Category: Dress Code

As part of the Jefferson County Code of Conduct, the school dress code has always been a major concern with the administration and students in Shades Valley/JCIB. I, and many other females, have experienced shame because of the clothes we wear. I assume that this is because the administration believes that feminine clothing would cause a distraction and make male students uncomfortable. However, it is immoral to discipline female students for the actions of others, especially when it was not your intention to do anything malicious. Jefferson County unfairly targets females and, as a result, the dress code should be made more gender neutral.

The code of conduct clearly states their restriction on female clothing, and only female clothing. The majority of the rules have to do with covering certain body parts, such as the stomach and chest. Rules indicate that skirts,dresses, and shorts can be no shorter than 4 inches above the knee and that your midriff and back should not be seen (JEFCOED Code of Conduct). Other rules include wearing a cover over tank tops,cutoff tops, and leggings. Articles of clothing such as leggings, dresses, and tank tops are usually worn by females. At the same time, if a guy were to wear a tank top he would most likely be overlooked because there is not really anything to hide but muscles and skin. Girls, on the other hand, are built differently and tank tops would cause a problem. This is basically body shaming at the expense of girls. According to Amber Thomas, a journalist engineer for The Pudding, ‘77% of schools’ policies specifically prohibit the visibility of certain body parts’ (2019).

In comparison to girls, a guys wardrobe is fairly simple. It may include t shirts, athletic tops,basketball shorts, and ripped jeans. Girls, on the other hand, have access to a broader variety of clothing and accessories ranging from headwraps,jewelry, and different types of tops (JEFCOED Code of Conduct).The dress code should be more lineauant considering the way modern fashion is.We, as young people, tend to like to stay up to date with these fashion trends. According to Jennifer Betts , a teacher for several schools, a child’s teenage years are when they care most about their self image and because of this kids tend to dress like their peers. But everyone is built differently. A pair of clothes on one person may violate the dress code and may not on someone else (Betts, 2019). For example, a shirt that was meant to be a midriff top looks like a regular t-shirt on someone who is short, but on a taller girl it might expose her stomach. Then, you have just picked on someone for being tall. The dress code then sends a negative message that makes teenagers self conscious of their body and lower their self esteem. Then,a new problem arises where the student would have to find new clothes. Out of the wide variety of feminine clothes available almost half of them are prohibited because of today’s fashion trends. According to a study conducted by The Pudding , 41% of ‘tween’ girl clothing was considered distracting (Thomas, 2019). This means it must be difficult to find clothing that correlate with the dress code. However, some schools such as Shades Valley and JCIB make up for this by permitted certain coverage under pants with rips above the knee and more. The code of conduct should implement this so females would not have to worry about the exposure of skin on the leg.

The male dress code targets how guys wear their clothes, and nothing else. The Jefferson County Code of Conduct states, ‘Students are to wear clothing in the manner for which it is designed. Pants must be worn at the waist’. Other rules include the prohibition of wearing hair picks in hair. These two rules are the only rules that are aimed only to the male gender, meaning that more than half of the dress code are aimed toward females. Other students would not have to stress as much over what to wear. According to Thomas, 50 percent of 481 US schools ban sagging pants while 60 to 70 percent ban short shorts. Both of these trends could expose skin above the knee, yet the dress code is stricter against short shorts, making it unfair towards females.

Nevertheless, critics of a strict dress code will probably argue that a strict dress code prevents distraction and provides a more productive school environment because do not have to constantly worry about what to wear. However, according to Betts, banning so much clothing “takes away a female student’s comfort level at best, and at worst, suggests that boys should be comfortable but [girls do not need the same comfort]”(Betts). The dress code implies that is not necessary to pull a female from class because of her clothing, creating a negative influence on her grades and making a male’s education more important. At the same time, a girl’s education should be of equal importance.Instead of saying that certain clothing is distracting, try to fix the behavior of the distracted. Yes, students would not have to worry about what to wear but they would still want to look good in the fashion of their choice. When a person dressed in what they like it makes them look good,feel good, and feel more lively. The more confident you are in your own clothes and skin, the more motivated and productive you could be.

School dress codes in Jefferson County and all over the US seem focus primarily on gender stereotypes, instead of what is really important: the children’s education. These stereotypes do not account for the tremendous amount of modern clothing that may not abide to it, as well as the negative effects and messages it has sent to the young world. The school dress code should be revised so that it does not unfairly target females and creates fair ground for both genders.

Every girl who has been a student at a public school knows the struggle of dress code. Our dresses are too tight, our shorts are too short, our shirts reveal to much cleavage, our tops show too much shoulder and our leggings are too distracting. School dress codes are unfair, body shaming and reinforce rape culture.

The schools dress code clearly applies more to girls than the boys. Boy’s shorts are made longer, and they have no need to wear bras or worry about cleavage. No one is watching the length of the guys outfits but somehow the girls are always dress coded. (Schulte, 2019) Dress codes are created for girls. For example, Cox Mill High Schools dress code is mostly applied to girls. (Current Students / Dress Code Information) I understand that their need to be some sort of dress code, but girls are not waking up and wanting to go to school in a bikini. The girls just want to be comfortable and look cute without worrying about “distracting” the males.

Girls are apparently to distracting. Well what about girls being distracted? Maybe the short preppy shorts, the boxers hanging out of their pants or those drop tank top that reveal their shoulders, biceps and their side are too “distracting” to us. The problem with school dress codes is not just that there unfair but the logic behind it.

School dress codes are also body shaming. A 17-year-old girl named Kelsey Anderson was told to leave class because she violated the dress code by being “busty” and “plus size.” A principle of a high school in South Carolina announced to the school that unless you are a size 0 or 2 do not wear leggings. A 12-year-old girl wore a skirt that was 2 inches above her knee and was told that she looked like she should go clubbing. Another teen was dress coded for showing her collar bone and her principle response was “distraction always comes back to what the girl was wearing”. (Heller,2017)

Teenage girls are taught from a young age that they must be careful of what the wear in order to not distract the boys. The schools are teaching young girls that women need to wear more “modest” clothes in order to not be raped. Men can control themselves and their urges. . Men should be taught to be gentlemen instead of forcing girls to take the responsibility.

The school’s opinion on the school dress codes is that we will distract the boys. Girl at a young age are taught not to show off their bodies because of the fear of distracting the males. Schools are teaching girls that they should cover up their bodies and whatever happens to them is their fault for wearing “revealing” clothing. The fact of the matter is that the victim is not the one that should be blamed but the one who committed the actions.

The schools are taking the responsibility from the boys. By enforcing how girls dress to take the boys attention from them, the school are sending a message that is a girl’s responsibility on how boys view them. Since the responsibility is taken from the boys, girls are blamed for sexual harassment. It is not the victim’s fault. The victim is not responsible for the rapist doings. The victim did not wear leggings in hoping a man would take her against her will. The idea that clothing causes rape is false.

