I was one of those arrogant types that believed that my opinion about uniforms was the only one and those who wore white epaulette shirts and navy trous were the nobbers.
I have grown ( groan) up a bit since then and don't pidgeon hole students so much these days, especially as the Academies require it. They say, students do, seemples.
I had a friend who was a casual dressing crop duster pilot like me and he was vehement about the Air Force types and their green suits, badges, wings and stripes. Then he became chief pilot some years later of a large aviation company that provided contract services to the military. He wore a flight suit, wings and badges, and fitted in very well. He became compatible to his environment.
As a kid I wanted to be an airforce pilot, flight suits, parachutes, helmets and oxygen masks were soooo cool, but not for me as I wore glasses and there fore medically unfit.
40 years later I go to work and put on a nomex flight suit, parachute, helmet and oxygen mask. We have corporate badges and wing insignia, rather than military ones. On occasions I don a white shirt some gold bars and metal wings when the company requires me to fly a VIP, or senior corporates, or even just those who expect a 'captain' to be sitting up the front.
I don't go up the pub all tooled up, or even shopping like that, but badges off, do have a mind improver or two at the aero club bar from time to time, after tools down on POETS day.
If the sprogs of today are told to wear a uniform, or even expected to wear one, so
what. Let them, But FOUR bars is a bit OTT for a learner in any circumstances IMHO. Also shopping with bars, badges or name tags on is a bit over the line really.
My tuppence worth