NationStates Jolt Archive

Being an American teenager is not easy for anyone (especially middle-schoolers who like to think they're teenagers :rolleyes:), but it's easy to fall into the traps that you swear you will never fall into. However, even if you do fall into some of those traps, you do find some delicious irony.

All across America, many students are outraged over possible uniforms and dress codes. "It's freedom of expression!" they cry. "Freedom of expression! I't the First Amendment!" So schools often don't impose uniforms, though they do force dress codes.

However, you've got other stores, like American Eagle, Aeropostale, Abercrombie and Fitch, Wet Seal, etc. that teens like to shop at. And the general rule of thumb in the average high school/middle school is, wear them or lose any chance of a decent social life. Fads are extremely common.

So what is the "freedom of dress" all about? How can you truly express yourself through clothing when you're dressed like everyone else? Do teens just want to follow fads, as is the American Way? Or do people just not want to wear uniforms?

Cuz either way, you're forced to dress like everyone else.

Thoughts?

I wear shirts with stuff like "Support Your Right To Arm Bears" with a picture of a bear holding a gun, and purple camo pants.

I'm fairly popular.

And this is why I love Catholic school! All boys helps too. No girls to impress.

To be a true individual, go naked. :D

Seriously though, if public schools start issuing uniforms, you can bet that the kids will find some way of individualizing them...

Well, I've always worn what I like to wear (well-worn blue jeans, a white t-shirt, and a denim jacket being a favorite of mine), and I've never been a social outcast...

...Maybe you're just hanging out with the idiot crowd?

here i say it's what shoes ,backpack and other things as uniforms are part of schooling from year 1 to year 12

And this is why I love Catholic school! All boys helps too. No girls to impress.

No fun to have, either.

And, don't correct me here, given that kind of enviroment, ESPECIALLY no fun if you're gay.

To be a true individual, go naked. :D

Seriously though, if public schools start issuing uniforms, you can bet that the kids will find some way of individualizing them...

Like we do at Catholic school with ties.

Also, Costa Rican public schools have uniforms and nobody complains.

Quien caricia?

To be a true individual, go naked. :D

Seriously though, if public schools start issuing uniforms, you can bet that the kids will find some way of individualizing them...

In my case, telling the school to go fuck themselves and wear what I want.

No fun to have, either.

And, don't correct me here, given that kind of enviroment, ESPECIALLY no fun if you're gay.

Are you kidding me? The water balloon ambush of freshmen my frosh year, putting up election posters claiming kids are Pro-AIDS and don't pay child support (the list goes on and on), goldfish in the water coolers, rioting on Pi Day, . . .

And we have one out kid. No one says shit to him or about him.

well I grew up in uniform land UK and I've always shopped at debenhams (a cheap ass store) the norm is either that or if your a chav JJB, so I guess uniforms do destroy all class, a good thing considering I have no dress sense and thus thrive on uniforms

though a group of girls (almost cheerleaders) did try dressing the same once (by wearing boots of all things) very quickly this fashion statement died out in a sea of darlek voices

edit: course I finished school last year so I guess I'm just a old man :(

Yeah...

I have two pairs of jeans that I've been wearing since August (No one has noticed or cared), I wear five dollar shirts from Old Navy and Gap, most of them look fairly similar but in different colors and right now I have 40 dollar Oasic shoes.

I'm not popular, as in I don't have a horde of people around me that I don't even know, but I have a big group of friends and I don't think any of them care what I or the rest of them dress like.

You must just be crazy. :eek:

Yes, becuase you're the only teen who doesn't follow the latest "fads"..

Being an American teenager is not easy for anyone (especially middle-schoolers who like to think they're teenagers :rolleyes:), but it's easy to fall into the traps that you swear you will never fall into. However, even if you do fall into some of those traps, you do find some delicious irony.

All across America, many students are outraged over possible uniforms and dress codes. "It's freedom of expression!" they cry. "Freedom of expression! I't the First Amendment!" So schools often don't impose uniforms, though they do force dress codes.

However, you've got other stores, like American Eagle, Aeropostale, Abercrombie and Fitch, Wet Seal, etc. that teens like to shop at. And the general rule of thumb in the average high school/middle school is, wear them or lose any chance of a decent social life. Fads are extremely common.

So what is the "freedom of dress" all about? How can you truly express yourself through clothing when you're dressed like everyone else? Do teens just want to follow fads, as is the American Way? Or do people just not want to wear uniforms?

Cuz either way, you're forced to dress like everyone else.

Thoughts?

I have friends, and I never shop at any of the stores you mentioned. I wear some Invader Zim shirts from Hot Topic, Phantom of the Opera shirts acquired either when I went to see it or from the internet, and various club t-shirts. You're not forced to wear clothing from any of those stores in order to have friends. If people pick their friends based off of clothing than that's pretty superficial anyway, and they most likely wouldn't be the kind of friends I would want to have.

