As many of us know, there are a lot of gray areas within the realm of the school uniform here at Cathedral Prep. Some things are nice, some things are unenjoyable, and some things downright don’t make sense.
One thing that confuses me is the inclusion of the tan, Desert-Storm-esque school sweater. Not only do these seem to be the most unpopular of the three color choices among the students, but they clash with everything else that is a part of the uniform in an awkward, unsightly manner. We have black and gray school sweaters — which makes perfect sense — but whoever proposed the idea of a tan sweater has logic that surpasses my capacity for understanding. If there are students who enjoy looking like they’ve just emerged from a category 5 sandstorm in the deserts of Iraq, let them do as they please. Wouldn’t an orange or white sweater make more sense, though? After all, both of those colors, which are not included in any of the school-legal apparel (disregarding dress down days) are prominent across the board when it comes to logos for our sports teams, website design, etc.
When on the topic of school uniforms, another issue arises to me: why are we, as students, forced to spend our own money on sweaters from the school store when we have clothing of our own that makes us look much more presentable and formal. In the eyes of many students, a nice crew or v-neck sweater from Ralph Lauren, iZod, Ted Baker, or Nordstrom would compliment the nice oxfords and ties we also spend our money on much better than the school sweaters we are almost forced to purchase. This is not to say the school sweaters serve no purpose, or are ugly in any way, but to the kids who wish to purchase something of higher quality, that option should be open and available.
Following an in-depth discussion with The Rambler‘s senior editor-in-chief Joe Sala, we came to the conclusion that the top button policy is something else the confuses us to no end. If not the most irrelevant issue here at Prep, it has to be near the top of the list. Despite the fact that this “violation” is rarely acknowledged, when it is, the immediate reaction of the culprit is “why?” If the tie is properly worn, it hugs the neck to a point where it looks nice, and is not overly constricting or uncomfortable. However, if the top button is forced to be fastened, it adds an unrealistic level of abrasion and distraction to a student’s day, not to mention the fact that it looks no more formal and professional than when the top button is unfastened. This truth becomes even more relevant in the warmer months. Any teacher forcing students to fasten their upmost button is only taking away from the quality of student life here at Cathedral Prep.
Now, to clear things up, the policy we have here at Prep to keep students looking sharp doesn’t upset or offend me. However, there are certain aspects of it that I find unnecessary. I’d like to do away with these nuisances as soon as possible. Hopefully the near future holds some fluctuation and improvement to the uniform policy here at Cathedral Preparatory School.