School Uniforms | Teen Ink

School Uniforms MAG

By Anonymous

     It's the first day of school and you have to find the perfect outfit to make a good impression. Lucky for me, I don't have this problem: my private school requires I wear a uniform. Some may think this is not a good idea, but I think it is very positive.

In school, one of the most important things is your style. The more you have, the more popular and noticed you will probably be. With uniforms, there's no discrimination because of what you're wearing. Everyone is united under the same style.

Clothing often reflects who you are and who you socialize with. In most schools, there are groups of students who dress alike. All the jocks dress differently from the preps who have a different style from the punks. You may even avoid a particular person because of what they are wearing. Uniforms require students to get to know each other by finding out about who they really are.

There are many styles of clothing, some appropriate for school and others not. Peers and the media pressure us to dress and look a certain way. Some clothing contains logos promoting drugs, alcohol or even violence. Midriff shirts, halters and mini skirts are advertised everywhere. Since students want to fit in and be cool, they want to wear this type of clothing. In most school systems, however, it is not allowed. Uniforms help eliminate these problems. All students look similar. They all fit in. There are no distractions. Uniforms allow students to concentrate on learning instead of what they are wearing.

Money also plays a big part in the clothing we wear. Not all styles are affordable. Students are ridiculed because they can't afford "in" clothing. Some may even feel pressured to steal to get the right clothing. Although uniforms are initially expensive, they can be worn for years, making them cost effective and less expensive than regular clothes.

When my school allows us a dress-down day, we can wear regular clothes. We show off our styles and wear our favorite shirts with jeans. Surprisingly, on dress-down days, we remain similar. We know each other well enough to be ourselves. Even without uniforms, we dress alike!

I believe uniforms help unite us in a common goal: to do well in school. It is a symbol of our unity. They demonstrate to everyone that we are more than just our clothes: we are all individuals.



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This article has 135 comments.


mel.mel. said...
on Jul. 25 2010 at 5:52 pm
i dissagree with ladi because it is the one thing teens have that get tooken away from them every day because of school districts we should go on strike

tianaxbiddy said...
on Jul. 12 2010 at 11:03 am
i disagree. school uniforms dont show that you are an indiviual. they are just cloths that every1 must wear because they are told to. what if every1 in the world dressd like that? would there be less crime? the answer to that is no the crimes would be the same not more not less because uniforms dont show individuality. why do you think prisons use them? why do you think the army uses uniforms? they are showin that every1 is the same even tho ppl arent the same.

on Jun. 16 2010 at 9:17 am
pollorambo GOLD, Indianapolis, Indiana
12 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
there is a difference between knowledge & Intelligents

i agree with thinker

 


on Jun. 11 2010 at 11:37 am
i feel that students should have to wear uniform because some students parent can not affored school uniform

on Jun. 8 2010 at 7:59 pm
AnneOnnimous BRONZE, Peterborough Ontario, Other
3 articles 0 photos 146 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Saying 'I notice you're a nerd' is like saying, 'Hey, I notice that you'd rather be intelligent than be stupid, that you'd rather be thoughtful than be vapid, that you believe that there are things that matter more than the arrest record of Lindsay Lohan. Why is that?' In fact, it seems to me that most contemporary insults are pretty lame. Even 'lame' is kind of lame. Saying 'You're lame' is like saying 'You walk with a limp.' Yeah, whatever, so does 50 Cent, and he's done all right for himself."
— John Green

aha, I'm glad you agree!!! :)

vjrgbyr@vur said...
on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:52 am
boooooooooooooooooooooo uniforms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:50 am
Sorry about that last comment I made a mistake but you DO totally get me!!!!!!

on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:46 am
Now this I agree with you  totally understand me !I think the same way!!!!!!

on Jun. 8 2010 at 10:41 am
I disagree with you ,I think that the clothes people wear show who they are inside

on May. 25 2010 at 7:05 pm
Thinker PLATINUM, Na, Connecticut
47 articles 0 photos 82 comments

Favorite Quote:
A wise word does not make the speaker wise.