I wouldn't want to have to wear a uniform, because they would probably be immodest by my standards. Dress codes, however, I'm fine with. My middle school and high school both have dress codes, and basically it's just for things that don't affect me, anyway (like an appropriate skirt/short length, no spaghetti straps, no holes or slits in pants unless they are below the appropriate skirt length, that sort of thing.)

I always thought School Uniforms were kinda cool, but then again I was only captain of the football team.

I have friends, and I never shop at any of the stores you mentioned. I wear some Invader Zim shirts from Hot Topic, Phantom of the Opera shirts acquired either when I went to see it or from the internet, and various club t-shirts. You're not forced to wear clothing from any of those stores in order to have friends. If people pick their friends based off of clothing than that's pretty superficial anyway, and they most likely wouldn't be the kind of friends I would want to have.

I wouldn't want to have to wear a uniform, because they would probably be immodest by my standards. Dress codes, however, I'm fine with. My middle school and high school both have dress codes, and basically it's just for things that don't affect me, anyway (like an appropriate skirt/short length, no spaghetti straps, no holes or slits in pants unless they are below the appropriate skirt length, that sort of thing.)

I was exaggerating a bit on the whole "refuse to follow fads and lose your social life" thing... talkign about high school, anyway.

But geeze, everywhere you look, it's like people are dressed the same. Kind of makes me think that having uniforms won't really namke a difference.

The only time I wore a uniform to school was when I went to school i nthe UK...

and go to any American high school, you'll hear one girl say "oh she dresses like a slut. he dresses so gay. she/he/it dresses like a dork" you'll hear it everywhere, regardless. And then you have people "dressing to impress". It's annoying.

It's the principle more than anything in my experience. For example, in my school, you can't wear shorts from the first day of winter to the last, for pretty much no reason at all. So we, the students, protested (sort of not really). It wasn't like we were going to wear shorts on the average day of school in the winter time, but we just couldn't bear the thought of not being able to wear what we like to a reasonable extent. This was compacted by the fact that you could still wear long skirts, worse than shorts for coldness, and also thanks to El Nino's multiple days of 70 degree weather, while still keeping the boiler on in school.

If this doesn't get changed, the guys in my school are going to organize and wear skirts for a day. Just out of principle.

I was exaggerating a bit on the whole "refuse to follow fads and lose your social life" thing... talkign about high school, anyway.

But geeze, everywhere you look, it's like people are dressed the same. Kind of makes me think that having uniforms won't really namke a difference.

The only time I wore a uniform to school was when I went to school i nthe UK...

and go to any American high school, you'll hear one girl say "oh she dresses like a slut. he dresses so gay. she/he/it dresses like a dork" you'll hear it everywhere, regardless. And then you have people "dressing to impress". It's annoying.

Again, I hardly am lacking in popularity, and look like the walking embodiment of counterculture, to be honest.

So what is the "freedom of dress" all about? How can you truly express yourself through clothing when you're dressed like everyone else? Do teens just want to follow fads, as is the American Way? Or do people just not want to wear uniforms?

Cuz either way, you're forced to dress like everyone else.

Thoughts?

I happen to be a teen, in the Americas.

Freedom of dress is about not allowing someone to mandate what kind of pants you have to put on. If I want to wear jeans, I am going to wear jeans.

I do not try to express myself through clothing whatsoever, but I always thought wearing chainmail and a cloak would be rather interesting..

I do not follow fads, as I have only worn clothing that does not have visible labels, words, or pictures on them. I have no urge to become a walking advertisement, and generally "non-brand-name" clothing is less expensive.

Unless the uniform was physically uncomfortable to wear and/or look at, I wouldn't mind having such a system in place.

I have plenty of thoughts, most of the time.

I dress however the fluck I want. Generally solids though. Maybe the occasional striped thrown in.

Being an American teenager is not easy for anyone (especially middle-schoolers who like to think they're teenagers :rolleyes:), but it's easy to fall into the traps that you swear you will never fall into. However, even if you do fall into some of those traps, you do find some delicious irony.

All across America, many students are outraged over possible uniforms and dress codes. "It's freedom of expression!" they cry. "Freedom of expression! I't the First Amendment!" So schools often don't impose uniforms, though they do force dress codes.

However, you've got other stores, like American Eagle, Aeropostale, Abercrombie and Fitch, Wet Seal, etc. that teens like to shop at. And the general rule of thumb in the average high school/middle school is, wear them or lose any chance of a decent social life. Fads are extremely common.

So what is the "freedom of dress" all about? How can you truly express yourself through clothing when you're dressed like everyone else? Do teens just want to follow fads, as is the American Way? Or do people just not want to wear uniforms?

