At Miami Lakes Educational Center, the art of sticking out like a sore thumb is becoming more difficult. As a result, the summer preceding the 2021-2022 school year at MLEC has become a time of readjustment for both new and returning students—a time to rearrange their wardrobes to accommodate the new dress code.
Students who do not wish to wear the outerwear available on MLEC’s online merchandise website but wish to comply with the dress code may do so by selecting from a plain selection of teal, black, or grey outerwear. Outerwear includes jackets, sweatshirts, hoodies, and sweaters.
Because the permitted outerwear colors have been reduced to a monochromatic throuple, students may want to consider some other aspects of their new choices. Otherwise nitpicky features such as puffed sleeves and interestingly textured cable knits come to mind as a way to stand out from the crowd in a comfortable and individualistic way.
Aside from outerwear, the backpack is a tried-and-true accessory for students all over the world. Backpacks, from Jansport to Kipling to Cath Kidston, accompany students throughout their days and academic careers. While backpacks are entirely up to the student, accessories such as patches, pins, and key chains are critical for creating a personalized vessel of knowledge as well as the case for a chronology of homework, class notes, and compartments for biological and technological first-aid.
The shoes students are permitted to wear are the least changed aspect of MLEC’s dress code as of last week. Because there are fewer options for what students can wear in terms of other types of clothing these days, footwear can become a new way for students to make a personal statement. Nike Blazer Mids or Daybreaks, as well as purposefully oversized Dad Sneakers, are all appropriate for the aforementioned school environment, as well as specific classes such as Physical Education.
Dr. Martens, on the other hand, have cemented themselves into the footwear culture of teenagers everywhere, from their most monochromatic to most metallic options. With Dr. Martens, students can make not only their shoes but also their entire walk stand out in a crowd, regardless of whether or not they’ve broken the boots in.
Jewelry such as rings, necklaces, and bracelets, which are more metallic than Dr. Martens and slightly smaller in size, are the perfect complement to a uniform. From shell pearls to friendship bracelets and millions of trendy enamel rings to nameplate necklaces, students can match the metal to their uniforms or walk around sounding like a silver-plated ATM.
Loopholes in MLEC’s dress code are available to everyone, regardless of how they choose to dress. Head-to-toe personality isn’t a priority at MLEC, but as students mature into young adults, they have the freedom to experiment with their personal style, from their hair to their shoes.
