New guidelines for dress code implemented

Wearing+leggings%2C+Sanjana+Marc%C3%A9+%2811%29+walks+in+the+rain+along+with+Trisha+Dwivedi+%2811%29+and+Kshithija+Mulam+%2811%29.+The+new+dress+code+was+implemented+on+Nov.+31.+

Jackie Gao

Wearing leggings, Sanjana Marcé (11) walks in the rain along with Trisha Dwivedi (11) and Kshithija Mulam (11). The new dress code was implemented on Nov. 31.

by Jackie Gao, Reporter

The Upper School Committee of Dress revised the dress code and changed it into a new set of guidelines, now called the “Community Standards for Dress,” replaced the dress code on Nov. 30.

The new dress code targets toward upholding the standards of respect, engagement, kindness, integrity and courtesy. It also emphasizes the importance that the clothing must represent the pride that students have to be part of in the Harker community as well as the way it presents the students to each other, guests and outside events.

“I think the new dress code gives more leeway for personal expression, like it’s not something as stringent where we have to follow specific rules,” Sarah Tien (11) said. “It’s more like guidelines that we can follow and I think that allows for a community that is not so critical of it.”

Student council held a forum on Sept. 14 amongst the students and faculty to discuss the regulations and guidelines about the dress code, which led to an all female discussion on Sept. 23.

“The faculty were all wanting clarification about different aspects of it, so there was a real need to clarify some things and also to address some issues, wishes, and trying to create a sense of community that was more current given the world which we live in today,” Muldrew said.

New parts of the dress code states that “clothing covers the body from the top of the chest to fingertip length (at minimum). Footwear must be worn at school. Some clothing is too casual and cannot be worn, for example: sleepwear, sweat pants, yoga pants, gym pants or shorts, gym tank tops.”

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“I can actually wear things that are in my closet now,” Matthew Hajjar (9) said. “I don’t have to pull out my clothes the night before and find things that have logos smaller than my hand, which is really unnecessary.”

Students are permitted to wear attire from clubs, advisories, teams and programs that they represent. In order to create Harker-related clothing, there is an approval process involving an application that can be found in the dean’s office in Dobbins.