Cuz either way, you're forced to dress like everyone else.

Thoughts?

My solution is (I guess was, now, as I'm about to graduate) simple: don't support either. Instead, I keep a large number of polo t-shirts and a few t-shirts with cool slogans (I need more of those, they help the crazy goofy look immensely).

I paid about as much respect to the informal (and inscrutable) dress codes as I did to church and high school football games: none. Of course, I live in the Pine Curtain (redneck East Texas), where those are the only social activities (not to mention that the rednecks don't like liberal atheists...).

Yeah, I had no social life.

Again, I hardly am lacking in popularity, and look like the walking embodiment of counterculture, to be honest.

Yeah, though I've noticed that it's not so much the students doing it as it is the stores.

Even Walmart and Target. They're the same thing as AE, A&F, and Aero, only cheaper. So I suppose the only people who would lose are the clothing stores/departments.

A way to end capitalism, and stop school cliques!

Though I don't really support uniforms, I'd feel like a drone and even more invisible than I already tend to do. :headbang:

I was exaggerating a bit on the whole "refuse to follow fads and lose your social life" thing... talkign about high school, anyway.

But geeze, everywhere you look, it's like people are dressed the same. Kind of makes me think that having uniforms won't really namke a difference.

The only time I wore a uniform to school was when I went to school i nthe UK...

and go to any American high school, you'll hear one girl say "oh she dresses like a slut. he dresses so gay. she/he/it dresses like a dork" you'll hear it everywhere, regardless. And then you have people "dressing to impress". It's annoying.

I go to an American high school, too, remember? I haven't heard much of that, but maybe I just hang out with less superficial people. If that's the case, then it's easy enough to ignore, as I haven't noticed it at all.

It's true that many people dress very similarly in high school. I was just observing that today. Not everyone does, though, and you don't need to do so in order to have a decent social life (although I don't really care about that anyway).

Yeah, though I've noticed that it's not so much the students doing it as it is the stores.

I tend to buy most of my stuff online.

I go to an American high school, too, remember? I haven't heard much of that, but maybe I just hang out with less superficial people. If that's the case, then it's easy enough to ignore, as I haven't noticed it at all.

It's true that many people dress very similarly in high school. I was just observing that today. Not everyone does, though, and you don't need to do so in order to have a decent social life (although I don't really care about that anyway).

I know you go to an American high school. Perhaps yours is a little less superfifical than mine.

Though we do have to admit that people often do dress alike.

Besides, perhaps the fads aren't really "OMG THIS IS TEH NOO FADD!!!11!!", it;s more subtle. Much more subtle.

But anyway, people do dress very similarly in high school, so why would having uniforms make a differnece?

But anyway, people do dress very similarly in high school, so why would having uniforms make a differnece?

Assuming that the above is a true statement, the difference is that "similarly" does not mean the same. Just relatively close. I could say two people dress similarly if they both wear a shirt, pants, and shoes.

I tend to buy most of my stuff online.

Most people don't. Snd most people do dress one way becaus ethey like it AND they fit in. It's both.

And I've been havign a totaly blonde moment, I just realized that I was once again misunderstood. While it is true that teenagers do dress very much alike, and that you'll hear any given number of people insult someone else's clothes in any given day, people really aren't that superficial. What I meant was, it's more the stores than anything, and it's basically the bandwagon doing it. Though most people on NS wouldn't worry so much about fitting in, a lot of people would.

Feh. :headbang:

Assuming that the above is a true statement, the difference is that "similarly" does not mean the same. Just relatively close. I could say two people dress similarly if they both wear a shirt, pants, and shoes.

I know what "similarly" means. It does mean close, though not the same. The style may be ver SIMILAR. And if uniforms were intorduced, everyone would look SIMILAR, because people would individualize uniforms.

I dress however the fluck I want. Generally solids though. Maybe the occasional striped thrown in.

Solids are so last year. I cloak myself in Argon and glide through society leaving all who approach me breathless.

I know you go to an American high school. Perhaps yours is a little less superfifical than mine.

Though we do have to admit that people often do dress alike.

Besides, perhaps the fads aren't really "OMG THIS IS TEH NOO FADD!!!11!!", it;s more subtle. Much more subtle.

But anyway, people do dress very similarly in high school, so why would having uniforms make a differnece?

It could be less superficial, but maybe it has more to do with the grade level or maturity level. Do you hang out mostly with freshman? I mostly hang out with juniors and seniors who are in AP and honors classes with me, so it may have more to do with maturity if that's the case.

It would make a difference to the people who don't follow any sort of fad...I dress the same way now as I did in middle school. In fact, most of the shirts I wear now are the exact same ones I had in middle school, and the same thing is true of some of the pants. It would make a big difference to me if I had to wear a uniform.

