against dress code essay conclusion

Argumentative Essay on Against School Dress Code

Is the dress code as necessary as it needs to be? The dress code is one of the most talked-about topics in schools across the world. Is it needed? Does it affect students? There are many questions on how dress code causes bad factors in a school for many reasons. Dress code has cause students to be upset, it also causes parents financial struggles, and some dress codes are even out of hand with the rules. 

Firstly, students are affected by this rule every day as they have to wake up and base their outfits on what the school requires. Some kids have to wear jeans and are not allowed to wear shorts even in the summer causing students to be hot and stressed while at school. Also, the dress code makes students feel as if they cannot express themselves and who they are because they had to wear what the school requires them to. Many students have spoken up about feeling they cannot express who they are due to being told to wear plain t-shirts or being told to wear jeans all the time. 

Secondly, some schools require uniforms which greatly affect parents financially because uniforms can cost up to six hundred dollars. Whilst some may not cost as much, some parents still have to work longer, harder days in order to afford the uniform so their kids can go to school this causes them to have less time with their kids. Because uniforms costing so much, some parents cannot afford the uniforms which causes students to miss school or wear raggedy clothes and get in trouble at school in order to go. And schools will punish the child if they do not have a uniform or is it not clean.

Lastly, some of these school’s dress codes are out of hand. Some schools require girls to wear skirts all year including the winter season, which causes female students to be out in freezing temperatures where they can get sick or frostbite from the weather. Also, some schools will punish students for their uniforms being wrinkly and or unkempt. Which may not be the student’s fault.

In conclusion, these reasons given are why the dress code should not be enforced as it hurts parents and students. By the dress code is mandatory in some schools, parents are hurt financially, some students feel uncomfortable and unhappy at school, and schools taking the opportunity to make the rule extreme. All these can be supported by looking it up on the internet from thousands of other users supporting the claims. Hopefully in the soon future dress code will be fixed and or less strict so students feel like they can express themselves. Therefore, the dress code should not be enforced in schools.

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Op-Ed Contributor

The Battle Over Dress Codes

By Peggy Orenstein

• June 13, 2014

BERKELEY, Calif. — IN the Bay Area, the last week of school is a time to dig out cozy jackets and socks, but this year our natural air-conditioning (that’s “fog” to you) failed, giving us a few sweltering June days.

On one, my daughter, who is in the final throes of fifth grade, came skipping out of class, her gangly legs poking out of her favorite denim short-shorts. “She won’t be able to wear those next year,” another mom commented. “They won’t pass the dress code.” A dress code? In Berkeley? Next they’ll be endorsing Darwinism in Kansas.

It turns out that modern middle school parents from San Francisco to New York have been forced to break out the ruler. Are those inseams too short? How wide are those tank top shoulders? In March, middle-schoolers in Evanston, Ill., picketed a policy against leggings. In May, students at a Utah high school opened their yearbooks to discover digitally raised necklines and sleeves added to female classmates’ shirts.

Girls, particularly those with ample hips or breasts, are almost exclusively singled out, typically told their outfits will “distract boys.” As if young men cannot control themselves in the presence of a spaghetti strap.

The last time classroom attire was this contentious was the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the most high-profile cases centered on boys. According to Jo Paoletti, author of the forthcoming book “ Sex and Unisex : Fashion, Feminism and the Sexual Revolution,” young men with long hair were sometimes attacked by their peers. In an all-too-familiar scenario, it was the victims who were blamed for such assaults, accused of provoking classmates with their “distracting” appearance. While girls who violated dress codes were sent home to change, boys were suspended or expelled. Their parents also disproportionately lawyered up: By 1974, there were 150 court cases involving young men’s hairdos.

Boys run afoul of dress codes when they flout authority: “hippies” defying the establishment, “thugs” in saggy pants. For girls, the issue is seductiveness, and that, too, has become politicized, exposing a new generation gap.

Today’s canny girls, emboldened by #YesAllWomen Twitter culture, scold their elders, “Don’t tell us what to wear; teach the boys not to stare.” They are correct: Addressing leering or harassment will challenge young men’s assumptions. Imposing purdah on middle school girls does the opposite.

Even so, while women are not responsible for male misbehavior, and while no amount of dress (or undress) will avert catcalls, cultural change can be glacial, and I have a child trying to wend her way safely through our city streets right now. I don’t want to her to feel shame in her soon-to-be-emerging woman’s body, but I also don’t want her to be a target. Has maternal concern made me prudent or simply a prude?

More than that, taking on the right to bare arms (and legs, and cleavage and midriffs) as a feminist rallying cry seems suspiciously Orwellian. Fashions catering to girls emphasize body consciousness at the youngest ages — Gap offers “skinny jeans” for toddlers, Target hawks bikinis for infants. Good luck finding anything but those itty-bitty shorts for your 12-year-old. So even as I object to the policing of girls’ sexuality, I’m concerned about the incessant drumbeat of self-objectification: the pressure young women face to view their bodies as the objects of others’ desires.

