The St. Mary’s dress code hair dye ban, which prohibits hair dye beyond the natural range of colors, is a controversial topic among students.

Head of Upper School Ms. Rogers explains that the uniform and dress code’s primary goal is to create a “shared expectation” for all students and bring together a cohesive community within SMS.

This “shared expectation” does have its upsides. Mary-Kate Kalodimos (10) said, “[The uniform] helps create a sense of equality, because people have different economic backgrounds.”

The uniform doesn’t restrict all forms of self-expression, a value important to many St. Mary’s students. Ms. Rogers said, “One of the places we leave open to student self expression is with shoes and socks [and jewelry].”

The uniform’s acceptance of accessories has left students wondering why hair color is considered an inappropriate venue for self-expression.

“Dying my hair makes me happy… I’m expressing myself,” said Lydia Glomski (10). “I’m more confident with my hair dyed.”

To some, hair dye carries negative connections to a person’s intellectual capabilities or overall character. Many SMS students, however, do not agree with these stereotypes.

Alice Lee (10) said, “People tend to sometimes look at [dyed hair] and say, ‘Oh, that’s a wild child’ … [but] I see so many people around who have unnatural hair colors and do amazing things.”

Katie Hill (10) said, “People have stereotypes that [dyed hair is] unprofessional, but I don’t think the color of your hair is a reflection of the kind of work you do.”

The question then arises: is the hair dye rule motivated by the uniform’s “shared expectation” or by an avoidance of negative stereotypes?

“[Hair dye is] coming into society as something that’s normalized,” said Lee. “Women can be successful however they want… It shouldn’t matter if a woman has natural hair colors.”