Does the Church Have a Dress Code?
By: Lauren Diemdowicz
For my final project, I decided to write an updated dress code for a religious private high school based on the traditional Christian standards of dressing. The original ideas were biased, stereotypical, non-inclusive, and discriminatory. My hope is that with my project you will be able to compare and contrast the old traditions of dressing to today's standards. I have included the old standards as a way to see how these "rules" can be adapted to fit modern-day society while still respecting the foundational parts of Christianity. However, many of these ideas have become outdated in modern society. For example, it was believed that women should always cover their hair and men should never shave. Today, hair can be a way to freedom of expression for both men and women and additionally, men are often expected to shave their facial hair for important events. Moreover, I have created this work because I passionately believe in the importance of finding individuality through fashion and the ways you choose to express yourself, especially in a critical period like highschool. This includes creating a dress code that accommodates people with disabilities, different hairstyles, cultural dress, religious dress, and gender inclusivity. The new dress code still respects the traditional standards of dress according to Christianity while still allowing room for independence. Furthermore, I believe this piece is important in regards to this THEO 100 class because we are all recent high school graduates and college is another time for exploration and finding who you are. Because of this, I think my project would best reach an audience of students because it is relatable. I expect my audience to be curious and inquisitive of the ways that their own educations may have hindered them from embracing their individuality. Finally, I hope my project brings awareness to the topic of dress codes and the ways they can be exclusive to genders, races, and cultures. Thank you!
How have traditional Christian standards of dressing in the US shaped dress codes in religious private high schools?
A comparison of dress codes then and now.
Original Dress Code
The proper way of dressing according to the Bible.
1. Women's hair needs to be covered with a veil, especially during worship
2. No gold jewelry or show of expensive clothing
3. No braided hair for women
4. All must wear loose-fitting clothing
5. No headwear for men during worship
6. Men are to never shave their facial hair
7. Women are prohibited from wearing dresses that are scarlet or purple, as these are symbols of lust and premarital sex
8. Nuns are to dress in a uniform nature to allow the community to focus on religious beliefs and not individuality.
9. All must wear clothing assigned to their gender (meaning women cannot wear men's clothing)
10. Women must dress modestly to show their respect to their husbands and the Church.
Modern Dress Code
Updated dress code for a religious private high school today.
1. Pants must be fitted to student's appropriate size
2. No hate speech, profanity or pornography
4. Sweatshirts and t-shirts may be worn in plain colors or if they are college gear
5. Skirts, dresses, and shorts may be worn but no shorter than 3 inches above the knee
6. Headwear is allowed as long as staff can see the students face and ears and they are not blocking another student's view. Exceptions for religious and medical reasons
7. No visibility of undergarments
8. Students must ALWAYS have on an appropriate shirt, pants/jeans or equivalent, and footwear for school.
9. No bare midriff, all parts of the back and stomach should be covered
10. Jewelry is allowed if it doesn't violate safety precautions