When I first came to the Community School of Davidson (CSD) as a senior, I was most excited about being able to wear what I want to school. I was so excited that for the days leading up to my first day, I spent hours upon hours curating the perfect outfit for my first day.
Wearing what you want to school may seem like a given, but to me, wearing what you want to school is a privilege. For the previous 11 years, I attended a private school with uniforms. To me, not wearing uniforms was a brand new thing. I have always been interested in fashion and not being able to express that at school every day was frustrating.
Some people may argue that a uniform is an equalizer because it helps eliminate factors like bullying and being singled out from a group for fashion and clothing choices but I disagree. This point is irrelevant. Kids will be mean to each other no matter the circumstances, and bullying does not stem specifically from what a student wears.
At my old school, we selectively enjoyed “dress as you like” days where we didn’t have to wear uniforms. Believe it or not, these special days had strict rules and regulations, so they didn’t actually allow us to dress how we like. We couldn’t wear shorts above the knee, tank tops, or tops showing any midriff. We were also not allowed to wear pajamas on a “dress as you like” day which was very puzzling to me.
Some girls at my old school even got dress code violations for wearing leggings.
Many people may also believe that dress codes can often be unfair towards girls. Boys typically don’t have as strict dress codes as girls, and can often get away with more than girls can. Girls are typically told in school through dress codes that normal trendy clothes for a teenager are ‘inappropriate.’
CSD senior, Chance Orsi (‘25) believes stereotypes and different acceptance standards between boys and girls impact not only what students choose to wear but also how they are perceived.
“A lot of the time, if there is a dress code in school, it’s typically like ‘no shorts/skirts above mid-thigh’ or ‘nothing that shows the belly/shoulders’ and obviously, mainly, girls would wear those things that tend to have those attributes. It’s not every day you see a guy in class wearing short shorts or tube tops,” Chance Orsi (‘25) said. “Also, it tends to be described as a ‘distraction’ which goes to show the indication that the rules are made thinking that if a girl were to wear any of that, she’d be seen as sexualizing herself.”
Contrary to most student’s beliefs that CSD does not have a dress code, we do. Addressing a dress code, the official CSD Spartan Handbook says, “Please use your good judgment and consider whether your clothing choices meet the standards and values set by your own families.”
We do have rules, but they empower the student to make the choice and that is important for learning.
At CSD, most students do not have issues with the CSD dress code.
“I personally love CSD’s lack of dress code because I get to wear whatever I want,” Emma Burch (‘25) said.
Her favorite thing about CSD’s lack of dress code is being able to wear pajamas every day.
CSD students feel like they can wear what they want freely, and the student body rarely gets “dress coded” like at my old school. Students believe it is important to be comfortable at school.
Of course, some students push limits but that is part of learning.
“I think the freedom of CSD’s dress code is great, however some people take advantage of it too much,” Hayley Rohats (‘25) said.
(Mia Kirsch)
The CSD Handbook also says that if your fashion choices are disrupting class, admin has the right to ask you to change your ways.
For me, being able to curate a cute outfit everyday at school gives me a newfound confidence that I didn’t have at my old school. I feel better when I get to dress how I want.
Curating a cute outfit can even give me motivation to show up to school. School can become a dull, uninteresting experience throughout the school year and sometimes it takes feeling good in an outfit to make me want to even go.
Allowing students to express themselves through fashion choices is important and necessary. It can help us feel more confident in the classroom. And that is so important.