In its landmark 2007 report on the sexualization of girlhood, the American Psychological Association linked self-objectification to poor self-esteem, depression, body dissatisfaction and compromised cognitive function. Meanwhile, a study published last year in the journal Psychological Science titled “Objects Don’t Object,” found that when college women were asked to merely think about a time when they’d been objectified, they became subsequently less supportive of equal rights.

Yet, for today’s girls, sexy appearance has been firmly conflated with strong womanhood, and at ever younger (not to mention ever older) ages. Hence the rise of mani-pedi “spa” birthday parties for preschoolers; the heated-up cheers and dance routines of elementary school-age girls; the weeklong “slumber party camp” that promises to teach 9-year-olds “all the tricks of beauty.”

In a cruel bait-and-switch, embracing sexualization doesn’t even lead to a healthier attitude about sex; quite the opposite. By stressing self-presentation over self-knowledge, girls learn that being desirable is more important than understanding their own desires, needs, capacities for intimacy and pleasure.

So where does that leave schools? With a mandate to educate — not stigmatize — students. Telling girls to “cover up” just as puberty hits teaches them that their bodies are inappropriate, dangerous, violable, subject to constant scrutiny and judgment, including by the adults they trust. Nor does it help them understand the culture’s role in their wardrobe choices.

After a flurry of parental feedback, my daughter’s school is making two changes for next fall. First, the staff is developing lesson plans for students, faculty members and parents about the impact of sexualization on boys as well as girls. They are also revising the definition of “distracting” apparel. Clothing must allow students a full range of motion — sitting, bending, reaching, running — without requiring perpetual readjustment. It cannot, in other words, pose a “distraction”: to the wearer. Beyond that?

It’s the families’ call, as it should be.

Middle school starts the day after Labor Day, just as Northern California moves into Indian summer, its hottest season. My daughter can hardly wait.

Peggy Orenstein, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, is the author, most recently, of “Cinderella Ate My Daughter.”

School Dress Codes Aren’t Fair to Everyone, Federal Study Finds

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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. An assistant principal in Texas drew on a Black boy’s head in permanent marker to cover up a shaved design in his hair. And a transgender girl in Texas was told not to return to school until she followed the school’s dress code guidelines for boys .

These are only three examples across the country over the past few years demonstrating how school dress codes disproportionately target girls, Black students, and LGBTQ students.

A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office found that not only are school dress codes not equitable, but districts that enforce them strictly also predominantly enroll students of color. The findings come as schools increasingly clash with parents, students, and civil rights advocates over disciplinary procedures used to regulate what students can—and cannot—wear to school.

The report also calls on the U.S. Department of Education to develop resources and guidance to help schools create fairer policies and more equitable ways of enforcing them—particularly when it comes to disciplinary actions that cause students to miss out on learning time.

GAO researchers analyzed dress codes from 236 public school districts (there are more than 13,000 districts) and conducted interviews in three of them from August 2021 to October 2022.

Alyssa Pavlakis, a school administrator from Illinois who has studied school dress codes, said the findings were not a surprise. “It does not shock me that the reports are showing that these school dress codes are disproportionately affecting black and brown students,” she said, “because our schools were built on systems that were supposed to be predominantly for white people.”

Pavlakis’s research , published in 2018 with Rachel Roegman, concluded that school dress codes often sexualize girls, particularly Black girls, and effectively criminalize boys of color as their detentions and school suspensions mount.

What dress codes prohibit and who is impacted

Ninety-three percent of school districts have dress codes or policies on what students wear to school. School and district administrators said the policies promote safety and security for students. Prohibitions against hats or scarves, for instance, allow educators identify who is a student and who is not.

More than 90 percent of those dress codes, however, prohibit clothing typically associated with girls, commonly banning clothing items such as “halter or strapless tops,” “skirts or shorts shorter than mid-thigh,” and “yoga pants or any type of skin tight attire,” the report says.

Many of those policies, for example, prohibit clothing that exposes a student’s midriff. About a quarter of them specifically bar the exposure of “cleavage,” “breasts,” or “nipples,” which are aimed at female students.

Almost 69 percent prohibit items typically associated with boys, such as “muscle tees” and “sagging pants.”

“My girls definitely feel anger towards the school for not educating the boys and making [the girls] aware every day what they wear can be a distraction to the boys,” the report quotes an unnamed parent in one district as saying. Some parents told researchers the policies promote consistency with values their children learn at home.

Other policies fall heavily on students from racial or cultural groups that have traditionally been in the minority, according to the report. More than 80 percent of districts, for example, ban head coverings such as hats, hoodies, bandanas, and scarves, but only one-third of these dress codes specify that they allow religious exemptions, and a few include cultural or medical exemptions. Fifty-nine percent also contain rules about students’ hair, hairstyles, and hair coverings, which may disproportionately impact Black students, according to researchers and the district officials that GAO staff interviewed.

