Dress Code Violations That Got Us Sent Home (That Are Normal Now)

Boy, did we have it tough back in school! The dress codes of the 1950s and ’60s were something else – strict doesn’t even begin to cover it. These days, kids wouldn’t believe what could get you sent straight home to change. Let’s walk down memory lane and remember some of the fashion “crimes” that had us in hot water with the principal – things that wouldn’t raise an eyebrow in today’s classrooms.

1. Girls Wearing Pants to School

Can you believe there was a time when girls had to wear dresses or skirts to school, no matter the weather? Even during those bitter cold winter months, pants were strictly forbidden. It wasn’t until the late 1960s that schools started relaxing these rules; even then, it was a huge controversy. Some brave girls got sent home just for trying to stay warm in a pair of nice slacks!

2. Boys with Long Hair

The Beatles really stirred things up with their mop-top hairstyles. Any boy whose hair touched his collar or covered his ears was asking for trouble. Principals would even keep rulers handy to measure hair length! Some schools went as far as sending boys home with notes demanding haircuts before they could return to class.

3. Visible Bra Straps

Heaven forbid a bra strap should peek out from under a blouse! Girls would get sent to the office for this minor infraction, and some schools even required them to wear special wide-strapped undershirts to ensure nothing showed. The dress code monitors (usually female teachers) would do regular “strap checks” during the day.

4. Sleeveless Tops

Bare arms were considered scandalous even during the hottest days of spring and fall. Sleeves had to cover at least the mid-upper arm. Many girls kept a cardigan in their locker if they got called out. The dreaded “two-finger rule” for strap width was strictly enforced.

5. Colored Socks for Boys

Believe it or not, in many schools, boys were only allowed to wear white or dark solid-colored socks. Patterns or bright colors were considered too flashy and distracting. Some poor kid would get sent home just for wearing argyle socks that his grandmother had knitted him for Christmas!

6. Mini Skirts

School administrators nearly had heart attacks when Mary Quant’s miniskirts hit the scene! The “knee test” became infamous – girls had to kneel on the floor, and if their skirt didn’t touch the ground, they were sent home. Some creative students would roll their skirts at the waist after passing morning inspection.

7. Blue Jeans

Hard to believe now, but denim was once considered too casual for school. Many schools banned blue jeans entirely, considering them inappropriate for a learning environment. Boys had to wear dress slacks or khakis, and getting caught in Levi’s meant a trip home to change.

8. Makeup of Any Kind

Even the slightest hint of lipstick or mascara could land a girl in hot water. Teachers kept tissues handy to make students wipe off any trace of makeup. Some girls would apply their makeup on the bus and remove it before entering school, only to reapply it during lunch in the bathroom.

9. Visible Shirt Tails

Any boy with an untucked shirt was asking for trouble. Teachers would do “shirt checks” throughout the day, ensuring everything was properly tucked in. The rule was so strict that even reaching up to write on the blackboard could get you in trouble if your shirt came loose.

10. Patent Leather Shoes

Some Catholic schools banned patent leather shoes for girls because they believed boys might see reflections up their skirts! It sounds ridiculous now, but many of us remember our mothers having to buy specific shoes to comply with this rule.

11. Sandals Without Socks

Bare feet in sandals? Absolutely not! Even in the warmest weather, socks were required with all shoes. The logic was that bare feet were somehow unsanitary or inappropriate for school. We’d often sneak our socks off during class, only to quickly put them back on before heading into the hallway.

12. Bangs Below the Eyebrows

Girls weren’t allowed to have their bangs covering their eyes—it was considered both a safety hazard and disrespectful. Teachers kept bobby pins handy to pin back offending bangs. Some girls would trim their own bangs in the bathroom, often with disastrous results, to avoid getting in trouble.

13. Rolled-Up Sleeves

Even on the hottest days, boys weren’t allowed to roll up their sleeves past their elbows. It was considered too casual and potentially dangerous in science labs. Teachers regularly patrolled the halls, calling out “Roll those sleeves down!” as students hurried between classes.

14. Patterned or Colored Tights

When tights became popular in the 1960s, many schools only allowed plain white or nude colors. Patterns or bright colors were considered too distracting. Girls who dared to wear the fashionable colored or patterned tights of the era would often find themselves sent to the office to call home for a change of clothes.

15. Excessive Jewelry

Most schools had strict limits on jewelry—usually one ring, one necklace, and small earrings for girls (and no earrings at all for boys!). Charm bracelets were often banned because they made too much noise, and any jewelry considered “excessive” was confiscated until the end of the day.