Meet sophomore Nicolette van den Dries, better known as Chloe. She showcases a nose and left-front helix (upper ear) piercing, one piercing on her left earlobe, and three piercings on her right earlobe, which rounds out to a total of five piercings. Her only regret is letting her two second piercings close up. A frequent dyer of her hair since she was at the Lower School, she has experimented with a host of colors, the more recent of which were pink and blue-green. In her opinion, the administration should not have the power to determine which piercings and hair colors are tasteful.

“As for hair being appropriate and undistracting, I have no idea what that means. How can hair be inappropriate, [when] it’s just follicles?” said Nicolette. “I don’t have the authority to dictate what piercings and hair colors are to be considered tasteful, though I would love to be able to. And not to be seditious, but I don’t think our administration does either,” she said.

A subsection in the school dress code states that “tattooing, body or facial piercing are not permitted” as well as that “all hairstyles must be appropriate and not distracting.” General expectations include that “students will be well-groomed and appropriately attired at all school-related activities.”

A close glance around the Upper School, however, reveals an array of students displaying their personal style through unique piercings and vibrant hair colors.

For a period in school history, piercings of all kinds were prohibited. However the administration soon realized that piercings were a norm of several cultures, including certain Indian, South American, and African cultures. Cultural piercings can be worn as symbols of beauty, wealth, or status, and are often worn to show one’s affinity with the gods. After realizing the value that cultural piercings held in the lives of certain students, the administration began to allow students to pierce their ears and nose.

Upper School Dean of Students Kevin Williamson feels that the reason the dress code creates friction is the difference in opinions regarding appearance. He expressed belief that moderation is key when dealing with school-appropriate dress.

“As [styles] change every year, I go back to look for moderation in your dress. If it’s something that is out of the norm, it’s probably in the student’s best interest to come and see me about it first, or the advisor, or talk to some adults [and] get some other opinions,” said Williamson.

Jessica Yang (11) agrees, believing it may be difficult to set dress code restrictions because “everybody has their own opinion on what’s crazy and what’s normal.”

Freshman Chelsie Alexander, who received a cartilage piercing as a thirteenth birthday present, holds a different opinion, believing that parental consent of piercings should be sufficient to allow them in school.

”I’m pretty sure a classic Harker parent would not allow eyebrow piercings or nipple piercings or whatever, so that would handle itself,” said Chelsie.

Gallery • 4 Photos

Jessica Yang (11) sports ombre hair, a hairstyle fading from dark to light or vice versa.

Mishi Vachev (11), who also sports a cartilage piercing, believes that discrete piercings are acceptable, a belief held by many other students.

“In a school setting, I think ear piercings, small nose piercings, and ones that can’t be seen are fine because they shouldn’t serve as a distraction to anyone,” said Mishi.

Many students who received various piercings and experimented with hair color were satisfied with the results and saw them as a form of self-expression.

“I don’t regret it at all—I’ve become so used to it that I can’t imagine my face without it. It’s easy to take care of, and small enough not to be too conspicuous,” said Manthra Panchapakesan (11) who has a nose piercing.

Junior Zoe Woehrmann has sported a plethora of hair colors including purple, teal, red, blonde, and blue, and has experimented with various dyeing methods ranging from professional salon treatments to at-home kits to Koolaid. In addition, she flaunts a cartilage piercing on her left ear, and double piercings on her right and left earlobes.

“I dye my hair a lot, because I like change, and it’s impermanent enough that I’m not afraid of what could go wrong. […] I dont think anything is tasteless [because] it’s all self-expression to me, so I think most everything should be allowed,” said Zoe.

Like Zoe, senior Taylor Mahal feels that that hair dyeing offers freedom of expression.

“When it comes to piercings and tattoos, people should have the freedom to express who they are. Why do bigger children get to tell the smaller children how to dress? We’re all individuals, let’s start remembering that,” said Taylor, who has single piercings on her left and right earlobes as well as a triple helix on her right ear.

Despite dress code barriers, students continue to exhibit individuality through assorted piercings and bold hair color choices.

This piece was originally published in the pages of the Winged Post on Jan. 27, 2014.