Did you grow up having to wear uniforms in school? Did your school have a strict dress code that mainly targeted female students? Have you ever gotten frustrated not being able to express yourself through your style in class? If any of these questions apply to you, you might now have this idea engraved in your brain about what is and isn’t appropriate to wear in a school setting.
When I was in high school, I had a lot of grievances with our dress code as well as many other students that attended. The dress code policy used a lot of language like “overexpose”, “modesty”, and “inappropriate”. Although these terms could’ve applied to men’s clothing, they were used more often to describe women’s attire.
“Girls may wear sleeveless shirts that reflect modesty; however, NO spaghetti straps, tube tops, or tank tops are permitted!” the Neshaminy High School Student Dress Code, otherwise known as my old high school, states. This is a version from 2012-2013 and has not since been updated, even to progress with the current times. While this dress code was frustrating to follow, there are many other schools that have it way worse than mine did.
The article, “School Dress Codes Aren’t Fair to Everyone, Federal Study Finds” on Education Week discusses students being treated unfairly because of one slip up with their schools’ dress code. “A North Carolina principal suspended a high school girl for 10 days and banned her from attending graduation and any senior activities because she wore a slightly off-shoulder top to school,” the article starts with.
With dress codes this extreme, it teaches girls from a young age that their bodies are to be seen in an inappropriate, sexual manner even when minor mistakes are made. These standards can be incredibly harmful when girls in their teens are still trying to discover their sense of self and may try to do that with their style.
“Having a dress code can tell a girl that the way she dresses and looks is important to others, and this can make girls feel more self-conscious about themselves, which can sometimes cause eating disorders and anxiety,” Chieftain Times stated.
These expectations are a staple to many young girls’ and students’ years in K-12, affecting their concept of what outfits are revealing and what aren’t. This may even cause girls to want to “rebel” in their older years and only feel comfortable wearing revealing clothing. Their view of themselves can be hindered for many years, if not their whole lives after being in school because of the ideals forced into them about what should be allowed on their bodies.