For example, 44 percent of districts with dress codes ban hair wraps, with some specifically naming durags, which are popular among African Americans for protecting curls or kinky hair, or other styles of hair wraps.

The report also cites dress codes with rules specific to natural, textured hair, which disproportionately affect Black students. For example, one district prohibited hair with “excessive curls” and another stated that “hair may be no deeper than two inches when measured from the scalp,” according to the report.

Pavlakis said while the report did not contain details about how dress codes affect transgender, gender-nonconforming, and nonbinary students, it’s an important aspect of their inequitable nature.

How districts enforce dress codes

About 60 percent of dress codes make staff members measure students’ bodies and clothing to check adherence to codes—which may involve adults touching students. An estimated 93 percent of dress codes also contain rules with subjective language that leave decisions about dress code compliance open to interpretation, the report says. The interpretations often target LGBTQ and Black students, according to experts quoted in the GAO report.

Schools that enroll predominantly students of color are more likely to enforce strict dress codes, and also more likely to remove students from class for violating them. This is particularly concerning because more than 81 percent of predominantly Black schools (where Black students make up more than 75 percent of the population) and nearly 63 of predominantly Hispanic schools enforce a strict dress code, compared to about 35 percent of predominantly white schools.

“When we take away that instructional time because they’re wearing leggings, we are doing our students a disservice,” Pavlakis said. “And at the end of the day, we’re doing our black and brown students a bigger disservice than anyone else.”

The report also found that schools with a larger number of economically disadvantaged students are more likely to enforce strict dress codes. Dress codes can be challenging for low-income families to adhere to, especially if they’re required to buy specific clothing items, such as uniforms, or can only allow their children to have hairstyles approved by schools, experts quoted in the report said.

Finally, schools that enforce strict dress codes are associated with statistically significant, higher rates of exclusionary discipline—that is, punishments that remove students from the classroom, such as in-school suspensions, out-of-school suspensions, and expulsions.

That means students of color and poor students—most specifically, Black girls—are most likely to face consequences for violating school dress codes, causing them to miss class time. The more class they miss, the more likely it is that they will fall behind in school.

While dress code violations do not often result directly in exclusionary discipline such as suspensions and expulsions, an estimated 44 percent of dress codes outlined “informal” removal policies, such as taking a student out of class without documenting it as a suspension.

Districts also commonly list some consequences for violations of their dress code policies, such as requiring students to change clothes, imposing detention, and calling parents or guardians.

“In order for students to get to the point where they can learn, they need to feel a sense of belonging. They need to feel cared for and loved,” Pavlakis said.

“If we spend part of our day telling students, ‘you don’t look the right way. You’re not dressed the right way, you could be unsafe because you have a hat or a hood on,’ kids aren’t going to feel loved supported a sense of belonging,”

A version of this article appeared in the November 23, 2022 edition of Education Week as School Dress Codes Aren’t Fair to Everyone, Federal Study Finds

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Arguments Against School Dress Codes

Amy is an experienced freelance writer who is also a licensed psychotherapist and college psychology instructor.

Learn about our Editorial Policy .

In his 1996 State of the Union address, President Clinton called on American schools to require uniforms to ensure the safety of school children. Although some schools complied with this suggestion, many schools felt this was too extreme of a measure and began to implement school dress codes. Unlike uniform policies , which specify what a student has to wear, school dress codes address what a student cannot wear. There are some reasons why dress codes are bad for students and staff alike.

Targets Female Students

Dress codes vary widely from district to district. Typical dress codes include a ban on a variety of things such as leggings, short skirts, t-shirts with vulgar language and bare midriffs.

• A Brief History of School Uniforms Across the Globe

Double-Standard

When schools ban specific items like leggings or midriff-baring tops, it sends a negative message to both genders of the student body. Girls are sometimes told that their clothing is too distracting and boys can't pay attention. However, this kind of language is sexist and many anti-dress code advocates point out that it sends a message to the male student body that they are not solely responsible for their actions.

Disrupting Education

It should also be noted that while the policy may state that any student should be removed from class if said student violates the dress code, females typically have to leave class to go home and change whereas males may need to make minor adjustments. For example, a common item on the school dress code is no baggy pants or vulgar t-shirts. To fix the violation, a student merely has to pull up his pants or wear his t-shirt inside out. However, equally common is the ban on leggings. Female students are frequently sent home because to fix the violation, they have to change. Not only is this embarrassing, but it disrupts her education.

Freedom of Speech

Unfortunately, school policies that enforce strict rules for what students should wear also tend to violate students' freedom of speech. As the ACLU points out, a landmark case dating all the way back to 1969 actually upholds a students' right to freedom of speech through what a student chooses to wear.

Limiting Messages

Many school dress codes try to limit the messages that students can send. For example , a school in Giles, Tennessee told a girl she could not wear a shirt with a pro-LGBT message on it as it might provoke other students and make her a target. However, limiting what students can say on their clothing is actually a violation of a student's right to free speech; frequently the American Civil Liberties Union will step in to help protect a students' rights.

