Well, what is this?

They are Russian high-school girls.

How do you think?

You think Japanese style costume play (cos-play)?

Boooooooooooooo....(・o・)


Well this costume is Russian traditional high-school graduation costume....(・o・)

French maid? Mini skirt? Hair accessories? This is exactly Japanese crazy cos-play! You think so?

No!

Russian High-school Graduation

Ring, ring, ring, tolls the little school bell ... yes, it's the end of class ... FOREVER!!

Young Russians celebrate their graduation from high-school in quite a unique way, and mark the occasion with an event called Последний звонок (The Last Bell).

If you were to travel to Russia around May 25, and it was your first visit to this grand nation, you may be inclined to think that Russian teenagers are quite eccentric! You'll see young girls wearing short dark dresses with white lacy aprons, together with fluffy white bows in their hair, white knee-high socks and black shoes, and teenage guys wearing business suits adorned with a colourful, shoulder-to-hip diagonal sash, somewhat reminiscent of a Miss Universe competition!
But the outfits are all part of a long standing tradition, with black and white uniforms representing the standard attire of school students supposedly in pre-Soviet times, in the period of the Tsars. It should be noted that Russian teenagers are in fact very fashionable, but for this one special day they put away their designer clothes and embrace tradition.

Apparently when the Soviets came to power the black-and-white uniforms for females were prohibited as they represented the Tsarist regime, but in the 1930s Stalin reversed this decision and the uniforms for girls were reinstated (however, the white bows were only ever worn in elementary school). On the other hand, male children were dressed in Tsarist style military uniforms, that were later replaced in the 1950s by standard, business-style suits.

....(・o・)

The Cutest 2012 Russian Graduates
RUSSIAN SCHOOL GRADUATES 2011

....(・o・)

Two type, French maid or tight dress....(・o・)
Finally, they will do like this;

Water fountain dive!

How come such a culture?

I never understand the WORLD....(・o・)