By Brett Schlossberg
How much has the school uniform changed since Woodward was founded and how are those decisions made? Some people ask themselves those questions and do not have an answer. To answer those questions, the uniform has changed significantly over the years. Although administrators and the Student Government Association make the ultimate decisions about the uniform, many updates to the uniform have come from students’ suggestions, and the uniform also evolves due to fashion changes and comfort.
Ms. Zents said some notable changes have been about the formal uniform and hoodies.
“It used to be that the formal uniform was only worn on Fridays, and several years ago, we went to it being every day from January until spring break,” Zents said. “The addition of the hoodie is a relatively new outerwear.”
Dean Anthony Thomas, who is also a graduate of Woodward, said the uniform has changed a lot since he was a student.
“We wore formal uniforms, shirts, ties, jackets, no hoodies, sweatshirts, or anything like that, and we wore them every day from Thanksgiving until Spring Break,” Thomas said.
The formal uniform, which is now worn only on picture day and every day from the start of the second semester to spring break, used to be worn every day from Thanksgiving to spring break, and later only worn on Fridays from the start of the second semester to spring break. That is not the only significant change since Thomas was a student, however.
“We also had different pants for underclassmen,” Thomas said. “Seniors were only allowed to wear Khakis.”
Students can have a major impact on uniform changes, too.
“Much of the changes involved student-led requests, such as adding UGG boots, adding the hoodie as an outerwear item has also been a change that we’ve seen, a relaxation of the facial hair code, as well,” Thomas said.
Sarah Beth Couch 23’, who is a part of the Student Government Association, gave an example of students having a say in uniform changes.
“So my freshman year, we got a new skirt, and it definitely was traumatizing because they only made the freshmen wear the new skirt, and so being a freshman is hard enough, and then being picked on made it a whole lot harder,” Couch said. “…I actually kind of revoked [sic] the changes of the skirt, I fought back, because I was not happy with the outcome, but now that everyone has to wear it in the high school, it’s kinda like, whatever.”
Both Ms. Zents and Dean Thomas said updates to the school uniform are because of fashion changes or to ensure students are comfortable.
“Our uniform has gradually shifted in changes in time, and changes in trends, as well as changes in fashion and those moves are an attempt to ensure that our students are uniform yet comfortable,” Thomas said.
While clothing changes are the most significant and get the most attention, rules about the smaller details of the uniform have also become less strict.
“Students should have more leeway on their hairstyle and the jewelry that they wear,” Zents said.
Fashion trends and giving students more choice on their clothing, hair, and accessories are all efforts to make students feel more comfortable.
“The deans and I are open to student ideas and I would like uniform changes to be led by student ideas and what the students want, versus just adult direction,” Zents said.
