During the last few decades, individuals have been voicing their own opinions in public more frequently and vividly, causing a significant shift in our culture. They do this through music, art, clothes, etc. People often, however, cause scandals in their communities as a result of inappropriate expressions. Radio stations play distasteful or suggestive songs; people see or hear inappropriate things everywhere; and clothing choices can be revealing and immodest. Rules have to be made to maintain public order, safety, and decency. Although the First Amendment allows people to express themselves without punishment, some clothing choices are not appropriate for public settings and thus should have restrictions.
The problem with no dress restrictions is that people are free to wear immodest or obscene clothing, which can be disrespectful in public places or communities. For instance, in the 1920’s, women’s fashions rapidly evolved from long, modest clothing to short, revealing styles. Ever since this transition, women’s styles have progressively gotten more immodest, yet remain acceptable in our culture. Institutions, however, still recognize that there must be restrictions when it comes to the way people dress. It is standard for public places, such as a grocery store, to have a policy saying, “No shirt, no shoes, no service.” Simple rules such as this help to maintain standards of decency. Likewise, institutions often ban clothes which display certain messages. For instance, most schools ban students from wearing shirts with explicit language or images. I do not believe any of this is violating freedom of speech, but rather regulating it for the needs of the setting.
Similarly, it is an individual institution’s responsibility to apply dress restrictions to suit its particular needs. For example, schools and fast food restaurants do not need the same dress restrictions. While schools might have restrictions such as “the fingertip test” for the length of girls’ shorts or a “no shoulder” rule, fast food restaurants may not need this rule for customers, but could set different dress restrictions. Schools need dress regulations because it eliminates distractions, serves as a method of discipline, and so on. Statistics show that only 2% of schools in the United States do not have dress restrictions. A fast food restaurant, on the contrary, is a completely different environment and thus does not need the same rules. Because not all institutions have the same needs, each institution should take the responsibility of establishing its own restrictions.
Even though the First Amendment permits people to express themselves however they choose, it is necessary for people to be restricted or banned from particular clothing choices to maintain decency in a community. In public, innocent minds can be easily disrupted by inappropriate clothes because they are on display for people of all ages to see. Thus to protect the minds of the innocent, certain styles or messages should be banned from public places to meet the institution’s needs. With restrictions and bans on dress styles, public places and communities maintain a safe and friendly environment for all ages.