Engl 001b - Essay #1 (Social Issues)

LAST NAME 1 FIRST NAME LAST NAME Professor Leen Kawas ENGL 001B 28 January 2025 Dress Codes: Do They Truly Hold Up to Their Promises? Outdated. Restrictive. Conformity. Sounds familiar? Well, it should because that is how school dress codes are today. Stagnant in their old policies as they continuously bash any semblance of self expression amongst their students. According to the Oxford English Dictionary , the word dress code is defined as An accepted or prevailing style of dress; (in later use) a set of rules or guidelines specifying the expected or permitted style of dress for a social occasion, place of work, etc. (dress code). The OED has recorded that the earliest use of the term was during the year 1880, and the use of the word dress code has only increased over time (dress code). Russo explains that dress codes in schools have originated in English private schools. In addition, during the 1950s and 1960s favorable economic conditions caused clothing to be designed and marketed towards students who were focused on their fashion (259). High schools should not enforce dress codes due to the objectifying environment it creates for female students, students of color to suffer more