Dress Codes

photo by Charles Deluvio
on unsplash.com

 

As an educator for 40 years before retirement three years ago, I was subject to and frequently in charge of implementing and enforcing school dress codes. They were nearly always negatively received by some, relatively unenforceable, and largely ambiguous. In other words dress codes were impossible.

Sometimes there were dress-up days or dress down days. There were casual Fridays for staff. There were a variety of Homecoming themed days such as come as you are, tacky, Sixties, clash, school spirit daze, etc. There were too many to mention. No doubt each of us could conjure up a long list from memory.

Dress code issues can be applied to many careers and professions. Every business and social setting from corporations and churches to McDonalds, 3M, and the military expect adherence to their written policies or understood social mores. The 21st Century has seen many changes in expectations of acceptable standards.

During my 40 years as an educator, I saw the dress code for teachers shift in many places from "Sunday best" to jeans and spirit t-shirts (especially on Fridays). My last 16 years as a college professor were begun in dress shirts and ties. They concluded in casual professional attire - khakis and collared shirts. Those were my choices as I conformed to comfort and colleagues' preferences. My suggestion to my student teachers was a dual approach that included modesty and neatness. Semantics and popularity often dictated what was worn.

Church has gone the same direction in many places. Some still wear coats and ties, but many dress casually including jeans or even shorts. Should this be an issue at all if we are trying to follow what we used to refer to as New Testament Christianity? What would Jesus do? What did Jesus do?

From what I read in the Bible, He wore his only outfit everywhere and for all occasions. He dressed the same way to the synagogue, market place, temple, weddings, feasts, mountain tops, and boat travel. He even wore the same robe to walk on water. There were two occasions when he change. One was voluntary when he put on a towel to wash the disciples feet in the upper room. The other was when they stripped His garments for the trial and crucifixion. He also seems to have left his grave clothes in the tomb at his resurrection.

What's the point? I don't really have one. These are just some thoughts that came to mind this morning as I contemplated my blog. I have an idea file that I've been adding to for decades. It contains stuff that I found interesting at one point in time...back in the day. I have always believed "if it isn't in writing, it doesn't exist." When I get a thought that I might find useful someday, I write it down. If folks find it useless or worse, there is an APP for that. It's called the delete key.