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.


on Dec. 1 2010 at 9:52 am
thats true to but there are so many different ways to do that at the same time.

keke said...
on Dec. 1 2010 at 8:28 am
yea that true but we need to express ourselfs in wat we  wear

keke said...
on Dec. 1 2010 at 8:25 am
i totally agree lolx

on Nov. 22 2010 at 9:54 am
i think school uniforms should be placed in ever school for the simple fact that it will cut down on alot of drama and will increase school sprit.

sweet blond said...
on Nov. 17 2010 at 3:50 pm
put the u in uniforms!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! u dont have to worry about what to ware!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! luv uniformes

chuky said...
on Nov. 11 2010 at 9:59 am
everyboody has his (her) own character, but if schools require uniforms and control everuthing students wear. It's difficult for students 2 show this individuality. Besides sometimes they are uncomfotable and we can't experess our selfs

on Oct. 4 2010 at 5:24 pm
blackveilbrideschickies BRONZE, Brackenridge, Pennsylvania
2 articles 0 photos 30 comments
I agree with nothing that you have said. We dont have school uniforms and our school has tried to do but it doesnt fly. Everyone including parents protest. Just because you are wearing the same outfit as someone DOES NOT mean you will fit in! Im a punk kid that doesnt mean that since I dress punk that I will fit with every punk kid. Uniforms eliminate nothing! Kids still get bullied and nothing changes except you should absolutely no individuality! School uniforms should be banned not instilled.

on Oct. 4 2010 at 4:55 pm
lumpkins BRONZE, Plainfeild, Connecticut
1 article 0 photos 7 comments
i tottally agree nothing else to say

Dianeyka said...
on Oct. 4 2010 at 12:43 pm
Dianeyka, Kissimee, Florida
0 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"if you Deny Me in Front of your friends, I Will Deny you at thee heaven Gates"- Jesus ♥ :)

Well I think that we should Dress Freely

It Show Our Sense in style and our personality... it Would Be a Ah'mazing ..but  Dress Classy Not Trashy ya' feel me.!


hahahahaha94 said...
on Sep. 21 2010 at 9:58 pm
Well i have dress code no sphagetti strap or booty shorts but other then that we express ourselves but who cares no one really does that so...

on Sep. 21 2010 at 2:03 pm
babygirlinthetardis BRONZE, Snaith, Other
1 article 1 photo 14 comments
If ours wasn't so restrictive then it'd be fine - there are even rules about socks and hair bobbles. We're not even a private school, just a bog standard UK high school. Other than that they're fine, although I'd definitely prefer a dress code rather than a full on uniform.

on Aug. 27 2010 at 4:59 pm
Thinker PLATINUM, Na, Connecticut
47 articles 0 photos 82 comments

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

Basically, the school thinks that by changing to cover of the book, they change the content of it also, which we all know is total @*%$#!!!! If you catch my drift.

on Aug. 27 2010 at 4:57 pm
Thinker PLATINUM, Na, Connecticut
47 articles 0 photos 82 comments

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

From the schools point of view, a student who dresses as a student does better. Supposedly its based on the psycology of uniformity, I call it vainity. The idea is the same as the posters that they hang on the wall, if you think you look like a student, then you will become one, and become a better one over time. Anyone who has the ability to think for themselves knows this is just a political tatic. Schoos have too much social power as it is.

on Aug. 26 2010 at 8:23 pm
Scarecrow BRONZE, Vancouver, Washington
3 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A father is a banker provided by nature."






-French Proverb

So how would uniform appearance promote vanity?

on Aug. 24 2010 at 9:48 am
Thinker PLATINUM, Na, Connecticut
47 articles 0 photos 82 comments

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

Personally, I believe that uniforms are a part of the mcjob(yes this is a real word, google it.) epidemic that is sweeping our nation. We are encouraged to give up our indiviguality, independance, self esteem, self reliance, and critical thought processes for the ploy of safety and security. This is the same reason all schools seem to imply that without college degrees you will be absolutely worthless, when the key to sucess is really, presistance, perciveriance, and creative thought. If you don't believe me read the following books: The way we think , The way Dr.'s think, Outliar, or E=MC^2 - a Biography of the equation.  Read about DaVincie, DuChatele, Einstine, Bernoule, Tesla, Edison, Franklin, Maxwell, Faraday... or just about any other super sucessful person.

on Aug. 24 2010 at 9:38 am
Thinker PLATINUM, Na, Connecticut
47 articles 0 photos 82 comments

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

Please defend your opinnion with more than just your preferance, there is more to this issue than "likes" and "dis-likes".

on Aug. 24 2010 at 9:35 am
Thinker PLATINUM, Na, Connecticut
47 articles 0 photos 82 comments

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

The idea that people are what they wear is vain, remeber the addage, never judge a book by the cover. But that is what schools are teaching their students, enforcing vainity, the underlying cause of bullying, and they are stripping students of independent self esteem. This is appearant in the way that most students can't even think clearly if it isn't in a structured enviorment, without habit they are lost. Remember, happiness is more than a smile on your face.

on Aug. 21 2010 at 1:24 pm
Scarecrow BRONZE, Vancouver, Washington
3 articles 0 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A father is a banker provided by nature."






-French Proverb

If everybody was wearing uniforms, wouldn't they be accepted for who they are rather than what they wear?

on Aug. 21 2010 at 12:36 pm
Niftygrrl BRONZE, Norfolk, Virginia
4 articles 0 photos 39 comments

Favorite Quote:
“We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love.”- dr suess

"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

Uniforms would be great if they were cute and looked like they stepped off gossip girl but most the time they don't.

I hate my schools Uniform!


J. Rae said...
on Aug. 5 2010 at 9:08 am
Our school has a dress code, were you have to light blue or white or navy polos, or tan or black pants. It makes getting ready in the morning so much easier, and you can still express yourself. You can wear funky clorored belts( we have to wear belts and tuck in our shirts. UGH!) and jewlery that is your style. My friends and I created "crazy sock Friday" were everyone wears crazy knee socks with tan skirts. So i think that dress code is teh way to go, not uniforms.