Cuz either way, you're forced to dress like everyone else.
I hate all these Crypto-fascists who try to oppress my individuality by insisting I join them in wearing pants. As an American, I have the right to self-expression, and that self is best expressed by a bright pink thong with teddy bear print.
Oh, and this whole fad about "washing clothes", feh I can live without that. If smelling worse than a 3-week old goat carcass was good enough for my ancestors 2,000 years ago, it is good enough for me.

Well, and this is really different from fad followers, but I have 3 issues with uniforms.

First, they would rob me of my t-shirts with geeky puns. I love my geeky puns. Even if I do have to explain "Schroedinger's cat is dead/Schroedinger's Cat is not dead" to everyone. I love having something that weird on my shirt. Same with "Keep out of direct sunlight"

Second, I need comfortable clothing. Our school has no money, and does things really half-assed, so whatever clothing we get will probably be incredibly uncomfortable. Maybe most people can deal with that, but if I have to give up my nice soft Suomi shirt for something itchy and stiff, heads will roll.

And thirdly, and this really only affects me, I have chromosmia. Its a neurological disorder, which I absolutely love to have, that means if I smell a smell, I see a color. And since when I get out of the shower I smell rather green, whoever picks the uniforms would never think of matching the color with the smell of my soap, so then I would completely clash, and that would really, really, really bother me. Unless they let me wear all black. I could complain about psychological torment which might be kind of funny for the office...

Yeah. That probably didn't answer your question in the least, but there's my two cents.

Fiddlebottoms in his own Fiddlebottom way has already touched on this a bit, but...

How much 'individuality' do you want? The complaint about people who want individuality in the way they dress is that they bought their clothes mass produced like everyone else...

...well, duh. I may not want to look like some club kid or get my tips on clothing from a fashion tv show or something, but I'm just not interested enough to design and cut my own clothes. And short of wearing my pants as a shirt, I pretty much am limited by whats on the rack. The cut and look of what's available on that rack I have little influence over, especially if I'm not one of the people driving those fashion shows, so yeah-the shirt I buy today is going to be contemporary to the cut of the shirts in style because I don't give enough of a damn. My generation did try and derail that by buying second hand clothes, but of course that, too, became a trend.

(and here's a side rant...because some other people in some identifiable way have done it as well it suddenly has no value? What the fuck is that all about? Are we defined by so few parameters that I can't do anything someone else does and still be considered an individual?)

Unless you want us all to hire or become personal tailors and create 300,000,000 distinct styles of clothing you're going to have to give up this whole "We all look similar, so we should look the same anyway" thing. It's matter of degrees, as well. If I wear a pair of cargo pants that is widely available I still have the choice of which ones, what color, or even to decide, "You know what, today I don't need the extra pockets," and that's a world of difference from having to wear blue cordiroys every day.

For the ones that claim it's expression, it is, really. They are staking out their position in relation to a 'norm' or 'others' that they can't do with a uniform. For all the A&F and Gap wearers that are similar, there are those cats wearing fishnet undershirts, skinny black pants and poet shirts who are very much not the Gap kids. Sure they look similar to the other guys in fishnets and poet shirts, but they are different from the Gap kids and that's whats important to them.

Sorry. Hot button.

I dress however the fluck I want. Generally solids though.

Liquids and gases are for the scene kids, whereas the real rebels wear plasma.

You don't want to mess with the ones in Bose-Einstein condensates though.

our teachers used to say

"you go to school to learn, not for a fashion show"

I can see the point of uniforms, heck, I wouldn't have minded getting up and not having to worry what I was going to wear, and if it was clean. You can't be teased or harassed about the clothes you are wearing if everyone is wearing the same thing.

I can also see why kids wouldn't want to be forced to wear uniforms.

eh, makes me glad I'm out of high school

Liquids and gases are for the scene kids, whereas the real rebels wear plasma.

You don't want to mess with the ones in Bose-Einstein condensates though.

Hahaha

I got taken to the principle's office for telling a teacher I had a constitutional right to wear what I wanted to. I'm f.cking 17, and everybody at my school treats me like a baby. If I'm old enough to know that murder is wrong, shouldn't I be old enough to make basic decisions about my body and my lifestyle? Jesus f.cking Christ. I live in a right-wing, neo-conservative, lily-white christian community. Get me the hell out.

Meh. I used to care. Really, I did. Frankly, it just isn't that important. Teenagers are all dumbfucks anyway, so we may as well let the dumbfucks who are being payed for their work choose what we wear. We're gonna be putting up with it for the rest of our lives, anyway. Do you think your boss is gonna be okay with you coming to work dressed for a different job? Perhaps you can show up to a law firm in shorts and a T-shirt?

Anyway, I wear whatever I have, and never tend to buy clothes (except for my Mets/Jets shirts/jerseys). Which makes for a slightly odd (and old) wardrobe. I also seem to have friends, most of whom don't seem to care about what I wear.


