Is the Dress Code Really Fair?
Dress code. A set of rules for what you can and can’t wear at school, work, etc. But why do we really have it? Some say it’s to be respectful of others in the school environment but others disagree. Can all still be respectful of each other while people learn to respect their peers regardless of what they wear.
Saying girls have to wear shorts or skirts that go halfway down their thighs may make some people feel like they can’t express themselves or their unique style at school. This has caused a lot of controversy in schools globally. School is a place where students should feel well respected, and when there are restrictions on what students can and can’t wear, students may feel targeted. We have gathered a variety of opinions on dress code by interviewing staff and students, conducting surveys, and researching about dress codes at different schools.
The first thing we did was interview the Middle School Assistant Principal at the Zurich International School (ZIS), Suzanne Keys. We did this because we wanted to get a new perspective on the dress code. She believes that the ZIS dress code is fair, but has heard complaints from girls saying that they think the dress code targets them. Ms.Keys has also had complaints from boys in the past and believes that what’s in style can affect people’s outlook on the dress code. Ms.Keys thinks the main reason for the dress code is to be respectful of the people working and learning around us. “We go to an international school with kids from all over the world who are used to different ways of dress.” Ms.Keys thinks students should have a voice in deciding dress code but it is mainly staff who decide the dress code rules.
“We go to an international school with kids from all over the world who are used to different ways of dress.”
- Suzanne Keys, Middle School Assistant Principal
One struggle of dress code many people face is that in the shopped at stores, such as Zara, H&M, and Brandy Melville it’s harder to find things that fit the dress code. For instance, girls are unable to wear clothing that reveals their hips and curves, such as leggings and/or crop tops. Girls are also restricted to wearing shorts and skirts that are halfway between the top of their thigh and knee. This rule is an issue because when it is hotter outside, girls do not have any other options. Another rule of dress code is that you can not wear tops that have spaghetti straps or expose the shoulder in any way. You are also not able to wear skin-tight pants. During the hotter months of the school year girls have to wear either pants or wear shorts that follow the dress code and are hard to find in stores. This is why a lot of the time girls feel targeted and feel as if they are unable to express themselves.
Along with interviewing Ms. Keys, we also interviewed another staff member, who preferred to stay anonymous. This staff member thinks some of the rules, such as no low v-necks, no tube-tops, and no inappropriate slogans are appropriate rules to have. However, the anonymous staff member also thinks that the dress code is unfair for girls and that girls should be able to express themselves. It should not be against the rules for girls to embrace their curves and body.
In a survey we conducted of 12 middle school students 75% of people said that dress code is targeted to a certain gender while 16.7% said maybe. Many people said dress code is directed towards girls. Many said that boys do not have to think about dress code and girls have to a lot. Some said that they would like to wear shorts and tank tops without worrying about getting dress coded. Others were annoyed and confused with why showing their shoulders or thighs were against the rules. One female who who took our survey said that dress code is a way to interrupt girls education. Another student said, “I think the dress code is not fair because it is always targeted at girls. Most of the rules apply to girls. Boys do not have to think about dress code while girls have to think about dress code all the time. I think that some of the rules should be taken out.”
Below is the ZIS Middle School dress code and we have categorized it’s rules by gender.
Rules targeted at girls
Students must be suitably covered: no spaghetti straps, off the shoulder tops or cropped tops that show the midriff.
Shorts and skirts must not be too short; they must come to at least half way down between the top of the leg and knee (even when skirts and shorts are worn over tights).
No leggings, or skin-tight pants/trousers, unless worn under long tops, skirts or dresses.
Rules targeted to everyone
No flip-flops.
Hats may not be worn indoors (except for bona fide religious reasons)
No underwear may be visible.
As you can see there are no dress code rules directed on just boys while there are three rules directed to just girls. This shows how the dress code does target a certain gender.
We took the ZIS dress code from from the middle school handbook and modified and changed it to make it the way we think it should be. By doing this, we hope to get a voice in changing and making the dress code more fair in the future. Here is our modified code:
All students must come to school dressed for participating in school. Clothing that has inappropriate slogans/ advertising (e.g. displaying references to weapons, alcohol, drugs, tobacco, sex, sexist/racist slogans, etc.) is not allowed. No cropped tops that show the midriff. No underwear may be visible. Your butt must be covered at all times. You may wear flip-flops but not to P.E class. Hats may not be worn indoors (except for bona fide religious reasons).The Principal or Assistant Principal will make the final decision about what is appropriate and what is not. These rules apply to all school sponsored activities.
We hope by showing our opinions on what dress code should be and why many people find it unreasonable helps clarify and give students voice. Our goal would to actually make a change. We hope that by reading this article you become more involved in helping make the dress code fair. What you can do now is speak up to make dress code equal for everyone. Talk to your peers, talk to our leaders, or contact us.
