Uniform vs. Dress Code

Schools should be an opportunity for students to figure out unique things about themselves. I think there is a big difference between a uniform and a dress code. 

If you have a dress code, you can still express yourself and wear what you like. It will also prepare you for after high school to dress properly for different contexts. For example, you wouldn’t wear the same thing you would wear to the mall to a wedding and having an understanding of the situation is an important skill in life.

On the other hand, uniforms tend to offer a sense of equality and can cause students coming from different economic backgrounds to feel more comfortable because they don’t feel the pressure to fit in with increasingly expensive trends. Without uniforms, some students may be subjected to feeling like they don’t fit in because of circumstances beyond their control. 

A cost to having a uniform would be that it simplifies and homogenizes identity. Students can’t express themselves in the way they would like because everyone is dressed the same: the same shirt, the same shoes, the same skirts, the same collars, and so on. It is easy to see how someone can believe that he or she is losing a part of him or herself without this form of expression through fashion. This could lead students to feel like their opinion doesn’t matter. 

A cost to dress codes might be that the codes themselves may be too rigorous. Many dress codes make some students feel uncomfortable due to the inequality of enforcement between genders. Being told to put on your Kippah should have the same consequences as being told your skirt is too short. If their were equal enforcement amongst male and female students, I don’t think people would be as annoyed by it as a policy.

Overall, school uniforms can have a negative impact on students, showing them that they have to fit into an exact mold and can’t be themselves. On the other hand, it can be beneficial for students that can’t afford what’s in style. I think having a dress code is the best solution because it offers a middle ground, and it teaches students how to dress for particular occasions.