Also, I've happily yet to encounter any type of enforced dress code.

Perhaps you can show up to a law firm in shorts and a T-shirt?

My uncle does.

Of course, it's his law firm...

at my school (in sixth form anyway) we had to wear a full suit with the college tie. i wasn't so bad actually cuz it allowed plenty of room for individuality. as long as the suit was grey, black or navy it was fine. naturally then some took this as a cue to dress like 30s gangsters, some had pinstripes, all sorts of button and lapel and pocket configurations and waistcoats. one guy a couple of years ahead of me made his own suits, he had some pretty wild ones. mine was a charcoal two buttoned long lapel jacket with baggy trousers. in retrospect i wish i'd known of the 2 tone style or the blues brothers back then, i would probably have gone for that style.

I got taken to the principle's office for telling a teacher I had a constitutional right to wear what I wanted to. I'm f.cking 17, and everybody at my school treats me like a baby. If I'm old enough to know that murder is wrong, shouldn't I be old enough to make basic decisions about my body and my lifestyle? Jesus f.cking Christ. I live in a right-wing, neo-conservative, lily-white christian community. Get me the hell out.

Actually you don't, especially in a private school. Honestly, I can't see why people really give a fuck as to what their wearing if everyone else is wearing the same thing. Part of growing up is knowing when to fight, and when not to. Gay rights = go ahead and fight. Dress Code = no.

"OMG I NEEd 2 Xpress!"

Do it with words and actions. Don't be lazy by putting on a hoodie with a pot leaf. Do the research, some actual research, don't just go off some random website or bullshit article in Maxim.

Being an American teenager is not easy for anyone (especially middle-schoolers who like to think they're teenagers :rolleyes:), but it's easy to fall into the traps that you swear you will never fall into. However, even if you do fall into some of those traps, you do find some delicious irony.

All across America, many students are outraged over possible uniforms and dress codes. "It's freedom of expression!" they cry. "Freedom of expression! I't the First Amendment!" So schools often don't impose uniforms, though they do force dress codes.

However, you've got other stores, like American Eagle, Aeropostale, Abercrombie and Fitch, Wet Seal, etc. that teens like to shop at. And the general rule of thumb in the average high school/middle school is, wear them or lose any chance of a decent social life. Fads are extremely common.

So what is the "freedom of dress" all about? How can you truly express yourself through clothing when you're dressed like everyone else? Do teens just want to follow fads, as is the American Way? Or do people just not want to wear uniforms?

Cuz either way, you're forced to dress like everyone else.

Thoughts?

most people, especially teens who are finding their place in the world and "finding themselves", want to fit in somehow. if wearing a uniform does that for them then that's what they'll do, whether it be branding themselves as a 'emo' or a 'goth' or just wearing what's fashionable to fit in with that crowd. people want to fit in for the most part, and i guess in a place with so many people to choose from one can be picky about who they hang out with, so fitting in can become more important.

outside of school (at uni), however, i became friends with people i probably wouldn't have at school. partly because its harder to meet friends there, but more than that i realised that being yourself is what's important, not fitting in, so seeking out friends with whom to fit in was less important to me.

you can still express yourself through your clothing by just being yourself and wearing what you want, whatever your reason for it (because you find that t-shirt funny, or because you think you look good in it, whatever).



edit: my school(s) had uniform... primary, secondary and college (UK college). didn't bother me at all. if anything i thought it was better than the segregation based on looks that non-uniformed schools seem/ed to experience.

*snip*


My advice is to just wear whatever you like, provided it's not something (or lack of anything) that'll get you arrested. You'll show a greater degree of individuality by only worrying about your own tastes rather than what anyone else is wearing. If other people happen to be wearing what you do, who cares?

As for worrying about the opinions of your classmates, don't. A few years after high school you'll realize how monumentally unimportant those people will be to your life. At my 5 year reunion (my ten year is coming up in 2010) I barely remembered anyone from my graduating class of 75 people.

I'm sure you have at least a small circle of friends, and I'm willing to bet that they aren't all that concerned if you're not wearing "cool" jeans or shoes. Those are the only people who matter in the slightest, and in truth their opinions shouldn't have anything to do with what you wear.

A great way to be individual is to wear a uniform when nobody else is.

I did both...English school uniform when I went to school in the UK and jeans & tshirt in US schools...

You still had polarisation of groups....in the UK you could tell mods and punks from rockers...having a uniform never stopped fights...

In the US schools you had the same as well.

The only up side with uniforms is that you don't need a sense of 'fashion'.

Fiddlebottoms in his own Fiddlebottom way has already touched on this a bit, but...
I touch on all things. Repeatedly, often without asking and sometimes in a way that is criminally liable.

I did both...English school uniform when I went to school in the UK and jeans & tshirt in US schools...

