As Roosevelt students, we have a great deal of freedom compared to other schools; however, we often take advantage of it. We continuously break our already lax dress code time after time and then get upset when anyone says anything to us. From sweatpants to pajamas, slippers to vulgar tees, we have all seen (and probably been a part of) it at one time or another. How we dress can sometimes say a lot more about ourselves than we might think.

The number one argument against a stricter dress code is that it would impede on our ability to wear whatever we please and to express ourselves. What exactly does showing up to school looking like you just rolled out of bed express? Laziness? Apathy? I promise you; these feelings can be felt in a prom dress, too. As we move into adulthood, we are going to become exposed to more professional settings with internships and careers where a strict dress code is not merely a suggestion, it’s a requirement. Showing up to school donning our fuzzy slippers is a hard way to get taken seriously, but showing up to your job wearing them is an easy way to get fired.

Another concern with our dress code is the problem we have with covering ourselves. The “less is more” idea for girls that comes with skirts, dresses, and shorts probably sends the wrong message. I’m guilty of breaking this rule myself, but there should be a happy medium between fingertip length and looking like we just strutted out of a burlesque club. If parts of you are hanging out, it’s too short and/or tight. Girls are not the only guilty party, however; guys are just as bad. Wearing your pants on the ground tells a future employer two things: that you may be a wannabe rapper and that you couldn’t care less.

The important thing to keep in mind is that while the lazy dress code might fly here at Roosevelt, it most definitely does not in the real world. Essentially, the goal of our administrators is to prepare us for college and our future careers, so why not start by having us dress the part? A revamped dress code strictly enforced by the staff and followed by the students would be a positive change to our school, but most importantly, to ourselves. Making a positive impression on others is important to feeling positively about ourselves. If we dress like we want to be taken seriously, we will be by our teachers, administrators, and future employers. Whether it’s choir or calculus, staying classy in class can not only impress, but make us feel good about ourselves.