Doesn't Apply to All Codes

Unfortunately, the idea that limiting what a student is allowed to wear, doesn't apply to all dress code rules. In Albuquerque , courts ruled that sagging jeans are not protected as part of freedom of speech because sagging jeans do not convey a particular message for a particular group but rather are a fashion statement.

Freedom of Religious Expression

Tangible symbols of religious expression frequently don't comply with school dress codes. For example, several students have had to fight for their right to wear a pentagram, the symbol for the Wiccan religion, to school. Similarly, Nashala Hearn was suspended from school twice for wearing her hijab, with school officials claiming the hijab did not conform with dress code policy. While federal policy generally supports freedom of religious expression in all forms that doesn't necessarily translate to schools.

Individuals have a right to religious expression. However, many symbols of religious expression violate dress codes. This can put school officials in a difficult position. It also forces to students to fight for a right and frequently prove their religious affiliation.

The goal with many dress codes is to teach students to conform to acceptable workplace appearance . However, strict dress codes, including graduation dress codes , don't teach students to adapt their dress to different situations regarding school and work. Students may learn how to dress like everyone else, but they don't necessarily know how to adapt this knowledge for special occasions, like interviews, casual meetings, or how to dress appropriately outside of school and work. A sample dress code even claims to promote and respect the individuality of each student, but states that it stresses conformity to foster school pride. While there is limited research on the negative consequences of conformity, at the very least, it could be said conformity discourages creativity.

Difficult to Enforce

Dress codes are notoriously difficult to enforce , for a variety of reasons. Not only can they be subjective (ie what one teacher thinks is fine, another teacher thinks is a violation), but enforcement frequently has a way of upsetting both parents and students. While some schools can and do enforce dress codes successfully, more often than not, insisting on dress code policies pits school administrators, and parents and students against each other. This is particularly true if said policies violate the rights to freedom of speech or religious expression.

The Negatives Outweigh the Positives

From targeting and harming girls, to violating freedoms of religious expression, school dress codes can often do more harm than good. They frequently aren't followed, administration spends a lot of time and effort enforcing them, and when law suits are brought to court, the schools generally lose.

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Essay: Pros and Cons of a Dress Code in Schools

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Students mill through school grounds, all dressed in the latest fashions and trends. Although they may not think twice about their clothing, other than how fashionable they are, there is another factor that affects their dress for school, dress codes. Dress codes in North America have come under fire in recent years, amid arguments that raise many possible issues concerning them.

School dress codes have become a large controversy, as 55% of American schools enforce dress codes that are deemed “strict” and “controlling”. Though it is argued that times and our ideals have become more modern and progressive, our dress code policies have certainly not.

For generations, society’s mindset has improved drastically, beginning to wholly support women, people of colour, different shapes, sizes, and everyone in between. However, dress codes at their core have not changed with present times, though they are, on the surface, seen as appropriate, well-meaning, and inclusive.

Dress codes have been shown to cause increases in students grades and school performance averages. Although this is positive for students and schools, there is a cost behind this for parents and guardians. These policies make it much more difficult for both students and parents to buy clothing that children would actually wear, as dress codes are often specific and prohibit most clothing that students are willing to don.

However, the opposite is true as well. Dress code policies are open to interpretation and the final say comes down to school staff and administrators, meaning that students can never be truly sure that they will not be dress coded. On that same note, most clothing that students want to wear clothing that is fashionable would be considered unprofessional anyways. The use of dress codes prepares students for reality and what is expected of them as they age into society.

However, these expectations are not always what needs to be instilled in the mindsets of students, as society can be misogynistic and male-centric, and school clothing policies only perpetuate these beliefs. Dress codes circuitously support sexism, misogyny, and sexual assault directed towards females. School attire policies aid in the preparation of students for future professions. They help ensure that students have experienced clothing restrictions and are knowledgeable on acting according to these policies in any institutions.

However, these same rules that are crafted to help some students often end up discriminating against others. Many dress code policies are guilty of indirectly prohibiting clothing and dress that are symbolic to/are common in certain religions or cultures, thus enraging these groups and straying far away from the intended purpose. Are the benefits of these policies worth more than the costs? Or does the expense on students everywhere outweigh the advantages?

Dress codes are policies enforced in schools in order to prohibit certain clothing items that are deemed inappropriate or offensive. Their intended goal is to keep all students and staff comfortable, and to maintain a positive school climate.

In the 1950’s to 1960’s, positive economic conditions caused a drastic increase in household average income. With this excess income, everyday citizens were beginning to purchase and wear more fashionable clothing, articulating their culture, beliefs, and interests. However, the government was not fond of this new method of self-expression, and eventually began to ban many clothing items.

In the United States of America, dress codes were first established in 1969, in the Tinker v. Des Moines Community School District. A group of high school students had worn black armbands to class, protesting the Vietnam War. This sparked controversy, and became the limit for the community school board. Rules prohibiting certain clothing items were inputted in schools from then on.