From experiance in both uniformed and un-uniformed schools, I find that the problem isn't the clothes, but rather the refusal of others to accept people for who they are. The uniforms are a "Band-Aid" solution to a major underlying socal problem. Un-educated inhabitions.

on Apr. 11 2010 at 12:34 pm
AnneOnnimous BRONZE, Peterborough Ontario, Other
3 articles 0 photos 146 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Saying 'I notice you're a nerd' is like saying, 'Hey, I notice that you'd rather be intelligent than be stupid, that you'd rather be thoughtful than be vapid, that you believe that there are things that matter more than the arrest record of Lindsay Lohan. Why is that?' In fact, it seems to me that most contemporary insults are pretty lame. Even 'lame' is kind of lame. Saying 'You're lame' is like saying 'You walk with a limp.' Yeah, whatever, so does 50 Cent, and he's done all right for himself."
— John Green

This was a great article but i disagree with it. Uniforms squash originality and individuality. Personally, i adore clothes and shopping, so I could never go to a school with uniforms. Also, I think the cost of normal clothes is less than that of uniforms: if you can't afford pricier clothes, you can get cheaper clothing, whereas when you have uniforms you are forced to buy something no matter what your budget is.

on Nov. 30 2009 at 3:22 pm
ShernayB. DIAMOND, Southfield, Michigan
62 articles 1 photo 881 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Some things will never change"---Tupac

I love that you support the place of uniforms. I had to wear a uniform throughout elementary school. I didn't mind at all. But throughout junior high and my first two years of high school, I have been wearing street clothes. I like both of the ideas. Now, I am so accustomed to wearing street clothes, that I would probably be upset if my high school switched. But I wouldn't complain because like Sophia said, I would love the "cute preppy look". LOL. Great article.

on Nov. 8 2009 at 4:18 pm
FlyleafFreak DIAMOND, Loveland, Colorado
51 articles 0 photos 203 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I have faith in fools;self confidence my friends call it"~Edger Allan Poe
"In this world of infinite insanity, your friends are the best psychiatrists you will ever have."~Me

This is a good argument for school uniforms, but I still disagree with you. School uniforms take away individuality and expression. If kids and teens wear deragatory clothing, do they not get punished? If not, I suggest you talk to you administrators and your district leaders about that. If a punk wants to wear black and neon, with dyed hair, converse and lip piercings, let them. If a prep wants to wear vests, pink, and headbands, same as the punks.

on Jun. 19 2009 at 10:44 pm
Dandelion PLATINUM, Franklin, Massachusetts
20 articles 8 photos 173 comments
I understand your side of the problem, and I think this is an excellent, though-provoking article, although I disagree. I am one of the few students in my public school who does not dress just like the other kids. I dress like a girl straight out of the Woodstock festival in 1969. Kids make fun of my bandanas, peasant tops, Chuck Taylors, and homemade tie-dyed shirts, but I don't care. This all goes to show how strong my relationships are with my friends, because although they don't particularly favor my clothing, they stick with me aren't embarrased by me. Perhaps I am an exception to the rule, but I highly doubt that. Either way, you did a great job at posing your side of the story!

on Jun. 19 2009 at 12:55 pm
harryFANatic<3 BRONZE, Bonita Springs, New Jersey
1 article 1 photo 5 comments
great article. its very well written. i totally agree with u tho. i had to wear a uniform from kindergarten till 8th grade. now im in a public high school, and picking out what im going to wear every day makes things so complicated! i miss having uniforms.

on Jun. 17 2009 at 4:20 am
Sophia Som BRONZE, Snohomish, Washington
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
you're right, personally, i think this when i hear the word 'uniform': great! cute skirts, cute vests, cute socks= a cute preppy look. I don't mind it at all as long as it doesn't look nerdy or dorky. i guess i'm fantasizing more about the uniforms anime characters wear. lol, off topic, good opinion and i totally agree with you.