As spring rolls around and the weather gets warmer, students begin to struggle with what to wear on a daily basis. Bellarmine Hall gets too warm for sweatshirts and jeans but the dress code limits options. So the ever present question is, What to wear when it’s warm?”
With the new dress code guidelines, shorts must be fingertip length and tank tops must be at least two inches thick. This limits the options of what students can wear. Junior Kate Wachter said, “I have 20 tank tops that are typically considered appropriate but do not fit the two-inch shoulder coverage.” This dilemma causes many students to receive a dress code violation throughout the day as the weather gets warmer. In order to avoid these conflicts, students need to learn to choose outfits that fit both the weather and the dress code.
The first place to start is with pants. Jeans in the summer can be uncomfortable and too heavy to wear. Students might get hot in their classes and regret their choice by the end of the day. A good alternative to jeans is linen pants. These are typically lightweight and easy to style so students won’t get too hot during the day. Along with those, one can wear shorts or skirts that are at least fingertip length. This includes both athletic and casual fabrics. These are a great alternative to pants that will keep you cool throughout the day while still being in dress code. A final pant option is joggers that taper at the end. Like linen pants, some joggers can be lightweight so these are a great option to stay cool and comfortable in the weather while still wearing long pants.
The next place to focus on when picking an outfit is the top. Sweatshirts and long sleeves are no longer an option due to the weather, so students must choose something else. Some typically fall towards crop tops. They figure that because it is warm, the smaller the shirt the better. This doesn’t set you up for success at school though. Although one may be comfortable, if a student wears a crop top they are violating the dress code and therefore this is not a school appropriate outfit choice for warm weather.
Similarly to crop tops, tank tops cause a lot of conflict as well. Spaghetti strap tops seem like the perfect option to wear during the summer months, but just like crop tops they are not school appropriate. Instead, students should find tank tops that are at least two-inches wide. These tops will still keep you cool during the day but are also school appropriate. Another great option for tops is the tee-shirt. These shirts allow students to express themselves with graphic designs while also keeping them cool and following the dress code. They are also easy to pair with linen pants, shorts, skirts, and joggers.
Overall, as the temperature outside increases so does the stress around choosing an outfit. Students typically fall into clothing options that violate the dress code and overlook the many options that will set them up for success both in the classroom and outside in the sunny weather. So as the final months of school approach, make sure to choose outfits that are both school and summer approved.