More and more schools across the nation and across the world began developing their own clothing bans, which are now collectively referred to as dress codes. Presently, the prohibitions on clothing are not very well received, and students are fighting for more freedom concerning their dress as codes become increasingly specific. However, dress codes do have a number of advantages for not only the school, but the students as well.

Dress codes improve student’s school experience. Studies have shown that students who stress over their appearance are apt to perform worse on cognitive tasks, compared to those that show little to no concern. Attire policies have been shown to increase student’s grades on examinations.

In fact, 46% of TDSB schools state that the purpose of their dress codes is to “support a positive learning environment”. If a student obsesses over their fashion, hair, makeup, and looks, they spend less focus on their academics, clubs, and overall education. With the aid of dress codes, students cease any worry about their looks, as many items cannot be worn anyways.

Students are often bullied because of their clothing, and dress codes help prevent this by limiting the attire that is available for them to wear. Children of lower-income families may not be able to afford popular brands and expensive clothing, which is the main reason why so many students, especially teenagers, are bullied at school. With dress codes banning many items such as ripped jeans and baggy clothes, which are popular styles with name brands everywhere, there are fewer chances for bullying due to attire.

Mental health disorders in students such as depression, low self-esteem, and eating disorders are often accelerated by worries over clothing and appearances. Schools enforcing dress codes can improve the school climate. By restricting certain clothing items, students do not feel the need to don showy or revealing attire to belong, as these pieces are prohibited by dress codes.

It would help prevent students from feeling insecure about their bodies and clothing because they wouldn’t be the only ones not dressed in the latest styles and trends. Mental health issues are common in teenagers, meaning that a great deal should be done to prevent them, which includes dress codes.

The policies that dress codes contain make experiences difficult for parents of schoolchildren, and well as students themselves. The rules are impossibly specific. “Skirts and shorts must be no shorter than 2 inches above the knee” is an incredibly precise policy that is completely unrealistic to measure. Most students don’t have the time to take a ruler to their shorts every morning. It is also inefficient and opens up a multitude of possibilities for students to be punished, which isn’t the aim of dress codes, supposedly.

Parents bear difficulties purchasing clothing for their children, and attire policies cause even more frustration for them. With dress code rules, parents cannot purchase merely any clothing for their children. They also must keep the dress codes in mind and speculate if it follows the policies or not.

In a study of children’s apparel choices, 41% of girls’ clothing in stores marketed towards “tweens”, such as Abercrombie & Fitch Kids, were considered sexual. The more specific the policies, the more irritating and difficult to follow they are for parents. This is time consuming for those who have errands to run, work to do, and a life to live.

The policies have many issues and inconsistencies that make it difficult for students to be positive that they are following the dress code. For example, “the final say in whether a student’s outfit is violating the dress code is subjective”, which is stated by 50% of U.S. schools.

For example, McLouth High School in Kansas, U.S.A. states “shorts and skirts must be as long, or longer than, the longest fingertip. Shorts and skirts that pass this test may still be deemed inappropriate. ” Policies like this make it virtually impossible for students to be completely sureif they are following the dress code, as the end ruling is a teacher or administrators’ opinion. No data or measurements, just a statement that worries students everywhere.

Dress codes are made to keep a professional environment and keep students clean and orderly. Students feel more comfortable in an appropriate environment. If a student was to wear revealing clothing to school, it could make others feel uncomfortable and unhappy. Dress codes prevent the discomfort of students and teachers. Without them, schools would run rampant with clothing enforcing offensive messages, exposing attire, and student displeasure.

Dress codes have the possibility of aiding a positive school reputation. By enforcing dress codes, schools limit the possibly offensive messages that could be delivered by students’ clothing. Schools could be known for having respectful students if they limit the negative messages spread by their pupils, through clothing, actions, or otherwise. Image is what is first seen of the students, and therefore the school, so it is important for the students to possess a clean image.

It is essentially “dressing for success”. Dressing well has the ability to positively affect the morals, attitudes, and work quality of students. Professional dress can lead to confidence. Individuals that are better dressed will often stand taller and project independence. A recent study has revealed that the participants dressed professionally were more likely to think outside of the box and produce creative ideas compared to their poorly dressed colleagues. By schools teaching students how important this is, they position them well for success.

Though dress codes are meant to keep a professional environment, their rules promote sexism and misogyny, even going so far as to encourage rape. Clothing articles that are targeted towards females are often put through dress code policies constantly, much more so than those targeted towards males. 57% of dress code attire bans are towards clothing items marketed to females, such as skirts, leggings, and crop tops, compared to a mere 5% for boys(and 38% to all genders). This only instills the belief that females should be more controlled and have more rules in life than males.

Dress codes and the phrases told to girls to justify the policies often include vocabulary that is demoralizing and blames girls for their actions. The most common words used for dress code policy explanations include “disrupt”, “distract”, “appropriate”, “safe”, “health”, “modest”, and “respect”. Of these words, 76% of dress code policies include the phrase “disrupt” or “distract”, making these two the most common words used to validate the rules.