The idea that what women chose to wear has do with being raped or assaulted has been around for a while. According to the Washington Post, the Supreme court of Appeals in Rome ruled that a woman wearing jeans could not be raped in 1999. (Kendall, 2019) One of the questions a victim is asked by the police is “what were you wearing?”. As if what the females wears gives men consent. In 2005, Amnesty International had a poll and a third of respondents believed women were responsible for being assaulted. A Federal Commission Non-Crime of violence found out that just 4.4 percent of reported assaults involve provocative behavior. It has also been proven that rapist could not remember what the victim was wearing. Studies show that a woman who tends to cover up completely has more of a chance to be raped. In a college study 1 in 3 men say that they would rape a woman if they could get away with it. That study had nothing to do with clothing. (Kendall, 2019)

A dress is one of the major needs of a human to live in this world. It is our protection to different kinds of weather in this earth especially in the Philippines which is under the pacific ring of fire and Philippines have five different types of climate this are tropical monsoon, humid subtropical, tropical rainforest, tropical savanna, and oceanic. Based on temperature in the Philippines the coolest month of the year is between November to January in which January is the coolest and the hottest weather in the Philippines is between March to October where the month of May is the hottest. It is not only our protection to different climates and weather in the Philippines but sometimes it is also our protection to thieves or different kinds of bad doings that is used against us.

Through the years there are many innovations have been made in producing garments. Fabric is one of the main components of producing garments. In todays generation the most recent used fabric is the knit fabric it is stretchy that it makes it durable. Other kinds of fabrics used for creating garments are cotton voile, rayon, linen, denim, and satin. Through the years fashion have been evolved and it influences some dress codes and some etiquette around it also evolved. But some traditions holds the way it has to be wear for a good reason an example of this is the dress code in the wedding day in tradition witnesses do not wear white to a wedding to avoid upstaging the bride on her big day, but today its not even a thing and should leave it on the past. Dress code is very important and unique in different kinds of occasions it is a set of rules that specifically requiring participants or people in the event to wear prescribed dress. In wedding, the old etiquette is to not wear white, black or red but now black and red is good, but the white color is still not good because you could make upstage the bride.

During the dinner party it is important to know first whom you will going to eat with because when you overdress you can make the host of the dinner party to feel insecure and uncomfortable and if you underdress you are risking to offend your diner companions, so it is better to ask first the host of the dinner before attending or going to the dinner party.

In occasion like business dinner or a company party the proper etiquette is to wear what you usually wear during office hours. And in this occasion, you should not wear provocative dresses because you could not be taken seriously.

During baptism or any religious ceremony, you should choose an outfit that is appropriate in a religious environment.

During funeral or wake occasion, the proper etiquette is to wear black if you are mourning but in todays tradition you do not have to wear black but to wear a respectful outfit.

In funeral, you should not have wear something festive design on your outfit or colorful to respect the people who are mourning.

During the occasion wherein you are in the night at the theater, you should recognize regional differences, it is all about what is the theme of the night or you may wear formal clothes.

For an occasion for giving a first impression like a first date or meeting the in-laws of love of your life. In giving first impression you should wear a conservative dress if you are a woman and if you are a man you must dress semi-formal like clothes to be able to have a safe impression.

The most common dress code is the dress code inside the school. The school dress code is the most common dress code policy in many communities. This dress code requires students to wear uniforms with specific kind of fabric and color. There can be three different kinds of dress code in a school, these are physical education uniform, regular uniform, and washday uniform which is commonly a shirt that is approved by the school to wear. There are many benefits in following this dress codes, this dress codes promotes a serious school atmosphere that emphasizes good behavior. This dress code at school also promotes encouragement for the students to concentrate in their studies and less on thinking about what will they wear in each day morning until afternoon. This dress code also promotes to save money for the parents of this students. This dress code also reduces social conflict that will make other student feel pressure about their appearances.

Business attire has changed as time goes by, too many companies encourage their employees to wear anything they want or sometimes wear at least a polo shirt for formality. This makes the environment of the workplace to be more comfortable. But nowadays there are still companies that sticks to the traditional way of giving a dress code. Other companies still set rules of standards to their employees to wear business attires because this creates a professional image in a workplace. Wearing business attire as an employee represents that they are professionals. Another reason for wearing proper dress code or wearing business attire on a company is to be ready when there is an unexpected guest on your company or there is an unexpected meting outside of the company and you were the one who will represent your company. Your qualities on following dress codes during a business meeting will be remembered and will be the representation of your company. According to Matthew Randall, how an individual dress for work is great bonus of his personal brand and how an employee chooses to wear it helps the employer to be impress on his skills and qualities as an employee.

The dress code at a workplace and occasions is very important. The dress code represents your image and qualities as a professional. The dress code is also important because the first impressions gives a large impact in the future if he/she will meet the people for the second time, and we only get one and only chance to have a positive impression. First impressions are formed about how they dress on a particular situation. Being modest is one of the traits of being a professional, it is important to be recognize on your great works rather than recognized on how you dress and how you follow on the latest fashion. It is also important to be mindful on basic etiquette for wearing an appropriate attire. Following dress codes especially on business is a dress to success. And in the future if we became an employee or employer, we are the one who will represent the workplace of a company. The dress code standards are different in different kinds of company or occasion. The importance of dress code cannot be ignored. A true professional respect’s his/her workplace’s rules like dress code. Personal expression must give justice with the rules inside the company or in the workplace.

“What a teacher is, is more important than what he teaches” (Menninger). In many everyday situations a person is judge upon how they present themselves. The way a person acts, dresses, and even talks. As a teacher you are obligated to present yourself in a certain way, a more sophisticated way. Dress Codes are a way to keep that formality in place. Whether its a parent conference, teachers meet, or normal school day, a teacher should always present themselves in a dress for success manner. Teachers are one of the main fundamental representatives of a school and if they don’t look appropriate it would start saying a lot about how the school is and have parents question and concern the schools professionalism. Without a dress code put in order students would not take their professor seriously and would not show the respect needed, it would cause the school to look lazy and not put together, and it would even cause a lack of work effort for teachers as well.

A lot can be said by just what you choose to wear. Your clothing can show your strengths, weaknesses, and how much power you hold. If a teacher with a degree doesn’t dress as if they have a degree then it would say a lot about that teacher. It would show that the teacher doesn’t absolutely take their professionalism seriously and students can pick up on that quickly. Studies show “Individuals often make assessments of an individual’s socioeconomic status by noticing what he/she is wearing. Clothing can indicate the type of profession or career track the wearer has. Attire can be an indication of attitudes, beliefs, and values an individual holds. Clothing can even be an indication of the personality or psychological disposition of the wearer” (Roach 126). Although it may not seem like a huge deal a first, a lot can be perceived on what you chose to wear in the morning. If a person chooses to wake up and throw anything on it would show lack of care and lack of care is lack of authority. If a student doesn’t see you as an authority figure then they will definitely not treat you like one. As a teacher it’s important to have the respect needed by a student to get your job done. Without it, it would make teaching these young minds a whole lot harder.

A community can be described by every individual in it. Like a choir, one bad note can shine out all the rest and will fall apart. If teachers are to look bad it says a whole lot about the school. If the students have a dress code then teachers should as well, it shows unity with the school community. Although teachers do have a higher place in a school than students, it does not mean they can not show the same respect to the schools. “56% of public schools enforce a dress code for students. However, appropriate apparel for teachers has yet to be defined in many schools and administrators argue that many teachers are abusing the privilege of the traditionally lax policies.” (National Center for Education Statistics). Teachers abuse their power and forget that the school community has a higher place over them. If they do not show the same respect as the students should shot them to the school then they are not professionals and should not be treated as such. Teachers have as much school pride to show as students do, maybe even more. Teachers are hired to show professionalism and to show the school’s image, if that is abused and not taken seriously then they shouldn’t be classified as teachers.

