"Inna wi nowadays clothes, inna wi nowadays shoes, nowadays bag any one wi can choose". That is the mantra of many TEENagers as it relates to how they "dress" to go to school.

Have you ever stopped for just a minute to observe the way some teenagers are attired for school? Well, if it weren't for their uniforms you probably wouldn't be able to tell that they were going to a place of higher education.

The excitement that surrounds the hairstyles, the name brand shoes as well as the well-manicured nails is almost appalling. Unfortunately we can't say this same level of excitement is expressed as far as the school's curriculum is concerned.

It is evident that the excitement and creativity of dancehall fashion is slowly creeping into the dress codes for school children. School uniforms are being transformed into cheerleading and pimp outfits. Many TEEN girls look the same way when they are going to school as they do when they are going to a party or a dancehall session. Penciled in eyebrows, fake eyelashes, hair extensions, uniform skirts way above their knees, large coloured hand bags, finger nails well polished to match their uniforms and last but not least the oh so fashionable hair do's (rum ram, mohawks and worst of all the bed room hair wrap). These are just a few of the styles that are being sported by TEEN girls in schools today.

Gone are the days, it seems, when TEENaged girls carried themselves in a dignified and ladylike manner.There seems to be a great misconception as to what encompasses being a 'lady', a misconception that needs to be corrected, and soon.
Don't think for one minute that the boys are to be left out of the newly discovered fashion trends. Some young men make regular trips to the tailor's shop to make adjustments to their school pants transforming them into skinny pants (aka tight-foot pants) and it seems to TEENage that many of their parents are jewellers because they wear some of the biggest earings that we have ever laid eyes upon.

Elvis Presley must be turning in his grave at the sight of his signature sideburns being reinvented among our local males with the use of shoe polish.

The young men have even taken the transformation process as far as to adding a piece of material to their uniform shirts to make pullovers.

TEENage thinks that it is imperative that the schools where these rules are being broken should play a more active role in dismantling some of the notions that these students possess. Students should be sanctioned when they blatantly disregard the school rules when it comes to their attire.

No one is saying that TEENs shouldn't take pride in their attire, but some of them are definitely overdoing it. Do they think these "school fashion trends" make them look hot? Well, TEENage thinks it shows a lack of self-confidence and low self-esteem.

To make matters even worse many of the students who follow these trends will get into trouble with their school officials because they dress contrary to the school's dress code.

Dressing for school is what sets the stage for how people dress in the working world and if these TEENs continue as they are now then they could be at a great disadvantage when the time comes for them to enter the professional world.

Many professional organisations have strict dress codes in the same way that schools also have uniform regulations and so learning to respect one's uniform as outlined by the school will make the transition into the working world much easier.

Since it is never too early to start planning for one's future TEENs today need to learn to distinguish between dressing professionally and dressing casually, and schools should play their part in ensuring that their students learn this lesson.