Dress code… a very touchy subject at Concord High School. Some people hate it, and some love it. The dress code is something in our school that we can all improve together. However, school needs to be a comfortable place for everyone. 

Dressing for class is all about balance. Obviously don’t show off your undergarments and keep your outfit PG. We don’t want to see someone half-naked in school, but there’s a fine line between being half-naked and showing a little bit of your stomach, which gets disregarded when it comes to dress code. 

Let’s first remember why we even have a dress code. According to The First Amendment Encyclopedia, “Dress codes are typically implemented by school districts and employers to promote learning, safety, and image.” However, the real question is how we create a balance in the learning environment that allows students to express themselves and also be school appropriate. 

In our student handbook, it goes into detail about the dress code. “While fashion changes, the reason for being in school does not. Students are in school to learn,” it explains. Rules such as, “clothing that reveals cleavage (blouses/shirts with necklines too low) or pants the “sag” are not allowed. 

Our principal Ms. Price says, “I can reduce the dress code to four items:  jeans or sweatpants and t-shirts or sweatshirts. That would be my “dream” dress code.” Price values each student’s education, and we understand that the dress code could potentially disrupt the learning environment.

On the other hand, the dress code upsets many people in our school. Many think that it’s sexist or even too strict.  With crop tops being a current trend in our world, students want to be able to wear these. Showing midriff is one of the biggest problems we have with the dress code in our school. Students were asked this question when interviewed: what are your opinions on girls being dress coded for their midriff showing? Almost every answer to this question was the same. Sophomore Danni Fritz shares her opinion that “If midriff is showing it isn’t that big of a deal. It isn’t harming or distracting anyone, so why enforce it?” She continues, “I think that the dress code definitely has some flaws in it. If I could, I would definitely loosen the dress code.” 

As weather changes, styles change, which also needs to be taken into consideration. During the hot summer days, it isn’t comfortable to be wearing pants and a long sleeve shirt. Students of Concord should be able to wear appropriate shorts and tank tops. 

As a female, shopping for school-appropriate clothes is hard. All shorts that are in stores are either out of style, or out of dress code. Shirts are like this too. Most shirts are cropped or tank tops. So should there be some kind of leeway on these items? Should an inch of the stomach be able to be seen? What about shoulders?

Sophomore Taylor Cole wants there to be a change in our school’s dress code: “As a student at Concord High School, I feel that the dress code here is highly misogynistic and sexist. I fully understand that there is a time and place for everything including clothing; however, there is a right and wrong way to go about it. While women are more subject to unfair treatment, I wouldn’t expect that in a place of education.”

Senior Autumn Cornell explains her thoughts and opinions on the dress code: “One thing that I like about the dress code is that we get a taste of what it will be like in the workforce and having to dress somewhat professionally. [But], I think as women we shouldn’t feel oppressed for being ourselves. I actually don’t think that the dress code is biased towards one gender or another; it is just that boys and girls have different anatomy and personally I have not been treated worse than any man here. I think that we have a dress code because this is a place of study, and we should be more worried about our work than what we wear. I still believe that being creative and expressing ourselves through clothes is important.” 

Let’s reflect on what is allowed and what isn’t. Shoulders, crop tops, sagging pants, leggings (without a tunic top), pajama pants, and ripped jeans are not allowed. T-shirts, long shorts, non-ripped jeans, and sweatpants are allowed. Many students here think that students should be allowed to wear crop tops that are only an inch above the pants line. That way, it isn’t distracting but still allows students to express themselves. Another argument many students present is that there is really no difference between sweatpants and pajama pants. They are both comfortable and usually made from the same material. So why aren’t they allowed?

Gallery • 8 Photos

Rylee Sinden

So, with this being said, ask yourself these questions: is Concord’s dress code really that bad? How would you change it?