Do you spend time in the morning wondering what to wear? School uniforms can help solve that problem and other larger issues. Some of the top schools require students to wear uniforms. Even though some people believe that students should be able to dress up the way they like freely, the advantages of wearing uniforms outweigh the advantages of not wearing them. Wearing school uniforms is a practical and advantageous choice for students, as it not only creates a sense of unity and equality but also eliminates social and economic distinctions, promotes a focused learning environment, and enhances overall school performance.

Students benefit from wearing uniforms in schools and in public places by creating a sense of unity. Students from public schools that do not require students to wear uniforms can wear anything they like to school. Most likely, those schools also do not have strict dress codes. Therefore, the students in the schools will not look coherent because everyone will be dressed differently. On the contrary, schools requiring students to wear uniforms will have the classroom or assembly hall look very organized because students are all wearing the same outfits, representing unity. In public places like the mall or restaurants, students are reminded which school they come from, so they will have to behave accordingly because people will know which schools they attend. Therefore, it will decrease the possibilities that teenagers get into trouble in public. Overall, the advantage of students wearing uniforms not only benefits the students in the schools but also will benefit students in public places. 

Aside from the decline in students getting into trouble in public, wearing uniforms can also reduce peer pressure in the school setting. Students' jobs in schools are to learn and study hard; however, in some places where students do not have to wear uniforms, students start wearing their favourite outfits and expensive shoes to school. In this case, they will start competing about which clothes are better and which jackets are more expensive. Then, their attention is directed away from studying. This will also make those not from the upper class family urge their parents to buy them expensive things. As a result, this will cause a burden on their families. Students will experience peer pressure in school if they do not buy expensive things. Therefore, if schools are required to have students wear uniforms, then the chances of peer pressure will be reduced, and students can focus their attention on studying. 

Moreover, students who do not wear school uniforms usually have to think about what they will wear to school. This will take their study time away because they need to allocate some time to wash their new clothes and match the shirts with their pants. After a while, this will impact their grades because instead of using the time to study, they are using the time to think about what they will wear to impress their friends. A study by Virginia Draa, a professor at Youngstown State University, found that school uniforms helped to increase students' attendance and graduation rates rose by 11 percent (Wilde, 2024; Draa, 2007). She stated “I really went into this thinking uniforms don’t make a difference, but I came away seeing that they do… I was absolutely floored” (Wilde, 2024). Also, choosing outfits will sometimes be costly because instead of just buying a few sets of uniforms each year, students must buy an abundance of clothes and accessories. Lastly, this will also impact their sleep time because instead of sleeping extra for a few minutes, they have to wake up early to match their clothes to their accessories. Over time, it will cause their grades to decline, and they will not have quality sleep time.

Some people say that making students wear uniforms takes away their freedom to wear what they want and express themselves. They argue that wearing uniforms makes all students look the same, which can be boring and restrict individuality. Researcher Arya Ansari states “Fashion is one way that students express themselves, and that may be an important part of the school experience. When students can’t show their individuality, they may not feel like they belong as much” (Dewar, 2022). While it's important for students to express themselves, the main goal of schools is to help students learn. Uniforms don't completely stop students from showing who they are; they can do that in other ways, like getting good grades, being helpful, or making friends. Furthermore, students wearing uniforms can still express themselves through other means such as “makeup, nail polish, shoes, hairstyles, computer cases, or just a unique personality” (Bell, 2016). Students may also feel a sense of belonging since uniforms represent the school and allow students to feel like they belong to the student population of that school. Uniforms also help avoid problems where students are teased for not having trendy clothes, which can make school feel more comfortable and friendly for everyone. Hence, even though uniforms might seem a little boring, they can make school better for everyone.

Wearing uniforms at school is a recommended practice for students. Students are responsible for studying to efficiently complete their learning. If students have to spend a lot of time every day thinking about what they will wear to school, then they are not fully focused on their learning. Also, they will start competing with their classmates about who is more wealthy. On the contrary, students who wear uniforms to school do not have to spend time thinking about what they will wear every day. They also do not have to spend money and time looking for the perfect outfits since everyone will wear the same thing. Lastly, students who wear uniforms will represent their school, so when they are in public, their uniforms will always remind them that they need to behave well. School uniforms are not just about what students wear, it involves many important aspects such as improvements in school, socioeconomic inequality, and school representation. Do you want to make a difference in these important issues? What is your stance on school uniforms?

Works Cited

Bell, Rachel. A Guide to Expressing Yourself With a Uniform. The Paw Print, November 8, 2016. Accessed January 11, 2024. pcpawprint.com/20651/lifestyle/a-guide-to-expressing-yourself-with-a-uniform/

Dewar, Gwen. School uniforms: What does the research tell us? Parenting Science, 2022. Accessed January 10, 2024. parentingscience.com/school-uniforms-what-does-research-tell-us/

Draa, Virginia. School Uniforms in Urban Public High Schools. Online Submission. 2007. Accessed January 10, 2024

Wilde, Marian. “Do uniforms make schools better?” Great Schools, January 5, 2024. Accessed January 10, 2024. greatschools.org/gk/articles/school-uniforms/