As clothing can describe how people perceive you it can have a huge impact on your mood. Comfortable, unprofessional clothing, are what is usually worn in the house. Their bodies and minds without realizing it can see and feel that clothing and cause them to feel the same way they would do watching netflix on the couch at home. If teacher start wearing that type of clothing to school, comfortable, inside clothing, it would put their minds in that state and making going throughout the day difficult. The scientific word for this is “In enclothed cognition, the link between a physical experience and its symbolic meaning is indirect, as it is the clothes that carry the symbolic meaning… Overall, we hypothesize that wearing a piece of clothing and embodying its symbolic meaning will trigger associated psychological processes.” (Adam, Galinsky, 918-925). The way you dress can cause a huge way on how well your brain processes and works. If teachers start coming to school with unprofessional clothing it would put them in that unprofessional mindstate and cause their work levels to go down and that does not only affect their jobs but also the students they are responsible for. Students should not have to be in the backfire of a teachers inconsiderate and unprofessional ways. It can be the best teacher in the world but if their clothing and minds start lacking then so would their work. As a teacher, the number one priority should be the students and if they are not doing their 100% absolute best including dress appropriately then their degree to hold such responsibilities should be revoked.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Without a dress code put in order students would not take their professor seriously and would not show the respect needed. If there is no respect in the classrooms then students are not learning and not getting the right education they need for life. Lack of dress code can also make the school look extremely bad and less parents would want their children to attend the school. Such a small thing can bring down a whole school and cause teachers and staff to lose jobs and students to lose an education. Most importantly it can affect the teachers ability to teach properly and be able to do the best they can do for a student. If someone sees a teacher show up in yoga pants and tank top, it definitely would not look like a teach but a student and that is unacceptable and really unprofessional and they should not be called teachers. As little as this automatic everyday process may seem, When you wake up in the morning think to yourself, “What does this outfit really show and perceive about me?” because you may be surprised.

Introduction: The Controversy Surrounding School Dress Codes

When one picture’s a girl, what comes to mind? When one thinks of a girl or young woman’s body, should it be hidden? According to most school dress codes, a girl’s body is a distraction and should be covered to protect the male mind. Teenage girls today are told that their bodies, not the actions of the males that the girls “caused”, aren’t appropriate for a school environment. Dress codes can be outdated and sexist. Because of all this, one must ask: Is a female student more than a distraction? Dress codes have been shown to cause body issues, promote victim blaming, and compromise the female education for the males; therefore schools should either revise their dress codes or abolish them as a whole.

The “Boys Will Be Boys” Mentality and Its Consequences

Dress codes promote the dangerous “boys will be boys” mentality that can lead to several extreme situations. According to Mary Widdicks, it is common for not only teachers but for parents to place the blame of crude actions on a boy’s gender. She also states that using the “boys will be boys” idiom is dismissive and does not help solve the problem. Even parents of the male gender can see that boys need to be held accountable for their actions (Widdicks). Telling girls that they have to change because it is a distraction to the opposite gender is enabling the activity from boys they are trying to prevent. Instead of making the girl change because god forbid you can see her leg, the administration should teach boys that girls do not object to pawns and that they are more than a distraction.

The Double Standards of Gender and Hormones

Teachers and staff should teach teenage boys that contrary to popular belief, they can control their actions and their hormones just as girls do. Steven Dowshen reports, “When your body reaches a certain age, your brain releases a special hormone that starts the changes of puberty. It’s called gonadotropin-releasing hormone, or GnRH for short. When GnRH reaches the pituitary gland, this gland releases into the bloodstream two more puberty hormones: luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. Guys and girls have both of these hormones in their bodies. And depending on whether you’re a guy or a girl, these hormones go to work on different parts of the body.” (Dowshen). This means that females and males receive the same hormones as they go through puberty. So, if girls are expected to control themselves, there should not be a double standard for the opposite gender.

The Sexualization and Objectification of Female Students

Others will say that it is up to a girl to protect herself from a boy’s words and actions. Those in favor of the dress code think that a boy can not control his actions and that his hormones are taking control of his actions. Some think that girls know that the boys in their class are visually stimulated and that they will try to dress in certain fashions to get boys’ attention. A popular blog writer who goes by the pseudonym “Peppermintfrost” writes, “Boys definitely stare at girls’ butts when they are wearing leggings. Do we really need those extra distractions in school?” and “I know from male teachers that they feel very uncomfortable when their female high school students are wearing tiny shorts or skirts, or have half of their breasts exposed for the world to see. They don’t want to get caught staring.” (Peppermintfrost). She is a believer that dress codes are not sexist and that it is up to a girl to prevent distractions and that most parts of the female anatomy are not “appropriate” for the school environment.

This is absurd. Once again, a girl and her body are more than a distraction. Shouldn’t the administration focus on the fact that the male faculty are scared to get caught staring at students who typically range from the ages of fourteen to eighteen? Peppermintfrost clearly has a biased opinion. Not all girls have their cleavage exposed and or wear small attire or in her words, “sexy nightclub outfits”. There are plenty of examples of young women being dress coded for outfits where their body is completely covered and not serving as a “distraction”. “Seventeen Magazine” journalist Hannah Orenstein writes, “A lot of schools ban spaghetti straps, low-cut tops, and short-shorts. But Woodford County High School in Woodford County, Kentucky takes the concept of a dress code way further: school officials sent home student Stephanie Hughes because her collarbone was showing” (Orenstein). The picture in the article shows Stephanie Hughes wearing bootcut jeans, a tank top, and a sweater. How is this a “sexy night club outfit”? The answer is, it is not. The dress code is clearly sexualizing a young girl and her body parts that are even shared with the male anatomy.

Such extreme codes are not just evident in high school-aged girls’ dress codes. These strict rules start in grades such as elementary school. Society starts raising girls to believe that they should conform to protect the males and that their body is a problem. If we did not have these rules starting so young, maybe the males wouldn’t learn that a girl’s body can serve as a distraction. We should start teaching from a young age that girls are not objects to lust after. A young girl should not have to worry about the clothing that she is wearing and the effect that it has on the boys in her class. She should be learning at that the most important thing about her body is not how it is covered, but what’s inside.

Body Image and Victim Blaming: The Hidden Costs of Dress Codes

Your body is a problem. That is what girls are told when reading the dress code. Because of this, body issues are created at such early ages. Girls are told to hide their bodies and that sends a very clear message: don’t show your body, there is something wrong with it. Dress codes target those who have a bigger or curvier body type. Clothing pieces can appear different on different body types. The way one article of clothing fits one girl will fit another totally differently. If one is of the thinner body type, one is less likely to get dress coded. Take wearing shorts for example. The High-School dress code states that shorts should be at mid palms length when arms are at the side. But, if one is bigger in size or one’s shorts are just tighter, which is not against the dress code, you are more likely to get coded. This conveys the message that a girl’s body is an issue. If one is told that a piece, even in the dress code, is not flattering on her, what is she to think of her body? The school is creating negative body images and implanting them in young girls’ minds. Girls and people, in general, have a hard enough time dealing with society’s body standards, there is no need to bring that body image issues to the school environment.