You still had polarisation of groups....in the UK you could tell mods and punks from rockers...having a uniform never stopped fights...

In the US schools you had the same as well.

The only up side with uniforms is that you don't need a sense of 'fashion'.

:confused:

No clue. I wear a uniform.

I went to a uniform school my whole life (there are only 2 non-uniform state schools in Queensland - Indooroopilly State High and Milpera State High). I don't really understand what the problem is with wearing a uniform to school. It's a part of life.

Uniforms stop a lot of the cliques, and they can (especiallyif they are unisex like ours were) make the burden of school clothes easier for poorer families. They also prevent a lot of the problems associated with inappropriate clothing worn by students.

We also frequently had school free-dress days, which were a great way to raise money for charity.

Being an American teenager is not easy for anyone (especially middle-schoolers who like to think they're teenagers :rolleyes:), but it's easy to fall into the traps that you swear you will never fall into. However, even if you do fall into some of those traps, you do find some delicious irony.

All across America, many students are outraged over possible uniforms and dress codes. "It's freedom of expression!" they cry. "Freedom of expression! I't the First Amendment!" So schools often don't impose uniforms, though they do force dress codes.

However, you've got other stores, like American Eagle, Aeropostale, Abercrombie and Fitch, Wet Seal, etc. that teens like to shop at. And the general rule of thumb in the average high school/middle school is, wear them or lose any chance of a decent social life. Fads are extremely common.

So what is the "freedom of dress" all about? How can you truly express yourself through clothing when you're dressed like everyone else? Do teens just want to follow fads, as is the American Way? Or do people just not want to wear uniforms?

Cuz either way, you're forced to dress like everyone else.

Thoughts?

Dunno. I'm a teen, and I still can't figure them/us out. Personally I'm in favour of uniforms.

Well over here most schools have uniforms but there are ways you can make yourself distinct from others. It depends on the school as well and wether there's much flexibility. For example, in my school you can choose between wearing a polo shirt or a shirt and tie and the blazer's optional. And there's the style of shoes you wear. So for the few us that wear the the shirt and tie and blazer and smart shoes, we do tend to be thought of as somewhat geekier.

Dunno. I'm a teen, and I still can't figure them/us out. Personally I'm in favour of uniforms.

I'm not really for uniforms, but to be honest I really don't see a difference between your social group selecting your clothes and the school board doing it.

I suppose it would help out with the fights and all the "she's such a skank" business... not totally eradicate it, but certainly help out.

I'm not pro-uniform, though.

You still had polarisation of groups....in the UK you could tell mods and punks from rockers...having a uniform never stopped fights...The only up side with uniforms is that you don't need a sense of 'fashion'.

First... "mods?" :confused:


second... I think uniforms would help with all the cliques. It won't stop fights, but it certainly would stop cliqueyness... or at least make it better...

First... "mods?" :confused:


second... I think uniforms would help with all the cliques. It won't stop fights, but it certainly would stop cliqueyness... or at least make it better...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mod_(lifestyle) see the bit about revival..

http://www.quadrophenia.net/thefilm/screencaptures/Mods.jpg

second... I think uniforms would help with all the cliques. It won't stop fights, but it certainly would stop cliqueyness... or at least make it better...

Wont work.

You'll still have the emos, the preps, the nerds, the scumbags, and that weird group of people who don't fit in to anything--yet get along with everyone.

Just because they wear the same clothes doesn't mean they're going to not make cliques. Did I totally mess that sentence up?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mod_(lifestyle) see the bit about revival..

http://www.quadrophenia.net/thefilm/screencaptures/Mods.jpg

Your wiki link is messed up. it's "mod (lifestyle)"not "mod (lifestyle".

But now I get it... I knew it didn't have anything to do with Fris and Kat and HotRodia... :p

And this is why I love Catholic school! All boys helps too. No girls to impress.

....


That's all I have to say.

Like we do at Catholic school with ties.

Also, Costa Rican public schools have uniforms and nobody complains.


Costa Rican schools aren't American schools, silly. They cannot be judged by the same, paradoxical standards we Americans tend to impose upon ourselves...

I have friends, and I never shop at any of the stores you mentioned. I wear some Invader Zim shirts from Hot Topic, Phantom of the Opera shirts acquired either when I went to see it or from the internet, and various club t-shirts. You're not forced to wear clothing from any of those stores in order to have friends. If people pick their friends based off of clothing than that's pretty superficial anyway, and they most likely wouldn't be the kind of friends I would want to have.

I wouldn't want to have to wear a uniform, because they would probably be immodest by my standards. Dress codes, however, I'm fine with. My middle school and high school both have dress codes, and basically it's just for things that don't affect me, anyway (like an appropriate skirt/short length, no spaghetti straps, no holes or slits in pants unless they are below the appropriate skirt length, that sort of thing.)


