For many students, dress down days feel like a breath of fresh air during a stressful day. As classes become more demanding and after school activities get busier, the ability to come to school in comfortable clothes can make a surprising difference in mood and motivation. However, when dress down days only occur a few times a year, their positive impact becomes limited. Expanding them throughout the fall and winter—especially during the Christmas season—would help boost morale and create a more relaxed and positive atmosphere all season long.
Another thing that is unfair about dress down days is that students may have to pay for them. Students shouldn’t have to feel left out because they can’t pay to wear more comfortable clothes as not all students have the ability to. Dress down days are supposed to get people excited about school, they are supposed to be fun, not about money. If the school made dress down days free, then more students could participate in them, having fun without exclusions. This way, everyone has a chance to express themselves.
If there were more dress down days leading up to holidays, the feeling of festivity would spill over into the school. It is never easy in school during the weeks before Thanksgiving or Christmas because there are always tests and projects, and even worse, finals. Giving students more opportunities to wear casual clothes could help brighten everyone’s mood and lighten tension at school. It requires little to no effort to plan but can have a big impact, so it’s an easy way to bring more joy into the halls.
In the end, dress down days are an easy morale-booster in the late first semester months. They don’t take extra planning, events, or big budgets either. It just takes the decision to give students a little freedom in their outfit choices. Additional dress down days would make students feel included, improve school spirit, and spread some holiday cheer. It is a small thing, but it can make a big difference for all those on campus.