Body image issues are something that almost everyone deals with. But, body issues are most prominent in older girls and young women. The question is, where did it all start? Body image issues start at earlier ages than one may suspect. According to the Common Sense Media researchers, “Almost as soon as preschoolers complete the developmental task of mastering a concept of their bodies, they begin to express concerns about their bodies, taking their cues from peers, adults, and media around them.”(Common Sense Media Researchers). This means that as soon as a child can understand his or she’s body, body issues can start to arise. Eating disorders are most common in those ages fourteen to twenty-five. Eating disorders can last people a lifetime.

If a girl thinks that her body is an issue or not good enough, this could cause her to start having body issues, leading to an eating disorder. If a girl is constantly told by school administration that her body is not the “right type” for a certain article of clothing, or that she should cover her body up because it is “too revealing”, this can cause one to think that her body is not good enough and that she needs to do something to change it. This said, she could then turn to not eating and other unhealthy habits that affect her body’s image which can cause an eating disorder. Some eating disorders include bulimia and anorexia. Anorexia is the leading cause of twelve-year-old girls. This is the age when most girls are heading into middle school and or in middle school. This is the prime time when bullying and body issues occur. If the school administrative system is telling a girl to hide her body and telling her that it is a problem then that opens up the door for an eating disorder.

Those who agree with the dress code say that they give a more professional environment to the classroom. This is not the case when every day someone is pulled out of their classes because of the outfits he or she chooses to wear. This instead of creating a positive environment produces a negative one. Such a negative environment pulls focus away from education and focuses it on a girl’s body, again. This teaches young women that their education does not matter, what matters is making sure their body is not providing any diversions and is okay to be viewed. Such negative environments can also be a cause for such negative body images.

School dress codes also promote victim blaming. Most people who are against the abolition of dress codes say that the girls who dress in the certain way that got them coded, are asking for it. This goes exactly with victim blaming. Telling the girls that a boy’s actions are her fault is not right, it’s sexual harassment. Peppermintfrost writes“Sexual harassment is a problem, but it isn’t caused by boys” (Peppermintfrost). When a girl wears something that showcases a certain body asset and a boy makes some comment to her, people will then say that she was asking for it. This is and should be seen as sexual harassment. Harassment comes in different types of forms whether it be physical or verbal. With either type, a short skirt is not an invitation. Since when did wearing certain clothing become a way to ask for rude comments and behavior? A girl should be able to wear what she wants without having to worry about a boy’s or anyone else’s comments. Each person is responsible for their own actions and one can not blame them for what another wears. A clothing article can not speak. Therefore, it can not say “please make rude comments to me”, “please make me feel ashamed about my body”, or “please act in an annoying manner that will make me uncomfortable”.

Dress codes also teach young women that a man’s education is more important than hers. A girl can be pulled out of class, just so she can go home and change or change in the office so that she doesn’t distract the opposite gender. Instead of holding the boys accountable for their actions, the girls are the ones getting in trouble. Girls have to sacrifice their precious learning time because a boy cannot understand that shoulders are shoulders, not sexual objects. There is no excuse to pull a girl out of class. The main reason why most administrators take girls out of class is that the girl is serving as a “distraction”. This sends the message loud and clear that it is more important for a boy to not be distracted by a girl’s body than for the girl to be in class. This teaches a girl that a girl is just a body, not a mind. It does not matter what a girl thinks, just the way she covers her body. We must protect the male’s education because it is way more valuable than the girl even being present in class. Many colleges go without a dress code, yet the male students still manage to obtain an education.

Some people say that dress codes help prevent bullying. This is, in fact, the opposite. Students feel targeted by administrators for their body type and gender. CNN reports that a young girl says “The message her school is sending her, she said, is that she should cover up and be ashamed. ‘If I show a little bit of my body, I’m considered a bad girl’ (CNN). There have been many instances where teachers or school administrators tell young adults that they can not wear something because of their size. The clothing item can be completed in the dress code but will still be sent home or punished. Girls have been told that they cannot wear leggings unless they are a size zero or two because it makes them appear “fat”. Young women have been punished on multiple occasions for being “too busy” even when their tops are in the dress code given to them. If a girl chooses not to wear a bra to school for whatever reason, she may not only be in trouble but it can cause embarrassment as well. The Today Show covers an issue where Florida teen, Lizzy Martinez was told to put bandaids over her nipples which can cause extreme pain and be dangerous because she wasn’t wearing a bra and it was distracting the boys. After the male administrators had left the room she was asked to move and jump around so the movement of her breast could be evaluated and see if she would still continue to serve as a distraction (The Today Show).

Conclusion: The Need for Reevaluation or Abolition of Dress Codes

A girl’s body should not be seen as a distraction. A girl’s education should not be compromised to benefit the male’s education. Society needs to teach boys that a girl’s body is not a toy or an object to lust after. It is not a girl’s job to shelter a boy’s mind. Boys do have control over their hormones, just as girls do. The negative environment can cause body issues and victim blaming. We should not teach young girls that they ask for a male’s bad behavior with what she dresses in. A girl’s clothing choice cannot speak, therefore she can not ask for anything with how she dresses. Dress codes single out those who don’t conform to society’s expectations of what is and is not okay for a girl to wear and or show. Dress codes bully those of bigger sizes and sexualize the female body. Dress codes are outdated and need to be either reevaluated or abolished.

The ongoing debate about using school uniforms for students has been contentious. Those favouring school uniforms cite benefits such as increased community spirit, discipline, and an improved learning environment. However, opponents take issue with the idea that school uniforms may limit individuality and be costly for families, as well as questioning its effectiveness when tackling issues such as bullying and academic performance. 

In this essay, I will present both the advantages and disadvantages of school uniforms for students. While there may be some benefits associated with wearing school uniforms, such as reduced distractions or a stronger sense of unity among peers, there are also potential drawbacks; these include limiting self-expression and introducing financial strain on families. 

General Points

School uniforms are designed to create a sense of unity and equality between students, and help prevent bullying or teasing. Wearing school uniforms is commonplace for children and young adults around the world, especially in private schools. It is becoming increasingly common for public schools to require students to wear uniforms daily. The purpose of school uniforms is to improve safety and reduce social conflict among students pursuing their educational goals.

The History of School Uniforms Worldwide

School uniforms have been a part of many cultures for centuries. In 16th century England, all students were required to wear uniform-like clothes to promote equality among classes. In the 19th century, English public schools adopted a more formal and uniform dress code. This trend was soon adopted by other countries around the world, including Japan and the US. The first American school to require uniforms was the Dallas Public School System in 1982, setting a precedent for other schools throughout the country. Today, school uniforms are common in many parts of the world, both in private and public schools.

Pros

The idea that school uniforms lead to better behaviour and academic performance is a misconception.

