OPINION: School dress twisted and restrictive

RESTRICTIVE: Strict dress codes have, for many years, been forced on young women to prevent their male classmates from being distracted.

A growing problem in society is that we follow traditions that aren't suitable for today's generation.

And there's one tradition that really gets under my skin. A compulsory uniform has become quite common for most schools around New Zealand. Uniforms are ideal for young adults. They eliminate the stress for students to choose what they wear to school every day.

However, every now and then schools will hold a mufti day. Throughout my childhood, mufti days were full of excitement. It was my time to shine, my only opportunity to wear whatever I wanted without getting in trouble. My outfits throughout primary school ranged from singlets and flip flops to wacky Lion King costumes.

But the gap between primary school and college mufti days is colossal. As a young woman, I've experienced first-hand the traditions of mufti day become twisted and restricted.

Instead of embracing the rare opportunity to express ourselves, restrictions and limitations are drilled into us for one reason: a young woman should not wear exposing garments to school, because it might risk distracting young men from their education.

To wear a garment that exposes areas around what makes us a women can understandably be seen as indecent. However, when I read about young female students who have been sent home for wearing leggings, hoodies or even t-shirts just infuriates me.

It seems to be happening far too often -- female students being sent home for some of the most ludicrous reasons. Stephanie Hughes, a 16-year-old student from the United States was sent home for wearing a singlet, with a cardigan over the top, for exposing her collarbone.

If this is the message we're sending out to society, what goes through a young woman's mind when deciding what to wear every day? The fear of judgement accompanied with insecurities, anxiety and the immense pressure to fulfill society's expectations of an appropriate appearance.

Back in the day, it was customary, especially at garden parties, for a man to wear a blazer and a woman to wear a nice long dress with a fancy hat of some sort. If anything more than an ankle was visible, it was unacceptable and frowned upon. The restrictions on what is acceptable for a woman to wear in today's society stem from traditions created in old society.

This is wrong.

It should definitely not be a woman's fault if a male is distracted from learning and vice-versa. It is the fault of the person being off task and unfocused, not the appearance of another.

To change our ways, we must first address the impact these negative messages have, especially on young people.

It is important to create guidelines on decency, instead of placing restrictions with shameful and embarrassing consequences, such as sending a student home.

Youth are moulded and shaped throughout their school journeys. We need to help youth feel confident in their appearance -- not self-conscious.