Why a college pressing for better dressed students is a good idea

School uniforms are welcome and wanted in India. But different countries have varied reactions to them. In the UK, where the idea of school uniforms is said to have begun in the 16th century, the idea seems dated today. Schools that espouse uniforms are usually snobby and upper crust, and champion the idea of militarism. In Australia, each school can set its own uniform policy. In France, school uniforms have not been enforced since 1968.

My school —  an old colonial-style convent run by super-strict nuns who thought that all schoolgirls wanted to do is attract boys — had insane hair rules. If it even skimmed the shoulders it had to be tied up. Pin it if you couldn’t rubberband it. No pony tails if you could braid it. Only black hair accessories. No fringes. Our skirts had to touch our knees. I had my seams ripped open by the headgirl’s finger nails one morning because mine did not.

The newer international schools are even stricter. School buses are mandatory at my son’s school. Mostly because it is a traffic nightmare, but also because they do not like the idea of some kids driving up in Mercedes’ and others in Marutis. I know of a few posh schools that provide same-same school bags, pencil boxes and even stationery for their kids. Parents welcome these as privileges of pricey schools.
But colleges are another story in India. Most of them — even the specialty-training ones — cost very little in fees. Herein lies the biggest problem. The five years of junior and degree college are seen as free and fun time. After the sobriety of schools, colleges are nothing but five years of freedom.

Bunking classes isn’t a big deal (imagine bunking half your school day, or even a class when in school. A letter is sent home or a phone call made). Is this because the children are almost adults? I doubt it. Since a college education costs relatively so little, it isn’t considered that serious.

As soon as one finishes school, the tenth grade in many parts of India, one’s hair is dyed and the style is changed. Spectacles give way to contact lenses, tattoos and piercings come in. This is the age for for trial-and-error with your personal style. Kids wants to be allowed to express their uniqueness. One’s formative teens are anyways rebellious or angsty, or want to be the snobbiest show-offs as one possibly could. But let’s face it, college kids are sloppy, if at all they are awake.

How does an educational institute gets its students to take it seriously then?

If maintaining decorum, a little respect for the college and its staff is expressed via a neater dress, I see only good in this. The problem for me is when authorities equate dress with eve-teasing, or disallow religious items like veils or turbans, or even ban ‘western wear’. The colleges in question are not enforcing a uniform and taking away a student’s individuality, at an age when it matters most. They are simply saying be neat and respectable. Nothing newsmaking or earth-shaking in that. Our fashion choices are the best way to communicate our attitude after all. And good style is always about dressing for the occasion.

namratanow@gmail.com

This story appeared in print with the headline Decoding Dress Codes