School uniforms | Teen Ink

School uniforms

August 27, 2009
By Anonymous

Parents always talk about how If schools had uniforms, everything would be so much eisier. You wouldn't get caught up on looks and would learn the skills you need. I disagree with this, I think that school uniforms would put a restriction on our creativity. We dress the way we do for a certain reason.
Clothes give us expression and the ability to use color and patterns. The first impression we get of people is usually clothes, facial expression and language. If we all wear the same thing we don't get to really see what people are like on the inside. Usually girly girls wear pink and frilly things. Skaters wear baggy pants and goth usually wear black. Clothes don't distract us form learning the studies we need to, it simply lets us inspire our imaginations and lights up our worlds.
putting school uniforms into order would probably make us rebell against it and we would only be able to express our creativity in things like art and music. Because of the current economic situation most art and music programs are being cut from schools because there is simply not eneough money to support them.



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This article has 240 comments.


on Apr. 22 2010 at 5:03 pm
TwiHeart101 BRONZE, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
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I agree, my schools gonna make us wear uniforms. Its soo unfair, their taking away our creativity!!

Hzano said...
on Apr. 14 2010 at 11:27 am
Hzano, Antwerp, Other
0 articles 0 photos 3 comments

I'm indifferent towards uniforms-

Yes for uniforms because they could prevent abrupt categorization of girls at high school. And, you can't be made fun because of what you wear... well you could, but that would be very stupid.

No- Because dressing up is what most girls love most, and wether you dress up or down at least we have a choice, right?


on Apr. 6 2010 at 7:54 pm
I go to a school with uniforms and it dosnt help with cliques or any other problems. People still judge you nomatter what. So I think that uniforms are still just a waste of time.

on Mar. 26 2010 at 5:34 pm
BlueberryPoptartHasAnAmazinglyLongScreenname BRONZE, Some Town, New York
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I don't agree. If you see a girl wearing all black you wouldn't guess sometimes she crys when she watches hallmark movies, or has a cat named Fluffy, or that the girl in the skinny jeans really could use a hug. Without haveing clothing to deal with we can focus on what people are really like. Not just what they look like but who they are.

on Mar. 9 2010 at 9:47 pm
naturelover123 BRONZE, San Francisco, California
2 articles 0 photos 50 comments
I agree that clothing is a form of creativity, but sometimes it's hard to wake up every school morning and create a cute outfit. Having a uniform to wear would be so much easier, and we would see people more and not just what they wear. The stereotypes you mentioned in this article are one of the reasons uniforms would be good...you wouldn't be able to look at people's clothing and put them into a category (goth, cheerleader, skater). We could still accessorize our uniforms with jewelry and stuff...and hairstyles...makeup...etc. ... Uniforms would be totally cool in my opinion.

on Mar. 5 2010 at 8:29 pm
scribblesinthecity BRONZE, Brooklyn, New York
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i understand what you are saying, but i think its stereotypical to think that all people who consider fashion as a way to express themselves are only doing it to fit in and look popular. Because we're definitely not all like that. I love fashion. i have my own personal style that i stick to because it makes me feel great, and for that reason only. I dont pay attention to what i wear just to fit it, because sometimes the clothes i wear dont fit in in with the general style of girls in my HS anyway. but do u think i care? heck no. i express MYSELF through my clothes, not the image of some clique or stereotype. and i think this is true for many teens in schools with no uniforms. and also- a lot of us are not limited to only expressing ourselves through clothes. i mean hey, we're on this website right? that must mean that we also like to express ourselves through writing as well, i know i do. i guess all in all what im trying to say is that people who consider fashion as a form of expression aren't all just wannabes and followers. we're much more than that. and its time people stop judging us for it.

on Mar. 5 2010 at 5:08 pm
RadioactiveRainbow, Fort Smith, Arkansas
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My school has uniforms.

I disagree with most of this post.

We express ourselves pretty well. Infact, we express ourselves better. I do not consider the way you dress as a way to express yourself. You're just going to want to wear what's "popular" among your group of friends. That isn't expressing yourself, that's expressing the image or stereotype of your clique.

Like I said, my school requires us to wear uniforms, and I don't particularly love them, but your reasons aren't exactly plausible.

Not trying to be rude, just sharing my opinion. :]

on Feb. 28 2010 at 7:16 pm
scribblesinthecity BRONZE, Brooklyn, New York
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i can completely understand both sides of the uniform argument. but id just like to say that i've noticed many people bring up the fact that for kids who are not well off (financially) and can't afford to buy nice clothes, uniforms are better for them. But i definitly dont think you need to be rich to have a sense of style! i am a living proof of that. Both my parents work for the city (moms a teacher, dad a bus driver), so we are well of enough i suppose but we're not extremely wealthy or anything. at least not wealthy enough to afford designer, or just simply over priced clothing brands (like hollister, etc). But even so, my mom and i love fashion and find it as a great away to express ourselves (but not the only way! i do agree that there are still other was to show your personality besides clothes, but having a sense of style is just one of the many ways to be yourself). there is such a thing as bargain hunting ppl! and though it has a stupid stigma of being for poor people who cant afford "nice" clothes, thats not true, and i actually find the clothes i find at thrift shops and in the sale section of stores to be just as fashionable (if not better) then all that high-end pricey stuff. but back to the uniforms issue-i think uniforms can be good and bad, and it really just depends on who you are as a person. if you the kind of kid who could care less about what you wear each day, and has other ways to express yourself-than thats fine! and uniforms are right for you. but if your someone (like me) who enjoys having a sense of style and uses that (among other things) as a form of expression and creativity-than uniforms just plain suck. but everyone is different. I think it would be great if schools allowed each student to decide if they wanted to wear uniforms or not. that would make it a win-win for everyone right?

