Work

The Evolution of Exclusionary Dress Codes in Metropolitan Seattle Public Schools, 1950s and Onward

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This article explores the evolution of school dress code policies in the United States as a critical lens into the workings of public education, authority, and exclusion. Focusing on metropolitan Seattle as a case study, the research traces the shift from informal appearance norms to formalized and punitive dress code enforcement from the 1950s to the present. Rather than functioning as neutral guidelines, dress codes have historically reinforced gendered, racialized, and class-based hierarchies under the guise of order and safety. By situating dress policies within broader political and social transformations—including student rights movements, the rise of zero-tolerance policies, and recent federal investigations—this article demonstrates how dress codes have become tools of gatekeeping that shape access to learning and belonging in public schools. In highlighting moments of resistance and change, this study interrogates the role of schools in regulating identity and offers a historical foundation to understand contemporary inequities in educational discipline and policy.

Source: History of Education Quarterly

DOI: 10.1017/heq.2026.10139

Author: Mallory Hutchings-Tryon

Institution: University of Washington

Language: English

Topic: Education Discipline and Inequality

Subfield: Education

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Reduced inequalities, Quality education, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,550