Firstly, school uniforms promote a sense of discipline and order. When everyone is dressed the same way, it is easier to identify who belongs on campus and who does not. This can help to reduce instances of truancy and promote a more secure learning environment. School uniforms also instill a sense of pride in one’s school and community, which can foster a positive attitude towards learning.

Secondly, school uniforms can help to reduce bullying and peer pressure. When students are not judged by their clothing, they are less likely to be bullied or feel pressure to conform to certain fashion trends. This can lead to a more inclusive and supportive school environment, where students are valued for their personalities and abilities rather than their appearance.

Thirdly, school uniforms can help to promote equality among students. Regardless of their socioeconomic background, all students will be dressed in the same way, which can help to reduce the social hierarchy that is often present in schools. This can lead to a more cohesive and harmonious student body, where everyone feels valued and respected.

Lastly, school uniforms can help to prepare students for the professional world. Many workplaces have dress codes, and school uniforms can teach students the importance of dressing appropriately for different situations. This can help to instill good habits that will benefit them in their future careers.

Cons

Firstly, school uniforms can be expensive, especially for families with multiple children. This can be a burden on low-income families, who may struggle to afford the cost of purchasing school uniforms. Additionally, school uniforms need to be replaced regularly as children grow, which can add to the financial burden.

Secondly, school uniforms can limit individuality and expression. Students should be free to express their personal style and identity through their clothing choices. When everyone is dressed the same way, it can be difficult for students to differentiate themselves and express their individuality. This can lead to a lack of creativity and self-expression, negatively impacting their development.

Moreover, school uniforms can be uncomfortable and impractical. Depending on the climate, uniforms may not be suitable for all weather conditions. In addition, some students may find the fabric or style of the uniform uncomfortable, which can affect their concentration and performance in school.

Lastly, school uniforms may not be effective in achieving their intended goals. While supporters argue that uniforms promote a sense of discipline and order, reduce bullying, and promote equality, there is limited evidence to support these claims. In some cases, school uniforms may even exacerbate existing social hierarchies and lead to a greater sense of exclusion among students.

Conclusion

The debate surrounding school uniforms has been ongoing for many years and will likely remain controversial. Supporters of school uniforms argue that they foster a sense of community, discipline, and concentration. At the same time, opponents believe that they restrict individuality, are costly, and fail to address issues like bullying or academic performance. Ultimately, the decision to implement school uniforms should be made after carefully considering the values and needs of individual communities, as there is no one-size-fits-all solution to this complex issue. 

In my opinion, school uniforms have advantages, as they promote discipline and equality among students. Despite some students’ complaints about wearing school uniforms, most agree that it is easier to concentrate on their studies without worrying about their appearance or the cost of their clothing.

School dress code management is not always the most professional, and the angry parents addressing this issue would agree. Dress codes are common regulations implemented nationwide in schools with something written usually along the lines of: no spaghetti straps, no ripped jeans, no halter tops, etc. These rules have been put in place to promote professional attire and uniformity amongst students in schools. The rules enforced are black and white; if the outfit does not follow proper regulations set in place, further action needs to be taken. But in certain occasions, the actions taken are not the most professional. I think that school administrations can maintain uniformity and professionalism while getting rid of the rape culture that is being promoted when confronting dress code violations.

No short skirts, halter tops, or prominent cleavage; these are all rules directed towards the female student body. Some may argue that these rules are mostly applied to girls because boys would not wear such things, but what boys do wear are tight jeans, sleeveless shirts, and basketball shorts, all items of clothing that could be equally as revealing or distracting yet they are not addressed in the handbook. If dress code management is only enforcing what is written in the handbook, why does the handbook mainly focus on female attire? In fact, the part that is actually addressed towards boys is very loosely enforced, such as muscle shirts and tucked shirts.

A common problem when enforcing the dress code is also that the rules are not enforced equally amongst the student body. This is an important tool that schools use to make sure students do not dress too radically. But the problem begins when there are inconsistencies in the way it is enforced. If it is enforced on one student strictly and not on another, the system begins to fail. The excuse that security guards are ‘just doing their jobs’ when they code someone is lost when they do not apply this rule to everyone out of will rather than ignorance.

There have been many people who believe that the manner that these regulations are enforced are extremely sexist. At Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Montana, Gabriel Montie, a male student that was nearly coded but was ultimately disregarded: “Administration once tried to dress code me for wearing a small crop top and low skinny jeans because they thought I was a girl. It didn’t bother me personally, but it was idiotic that I was to be dress coded when they thought I was a girl, but left me alone when they discovered I wasn’t”. The fact that it happens makes this set of principles lose their actual purpose. The school’s dress code was implemented in school to protect students and give the school the right to tell students what is deemed to be distracting to the education of others, but that point is lost when insinuating that a young girl’s body is to blame.

The first dress code policy was implemented in 1969 when a group of students wore black armbands to protest the Vietnam War. After this case, known as Tinker vs. Des Moines Independent School District, the court decided that it would be best if schools wrote regulations regarding the handbook about appropriate attire to use in school. After that, any gang-related paraphernalia or lewd and otherwise sexually explicit clothing was banned from being used on school grounds. This has proven to be effective, and parents agree for the most part, yet the parameters of ‘appropriate’ attire put in place are obscured when it is mostly about the way a person looks, rather than the safety and professionalism of students and the school. “No, there is no valid reason [to manage the dress code the way it is managed] that I know of. If it was to prevent violence then sure, but my body is not a weapon and it should not be treated like it is”, said Maritza Rodriguez, a former lawyer and current AP English teacher at Nogales High School about regarding. At an age where young women are developing their bodies and finding who they are, it is extremely detrimental to hear a security guard say that the reason they are coding is because the student’s body does not look good with her outfit, rather than stating that those are the rules they have to follow.

Some students who have been dress coded have said they felt that administration or security staff take pleasure in shaming girls and the way they look, and felt a lack of professionalism on their behalf. Though this may not necessarily be true, there is definitely heavy bias when security guards dress code girls. In one instance, a young woman who would be considered tall and curvy was wearing a skirt that administration would deem inappropriate, but instead of stating that it was unacceptable attire, they told her the skirt did not look nice on her body, and if it were another girl, they would not say anything. This exact situation is a prime example of the growing epidemic that is rummaging its way through schools in the United States.

When security guards do happen to dress code someone, students do not always comply with security guards and, in turn, they lose professionalism and say demeaning things to the violator. They shame and embarrass them in public so they can get their way, or so it seems. During lunch- time, students are out in the open around campus and so it is easier for security guards to find the violators. A common approach to dress coding is standing behind them and looking them up and down in disapproval. If the girl is wearing a skirt, they even go as far as to duck their heads under their skirts or have them climb stairs to ‘prove a point’ that their skirts are too revealing. To say the least, these actions are invasive and unnecessary. What this in turn does is promote rape culture.

According to Southern Connecticut State University, “Rape culture is perpetuated through the use of misogynistic language, the objectification of women’s bodies, and the glamorization of sexual violence, thereby creating a society that disregards women’s rights and safety”. This taboo topic is something that is being avoided and not talked about on school grounds, because schools do not want to promote it, but accidentally promote it anyways. There is no doubt that this is not the intention of the school board, yet the mere fact that it is being avoided removes the platform for the victim to speak up because they feel it is not allowed to be talked about.

