www.roanoke.com

For students all across the United States, personal fashion is just one way to show character and a sense of style.

Anything from a new pair of jeans to a college hooded sweat shirt can bring out a bit of personality. Though at select private schools, a required uniform makes dressing to impress a little more difficult. However, the students at Roanoke Catholic School do not seem to have any problems expressing themselves, even in uniform.

Walking through the halls of Roanoke Catholic for the first time might seem a bit odd to a visitor, but to the student body, a sea of white button-up shirts, green neckties, khaki pants and plaid skirts, is nothing out of the ordinary. While this dress code might appear confining to an outsider, Roanoke Catholic students find ways to look past such restrictions.

"I like to think that I don't like the uniform," junior Lee Hansen said, "but I know I do."

Many students even embrace it. Caitlin Powell, a senior, said, "I feel like it builds a sense of community. I like the fact that having uniforms forces you to get to know people for who they are, not what they wear."

Although students must follow strict uniform guidelines set forth by the school's handbook, personal expression is not completely absent from the school halls.

Powell added that, "For girls, we usually just try to wear cool jewelry or shoes to show a little bit of personality."

As for the boys, Hansen said, "We always try to get cool backpacks or even those rubber bracelets -- just small things that give an undertone of what you stand for."

Of course, not everyone at Roanoke Catholic is thrilled about wearing the same outfit day after day, but the feeling overall seems to be positive.

Maria Miller, a sophomore, said, "I'm sure there are people who don't like them [uniforms], but apparently not enough to complain because I never hear anything. We're all just used to it, I guess."

Having a uniform might seem like the wrong approach to developing personality, but in fact, it seems to be working well for Roanoke Catholic. The uniform is more than a mandated outfit; it is a statement of both school and personal pride.

"I used to be embarrassed to wear my uniform in public," said Hansen, "but now I'm actually proud of it."