Uniform style: Students find creative ways to perk up their wardrobe

For many parents, shopping for clothes is at the top of the list when it comes to the start of a new school year. Finding the right tennis shoes, jeans and new outfits is part of the plan.
Others know exactly what their child is going to wear on the first day of school and every day until the school year ends. Uniforms have become a mainstay at many private, public and charter schools.
Some parents love the convenience of uniforms because it takes the pressure off deciding what their kids will wear each day. Others feel that they stifle the creative expression that can only come with letting children be children.
If the goal is to create a level playing field and enhance school pride, dressing in school colors could be a unifying feature for community spirit in the classrooms and hallways.
For those balancing conformity with individuality at schools that require uniforms, the right accessories can be a compromise between the ease of uniforms and allowing a splash of personality to shine through.
Amie Riddle, 41, loves that her 9-year-old daughter, Paisley, has a collection of headbands, knee socks and patterned shoes to pair with the plain bottoms and uniform shirts her school requires.
When Riddle and future husband Kyle had their first date at Luigi’s Italian Chophouse in 2010, uniforms for their future children were the last thought on her mind. They were not even a thought as Paisley started kindergarten at Alma Eason Elementary School in 2019. But when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down in-person classes, the Riddles started looking at other school options.
“Paisley started at Village Christian Academy in first grade after COVID had us finishing her kindergarten year at Alma Eason online. We didn’t know what the public school would look like the following year, or if and/or when they would return to in-person learning, so we decided private was going to be our best option for Paisley,” says Riddle.
Paisley will be in the fourth grade this year.
“I feel like we ended up there for a reason,” Riddle says.
Paisley has attention deficit disorder and was diagnosed with dyslexia at the end of second grade after many struggles with reading.
“She has received all the support, guidance and resources to help ensure she has academic success. Her teachers have been nothing short of amazing,” Riddle says.
Following fashion
Riddle, who has been a hairstylist at Jabot Hairstyling for 22 years, loves keeping up with fashion trends, especially because it is a part of her career choice. She has grown to love school uniforms.
“I love uniforms, which says a lot from someone who loves fashion. I believe school uniforms play a key role in promoting pride, self-confidence and a feeling of belonging within the student body. These factors contribute to students’ well-being, removing the additional pressures of deciding what to wear and added stress of meeting the expectations of their peers,” says Riddle.
At Village Christian Academy, the uniforms are simple. Pants, shorts, skirts or jumpers in khaki or black are paired with shirts in purple, black, gray or white. The shirts are purchased through the school store.
Riddle has found a way to let her child have fun while still abiding by the strict dress code.
“I never thought I’d love uniforms, but it’s just so easy. There is no fuss about what she has to wear Monday through Thursday. We find ways to make it our own by accessorizing. We love jewelry, headbands, bows, necklaces, fun earrings, lots of cute shoes, fun knee-high socks and tights in the cooler months, which are all uniform-approved. Paisley wears a skirt or jumper every day,” Riddle says.
It’s fun to hunt for the right accessories, which gives her plenty of time for mother and daughter bonding.
“Paisley loves all things girly. She loves shopping for accessories at Claire’s, but we also find cute headbands, bows and earrings on Etsy. Paisley has a lot of different colors and patterns of Converse. She likes Vintage Havanas and Shu Shop fashion sneakers, too,” says Riddle. “My love for accessories is definitely rubbing off on Paisley.”
Fall and winter bring a few more options as well.
“We can’t forget about her cowboy boots and Uggs for the colder months. We love getting boots for the fall and knee socks from Pip Squeak’s Boutique. Sparkle in Pink, Little Stocking Co., Amazon and Target all have great knee-high socks that are cute and fun as well,” Riddle says.
The khaki and black bottoms are easy to find for her daughter.
“Our favorite brands are Izod from Kohl’s or J.C. Penney and Wonder Nation from Walmart,” Riddle says.
Village offers a reprieve from uniforms on Fridays as a fundraiser for the school.
“On Fridays, VCA has a dress-down day when students can wear non-uniform clothes if they want to participate. It’s not required. It still needs to meet dress code requirements, and it’s one dollar for a non-uniform item. For example, if Paisley wears a dress, it’s $1. If she wears a skirt and a top, it would be $2,” says Riddle.
The school also has themed days for homecoming, Christmas and other holidays.
Paisley has plenty of opportunity outside school to wear what she wants. As a family, the Riddles love spending time at the beach and at the lake, watching Paisley play softball, playing board games together, and spending time with friends and family.
Riddle’s 4-year-old son, Nixon, will start prekindergarten at Snyder Learning Center this fall, and he will not have to wear a school uniform.
According to the Village Christian Academy handbook, the dress code is intended to foster a sense of unity; reduce bullying or biases based on perceived economic status; eliminate distractions for students; and help parents save money since uniforms are less expensive than branded clothing.
Kellie Ross, who has two children, Hannah and Caroline, at Village Christian, agrees that uniforms are convenient.
“It takes the guesswork out of the morning for both girls. For back-to-school shopping for my teenager, I let her express herself with her shoes,” says Ross.
Setting standards
Other area private schools — with the exception of Fayetteville Academy — as well as charter schools and public schools require uniforms as well.
Cumberland County’s public school system paused enforcement of uniform policies last year, citing supply-chain and availability problems, but some schools have brought back a dress code requiring plain bottoms and polo shirts, usually in the school colors.
Uniform policies are mandated by individual schools in the public system. Cumberland County schools that require them include Cliffdale Elementary School, Elizabeth Cashwell Elementary, Montclair Elementary, W.T. Brown Elementary, Westarea Elementary and William H. Owen Elementary. Middle schools requiring uniforms include Anne Chesnutt, Lewis Chapel, Reid Ross Classical, Seventy-First Classical, South View and Westover. High schools with uniforms include A.B. Wilkins, Massey Hill Classical, Ramsey Street and Reid Ross Classical.
Howard Learning Academy also requires uniforms.
Rosalind Arango says her daughter, Adrian, has not been required to wear a uniform for the past four years. She looks forward to the new school year because Adrian will be going to a school that requires them.
“I love uniforms. My daughter did private school with stricter uniforms for a private school in pre-K and kindergarten. Then we switched her to a public school that had more relaxed uniforms. Then after COVID, they stopped requiring them. But she starts a new middle school, and I’m excited to have them again,” Arango says.
Adrian will start sixth grade at the year-round Anne Chesnutt Middle School, where uniforms include khaki and black bottoms and polos and oxford shirts in white, burgundy, black or gold.
“We have fun ways to make them a little different without pushing the limits. And it’s easy to find them on Amazon, at the outlet mall north of Raleigh, Lands End, Wal-Mart and Target,” Arango says.
Some schools require Tommy Hilfiger, Flynn O’hara and other name-brand uniform suppliers, which can add cost and the possibility that the uniforms might not fit well, especially for tall or plus-size children. Most schools in the area allow flexibility as long as the outfits are similar in color, fabric and design.
Riddle says when she and her daughter are looking to add a little extra to her daughter’s uniforms, they have a range of options.
“I love earrings and shoes,” Riddle says. “I tell people because those two things always fit, no matter what.”
The fun, of course, is always in the details.