You, dear person, are not normal. And for that, I applaud your individuality. Merely from what you've described about yourself, you sound remarkably similar to quite a few friends of mine. That probably sounds kinda creepy..

Ahem.

The point is, you're an individual! Yay! =]

I know you go to an American high school. Perhaps yours is a little less superfifical than mine.

Though we do have to admit that people often do dress alike.

Besides, perhaps the fads aren't really "OMG THIS IS TEH NOO FADD!!!11!!", it;s more subtle. Much more subtle.

But anyway, people do dress very similarly in high school, so why would having uniforms make a differnece?


As you may have already determined, high schools across the US vary wildly in the appearance and enforement of the clique-ish norms that they have established. I got to a school in Florida, and the cliques are very definately there, they aren't very strictly regulated by their own members. (ie if someone dresses "gothic" they can still talk to those bedeckt in AE regalia).

On the other hand, my cousin's school in Dallas is markedly different. The cliques there are so sharply contrasting that if one doesn't choose a group to run with, one soon finds oneself totally alone.

The sociological concepts present here are absolutely fascinating...

Most people don't. Snd most people do dress one way becaus ethey like it AND they fit in. It's both.

And I've been havign a totaly blonde moment, I just realized that I was once again misunderstood. While it is true that teenagers do dress very much alike, and that you'll hear any given number of people insult someone else's clothes in any given day, people really aren't that superficial. What I meant was, it's more the stores than anything, and it's basically the bandwagon doing it. Though most people on NS wouldn't worry so much about fitting in, a lot of people would.

Feh. :headbang:

My favorite time ever was when I wore these one pants and all the guys were calling them gay and girly and stuff.

And the girls were telling me how great I looked. So my basic response to the guys was "owned".

That was an amusing day.

My favorite time ever was when I wore these one pants and all the guys were calling them gay and girly and stuff.

And the girls were telling me how great I looked. So my basic response to the guys was "owned".

That was an amusing day.

They were just thinking about how great it would look on them. ;)

They were just thinking about how great it would look on them. ;)

That's exactly what one guy said, but I think it's hard to argue "Those are really hot" = "It would look great on me."

Actually, you could.

I have few friends and I don't really give a crap about fads. I just wear what I like. But I have few friends because I don't talk much. So yeah.

That's exactly what one guy said, but I think it's hard to argue "Those are really hot" = "It would look great on me."

Actually, you could.

Well, you get better comments than me. For I recieve none.

Though I get questions like "Wait, are you in my math class?"

Good times.

Well, you get better comments than me. For I recieve none.

Though I get questions like "Wait, are you in my math class?"

Good times.

I expect some applause for resisting the temptation of "They're just thinking how great it would look on them".

*Cough*

Oops, gave into it.

I think uniforms would help with all the cliques. It won't stop fights, but it certainly would stop cliqueyness... or at least make it better...

I doubt. Personally I wouldn't want to deal with fashionable cliquey people. It makes them easier to spot. I suppose people who would want to be in cliques would have an easier time of it, but to me it's a sign that this isn't a terribly interesting person... and they probably won't enjoy my strange conversation.

I expect some applause for resisting the temptation of "They're just thinking how great it would look on them".

*Cough*

Oops, gave into it.

That comment is made of win.

*claps, but only with one hand, because you gave into temptation, which is a sin*

:p

But anyway, people do dress very similarly in high school, so why would having uniforms make a differnece?

because there is a difference between choosing a social identity that is partially expressed through clothing and being required to wear a uniform.

That comment is made of win.

*claps, but only with one hand, because you gave into temptation, which is a sin*

:p

One hand? What's the other doing?

One hand? What's the other doing?

well, people don't quote me very often...so..

Wait. What?

I deny everything. I am not a crook.

well, people don't quote me very often...so..

Wait. What?

I deny everything. I am not a crook.

No, you're not. I haven't seen you choking a sheep since, what, spring of '95?

No, you're not. I haven't seen you choking a sheep since, what, spring of '95?

:eek:

You know what I did last, last, last, last, last, last, last, last, last, last, last, last spring?!

It was just a wether! I swear!

:eek:

You know what I did last, last, last, last, last, last, last, last, last, last, last, last spring?!

It was just a wether! I swear!

Wether?

Also, if that joke made no sense, what do shepards carry?

*Cough*

Wether?

Also, if that joke made no sense, what do shepards carry?

*Cough*

Aha! So you haven't prepared the prosecution.

A wether is but a castrated sheep.

Being an American teenager is not easy for anyone (especially middle-schoolers who like to think they're teenagers :rolleyes:), but it's easy to fall into the traps that you swear you will never fall into. However, even if you do fall into some of those traps, you do find some delicious irony.

