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A lot has been said about various dress codes, uniforms and
strict rules in so many universities around the Philippines. It’s interesting
how different sides are being tackled, mainly clashes about decency and
preparation for the business world versus freedom of expression.
Equally,
MSU-IIT’s dress code has been a hot topic recently among students and faculty
within the university. This issue was brought out due to different arguments that
have arisen about what kind of clothes should be allowed within the university,
as per how the guards interpret the dress code policy. It was then discovered
that the current MSU-IIT dress code was written back in 1993. Outdated, no
doubt. Even our highly esteemed Chancellor agrees with this. And the entire
university is grateful to him for taking immediate action about this matter.
But going
to the topic, how does your manner of dressing speak volumes about you?
The
freedom that we enjoy these days to a large extent makes dressing up a lot more
complicated than before. We teenagers not only try to keep up with the latest
gadgets, but try to keep up with latest fashion trends as well. And nowadays,
people are becoming more daring, fearless and uncaring of what they wear. Like
in UP where there is no dress code and the only guiding principle in what to
wear is comfort, students can wear clothes as plain as pajamas or barely-there
clothes that leaves little to the imagination. While in DLSU, students can wear
clothes as fashionable as knee-high boots and trench coats.
Having the freedom to dress promotes individuality and
creativity; it is a way for students to speak without making a sound.
Fashionistas can stand out with their heels and designer blouses, while
students with their bling-blings, caps and oversized shirts speak their
inclination for hip-hop. Dressing in comfort is also very appealing to students.
Simply put, how students dress is their way of presenting themselves to other
people, how they want others to see them.
On the
negative side, they say that too much freedom can be abused. Some people are
not responsible with what they wear. Some are not comfortable in seeing others
with what they’re wearing, and some are teased and ridiculed for it. Some end
up looking cheap, and some end up looking like they’re having a hangover from
last night.
Now
this time, let us tackle the issue of why schools have dress codes.
First is that the school is trying to promote decency and
proper decorum. Remember that we are entering an institution that will educate
us, one that will prepare us for our lives after we graduate. This principle
tells us that we are in an institution to learn, that it is not a place to
flaunt whatever asset you think you have. And so we should dress accordingly
and in decency. Second, wearing appropriate clothes becomes a sort of
discipline when we begin working in the future. Big companies require you to do
this and look professional and neat.
On the other hand, this dress code will curb whatever
individuality and creativity students want to release. They will get lost in
the crowd, overshadowed by those who excel in academics.
So, which is which?
Unfortunately, it is difficult to draw a clear line between
modesty, freedom of expression and indecency. These are abstract ideas and have
a lot of interpretations. Therefore, as
college students, we should remain intelligent enough to know when, what and
how to dress appropriately. How and what we wear does matter, both in
self-expression and in the professional world.
Our intelligence and performance should go deeper than high
heels and shorts. Change in the society
is inevitable, and we have to adapt to survive. For as long as we dress
accordingly and intelligently when the situation calls for it, then there
doesn’t seem to be much problem.
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