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.


destiny123 said...
on Nov. 12 2013 at 7:48 am
this article is great people should read this book maybe you could get some good ideas about this book in reading  about some uniforms 

on Jun. 23 2013 at 10:21 am
Thank you very much Merydith. I am the school magazine editor and I posted your article. IT WAS A SUPER HIT !!!!

runnergirl said...
on May. 6 2013 at 8:27 pm
Before reading this piece I was completely against uniforms. Now that you put it this way I have a new perspective on things. I stiil enjoy being able to waer what I choose, but I completely understand your point of view. AMAZING piece!!!  

on May. 1 2013 at 3:20 pm
i really like your writing style

noname said...
on Apr. 18 2013 at 1:58 pm
this is true even though i have never worn one

on Apr. 15 2013 at 5:09 pm
clarity_77 BRONZE, Tucson, Arizona
4 articles 1 photo 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Dream as if you'll live forever; live as if you'll die today"

While I respect your opinion, I have to disagree. My school has uniforms as well, and they are the worst thing that has ever happened to me. It does NOT make people equal, since I am still not accepted even though we have uniforms. It doesn't solve all problems, and I truly believe everyone should be able to express their own individuality through clothes. As teenagers, we're trying to figure out who we are, and clothes help us do that in a safe, non-threatening way. It's much better to discover yourself through clothes than it is to do it through piercings and tattoos that you may regret later on. Clothes aren't permanently damaging, like drugs can be. I've seen the first hand effects of uniforms and they're not positive. Kids will still find a way to harrass other kids; the insults will just get more personal.

nini102351 said...
on Mar. 26 2013 at 9:22 am
love your closing

hassan2 said...
on Mar. 21 2013 at 10:08 am
hassan2, South Riding, Virginia
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments

Favorite Quote:
i have dream we all be equal in every country we live in. i don't matter if we are poor or ricks

i think you are right because schoool unifrom is goood for everyone i the school and it make school lot of safe to. we should wear school unifrom in my school

hassan123 said...
on Mar. 19 2013 at 3:00 pm
thanks you're also right

hassan123 said...
on Mar. 19 2013 at 2:57 pm
i think we should have school uniforms because it help lot to focus on the work and not wasteing time on watch poeple cloth because if you wear unifrom that is help lot then you are not wear it ...you can have more time to do you homework and not finding the cloth for tomorrow for school.

Bookemist GOLD said...
on Feb. 20 2013 at 7:22 pm
Bookemist GOLD, Cherry Hill, New Jersey
13 articles 3 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
"I think people should be allowed to do anything they want. We haven’t tried that for a while. Maybe this time it’ll work."- George Carlin

   Don't these schools do enough damage making all these kids think alike, now they have to make them look alike too? It's not a new idea, either. I first saw it in old newsreels from the 1930s, but it was hard to understand because the narration was in German.” ― George Carlin

erika123 said...
on Feb. 18 2013 at 7:11 pm
i 100% agree!  

on Feb. 8 2013 at 9:33 am
we need to wear uniforms for a reason it does help from bullies so i love wearing uniforms its cool

GlamourKat said...
on Jan. 18 2013 at 6:04 pm
I have to wear a uniform at my school, and I hate it.  It's not that ugly, but it's boring.  Everyone is not the same, and we should not have to pretend that we are by dressing alike.  Also, teachers have to waste their time checking everyone for uniform violations.  Uniforms are also very expensive, and we still need clothes for ouside of school.  And uniforms do not cut down on bullying at all.  Bullies just find other things to pick on people about, and smoetimes they are little things that might have been ignored if there were no uniforms.  I just really hate uniforms!!!

on Jan. 17 2013 at 10:49 am
Kayla_Guthrie GOLD, Philpot, Kentucky
11 articles 19 photos 17 comments

Favorite Quote:
every now and then there comes someone so unuaually unique that everyone normal wishes to be unique in the same excat way.
~stedival a character from the book the accidental hero by matt myklucsh
i'm not sure if this word for word correct

i really like your closing statement. it is very effective. great job!

on Jan. 17 2013 at 8:29 am
crazygracie SILVER, Brooklyn, New York
6 articles 0 photos 6 comments
This is so great! I sometimes wish that my school has uniforms, and you really made a clear point in showing that you care about the subject. Well done!

twahhh said...
on Dec. 11 2012 at 12:11 pm
Well at my school the uniform isnt so bad but i really hate the fact that we have to wear uniforms even though they arnt that bad i still hate them i want my dress down freedom back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

emlski said...
on Nov. 26 2012 at 7:35 pm
When was this article orginally published

on Nov. 12 2012 at 9:11 pm
AnnaRead SILVER, Park City, Utah
8 articles 0 photos 29 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Even if your on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there." Will Rogers

Same! I hated them when I was at my private school and love having the freedom of wearing what I want.  I have acually found that there is less bulling at my public school than my private with uniforms.  School unifroms deprive students of imagination and teachers assume that everything is fine and there is no bulling JUST BECAUSE WE HAD UNIFORMS ON! School uniforms do more harm than hurt.  STOP UNIFORMS! 

on Nov. 12 2012 at 7:16 pm
ChobaniLuvinPenguin PLATINUM, Brooklyn, New York
29 articles 0 photos 85 comments

Favorite Quote:
"What makes the desert beautiful is that somewhere it hides a well."
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

Meredith, I must commend you on the brilliant points you have made in this article and how well you provide support to back up your opinion. I love the conclusion; it's well-phrased and clearly wraps up your article. BTW, I totally agree with you!