Gabriel+L’s+Final+AmEx+Speech+2016

__I want to live in an America where you are able to wear what you want__

Whether it be for your first day of school, your prom, your work, or your graduation day, average people tend to stress and worry about what clothing and accessories to wear and what type of wardrobe is appropriate or not. Most members of a civilized society would choose what is acceptable for a particular event, which often overrides what they would prefer and feel most comfortable wearing. Most humans have preferences and make choices that are specific to them, but when they are forced to exhibit clothing that they do not believe to be suitable for them they become unhappy and dissatisfied with their lives at that current point and time. This problem of people being unpleased with the clothing that rules and standards dictate for them to put on occurs throughout the country every day with countless individuals. The dress code in today’s world has gone too far and should be revamped to make modern citizens of the United States more pleased and more comfortable with themselves. In our more personal part of the country, students at Foothill are faced every day with the problem of deciding what to wear to school. Whether to suck it up and accept Foothill’s dress code or to rebel and wear what they prefer is a decision many of us make each morning. Students, as well as teachers, should be allowed to put on what they feel comfortable in and what they enjoy wearing without a care for Foothill’s specific dress code. Teachers such as Mr. Fitz and Mrs. Kindred are not truly able to express themselves freely as they are required to dress professionally in order to abide by the school’s restrictive dress code. If Mr. Fitz wants to wear his diet coke themed onesie, he should absolutely be allowed to do so. If Mrs. Kindred would prefer to wear her pajamas to school, she should be permitted to do so without being ridiculed. While many try their best to alter their personal style in an attempt to follow the school’s requirements, some students at Foothill openly decide to not obey the rules of what clothing is considered appropriate or not appropriate to wear. Trevor and many others are frequently breaking the rules by walking around campus barefoot. Since this is what they prefer and what they decide to be most comfortable for them, they do it to live by their own beliefs and their personal set of rules. Since the dress code states that “shoes must be worn at all times,” they are absolutely opening themselves up to a potential punishment, which I consider to be absolutely absurd. All people should be allowed to wear what they want, or in this case, not wear what they don't want. A large percentage of Foothill students wear what they want to wear when they dress for school. I, for example, prefer to dress simply and pretty much identically in shorts, t-shirt and sneakers every single day. While I enjoy and, based on school rules, am allowed to wear what I wear every day, somebody else may have a different viewpoint and prefer to sport pants and a collared shirt, such as Alex over there. If John Marcoux prefers to wear his short shorts, which he said in his speech is what Americans should wear, he should be allowed and it should be acceptable. Though these clothing choices and styles are totally different, they relate to what each individual prefers to wear. At my job, I am required to wear black pants, a black button down dress shirt, and black shoes. This does not reflect my personal choices and in fact makes me angry that I have to wear a specific outfit that does not necessarily make me comfortable. I would much rather wear my preferred wardrobe of comfortable shorts, t-shirts and sneakers than to wear long and uncomfortable clothing that I do not enjoy. My dad, who works out of a home office, dresses himself 100% in what he prefers to wear and what he is comfortable in since he is not interacting with people face to face in a normal office setting. Because of this, he is always wearing what he is most comfortable in and therefore enjoys how he lives his life. Because I see this each day, I feel that it should absolutely be reasonable and proper for an individual to wear what makes them comfortable, whatever the situation. When interviewing for a job or going to a school dance, anything, even a tuxedo shirt, should be appropriate. What I am saying is that a person should be allowed to wear what they feel is best for them to wear and not be forced by modern day dress codes to wear something that they do not want and do not enjoy wearing. If an individual wants to wear an expensive tuxedo to their prom, they have the right to do so, but at the same time if someone wants to sport a simple and inexpensive outfit such as a polo shirt and jeans, it should be permitted. The stress of abiding to modern day dress codes overtakes many American individual’s personal beliefs on pieces of clothing. This forces people to be not themselves and to change the way they are as a human being to fit into the clothes that they are forced to wear. I want to live old to see an America that has transformed its’ views so that people can wear what they feel like wearing; to wear what they feel is comfortable. I want to live in an America that allows people to wear what they want whatever the situation.