DRESSED AND READY Sophomores Isabella Waddington and Sylvie Ceran are seen conversing by the Grotto. Both students wear the Mater Dei uniform and their student ID cards, along with the appropriate, student handbook required minimum length of the skirt. “In my opinion, the uniforms at Mater Dei are the highlight of going here,” Ceran said. Photo Illustration by Sheridan Hofer.

The glue of Mater Dei is the red, white, and gray uniforms– a staple for many private schools. When four grade levels filled with different ages connect, there can be a natural divide. But uniforms can provide a certain stability, and a sense of community among the school’s population. 

These uniforms are not always preferred by some students but many appreciate the sense of camaraderie and the opportunity to “dress for success”. And there are many ways to still maintain self expression with the look. Students like sophomore Braddock Tripoli perceive uniforms as a strength for the school.

“[The uniforms] are a positive aspect for me personally because they allow us to dress nicer for school,” Tripoli said. “Being nicely dressed helps me focus and shift gears inside the classroom because I feel more professional. That is something that is special about Mater Dei, the uniforms are practical but unique to the school.”

Many female students on campus tend to prefer expressing themselves through certain style choices and the addition of their own personal flare. Fortunately, the school grants students the opportunity to somewhat customize the uniform. 

”From my last private school to [Mater Dei], Mater Dei is very different because we get to wear college sweatshirts,” freshman Cooper Piercey said. “Not only that but you can pick the sweatshirt you want to wear from any website as long as it is a university. This gives my friends and I freedom to add our own personal touch that still aligns with the rules.”

However, collared shirts are a staple of Mater Dei uniforms, no matter what sweatshirt the student may be wearing. Sophomore Isabella Warmington prefers other alternatives because sometimes, the collared shirts bring her discomfort.

”If I could change one thing about Mater Dei uniforms, it would probably be to not have to wear collared shirts because I feel very claustrophobic in my uniform, or layered clothes in general,” Warmington said. 

A common consensus with students is that they can easily get away with cutting corners on the uniform protocol.

“I wish that Mater Dei gave more warnings rather than detentions for uniforms,” Tripoli said. “Students get threatened with detentions which also can become stressful. I know a lot of my friends view this topic differently, so it’s to each their own I guess you could say.”

The ultimate perk of Mater Dei uniforms is the focus they bring to students. A 2018 study by the National Association of Elementary School Principals found that 50% of students enrolled in schools with uniform policies feel they are more focused. Although uniforms are sometimes considered undesirable, even students agree that they are essentially beneficial. 

“Uniforms affect being more productive because I feel more put together,” Warmington said. “When I’m not in uniform, I’m wearing what I wear to sleep and it tells my brain that I’m ready to rest and go to bed, but the uniform makes it feel like I’m ready to learn!”