As the first few weeks of school have zoomed by at my school, the only thing the girls can seem to focus on is the new dress code. Some are infuriated, some simply a little peeved, and some actually understand the new dress code like I do. About a month ago everyone got an email from my school with the new dress code amendments banning anything with lycra or spandex. Among the things banned were leggings, yoga pants, and tube skirts. I understand being initially upset, but many girls do not realize that they aren’t totally banned.
I was told by the school nurse, who is the woman that decides whether or not your outfit is against dress code, that we could wear leggings as long as our “Gluteus Maximus” was hidden under a long shirt or sweater. After hearing this I was relieved because this meant they were not completely banned. The next day at the school assembly the nurse told my grade that to wear leggings our shirts had to be five and a half inches from the knee, which is how long our skirts and dresses have to be. Hearing this I was quite upset, as this was not what she told me earlier. The nurse also went on to say that all form fitting clothing was banned, such as jeggings. After the assembly she checked every girl’s outfit and singled out the ones who were “against dress code”. I found this to be insulting, being singled out in front of your whole grade. One girl even got in trouble because her skinny jeans were “too tight”.
The next day the principal said that it was wrong of the nurse to do that and that she was wrong about the five-and-a-half-inch thing. What I was originally told by the nurse was the truth. The only thing they want to change is how visible our butts are in leggings; if they are hidden you are ok. This I understand. Especially because many girls buy leggings that are so tight they are see through. The only difficult thing is that, because we have heard two different things, many girls are afraid to wear leggings even with shirts that cover their bottoms because they don’t know what is or isn’t allowed.
What I don’t find to be ok is the banning of “form fitting clothing”. I find this to be over the top and ridiculous. A girl should not get in trouble because her skinny jeans are too skinny. They are meant to be skinny and form fitting. Almost all clothing in fashion now a days is form fitting and it is ridiculous to tell us that we have to go against fashion.
School dress codes can be a difficult topic, especially when you have to decide when to draw the line, but my school is becoming over the top with their rules. They need to decide on one rule, and stick with it. Don’t be telling us different things.