Often times, they’re used for the 57% of banned clothing marketed towards girls. The use of this vocabulary makes it seem as though a girl should be ashamed of her body, and that female bodies are merely items for males to view and be distracted by. It is unacceptable for these masked discriminations and double standards to slip through the cracks of what is seen as a strong and fair system.

Revealing clothing is frequently banned in school dress codes, however in doing so, it often ends up sexualizing young children, especially girls. Many young girls have their first experience of being shamed for their clothing through school dress codes and at very young ages. It is not appropriate or legal at all for 10 year old girls having to change out of shorts or tank tops because they could be “distracting” to male classmates or, worse, male teachers that are much older than them.

Sexualizing young girls and conditioning others and themselves to believe that they need to change to fit societal views is what guilts women who are victims of sexual harassment and assault, though they should never be held accountable for something of that matter.

Dress codes prepare students for the real world. Many workplaces have dress codes, and having them at schools as well helps students practice this. It teaches students to consider their dress choices in a practical, real sense. Fashion is something that many teenagers are absorbed with, however often in a more shallow sense.

By teaching the need to think broader than just how stylish their clothes are, schools instill this mindset of making pragmatic choices in their students. Schools must always aim to act as a good model for reality, which ensures the future success of their students.

There are often punishments for failure to follow the rules in workplaces. This certainly includes dress codes. For example, if an employee wears ripped jeans to a business-casual office job, they will be “dress coded” by their manager. Further failure to obey rules may even lead to their dismissal.

This is precisely how school dress codes work as well. Failing to follow the dress code would lead to the student being “dress coded” by a teacher or administrator and the punishment could eventually lead up to suspension or expulsion from school. Showing students that there are actual consequences for their decisions teaches them the importance of diligently obeying the rules.

It helps students practice professionalism and how to dress well. How students dress is most other’s first impression, and cleanly dressed individuals give a good impression. It proposes the idea that they are professional and intelligent, while dressing carelessly makes students seem just that- careless.

Clothing with holes and tears, as well as clothing that exposes the midriff are often seen as lazy and unprofessional by employers. By inputting bans on these articles, schools are actively preparing students for a future position in which there is a dress code to be followed.

In their journey to ensure the comfort of everyone at the school, dress codes are often discriminatory and downright offensive to certain groups. African-American students are more likely to be dress coded than any other racial group, especially caucasian peers. Many schools in North America have rules which prohibit natural African-American hair, which is inappropriate and discriminatory towards their culture.

However, there are no rules against any other ethnicity of hair. Studies have shown that girls of colour are much more likely to have their outfits deemed “provocative” and “unladylike” compared to caucasian peers, even when both groups are violating the dress code.

Dress codes often discriminate against people of larger body proportions. Kelsey Anderson, a Missouri teen, wore a long sleeved blouse and long jeans to school one day. She was dress coded. The teacher that dealt with the punishment stated that the reason the teen was dress coded was that “plus size women need to dress accordingly” and that “bustier women need to wear clothing that covers their cleavage”. In other words, she was specifically harassed because she was not considered thin.

Reports show that curvy and busty girls are more likely to be policed for their outfits than thinner and less busty classmates. This blatantly reveals the discrimination towards larger women, and how much harder it is for plus sized women to dress while still obeying the objectivity of dress codes. Many religious practices are disregarded from school dress codes. Muslim women are often penalized for wearing hijabs, which is an important aspect of their beliefs.

Unfortunately, this discrimination follows them outside of the classroom. It affects them in school athletic events as well. Noor Abukuram is an Ohio high schooler, who, in October of 2019, was disqualified from a cross country event in her region. She was sporting a hijab, and though it was formulated especially for athletes, she was eliminated from the event for violating the dress code, after finishing the race. This showcases dress code discrimination against religious wear, despite the fact that it is not offensive or harmful to anyone.

As the bell rings, signifying the start of class, students begin separating from their groups and entering various classrooms. It may seem like an average day, but some students will be dress coded. Some students will have to face embarrassment or suspensions because of it. And a select few may revolt and cause changes in the school dress policies for schools across their board.

Though dress codes have the potential to improve the school climate and student’s school experiences, they often fail to meet these goals. Dress codes place a controlling finger on the student body and causes student frustration. They become fearful of what may happen to them even if they are attempting to follow school dress codes, as failure to follow dress codes can lead to embarrassment at best and expulsion at worst.

This makes their school preparations difficult and more worrisome than they need to be. Dress codes do have a positive aim, which is to keep a professional school climate. Professionalism is important, however, though many schools house professional students, they are also raising ones with sexist mindsets. Dress codes prepare students for reality and their futures. Often, workplaces will have professional dress codes.

