DOs and DON’Ts of SIXTH FORM DRESS

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/uniform

The

DOs and DON’Ts

of

SIXTH FORM

DRESS at

KES

DOs and DON’Ts of SIXTH FORM DRESS

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/uniform

‘Sixth Form pupils are not expected to wear School uniform, but their dress and

appearance should be in a style that would be appropriate for a formal business environment, as well as in keeping with a School environment.

The School reserves the right in all these matters to decide what is and what is

not acceptable.’

The School is not trying to make you look identical. If we wanted that we would just create a Sixth Form uniform. You can create the right impression without total conformity or losing your individuality. Yes, to make a good impression you do need to "fit in" to some degree, so you must be appropriate for the situation. When you’re in a business setting, you wear appropriate business attire. If at a formal evening social event, you wear appropriate evening attire. And you can still express your individuality appropriately within both contexts. We know that choosing what to wear in the Sixth Form can be a tricky task. So we’ve put together some ideas and images to help you make appropriate decisions. You’ll see that word appropriate appear several times: take note. Please approach the choice of your clothing in a positive way: look smart, make the right impression, take pride in the way you present yourself. Do not approach it from the angle of “What can I get away with?”. This is not in the spirit of what we are trying to achieve and it lets you and the School down if you do not try to work with the advice that is set out here. As leaders of the School, you are acting as important role models for the younger students. It’s a fact of life that fashion gives women more choice and hence makes business attire more complicated for them, so more of this booklet is dedicated to female choices, but obviously men still have decisions to make.

PLEASE NOTE THIS POLITE REMINDER: Students who are not suitably dressed when they arrive at School can be asked to return home to dress themselves appropriately. The School may also provide appropriate clothing to replace that which we do not deem appropriate.

DOs and DON’Ts of SIXTH FORM DRESS

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/uniform

Ladies Here are the regulations:

A smart tailored skirt which is not far from the knee, or a tailored pair of trousers.

A smart jacket.

A smart top (covering shoulders, no low necklines or t-shirts with logos).

Practical clean shoes.

Jewellery, if worn, should be discreet.

Some things to bear in mind: Dress to your body shape. What is appropriate for one figure is simply not appropriate for another. One person’s short skirt is another’s on the knee. Bear in mind that the regulations stipulate that all skirts are near the knee. This means not short. If you are wearing a skirt or dress above the knee, doing so with dark tights is something we would encourage you all to stick to. And the same is true of tops: girls with larger busts have to be conscious of what they wear, much more so than a smaller busted woman. It’s about learning what is right for your body shape, height, and the situation. Remember that a skirt that is made of jersey or lycra (i.e. not tailored) rides up and therefore if it is on your knee when you put it on but 10 inches higher later in the day, that’s no good. If it’s not appropriate all the time, it’s not appropriate. Business dress is tailored, structured. It doesn’t involve lycra or body con. It doesn’t have to be a suit, but a suit might be an option to have in the wardrobe for especially smart occasions and interviews. A jacket means a jacket, not a cardigan. Trousers must be tailored. Trousers that are tight around the ankle will not be smart enough. Cropped trousers are not allowed. It is not appropriate to show cleavage in School. Teachers do not want to be exposed to views of a pupil’s cleavage so make sure that you cover up appropriately – remember the view for a standing teacher is different when you sit down! Think about what the equivalent of a shirt and tie for the boys would be – a blouse or a smart jumper. Do not wear strappy tops – your shoulders should always be covered.

DOs and DON’Ts of SIXTH FORM DRESS

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/uniform

Shoes Ladies: You are in the Sixth Form so you should have the choice over heel height, but let’s be reasonable. Party heels and high heels are two different things. If you have to get from the concourse to Biology, complete a practical on your feet, go over to Classics and back again then 4 inch whoppers are not the answer. It slows you down and it causes long term back damage. Also, no open toes, no knee high boots, no Uggs, no flip flops (even when it’s really sunny). Examples of what is appropriate below.

Appropriate!

Not appropriate…

DOs and DON’Ts of SIXTH FORM DRESS

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/uniform

Gents Here are the regulations:

Practical clean shoes.

A suit or a sports jacket/blazer and formal trousers.

A formal monochrome or discreetly striped or checked collared shirt; they should not be of any extreme colour or style. A v-neck sweater but not a sweatshirt.

A tie.

Jewellery, if worn, should be discreet. Earrings may not be worn.

Some things to bear in mind…

Make sure trousers are well cut and fit well. The bottoms of the trousers should not be dragging on the floor. Trousers with tight fitting legs are generally not smart enough for School. The same goes for trousers that look like jeans, irrespective of the material or how much they cost. You should always keep your shirt tucked in and your top button done up. Hair should be short but not shaved, and of a natural colour. Facial hair is not permitted. This

includes stubble, so please always come to School clean-shaven.

Belts should be smart.

Appropriate!

Not appropriate…

DOs and DON’Ts of SIXTH FORM DRESS

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/uniform

Shoes

Gents: keep them polished, keep them smart. Don’t make them trainers, deck shoes, or

Toms.

Appropriate!

Not appropriate…

Summer uniform

In the second half of the summer term the following modifications are allowed: Boys: Jackets need not be worn. Only shirts with a formal collar should be worn, long or short sleeved. The tie may be removed if the jacket is not being worn. Girls: Jackets need not be worn. Dark coloured or patterned underwear, which is visible through light coloured clothing, should not be worn. (N.B. Skirts should still be of an appropriate length).

To help you further, we’ve collated images of Sixth Formers showing what we DO want, and

what we DON’T.

DOs and DON’Ts of SIXTH FORM DRESS

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/uniform

DO: Smart jacket and top, appropriate skirt near the knee,

appropriate shoes.

DO: A smart blazer and contrasting chinos make for a sharp combination.

DO: Suit, shirt, tie: smart, easy to wear. You can't go wrong here.

DO: Suit and shirt: smart, easy to wear. You can't go wrong here.

DOs and DON’Ts of SIXTH FORM DRESS

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/uniform

DO: Tailored dresses (with a jacket) are another option. This one is just about long

enough, but shouldn't be any shorter...

DO: Chinos with a non-jeans pocket. These are an appropriate alternative

to suit trousers.

DON'T: short lycra skirt, open-toed shoes, cardigan. Wrong on so many

levels.

DON'T: jeans, hoodie, bold check shirt, trainers: a business dress

nightmare.

DOs and DON’Ts of SIXTH FORM DRESS

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/uniform

DON'T: A tight-fitting jersey dress: too close-fitting, too short, wrong

shoes. You guessed it: not appropriate.

DON'T: hoodie under suit jacket - not a good look. Not appropriate.

DON'T: too low cut. End of discussion.

DON'T: A very nice shirt, but too casual for business dress.

DOs and DON’Ts of SIXTH FORM DRESS

www.kes.hants.sch.uk/uniform

If you are unsure about any item, play safe and don’t wear it. Then seek advice from wise friends or from teachers such as Mr Jones, Mr Havers, Mrs Thomas, Miss Smith or your tutor. We hope that you have found the guidance in this booklet useful. If you have any questions or wish for further clarification please do not hesitate to ask Mr Jones, Mr Havers, Mrs Thomas, Miss Smith or your tutor.

Remember, take pride in your appearance.

Thanks to N Fairhurst and S Fox, and photographer G Hill.

DON'T: flip flops are not appropriate. Neither are killer heels.

DON'T: Strappy tops are a real no-no.