Do clean, basic jeans ruin a professional look?
According to Moreau Catholic High School’s official handbook, students must wear school-approved polos and outerwear with standard twill pants or solid cargos. Jeans of any kind are completely banned. Administration believes that these rules keep campus looking neat, appropriate, and focused on schoolwork. But as dress code changes in different environments, a lot of us are asking a simple question: Do clean, basic jeans ruin a professional look
While traditional ideas of dressing up for school used to mean slacks or khaki pants strictly, the actual work world looks a lot different now, and that’s what Moreau is preparing us for. Most workplaces have shifted toward a modern casual look where clean, solid-looking jeans are normal. In fact, workplace surveys show that over 70% of offices allow simple jeans today. Bosses believe that being comfortable helps people focus and work better. If our dress code is supposed to prepare us for life after high school, updating our rules to match what a majority of people wear to work just makes sense.
A lot of students also feel like the line between what’s already allowed and basic jeans is pretty thin. Moreau student Judas Griffin, class of 2027, points out that jeans really aren’t that different from what we already wear. “I think jeans are professional because I feel like there’s not a difference between cargo pants and jeans – they serve the same purpose,” Judas said, adding that solid jeans would give students another simple way to express their style.
Finding a middle ground between school spirit and personal style is a big deal for us. Tamara Scott noted that keeping required Moreau tops while relaxing the pants rule keeps campus looking like a community, without feeling overly strict. “I think jeans should be considered as something to wear at school as long as you wear something on top to represent our school,” Tamara shared. “If we open up the opportunity to wear jeans, it might allow students to feel like they have a little bit more freedom instead of feeling restricted.”
Looking at other schools nearby, several private and Catholic high schools already let students wear plain, non- ripped jeans in solid colors with their regular assigned dress code shirts. By setting simple rules like no holes, frayed edges, or super baggy fits, they keep campus looking clean without banning a basic piece of clothing.
How We Can Actually Make This Happen
Wanting a change in the handbook doesn’t mean we need to complain in the hallways or try to start an argument with school leaders. We actually have real ways to express our ideas, and possibly get things done. If we want to see jeans added to the dress code, the best move is working through student government (ASB or the student senate).
We can write up a clear, realistic plan, setting up simple rules like solid-colored, non-ripped jeans only, and bring it to the ones who represent our student body. From there, Student Government can look over the idea, get more feedback from the rest of the school, and possibly present a real case directly to the head of administration and Deans when they review the handbook.
Real change at Moreau doesn’t come from breaking the rules; it comes from bringing good, reasonable ideas to the people who make the decisions. By using the right steps, we can show our school leaders that updating the dress code is about taking pride in our school while helping it move forward.
I completely agree with this article. Jeans are seen in all types of environments including professional ones. My mother works a professional office job, and when visiting her work place I have seen many people wearing jeans with a blouse or button up shirt. This proves that jeans can be professional when paired with the right top.
This is a very well
I like this article a lot and think that we should enforce jeans because jeans and cargo pants are basically the same thing.
This is an extremely valid point, however I feel it would still be hard to enforce wearing ONLY plain jeans. Jeans with designs or patterns stitched or printed on them will be easy to catch, but students may wear jeans that are tight, baggy, or “booty-fitted”, while maintaining the plain, solid color look. This is an extremely thoughtful article and comes with a good point, but enforcing the type of jeans may be hard even after enforcing the plain, solid color look.
I agree with this article. Wearing jeans shouldn’t be considered unprofessional. -Kleo Tesnado
I agree with this article a lot because wearing jeans doesn’t mean your’e unprofessional. Before my mom worked from home a couple months ago, at her workplace she wore jeans all the time and it was considered work attire. A point you may not have thought about was that in our principal’s school days I think the dressing was more formal than it is now and I think that is how admin wants it to be. I feel like you might be misinformed about how other private and Catholic high schools wear a more relaxed dress code than our current one because them being able to wear jeans and us not being able to doesn’t make us worse or better than them as a school. I promise that I won’t judge someone based on the formality of their appearance.
I think that a lot of controversy surrounding a pair of jeans and weather it should be allowed speaks more upon the leaders than the students,
Thiffani Woodfolk