Consequences for refusing to follow these policies can even lead to being dismissed from a position. Schools having these same rules ensures that students are aware of the severity of the punishments and how important it is to follow the rules. These same rules that can prepare students so well for reality and their own futures are also largely detrimental to certain groups of students, like students of colour, plus sized students, and religious students.

Dress codes have a variety of pros and cons and it is still controversial on whether the pros outweigh the cons or vice versa. However, reality is that dress codes may not be entirely abolished for some time, and that is something that may have to be dealt with on both sides.

Works Cited

Almasy, Steve, and Natalie Johnson. “Texas Parents Sue School Officials They Say Used Sharpie to Cover Son’s New Haircut.” CNN , Cable News Network, 21 Aug. 2019, 17 Feb. 2020, www.cnn.com/2019/08/20/us/texas-haircut-sharpie-lawsuit/index.html.

Green, Dennis. “It turns out that dressing well can actually make you more successful.” Business Insider, Business Insider, 5 Aug. 2017, 21 Feb. 2020,https://www.businessinsider.com/dressing-for-success-actually-works-2017-7

Heller, Susanna. “A Teen Was Reportedly Told She Violated Her High School’s Dress Code by Being ‘Busty’ – Now She’s Seeking Legal Action.” Insider , Insider, 13 Sept. 2017, 17 Feb. 2020, www.insider.com/teen-called-busty-plus-size-dress-code2017-9.

“Muslim Teen Athlete Disqualified in Ohio Race over Hijab.” BBC News , BBC, 25 Oct. 2019, 17 Feb. 2020, www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-50186728.

Showalter, Sandi Kelly. “The Importance of Dressing Professionally.” Career Trend, Career

Trend, 3 Sept. 2019, 21 Feb. 2020, https://careertrend.com/facts-5136548-importance-dressing-professionally.html

“The Sexualized Messages Dress Codes Are Sending to Students.” The Pudding , n.d, 17 Feb.

2020, www.pudding.cool/2019/02/dress-code-sexualization/.

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Author:  William Anderson (Schoolworkhelper Editorial Team)

Tutor and Freelance Writer. Science Teacher and Lover of Essays. Article last reviewed: 2022 | St. Rosemary Institution © 2010-2024 | Creative Commons 4.0

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99 Dress Code Essay Topics & Examples

Welcome to our list of topic ideas! Here, you will find dress code research questions, titles for dress code essays, and bonus samples. Explore the importance of school uniform, arguments for and against it, and much more with our dress code argumentative essay topics!

🔝 Top 10 Dress Code Titles for Essays

🏆 best dress code topic ideas & essay examples, ⭐ good research topics about dress code, 👍 simple & easy dress code essay titles, ❓ dress code research questions, ✅ most interesting titles for dress code essays.

