In last week’s Blue Ribbon, I announced that wearing ties as part of St Catherine’s Winter Uniform is now optional for our students.  

A few matters influenced me when I arrived at this decision. Last week, I wrote about the request from our School Co-Captains on behalf of the students they represent for this change. At St Catherine’s School student agency is important. This does not mean we agree to everything students might request. However, it does mean listening with sincerity.

Writing in The Guardian in 2023, Andrè Spicer headlined an article with Not even bankers wear ties and blazers anymore. So why should schoolchildren? His article reflected his observations on corporate dress culture, in which he noted “[I] was surrounded by bankers wearing open-necked shirts and no blazers. Some wore trainers and jeans.” Spicer then commented that when thinking about his own daughter’s uniform requirements, “this stark contrast reminded me that uniform policies – and much of the excessive discipline in schools – are moulding our children to fit into a world of work which no longer really exists.“ 

A columnist I regularly read is Nikki Gemmell in The Weekend Australian Magazine. Gemmell recently wrote an inspiring piece about the need for young women to have appropriately fitting sports bras. Gemmell argued strongly that “women’s sporting apparel is a history of hostility to the female body, often involving clothing too restrictive, revealing, made for the male body shape, or just plain uncomfortable.” In my view, ties are an example of what she was writing about. 

Ties were designed to be worn by men in suits. It does not seem at all appropriate in 2024, for St Catherine’s students to wear ties. Gemmell adds to her argument, writing there is a history of clothes which are “designed to hinder the female, or to ogle (I direct you to the female beach volleyball costumes at the Paris Olympics if you’re in doubt; male players wear shorts.)” 

A paper published in 2023 by Rachel Shanks, Why Do Girls Have to Wear Ties at School in the UK? Makes the point, “ties are hardly worn by women outside of school uniform, which highlights the male body and male dress as the norm to which girls must comply.”  For me, this says it all. Girls should not conform to the wearing of a predominantly male item of clothing. 

Now the decision has been made we need to make available a purposely designed shirt to be worn without a tie, which will enhance our Winter Uniform. We have already begun this process. I am confident we will soon have a new shirt option. I am acutely aware that uniforms are an additional cost for parents. To introduce a new shirt immediately upon this announcement would be an imposition for parents. Once we have decided upon a new shirt there will be a period of time where we phase in this new article of uniform. 

I will provide updates to let you know of our progress. In the meantime, our students may wear their Winter Uniform with or without a tie.