Women residents of Florida A&M dormitories agreed Wednesday to a checklist of fashion do’s and don’ts that they believe will better represent the image of black women.
The women named body suits and tights with colored underwear as unacceptable and pledged to wear more conservative clothes – like shirts that conceal cleavage and skirts that are longer.
At a university-sponsored forum, students talked with administration about women on campus and fashion.
Dean of Students Henry Kirby, Office of Student Services and FAMU Housing Department co-sponsored an event that followed the theme “Perception, Presentation and Reality.”
Resident assistants quizzed the women of Cropper dormitory about their perceptions of fashion on campus. The students said that dress is too important at FAMU and they laid blame on image-centered student organizations. They said they were fed up with scantily-clad women.
“I’m accustomed to seeing resident dressing inappropriately like we talked about here today,” said Micharon Matthews, an RA for Cropper Hall. “I would hope that after this meeting they will share what they learned with their friends, and it will get a little more under control.”
The leaders of the event challenged the girls to not follow every trend they see on campus. The concepts of business, business casual and business professional were difficult to agree upon. Residents did, however, agree that there should be a set dress code for class.
“You can’t expect everyone to take well to being told what they should and shouldn’t wear but its some people who don’t have a mom or a dad to guide them,” said Amber Garrett, a first-year business student from Orlando, Fla.
Attendees were informed of the importance of building wardrobe to what it needs to be professional. The ultimate message of the focus groups is not intended to try to tell anyone what they can or cannot wear but simply to get the opinions of the students.
“Students should remember appearance precedes character,” said Resident Director Erica Lewis.