Some may argue that school dress codes are meant to be socio-economic levelers, preventing students from spending on expensive items and to take away the pressure of kids having to conform with popular trends being promoted by students’ wardrobes. The University of Cambridge wrote an article titled ‘Economic and Social Stress and Material Culture Patterning’ that stated that they had done ethnographic research in Kenya and Zambia and anthropological studies in Sudan and Nigeria. Their studies demonstrate those cultures to communicate within-group corporateness in reference to outsiders. “The greater the competition between groups for resources, the greater the likelihood that material culture will play a part in the maintenance of internal cohesion”. While this is a valid argument, it is an unfit argument due too little to no way of preventing students from buying the most expensive outfits or a trend that follows school regulations yet, still otherwise pressure other students to follow suit to ‘fit in’.

By telling girls that what they wear is provocative, they are telling guys that it is okay to rape because the girl was provoking him. The way the school dress code instigates that is by saying that their body is too distracting to the students around her. They are indicating that it is her fault that they are distracted towards her, rather than giving a different reason or teaching the other students about respect towards their peers. This indirectly tells guys that the excuse, given that he was provoked by what the girl was wearing, is a valid excuse, and the school most likely does not want to be the catalyst for this action. “Administration doesn’t want to sexualize students, and students don’t want to break the rules, but the dress code allows both of them to do so. If there is no dress code, there is no abuse of it” (Personal Interview: Maritza Rodriguez). A female student at NHS was told that if a boy were to come up to her and pull down her shirt because she was wearing a shoulder top, she would be sent to the office and given a referral, rather than the person who did it.

Not only does the school dress code promote rape culture, but it also sexualizes girls in the process. The very reason that they have to tell a girl that she looks provocative insinuates the sexualization of young girls. Some may oppose saying that the school dress code is doing the exact opposite by attempting to relieve the stress that young girls may feel to look sexy, but that indicates that they dress for other people, not for themselves, and since this is not always the case, this reason is invalid. A teen may simply be trying to be fashionable, but an adult may perceive her outfit as sending a sexual message. Or a girl may indeed be trying to look sexy, but the adult is almost certainly not her intended audience. The fact that adults even have to go out of their way to tell an underage girl that she looks too sexy is implying that they were looking at her that way in the first place, and that is certainly a goal that the school board does not want to achieve. These are such antiquated ideas that should stop being perpetuated. It’s objectification and sexualization. These kind of social ideas have been around for a long time being the main reason why girls are sexualized at a young age, making to feel inferior, and allow ideas within the rape culture to fester. These dress codes, it is argued, are to keep girls’ sexuality in check and to curtail promiscuity. It is argued that a shoulder, a too-tight legging, will simply be too distracting for the student body of a school to get any academic work done. These old, slightly Victorian ideas simply have no foothold in modern society anymore.

Administration does not handle the dress code professionally due to lack of uniformity, promotion of rape culture, and inability to make things impersonal. The dress code, in the end can be a good thing, but is lost when too much bias comes into play. Dress codes are antiquated, in the modern world the sole focus should not be on what women wear. The school dress code, if it is to be effective at all, should continue to be solely about the protection and betterment of the educational environment, rather than the justification of good looks. In many situations, the dress code can go a long way, but when the focus is derailed, so is the argument that supports it.

Works Cited

1. Bates, Laura. ‘Everyday Sexism Project: Dress Codes and Rape Culture’. Time, 22 May, 2015.
2. Friedrichs, Ellen. ‘4 Lies About School Dress Codes That Cover Up Their Oppressive Effects’. Everyday Feminism. N.p., 10 Aug. 2016.
3. Hodder, I. (1979). ‘Economic and Social Stress and Material Culture Patterning’. American Antiquity, 44(3), 446-454 20, January 2017.
4. ‘School Dress Codes’. Findlaw. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 November 2018.
5. ‘Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School Dist’. LII/ Legal Information Institute, n.d. Web. 2 November 2018.
6. Whaley, Katie. ‘Students Question Inconsistent Dress Code Policy’. Bearing News. N.p.,Web. 29 November 2018.

Although some rules in the dress code are necessary, some aren’t. One of those rules is that shorts, skirts, and dresses have to reach the fingertips when they are by your side. I don’t think this rule positively reflects our school. Our school is excellent, but this rule makes it seem as if it doesn’t care about the student’s wellbeing. This rule should be altered to say that shorts only have to go a third of the way down the thigh. If we change the rule not only would our school’s climate be more positive, it would be less discriminatory and students would be more comfortable. In this letter, I will go more in-depth about the benefits of modifying this rule.

Being comfortable plays a significant part in paying good attention. With the fingertip rule we have now, girls aren’t allowed to wear the shorts they own. Because girls don’t own many shorts that adhere to the dress code they either wear the shorts they have or they just wear pants. This might be fine during the winter but in the spring or fall, it can get too hot for girls to comfortably wear long pants. Not only will this new rule make girls more comfortable it will also make them more confident with their clothes. Shorts that follow the dress code often aren’t very fashionable. Wearing clothes that make you feel confident makes you feel more comfortable. With this current rule, some girls do show up wearing shorts, skirts or dresses that do not follow the dress code. Although this might make them feel more comfortable and confident. It causes them to be anxious about if they are going to be dress coded. This can distract them and take away from there learning time. If they do get dress coded they have to go and find a different pair of pants that adheres to the dress code. Which often takes time and takes away from their learning.

Following the dress code and feeling your best can be costly and hard. If girls only own shorts that don’t follow the dress code, to be comfortable they would have to go out and buy new shorts, skirts, and dresses. Buying new shorts is not only costly, but it can also be hard to find ones that follow the dress code. The cheapest pair of women’s Nike shorts that, on me would not violate the dress code are $40 basketball shorts. Most girls don’t want to wear basketball shorts or pay $40 for a pair of shorts that they will only wear at school during the spring and fall. Local stores where girls would be able to try on shorts to see if they follow the dress code oftentimes do not have any shorts that do. An example is Scheels. Scheels sells no active shorts in stores, that would, on me follow the dress code.

The fingertip rule we have now is unfair. With everyone having different body types, the fingertip rule just doesn’t work for everyone. Someone could wear shorts that fit them well and go down to there fingertips. Someone else could wear the same shorts that also fit them well but their hand reaches 3 inches past there shorts. It is important to recognize that not everyone is the same and we can’t have a rule based on how long someone’s arms are. This rule doesn’t only targets a group of girls, but it also targets all girls in general. The fingertip rule is one of three dress code rules predominantly targeting girls, with five of the rules being gender-neutral and only one that predominantly targets boys. According to some people, if there isn’t a dress code people can get distracted. They’re talking about boys being distracted. This rule puts a boy’s education over girls. Saying that girls need to wear clothes that make them less comfortable, confident and more anxious so that boys won’t be distracted. It is not a girl’s fault if a guy gets distracted because he sees some of her thighs. Not only is it sexist towards girls, this idea that girls need to dress so boys won’t be distracted also discriminates against boys. It’s saying they don’t have enough self-control to not be distracted. It’s also time for people to realize that guys aren’t going distracted by a girls thigh. It’s just a thigh, guys aren’t going to be talking about how they saw some girls thigh and how hot it is.