• How to Dress for Special Events
• Dress Codes and Gender Equality
• Dress Codes in Religious Institutions
• Uniforms in the Hospitality Industry
• Workplace Diversity through Traditional Attire
• Trends in Entertainment Industry Dress Codes
• Individual Expression in Workplace Dress Code
• Impact of School Dress Codes on Student Behavior
• Brand Representation through Sports Dress Codes
• Where Is the Line between Formal and Casual Attire?
• Dubai’s Food, Dress Code and Culture Religion is an important in aspect in Dubai because it influences the lifestyle of the people and forms the foundation of their culture.
• Dress Code and Social Norm Violations In my opinion, this norm is not appropriate in the modern world due to several reasons: first, people are free to make decisions and consider their interests; second, fashion is a current issue that cannot […]
• Workplace Dress Code Rules and Their Failure As it has been mentioned before, it seems to me that a company must offer a certain dress code or, at least, certain boundaries in terms of clothes, for its employees.
• School Dress Codes and Self-Expression Being urged to wear only approved clothes, students are deprived of an opportunity to understand the differences between social groups and the unique problems of their social class.
• Dress Code and Modesty in the Society In modern cultures, dressing controls and conveys a special message to the society. Dress code and modesty in the society should conform to the moral rules regardless of a person’s religion or culture.
• A Support for Dress Code Policy Dress codes issues in America have been serious to an extent that students have historically taken school administration to courts because of infringing on individual free expression contained in the 1st and 14th amendments.
• A Dress Code Policy as a Discriminatory Practice A dress code is an organizational policy of a school, university, company, or community organization that prescribes prohibitions and rules for the wearing of clothing.
• Organizational Manual for Dress Code: Attire and Grooming The figure below illustrates the contents of this manual: The organization will create an environment to help the workers and other stakeholders optimize their productivity. However, the employees will still be expected to groom in […]
• Legal Issue: A Working Dress Code The manager, in turn, replied that heels are part of the dress code that complements the image of the waitresses and attracts customers.
• Altman Corporation’s Dress Code Policy Memorandum In line with the recent dress code policies developed by the communication manager, the following previews and revisions have been made for the effective implementation of the policies.
• Altman Corporation Dress Code Policy They are civilian ware and not professional. Underwear should not be visible above the waistline of the clothing.
• Consultant to an Organization: Dress Codes The reason for changing a dress code policy is to ensure that employees dress appropriately to the work place. However, not all employees respond positively to a change in the dress code.
• Medical Assisting Vocational School: Dress Code First and most obvious, the establishment of the standards in accordance with which the dress code will be altered will have to be considered.
• Dress Code Implementation Into the NBA
• Religious Beliefs and Dress Code Policies in the Workplace
• The Dress Code and Its Effect on the Safety of Students at School
• Arab Women Freedom and the Dress Code
• Restrictions in Business Casual Dress Code for Managers
• Effectiveness of Student Dress Code in American Schools
• Casual Dress Code vs. Business Casual Dress Code
• Increased School Safety and the Dress Code Policy
• School Uniform: Improving the Dress Code
• Dress Code Dilemma: School Education Clothing
• Feminism and the School Dress Code for Girls
• Body Piercing, Tattooing, and the Public School Dress Code
• Discriminatory Dress Codes in Male-Dominated Industries
• Applying the Dress Code Policy
• Business Casual Dress Code: Formal or Informal
• Dress Code Violation and Discrimination
• Jesuit Dress Code and Hair Restrictions
• Business Casual Dress Code of the Workplace
• Uniform and Dress Code Policies: To Provide a Safe and Orderly Environment
• The Debate Around the Dress Code in Schools
• How Dress Code Takes Meaning and Life Out of Clothes
• Islamic Dress Code and Its Restrictions
• Dress Code for Expats Who Visit Qatar
• Understanding Company Dress Code: Appropriate Work Attire
• Arguments for Reversing the Dress Code for High School
• School Dress Code and Limit Students Freedom of Express
• Nursing Uniforms: Why There Should Be a Mandatory Dress Code for Nurses
• Establishing Employee Dress Code: Suit up or Ship Out
• Dress Code and Uniforms Code: What Is the Difference in Restrictions?
• What Not to Wear: Avoiding Dress Code Discrimination
• Dress Code for Public Schools: Pros and Cons
• Enforcing the Dress Code Policy for Nurses
• Arguments for and Against School Dress Codes
• Dress Code Arguments for High School
• Anti Dress Code Arguments for Public Schools
• Wearing Dress Code for Female Workplace
• Dress Code Policies for Public Schools: Teachers and Students
• Sexual Harassment, Dress Code, and Attendance Policy
• Business Dress Code and Image of the Company
• School Uniforms, Dress Codes, and Free Expression
• Should School Dress Code Be Enforced?
• Why Should Dress Code Not Be Enforced?
• What Does the Dress Code Be?
• How Dress Code Takes Meaning and Life Out of Clothes?
• Does Dress Code Prevent Certain Events?
• Does Your Dress Code Address Flip Flop?
• What Are Some Examples of Dress Codes?
• What Is Called the Dress Code?
• What Are the Four Types of Dress Codes?
• What Are the Three Levels of Dress Codes?
• Is It Against the Dress Code to Not Wear a Bra?
• Why Is a Dress Code Necessary?
• What Is a Nice Casual Dress Code?
• What Are the Dress Codes for Work?
• What Is the Formal, Casual Dress Code?
• What Is a Formal Dress Code for Ladies?
• What Is the Most Formal Dress Code?
• What Is the Fanciest Dress Code?
• All Schools Should Have a Student Dress Code?
• How Arab Women’s Freedom Enforced the Dress Code?
• What Is the Difference Between a Casual Dress Code and Business Casual Dress Code?
• What Is Dress Code for Expats Who Visit Qatar?
• Which Is Dress Code for Teachers in Public Schools?
• What Are the Pros and Cons of the Dress Code?
• What Is the Connection Between Dress Code Violation and Discrimination?
• Why Should There Be a Mandatory Dress Code for Nurses?
• The Role of Dress Code in Impression Management
• Do School Uniforms Restrict Students’ Self-Expression?
• How Dress Code Correlates with Gender Identity
• The Link Between Dress Code and Consumerism
• Ways to Avoid Cultural Appropriation in Dress Code
• Body Shaming and Size Inclusivity in Dress Codes
• Dress Code Policies and Their Effect on Employee Morale and Productivity
• How Workplace Fashion Reflects and Shapes Societal Perceptions
• From Traditional Attire to Contemporary Fashion: The Evolution of Dress Codes
• Ways to Balance Discipline and Personal Expression at School
• Personal Ethics Titles
• Cultural Identity Research Topics
• Deontology Questions
• Pedagogy Topics
• Sexism Essay Ideas
• Wellness Essay Topics
• Cross-Cultural Management Research Topics
• Safety Essay Ideas
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

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IvyPanda . 2023. "99 Dress Code Essay Topics & Examples." October 26, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/dress-code-essay-topics/.

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Home / Essay Samples / Business / Dress Code / The Dress Code Debate in the Workplace

The Dress Code Debate in the Workplace

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• Topic: Dress Code

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The Historical Evolution of Dress Codes

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