Dress code
A dress code is a set of guidelines that dictates what individuals may wear in specific settings, such as schools or workplaces. Unlike strict uniform policies, dress codes allow for personal expression within defined parameters. Schools often implement dress codes to foster a safe and focused learning environment, while employers establish them to promote professionalism. The history of dress codes in American schools reflects a balance between maintaining decorum and respecting students' rights to self-expression, especially highlighted by landmark legal cases like Tinker v. Des Moines. In workplaces, dress codes can vary widely, influenced by the nature of the job and interaction with clients; more formal attire is typically expected in professional environments, while casual dress is increasingly accepted in modern companies. The evolution of dress codes has also led to ongoing discussions about inclusivity, particularly regarding gender identity and religious expression. Ultimately, dress codes aim to create a respectful atmosphere while acknowledging individual differences.
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Dress code
A dress code is a set of rules that explains what people are allowed to wear at school or at a place of employment. Dress codes are more relaxed than uniform policies because they do not require people to wear the same exact outfit every day. For example, police officers wear the same uniform so they are easily identifiable. However, office workers who follow a dress code typically wear different outfits daily within the parameters of the required dress code. Dress codes exist for several reasons. Schools implement them to provide a safer environment for students, while employers may require them to ensure employees dress professionally.
School Dress Codes
Until the 1960s, American public schools mostly allowed students to wear whatever clothing they wanted within reason. Most schools banned offensive or provocative clothing, however. During this time, the civil rights movement along with other social movements inspired students to dress in a way that expressed their individualism and their political views. School leaders and educational policymakers then were faced with decisions regarding what students were allowed to wear to school, but they risked violating students' expression rights, which were protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution.
The rights of students received national attention in Des Moines, Iowa, in December 1965 after a group of students decided to wear black armbands to school in protest of the Vietnam War (1955–75). The school found out about the plan and decided to send home any students wearing the armbands. Mary Beth Tinker, Christopher Eckhardt, and John Tinker were among the students who wore armbands and were dismissed from school. In January 1966, the students and their parents filed a lawsuit, Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District, against the school district for violating their right of expression. The district court ruled in favor of the school district. The ruling was appealed, but the US Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit upheld the lower court's decision. The case eventually reached the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the students in 1969. The court decided that the First Amendment protected the students' right to expression in public schools as long as it did not interfere with learning; therefore, the students could wear the armbands.
Other court cases followed, which further influenced school dress codes. The case Bethel School District No. 403 v. Fraser (1986), which centered on free speech at a school in Washington state, was filed in response to a student giving a speech filled with sexual innuendos, which violated the school's policy and resulted in discipline. The Supreme Court heard the case and ruled in favor of the school on the grounds that it could restrict lewd, offensive, or inappropriate speech.
The Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988) involved content in the student newspaper at the Hazelwood East High School in St. Louis, Missouri. The principal of the school decided that the content of two articles was inappropriate and ordered the pages to be removed from the newspaper. Students filed a lawsuit against the school district because they felt their right to freedom of speech had been violated. After making its way through the courts, the case was heard by the Supreme Court, which ruled that the school had the right to censor the material in the school newspaper because it was not a public forum.
Public schools then began to use the rulings from these cases and others to create school dress codes that would not violate students' freedom of expression and speech. According to administrators, the purpose of dress codes is not to censor students but to promote safe environments by preventing students from dressing in a way that disrupts learning. Since no federal law exists to mandate school dress codes, this has led to codes that vary drastically from one school district to another. Most dress codes do not allow students to wear sexually provocative clothing or items that promote drug or alcohol use, hate crimes, or gang activity. Some dress codes may be more restrictive and only allow students to wear certain types of pants and shirts. For example, a school may only allow a student to wear khakis or black pants with polos in the school's colors, while another school may prohibit leggings but permit students to wear jeans. In the twenty-first century, many students have questioned the fairness of school dress codes, arguing that they violate gender rights and are not inclusive of transgender students and individuals who do not associate with one gender.
Workplace Dress Codes
Some industries have set uniforms that distinguish workers from the public. Most companies typically set dress code policies to ensure their employees dress appropriately for the work environment. Dress codes can range from formal to casual. The formality of the dress code usually depends on whether a worker will interact with clients or customers. Employees in settings in which they do not interact with other people typically have more relaxed and casual dress codes. For example, large law firms and accounting offices may require employees to dress more formal, while technology start-ups may require more casual dress. However, this is not always the case, and it is up to the individual employer to set dress code guidelines.
The way an employee dresses usually reflects on the company that person is representing. An individual who works at the front desk where clients or customers check in may have a stricter dress code than another employee who works in a different part of the office and does not interact with people. During the twenty-first century, many companies chose to adopt dress codes that were more casual, allowing employees to wear jeans and polo shirts, for example, or even hoodies and flip-flops. As remote work became more commonplace during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, dress codes were further relaxed.
If an employer does not have a required dress code, this does not give employees carte blanche to wear whatever they want. They should look to other employees for cues on how to dress. Regardless of the industry, employees should dress conservatively in clean, unwrinkled clothes.
Legally, workplace dress codes should not discriminate; men and women should have similar standards. This means an employer cannot require a woman to wear high-heeled shoes unless they require a man to wear them as well. In addition, employers must legally allow employees to dress a certain way according to their religion. For example, an employer must permit a Muslim woman to wear a hijab (head covering) as long as it does not interfere with her work.
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