All across America, many students are outraged over possible uniforms and dress codes. "It's freedom of expression!" they cry. "Freedom of expression! I't the First Amendment!" So schools often don't impose uniforms, though they do force dress codes.

However, you've got other stores, like American Eagle, Aeropostale, Abercrombie and Fitch, Wet Seal, etc. that teens like to shop at. And the general rule of thumb in the average high school/middle school is, wear them or lose any chance of a decent social life. Fads are extremely common.

So what is the "freedom of dress" all about? How can you truly express yourself through clothing when you're dressed like everyone else? Do teens just want to follow fads, as is the American Way? Or do people just not want to wear uniforms?

Cuz either way, you're forced to dress like everyone else.

Thoughts?

I dress how I want to and no one will change that.

I follow any rules of dress of my own free will, not b/c of some hold they claim over me.

Aha! So you haven't prepared the prosecution.

A wether is but a castrated sheep.

I said "choke" dude...

I said "choke" dude...

Yes?

And sheperds carry crooks.

*looks down and pats sheperd on the head*

Yes?

And sheperds carry crooks.

*looks down and pats sheperd on the head*

I know. That was the basis of the joke.

That was the response to the bit about the wether...

You, dear person, are not normal. And for that, I applaud your individuality. Merely from what you've described about yourself, you sound remarkably similar to quite a few friends of mine. That probably sounds kinda creepy..

Ahem.

The point is, you're an individual! Yay! =]

Thank you.:)

Thank you.:)

You're very welcome!

I try to appreciate individuality wherever I find the chance, because nowadays, everyone's a "non-comformist". I find it ironic how they all "non-conform" in the same exact way...

=p

You're very welcome!

I try to appreciate individuality wherever I find the chance, because nowadays, everyone's a "non-comformist". I find it ironic how they all "non-conform" in the same exact way...

=p

Have you ever read "Dave Barry Does Japan"? He talks about the japanese rock scene and how it's sad that that culture emphasizes the group so much that the groupies "rebel in unison", or something along those lines.

Actually you don't, especially in a private school. Honestly, I can't see why people really give a fuck as to what their wearing if everyone else is wearing the same thing. Part of growing up is knowing when to fight, and when not to. Gay rights = go ahead and fight. Dress Code = no.

"OMG I NEEd 2 Xpress!"

Do it with words and actions. Don't be lazy by putting on a hoodie with a pot leaf. Do the research, some actual research, don't just go off some random website or bullshit article in Maxim.

You don't even know what the hell I was wearing, so don't act like you do. I was humiliated and frustrated with the fact I was being singled out for what I was wearing, and I was simply trying to stand up for what I feel should be my rights. We're one of the only public high schools in the province with a tyrannical dress code. F.ck this. I graduate in a couple months, and I won't have to put up with any of this bullsh.t anymore.

You don't even know what the hell I was wearing, so don't act like you do. I was humiliated and frustrated with the fact I was being singled out for what I was wearing, and I was simply trying to stand up for what I feel should be my rights. We're one of the only public high schools in the province with a tyrannical dress code. F.ck this. I graduate in a couple months, and I won't have to put up with any of this bullsh.t anymore.

TC, c'mon, just curse outright. It's more fun.

We've had uniforms in England as far back as anyone cares to remember. They can be annoying in hot weather as we never had a summer uniform but they never hurt anyone.....unless you bought a shirt which was a size too small.....then you may choke.

And we couldn't personalize them, my sister's friend was suspended because on 3 times in the same day they were cauht with the top button undone. True story! That is obviously a bit over the top as in the summer months you burn up unless they give special permission to not wear the jumper/tie/top button.

The prospect of a uniform doesn't bother me. What bothers me is in summer months the uniform is too hot, no one can concentrate so less work is done. They may or may not be bringing in a summer uniform though. from time to time they say you do't have to wear jumper/tie/top button. When it gets really hot.

As for freedom of experession, oppressive uniforms, blah blah blah....A load of rubbish really. If it wasn't a school uniform most the school pupils would wear near enough the same clothes anyway. I'd be an exception as I don't want to dress chav/emo/goth just to fit in.

All irrelevant to me though as I'm now in college. Uniform is a thing of the past for me.:p

As for freedom of experession, oppressive uniforms, blah blah blah....A load of rubbish really. If it wasn't a school uniform most the school pupils would wear near enough the same clothes anyway. I'd be an exception as I don't want to dress chav/emo/goth just to fit in.

Then how about we institute a uniform for everyone? Since freedom of expression is no big deal, no harm done, right? And then we could do the same with our houses... no need for them to be any different. And why not our churches?

You're very welcome!

I try to appreciate individuality wherever I find the chance, because nowadays, everyone's a "non-comformist". I find it ironic how they all "non-conform" in the same exact way...

=p

That is interesting, I suppose.