The leaves are falling and the temperature is dropping, which can only mean one thing: the season of leggings is upon us. Women and girls of all ages consider leggings to be an essential part of their fall and winter wardrobes. Made of stretchy material, leggings and yoga pants provide a greater level of comfort and flexibility than a pair of jeans. Unlike sheer and formal tights, leggings and yoga pants come in a variety of thicknesses to ensure the warmth and comfortability of a person. They are a useful article of clothing for anyone to have in their closet. Critics of this fashion trend, however, preach another story entirely.
Common words opponents use to describe leggings include; trashy, disrespectful, and inappropriate. According to the Cape Cod Times, Cape Cod Technical High School in Massachusetts administered a new addition to the school's dress code over the summer. This addition forbade students from wearing leggings or yoga pants as individual items of clothing. The high school concluded that leggings and yoga pants were accessories, not pants, and changed the dress code policy accordingly. Students would now be required to accompany such "accessories" as leggings and yoga pants with either a dress or a skirt. The school reasoned that as a technical institution it was their duty to prepare students for their future careers, and that preparation involved teaching students how to properly dress in particular situations and at specific venues.
In protest of the new school policy, more than 200 girls, and a few scattered boys, from Cape Cod Technical High School wore leggings or yoga pants on the first day of school. Why the uproar? Though some may view the new dress code regulations to be logical, and seemingly innocent, many deem the new dress code to be a form of sexism. Cape Cod Technical High School is not the first school to be thrown in the spotlight for restricting female students from wearing a certain clothing item, nor will it be the last.
Young girls across the nation are being punished or sent home because a certain aspect of their wardrobe has violated the dress code. Some are reprimanded because their collarbones are showing, others because their shirts do not cover their butts. Being singled out for your appearance is not only a waste of time and resources, but puts students in an awkward position and, ultimately, an uncomfortable learning environment. Yes, there are other pieces of clothing that can be worn instead of leggings and tank tops, but here are some problems with those alternative wardrobe chooses.
Sitting in jeans for six plus hours is uncomfortable. If you have any semblance of thighs, it is borderline unbearable. Dresses are convenient to put on in the morning and prove to be a comfortable and respectable option, unless you are wearing a backpack. Backpack goes across shoulders and dress immediately goes up. Fix backpack, fidget with dress. You also have to be conscientious when you sit down and stand up. In order to sit comfortably without having to cross your legs for an entire class period, you have to adjust the dress so no one can see up it, and then readjust accordingly after you stand up. Same goes for skirts. No, you cannot just throw on leggings under any dress or skirt. In fact, few dresses and skirts actually look good with leggings underneath of them. If you think tights are an acceptable solution, then you clearly have never worn tights. No, they do not keep you warm, and yes, they are a nightmare to put on. Sweatpants are too baggy. Shorts are too short. Throwing sweaters over tank tops can be a power move, except in the hotter months, as long as they cover, well, everything. Leggings should not be forbidden in schools on the basis that they are too tight and therefore inappropriate. Such specific restrictions to a dress code make it very difficult for girls to put together school-approved outfits that are not uncomfortable to sit in all day.
If students are going to be judged, it should be on their work. If they are going to be singled out, let it be for their accomplishments. If they are going to be punished for what they are wearing, make sure it is truly obscene. Emphasizing intelligence while simultaneously punishing for appearance belittles the worth of education. Teach girls to be smarty pants, don’t lecture them about actual pants.
