Education is a child’s or teenager’s job! As such, they must take it seriously. Dressing appropriately sets the tone for greater self-respect, stronger self-esteem, and success!

All schools in the U.S. should have their students wear uniforms: a dress code AND a grooming code. All students must sign the dress and grooming code guidelines which states what they must wear, how they must groom, and what the consequences are for non-compliance.

Without rules for dress, we get total fashion anarchy. This has become a huge distraction for the students, especially male students and for teachers. Dressing sexy for school is absurd! It distracts male students; it is embarrassing and distracting for male teachers; it makes female teachers uncomfortable.

We need to teach our children what’s appropriate in their dress and behavior: in the home first and foremost, in the schools, and in society at large.

We adults need to raise the bar of what’s acceptable. The parents and the adults need to set the standard for dress, grooming, and respectful behavior. Only then can we teach our children how to do the same. Otherwise, what do we expect? We must walk our talk for our children. For all children.

We have opened Pandora’s Box by letting kids do whatever they want. Students have enough distractions in school without having to worry about what they are wearing, if they can afford to buy the trendiest “it” clothes, and if they look sexy enough. It’s absurd and inappropriate.

Teaching children and teens how to dress properly and follow rules helps prepare them to enter the workplace later in life. It gives them the competitive edge. It is totally unrealistic to raise them thinking that there are no rules in life.

Money is not really the issue. Even during the Great Depression, when people may have had only 1-2 outfits, they still managed to dress appropriately and look decent. And if money is the issue, then school uniforms will save the parents a fortune and a lot of time. Not to mention, years of heartache as they are asked to buy clothing for their kids they can’t afford.

Every school in our nation should have uniforms! All other countries in the world demand uniforms until college or university. This takes the focus off clothing and on to learning. It is way less expensive for the parents. Uniforms teach children that there are rules and that we all need to dress differently depending on where we are going. School is no exception! There is a proper way to dress for school, for church, for attending theater, a special restaurant, etc. This is a matter of respect and we need a huge dose of that in America now!

If you don’t want to raise the bar for yourself, do it for your children, do it for your family, and do it for your country! We can’t afford to be lazy anymore.

Dress Code for Middle School and High School Students:

Uniforms! Uniforms! and Uniforms!

Grooming Code:

1. Daily shower
2. Clean hair worn in a conservative style
3. Teeth must be brushed, flossed and clean
4. Wear deodorant daily
5. Fingernails must be clean and short. No ultra long fingernails
5. No heavy perfumes or colognes. Use fragrances sparingly.
6. Makeup may not be excessive and should be appropriate for daytime
7. Teenaged males must be clean-shaven
8. Clothing must be clean, in good repair, and ironed
9. Shoes: no flip-flops, no high heels over 3 inches for safety, no mules, no slippers, no ultra high platform shoes. Shoes must be clean, polished and in good repair
10. No jewelry except small rings, stud earrings, and a simple necklace or a watch
11. No lingerie or underwear may be visible through or around anyone’s clothing! That mean bras, panties, slips, or men’s underwear.
12. Girls may not show cleavage and skirts may not be shorter than 6 inches above knees when seated
13. Boys must wear pants near their waistline and not below
14. No one’s pants may drag on the ground. They must be hemmed to rest on shoes or above.
15. Socks or tights at all times

I have been an image consultant and makeover expert for men and women over the last 20 years. For the last 5 years, I have taught Men’s Overhaul Programs, which are image makeover bootcamps for men. I have worked with men from almost every profession.

In my experience, a large majority of men are open and willing to enhance their hair color for two main reasons:

1. To stay on the job longer because they will look fresh, modern, and more able to compete

2. To improve their romantic relationships by looking more attractive in order to enhance their sex life

Men opt for many different hair coloring options:

1. Darken the grey and gently turn the clock back with semi-permanent hair color which is very natural and inexpensive
2. Cover the grey completely with permanent hair color which requires the most upkeep
3. Highlight their hair to get a more outdoorsy sun-kissed look with bleach/lightening products
4. Add low lights (reverse highlights) to their hair in order to add more of their natural color before it went grey (this works well with medium to dark hair colors) which can be done gradually and leaves almost no obvious re-growth around the hairline for very grey men

In the last twenty years, I have seen the number of men coloring their hair increase. Men who color their hair seem to be more concerned with their overall appearance and tend to pay more attention to their grooming and appearance. While this is not true for all men, in my experience it is true for many.

Coloring hair, using more hair grooming products, going to hair
salons instead of barber shops, waxing brows, mani/pedis, and more, are all part of the modern male’s accepted grooming regimen.