A reason for dress codes and the fingertip rule is to teach kids how to dress and act professionally. We shouldn’t be forcing kids to try and be like adults. It’s important to realize they aren’t adults and should be allowed to be kids. Kids have the whole rest of our lives to be adults. Another reason people say we need dress codes is so that our school has a positive environment. The fingertip rule achieves the exact opposite of what its meant to. If people aren’t comfortable, confident and are anxious it will, and has made our environment more negative than it should be. As I already addressed, a reason for the fingertip rule is to not distract boys. A girl’s thigh is not distracting. If it is for some people, it is their fault for not having enough self-control.

The existing rule should be changed to a better, more inclusive rule where shorts only have to go a third of the way down the thigh. This will improve our school for the better. Students will be able to be comfortable and confident. This will, along with positively affecting the climate of our school, will stop taking away from learning time. Students will be able to pay better attention, and our school will become more inclusive. The new rule would let people wear shorts they already own and not have to buy new shorts. We need to enact this new rule so our school can be more inclusive and have a better environment.

School dress codes are a controversial topic in the American education system, often sparking passionate debates about their validity and efficiency. Some argue they encourage an environment conducive to learning, while others assert they can inhibit personal expression and cultivate inequality. This essay will delve into the complexities of dress code policies, their purported advantages, and their potential pitfalls. By delving into this contentious issue, we gain insights into the evolving landscape of education and the ongoing quest for a balance between conformity and individuality.

Historical Background

The concept of dress codes in American schools has evolved significantly over the course of history. In the early 20th century, when formal attire was more commonplace in everyday life, there was a tacit understanding of what was considered appropriate dress for school. Boys typically wore suits or at least collared shirts and trousers, while girls wore modest dresses.

However, the 1960s and 1970s cultural revolution saw an upheaval in traditional fashion norms. Students began to push boundaries with their attire, wearing more casual and expressive clothing. In response to these changing trends, many schools implemented explicit dress codes to maintain what they considered a respectful and distraction-free learning environment.

Over the past few decades, these dress code policies have continued to change and develop in response to cultural and societal shifts. Schools have grappled with the challenges of accommodating freedom of expression and individuality while still maintaining a sense of decorum and focus on education. Thus, the evolution of dress code policies in American schools reflects the broader shifts and developments within society as a whole.

The Advantages of Dress Code Policies

Many advocates for dress codes argue that they offer three significant benefits: creating an environment of respect, reducing distractions, and promoting safety.

Firstly, proponents believe that dress codes foster an atmosphere of mutual respect. They imply that students who dress appropriately respect the educational environment, themselves, and their peers. Moreover, some argue that dress codes may help prepare students for future professions requiring formal attire.

Secondly, dress codes are seen as a measure to reduce distractions in the classroom. If students are not allowed to wear flashy or provocative clothing, their peers will be more focused on their studies rather than their classmates’ attire.

Lastly, certain dress code policies are designed to promote safety. Banning gang colors or explicit symbols is one such policy to prevent conflict and maintain a secure environment for all students.

The Drawbacks of Dress Code Policies

Despite the perceived advantages, dress codes are also subject to criticism, primarily due to their potential for stifling personal expression, reinforcing gender stereotypes, and unfairly targeting certain groups.

Critics argue that enforcing dress codes may limit students’ freedom of expression. They assert that clothing is a form of self-expression and an essential part of personal identity. In suppressing this, schools could inadvertently discourage creativity and individuality.

Additionally, many dress codes unintentionally reinforce gender stereotypes by dictating what is ‘appropriate’ for boys and girls to wear. Policies such as bans on skirts above a certain length or tank tops can disproportionally affect female students, leading to claims of sexism.

Lastly, dress code policies often disproportionately target marginalized groups, including racial and ethnic minorities and students of lower socioeconomic status. These students may not have the means to purchase ‘appropriate’ attire, leading to stigmatization and potential disciplinary action.

The Future of Dress Codes

The future of dress codes in American schools is likely to be shaped by a growing emphasis on inclusivity, individuality, and balance. Recognizing the concerns of stifling personal expression and inadvertently promoting inequality, many schools are considering more flexible dress code policies.

Instead of rigid regulations dictating specific types of clothing, some schools are adopting policies centered around general guidelines for respect and modesty. These revised codes allow students to choose their attire based on comfort and personal expression as long as it does not disrupt the learning environment.

Another promising trend is the emergence of gender-neutral dress codes. Such policies aim to dismantle traditional gender stereotypes by permitting students to dress in a way that aligns with their identity, regardless of societal norms associated with their biological sex.

Furthermore, schools are also recognizing the socioeconomic implications of dress codes. Policies are being revised to be more sensitive to students’ economic backgrounds, minimizing the burden on families that may struggle to afford specific clothing.

However, even with these changes, it’s important that schools continue to engage in dialogue with students, parents, and educators. Ensuring that dress code policies are fair, inclusive, and supportive of a positive learning environment is an ongoing process, requiring flexibility and adaptability in the face of societal change. It’s clear that the future of dress codes will remain a dynamic aspect of American education, mirroring broader societal values and norms.

Conclusion

Dress codes are a multifaceted issue with compelling arguments on both sides. While they can foster respect, minimize distractions, and promote safety, they can also impede personal expression, perpetuate gender stereotypes, and unfairly target marginalized groups. The key lies in balancing policies respecting students’ right to express their individuality while preserving a conducive and safe learning environment. As society evolves, so must the dress code policies that reflect it, necessitating ongoing dialogue and reassessment.

Introduction

Every year during the back to school season, parents and their daughters go shopping for new clothes to wear. These clothes must not only be fashionable to allow adolescent girls to conform to the beauty standards of their peers, but also modest in order to conform to the dress codes that systematically suppress the freedom for girls to dress. This conflict between what is advertised in stores, on social media, and by other teens as “cool” and what schools and society mandates as “appropriate” creates self-objectification in girls from a young age. As girls develop a greater sense of self-identity, these images of sexualization lead to decreased self-esteem and lower body satisfaction. While it’s easy for schools to dictate limits on girl’s dress, the lack of variety and trend of over-sexualization in the clothes advertised to them makes it difficult for them to conform to them. Even from a young age as girls begin to care about the fashion choices they make, the girls clothing in popular stores like Target is consistently more tight-fitting, shorter, and more revealing than the clothes made for boys of the same age. The push of this type of clothing on teenage girls is amplified by additional examples of revealing clothing on the media that they consume daily. Ultimately the struggle between satisfying the expectations of what society and schools deem appropriate clothing and adhering to current fashion standards can be damaging to girls as they develop a sense of self-identity.

