Although fashion can be a medium for young people to express their individuality, mandatory school uniforms can also be beneficial for students. School uniforms simplify everyday clothing choices for students and families alike.

It is possible to assume what socioeconomic status a student comes from by looking at their clothing. A student wearing Balenciaga runners is probably (but not always) more wealthy than a student wearing beat up sneakers. When a student dresses based off what they have in their closet, their outfits illustrate what their family can afford. This creates social differences between students and an opportunity for students to judge those that belong to a low socioeconomic status in a much easier manner. However, when schools implement uniforms, schools can avoid this kind of injustice happening to students.

With school uniforms, “first impressions are more about who you are as a person rather than what you can afford,” said senior Jillian Bowe. Because uniforms establish uniformity among students, they would be less inclined to judge one another’s clothing. This allows students to look past one’s outward appearance.

Parents of students who wear school uniforms do not have to stress about providing adequate money for their student to constantly shop for school clothing. It is common for students to wish to keep up with trends or just with other students at schools when it comes to fashion choices. In spite of this, not all parents can afford for their child to spend excessively. School uniforms reduce the school expenses for parents in regards to clothing significantly. Since students are required to wear the same outfit at school everyday, parents may only need to buy a few items for their child, rather than an entire haul.

“Many often spend way too much time worrying about their outfits [to school],” said sophomore Arjav Patel. It is important for students to find the right clothing to wear in order to ensure that they are comfortable at school that day and that they are following the school’s dress code. This may cause students to sometimes worry about not having something to wear that checks all those boxes. Senior Esther Schubert, who favors school uniforms, says, “I hate thinking about what I am going to wear at school the next day.” Students who wear school uniforms do not have to think about what they’re wearing to school daily since it is already picked out for them.

School uniforms allow students to maintain a united front. “I think the whole [school] atmosphere is more like: we are all the same and together,” said Schubert. Schools should incorporate school uniform into their policies in order to improve the overall well-being of their students.