YeahItsMe said...
on Feb. 18 2010 at 3:38 pm
Yeah Kat but clothes are another way to express yourself and yeah kids with less money can't buy nice clothes but uniforms cost for too.

on Feb. 11 2010 at 2:47 pm
Emma.H.96 DIAMOND, Kalamazoo, Michigan
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I totally understand that, thank you!!!

KatAnne SILVER said...
on Feb. 11 2010 at 1:09 pm
KatAnne SILVER, Meadville, Pennsylvania
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I go to a school that has uniforms. To be quite honest it is so much easier in the morning to just pull out a uniform and throw it on. It takes time out of getting ready in the morning and really lets you sleep in an extra bit.

You said in your piece that people judge you by how you look. Uniforms to a certain point cause people to look farther than the surface. When people look farther that clothes it is good for kids who are not as well off as others and can't afford nice clothes.

I'm not trying to attack you and your opinion, I'm simply trying to present another side to the argument.

abc123 said...
on Feb. 10 2010 at 1:24 pm
i think that skool unforim would suck because i mean we were what is in right now! i we cant they what is the point of unforms i mean for real!

on Feb. 3 2010 at 11:14 pm
FeedTheBirds SILVER, San Diego, California
6 articles 0 photos 82 comments
It seems short sighted to insist that the only - or principle - form of expression is clothing.

Clothing can be an easy way to form cliques (e.g. commenter that mentioned a WOW shirt will automatically attract fellow geeks). The original commenter in that example suggested this is a good thing.

High school is already a bastion of enemy scuffles. Clothing is one playing field that can be moderately leveled.

That isn't to say that I don't believe teens should enjoy some creative aesthetic expression. Uniform "codes" are guidelines rather than strict clothing demands. I don't believe socks, stockings, undershirts, and ties should be as strictly guided. these are areas that aren't as prominent and still allow a student some 'creative expression'.

on Jan. 30 2010 at 1:39 pm
IThinkIWIllJustFlyAwayNow PLATINUM, Visalia, California
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My school doesn't have unifroms, so i can't say i know what it's like. But I DO know that if you put restraints on people's personality, they will push the boundaries. And besides, uniforms probably won't lend the anonymity most people hope for. The "rich kids" will still always have new and clean uniforms, while the poorer ones will not be able to afford new ones. You just really can't run from who you are.

lambo51 said...
on Jan. 27 2010 at 4:03 pm
Ok, so I get the idea of uniforms. It keeps the students in line. Without them rich kids would go around bragging about their trendy clothes and poor kids would be able to do that. Personally, I would not mind to wear a shirt and tie all school day. If every other guy was weraing that it wouldn't matter. Also an fyi. dress pants are comfy. I like to wear ties. I wear then all the time to a party or a dinner. As soon as I get invited to a party, i say "Mom. i have to go to a party, I need a shirt and tie!" This makes me look good. Anyway I'm getting of topic. Uniforms should be in schools. Yes, it does restrict expressions from kids but it puts all kids on the same level in clothing.

AmnyR BRONZE said...
on Jan. 15 2010 at 10:02 pm
AmnyR BRONZE, Clifton, Texas
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ok, like the point you're making, but you should have stopped before you got to the part about schools cutting art and music, it just didnt tie in well with the rest. just a tip, no offense meant!

Makira said...
on Jan. 15 2010 at 5:34 am
I disagree, I just moved to a school with uniforms. Its hard to find a group to fit in with, and its harder to make friends. I have been to 15 different schools, this is the first with uniforms. I hate walking into school wearing something I am uncomfortable in and trying to make friends with people that look at me weird when I say what I am interested in. Girls won't talk to me after they find out I like games and boys don't talk to the girls all that much. This would have been easily fixed it I could wear my World of Warcraft tee, or my Star Wars Wookie shirt. Wearing what you want makes you feel comfortable, and it advertises who you view yourself as. With uniforms you can still get away with things. Brands are still important.

on Jan. 11 2010 at 3:32 pm
Our school has a uniform, and it's awful. It really leaves no room for self-expression.

on Jan. 10 2010 at 8:27 pm
TheSnackThatSmilesBack BRONZE, Tuscon, Arizona
1 article 0 photos 2 comments
I definatly agree with you, dressing yourself is a form of creativity. It's a way to express yourself.

on Jan. 9 2010 at 9:16 pm
XxCrazyGurlXx SILVER, Whiteville, North Carolina
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I would DIE if we had to wear uniforms (might be getting them next year 2010-2011 year) but I dont wear skirts they have to give me what the boys are wearing or something I'm a tomboy as it is so I dont believe I am capable of having to change because some stupid people decide that uniforms will make the gang rate and stuff go down come on! Every color is most likely a gang color!!! So STUPID!