The sexualization of young girls through clothing

The advertisement of sexualized clothing to girls from a young age in major retail stores is an undeniable issue in today’s society, but the term “sexualization” applies a broad context to it. “Sexualization occurs when: a person’s value comes only from his or her sexual appeal or behavior, to the exclusion of other characteristics; a person is held to a standard that equates physical attractiveness (narrowly defined) with being sexy; a person is sexually objectified—that is, made into a thing for others’ sexual use, rather than seen as a person with the capacity for independent action and decision making; and/or sexuality is inappropriately imposed upon a person.” To be defined as “sexualizing”, something must meet at least one of these conditions, but the “inappropriate imposition” of sexaulitiy upon a person is most relevant in the context of sexualized clothing that is made for children. The characteristics that can define clothing as sexualizing includes fit that reveals certain body parts and or is overly tight, “sexy” features such as certain frills and patterns, and inappropriate writing. A 2011 study that examined 5,666 articles of clothing at various stores meant for girls ages 6-14 found that 30.86% of them were categorized as definitely sexualizing, ambiguously sexualizing, or adultlike. Many of these clothing items combined sexualizing characteristics with more childlike qualities, creating a normalization of these characteristics in clothing meant for girls. Examples of these articles could have “girly” features such as ruffles or sparkles but also have inappropriate writing or a revealing fit. This was seen in 2002 after Abercrombie & Fitch was forced to take off of shelves a line of g-string underwear marketed to girls with slogans such as “eye candy” and “wink, wink”. In addition to clothing with sexualizing characteristics, another factor commonly seen in clothing marketed to young girls is inconsistent sizing. Across multiple popular retail brands, girls shirts are an average of 1-3 inches slimmer and their shorts are about 4-8 inches shorter than boys clothing of the same size. This disparity between the size of clothing that young girls are expected to wear versus the clothes that boys of the same age are expected to wear creates an early precedent for normalization of clothing with a tighter fit that excludes girls of larger sizes. These shorter shorts and tighter shirts are marketed to girls to make them look “cuter”, but what happens when they get to elementary school where girls and boys are required by a dress code to wear shorts of the same length? While passionate mothers such as Sharon Chonski and other members of our community are attempting to bring to light the discrepancies in the fit of boys and girls clothing that major retailers provide, the issue remains. As the inappropriate characteristics present in young girls clothing increase, the normalization of how young girls are sexualized contributes to the trend of more revealing clothing that stores sell to adolescents.

Prevalence of revealing clothing in the teenage fashion market

As girls mature and move in junior’s and women’s sizing, the clothing advertised to them becomes even more revealing and sexualized, continuing to conflict with how public schools expect them to dress. Of course the presence of this type of clothing can be attributed to current fashion trends that teens follow today, but it’s undeniable that the amount of variety available to teens is limited to styles that are widely considered inappropriate within society. A great example of a store that is constantly attempting to perpetuate teen fashion trends is Forever 21. Known for its affordable clothing and constantly evolving styles, you could say that the clothes in Forever 21 at any given time encompass the type of clothes being advertised to teen girls by the entire fashion industry. I can say from personal experience that anyone shopping at Forever 21 has to relinquish any attempt to dress conservatively, as their store is full of crop tops, tube tops, and short shorts. A 2017 survey found of all of the shorts sold at Forever 21 at that time, 72.3% of them had an inseam of 1.5 inches or less, which is considered “too short” by the majority of high school dress codes. Despite Forever 21’s constant attempt to keep up with fashion trends, their use of a “fast fashion” market is receiving recent criticism for its bad quality and lack of sustainability. Though the company’s debt and earnings aren’t public, it has begun to close locations and downsize their existing stores. With the decline of traditional stores like Forever 21 and others, advertising now plays an even larger role in today’s fashion industry, especially with the prevalence of social media. Retailers consistently use advertising to market model wearing clothes that are revealing and sexualizing with the knowledge that this will affect the clothes adolescents are drawn to. Though they are not as relevant in today’s fashion market, these revealing advertisements find their origins in the sexualized images of women and teen girls common in magazines such as Cosmopolitan, Teen Vogue, and others. “In one analysis of women appearing in advertisements in Time and Vogue from 1955 to 2002, Lindner (2004) reported that an average of 40% of ads featured women as decorative objects” (Clark, 2004). While most of these women posed seductively are meant to attract attention and sell products, they have an unintentional impact on young girls. When developing girls see the images of “sexy” women that are perpetuated throughout the media, they are subconsciously led to believe that this is how they should portray their own bodies. Advertisement and the teen fashion industry can’t be examined without mentioning the unrealistic body types that are depicted by the industry. One of the most popular brands today, particular for tween and younger teen girls is Brandy Melville, which exemplifies the practice of limiting the body types that they cater to. Almost all of Brandy’s clothing including shirts, pants, and skirts are sold in one size, which may as well be called “Small”. The Brandy Melville website and instagram page further represent the types of girls they want wearing their clothing: pretty, tall, white, and skinny. Despite the drastic lack of inclusivity in their clothing, Brandy Melville has grown dramatically in the last 5 years, as shown by the 3.9 million followers on their US instagram account and $62.1 million in global sales in 2018. It’s clear that the fashion industry is a main contributor to the sexualized clothing and lack of inclusive sizing that faces teenage girls every day as they shop for clothing. The impressionability of young girls allows the fashion industry to target them using specific advertisements and clothing items that sexualize them, a trend which will continue to increase as teens begin to shop online more and stores become less relevant. Most teens spend about $2,600 per year on food and clothing alone and so stores will continue to profit off of teens their estimated $75 billion in spending power in 2018, detrementing those consumers in the long run.

Limitations of the Free Market

While it’s clearly inappropriate for the fashion industry to sexualize girls in the manner which they’ve been doing, it’s also within their rights. In America’s capitalistic market retailers can sell what they want, which leaves it up to the consumer to choose what they purchase. Therefore the argument against the sexualization of girls by the fashion industry is limited by the free market under which retailers operate. Regardless of the moral implications of the clothing and advertisements which they produce, it’s difficult for customers to change these trends. Ultimately, parents and adolescents have the ability to choose the kinds of clothing that they want to purchase regardless of the advertisements that they are exposed to. While this argument against fashion retailers is clearly valid, their economic freedom to advertise in any way that they believe will sell products limits the ability of consumers to combat these trends.

Solutions to the issue

While the nature of the economy under which fashion companies operate does limit the solutions available for this issue, consumers do have some options to counteract the oversexulization of girls’ clothing. It might be difficult for one person to change an industry, but many people protesting for a cause together clearly can. Examples of this concept can be seen in the outrage that followed the advertisements of more provocative clothing such as padded bras that were taken off of the Primark website in 2010 after criticism. Individuals such as Stephanie Giese, who wrote a now viral blog post to Target in 2014 about the fit of their girls clothing, have also demonstrated the ability of consumers to stand against issues in the fashion industry. Even supporting and contributing to organizations such as UNICEF and the American Psychological Association work to identify and combat examples of sexualization and objectification of girls can help the cause. By recognizing problems with the clothing and advertisement pertaining to young girls and teens and consciously choosing not to purchase those products, individual consumers can begin to force companies to examine their products and marketing practices. However, the trend apparent in this industry doesn’t show any sign of reversing, and therefore we must question the societal expectations of modesty we place on teenage girls. While it’s not a solution, understanding on the part of public schools to take the lack of options and styles available to adolescents into account when implementing their dress codes would significantly ease pressure on young girls. Though dress codes attempt to target the superficially perceived epidemic of revealing clothing rampant among today’s teen girls, their failure to recognize the clothing retailers themselves as the root cause makes it difficult for girls to conform to their strict standards.