Out with the old, in with the new: dress codes and their place in schools

At Samo, many students use the way that they dress to express themselves. Self-expression is an excellent way to build confidence and lets adolescents explore their personal style and identity. Additionally, fashion is a manifestation of art and an excellent way to showcase creativity.

It’s no secret that there’s been a lot of discourse on the subject, so many other high schools have hopped on the trend and eradicated dress codes once and for all. Many schools like Pali High have stopped tyrannizing their students’ wardrobes, so why can’t Samo pull the plug?

Apart from limiting self-expression, many students, like Lila Sencio (’24), agree that dress codes are severely outdated on the feminist front and think that they carry chauvinist connotations.

“Dress codes tend to be directed towards girls, causing them to feel signaled out and objectified. If a girl can’t wear a tank top, then a guy should be told to pull up his pants,” Sencio said.

The prohibition of low-cut shirts, showing of the abdomen and shorts above fingertips are all vetoes that target trends in girls’ fashion specifically. At a time when female students are at their most emotionally malleable, dress codes spur feelings of insecurity and bouts of self-criticism.

On the other side of the fence, teenage boys are blissfully oblivious to these mental repercussions. When confronted about his experiences with the dress code, Oscar Vaughan-Verk (’25) found that he’d never had to worry about dress code policies.

“I’ve never been dress-coded in my life, or had to worry about it at all,” Vaughn-Verk said. “I’ve seen a ton of my male friends walk around shirtless and not get dress coded or anything.” A dress code may have been slightly more permissible in middle school, as younger students may not have yet developed a sense of what is and isn’t appropriate to wear in different contexts. But on this campus, most Samo students agree that they are old enough to dictate their own appearances.

“High schoolers are at the age where they should be mature enough to decide what’s appropriate for school and what’s not,” Sencio said. “Just wear what makes you comfortable.”

Art by Audrey Strauss