Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Official Student Newspaper of Henry M. Gunn High School

The Oracle

Form or Fashion: Dressing for comfort, not style, is indication of self-confidence

By Utkash Dubey:

I cannot say that I get stares or mocking looks at school, even with my presumably hideous fashion choicesand comical style. I’ve never been purposefully ignored nor discriminated against by my peers or my teachers because I wear what I find to be comfortable. As far as school goes, we’re here to learn, not to impress or attract. For this very reason, I look the way I look. I keep it casual and comfortable, and do my best to maintain a likeable attitude that speaks louder than my fashion statement. Yes, there’s a time and place for formal wear. But this isn’t the Republican primary; this is a public school. Within the school environment, I dress to get the job done and thereby prioritize the task at hand.

Within the school environment, I dress to get the job done and thereby prioritize the task at hand.

“I’m not talking fashion… so much as function.” Bruce Wayne’s assertion from the 2008 blockbuster “The Dark Knight” just about sums up my stance on physical appearances pertaining to school. It’s not about looking your best everyday; it’s about being comfortable yet appropriate. My interpretation of this is that my general look should not be a priority, because in all honesty, I have better things to do than worry about the sheen of my hair or the stubble on my chin. Yes, many situations essentially require formal wear or fashionable attire, but a high school is not an applicable setting.

While some persist that looking your best everyday contributes to a mutual, respectful relationship between teachers and students, I see the situation differently. Respect is something earned over time; it’s not something you can buy from Macy’s (or some other popular shopping place. I’m a male, I wouldn’t know). Respect is something more powerful than that. It takes time, hard work and effort to show that you respect a teacher’s time and class.

In fact, I feel as though people who make their look apparent are really trying to compensate for weakness in other fields. In essence, the subconscious tends to make up for general inadequacies by exploiting other advantages. When I see a person who dresses with excessive style, I sense, and thereby judge, that the person is missing something towards the intangibles. On the contrary, a generic yet functional look clearly signifies self-satisfaction and confidence. Looking at someone whose fashion choices don’t beg for attention is much more respectable and gives me the sense that there are positive characteristics I can attribute to this person.

I’m not saying that people should be more conscious about their physical appearances, for the sake of avoiding what I criticize. I’m saying that in a school atmosphere, it’s more than acceptable to wear what one finds comfortable and functional. Wear something that you feel great in, and that also maintains the social order in the learning environment. A scholarly, respectful and disciplined attitude, not one’s appearance, is the key to success.

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