Got a letter from DS’s school stating that they have decided to change the dress code in part to equalize how boys and girls are treated. So now there is one code for all kids. In other words, they don’t specify who will be wearing a dress, etc. I am a little frustrated as it tones down the formality and I do think that is important. It looks like you can now wear a shirt and tie or a shirt and jacket but do not need to wear a shirt, tie and jacket for regular school days. I still trust them and believe it will work out well and know they put a lot of thought and committee meetings in to this.
Classroom Dress:
Required during the entire class day, including lunch, and in all academic buildings and Benson
Commons.
Button-down collared shirts; blouses. No t-shirts, no flannels, no turtlenecks. Shirts must be
tucked in when wearing pants.
A required second layer can include the following: Blazer, cardigan, scarf, sportscoat, sweater,
or tie. No fleece, no vests, no sweatshirts, no athletic jackets or pullovers.
Tailored pants, khakis, skirts, and kilts. No jeans. A belt is required when wearing pants with
belt loops. Both skirts and kilts must be no shorter than fingertip length.
Dresses, with appropriate length (fingertip length) and suitable cut, shall be considered one
“layer” and must be accompanied by a second layer.
No leggings unless they are under a dress or skirt. No denim.
All clothing must be free of tears and patches.
Dress shoes, boat shoes, dress sandals, solid color lace-up shoes, loafers, boots. No athletic
shoes.
Formal Dress:
Required at select Community Dinners, Prize Night, Graduation, other formal presentations and
events as determined by the School.
Collared shirts with blazers and ties; blouses; dress shirts.
Dress pants, khakis, skirts, and dresses.
Does you child go to Berkshire? I am current student and they just announced the dress code to us today. I would be happy to explain it to you so feel free to pm me:)
“Dresses, with appropriate length (fingertip length) and suitable cut, shall be considered one “layer” and must be accompanied by a second layer.”
Well this is silly.
I like the modifications for the boys. The girls seem to get away with almost anything, and boys are stuck with a blazer, tie, and button down - so this is nice.
for “bermuda shorts” does that suggest a certain length ? As far as “boat shoes” - docksiders? topsiders? I always think they look a bit sloppy . . .but that is just me
Yes; slightly above the knee.
Those are valid examples.
Not appropriate. IMO, for business attire, but for a teenaged-boy at a BS, they are far preferable to wing-tips. 
I’m fine with them.
This opens it up for the boys to wear dresses, too…as apparently a few boys did at Mercersburg the other night, according to my son. It was a protest of sorts against what they perceive as the dress code freedoms enjoyed by girls. However, Mercersburg’s dress code is now gender-neutral as well, so really they were only protesting the cultural norms that allow a wider range of acceptable dress for girls and women than for boys and men.
Sounds like a wonderful step in the right direction in terms of making it gender neutral. However, reading through it, it does raise questions, specifically about dresses.
And are sweater vests out? 
" A belt is required when wearing pants with belt loops." Yes, please! 
My kids would balk at the no flannel shirts, no athletic footwear (sneakers?) rule for classroom attire but they definitely preferred a more casual dress code.
Interesting, as the issue at public schools seems to be that the policies are sexist toward girls (ie all the extra rules and implication that girls wearing too-short skirt or shorts is a sexual temptation for boys).
Are kilts a new addition or have they always been mentioned? Agree with sunnyschool in that the usual concern is that dress codes are more restrictive for girls (ex. no leggings without a long shirt or dress) with no corresponding limitations for boys.
The wording leads me to believe that this is deliberate.
Looks to be new
FWIW, schools with formal dress codes (and United Airlines non-revs ) don’t usually allow leggings, and if I am correct, the addition of leggings for this particular school is new this year. So if anything, it’s a little less restrictive for both/all genders, IMO.
As would I, but again, this school is formal, so these restrictions are not new.
I liked the (casual) dress code at our school as it was explained before DS’ freshman year “If your grandparents would have a problem with it, we probably will too.”
Not all grandparents are the same, though.
I have friends in London with kids at Highgate - they got a bit of press from the announcement of their new “gender neutral” dress code. For the uniform-loving Brits, this is a big deal!
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/14/skirts-boys-private-highgate-school-plans-gender-neutral-uniform/
I’ve personally never been fond of the term “fingertip” length in dress codes. It’s a completely subjective length and we went through this debate in our local school two years ago using multiple girls of the same age as examples. Every person is built differently and for some, fingertip length barely covers a butt cheek and for others a 7" inseam barely works! When you go with fingertip length, it’s hardly an across the board length depending on your build!
Every dress code will generally have the disclaimer that the Dean of Students (or someone similar) will make the final determination.
I think the fingertip rule is one that has been around for decades and is relatively simple to implement. My mom tells of her days when the girls would roll up their skirts before school, but the nuns would line the up to view by fingertips. Although they always seemed to have a ruler in their hands anyway, but I guess the fingertip was just easier.
The leggings are permitted only UNDER a dress or skirt. This is more like wearing tights. I would be very surprised if they were allowed to wear leggings. . I see far too much of gym clothing on the streets in my opinion. Having gotten over the change in dress code (I did like the idea of tie/shirt/jacket daily), my son is very pleased and plans on dropping the tie and just wearing the shirt and jacket.
I actually really appreciate the school’s efforts. This may be just me, but the whole dress code thing has bugged me all of my life… especially when I see on twitter that a female honors student gets sent home for wearing a tank top because it’s “distracting”.
My school implements the fingertip rule and it can be really unfair IMO. There are girls in my grade with short arms, long arms, long torsos, etc. It doesn’t really make sense. I also am against formal dress codes because there is way more room for variation for females than males.
Weird how there is such a juxtaposition: girls are the victims typically at non formal schools, guys are the victims at formal…
My children’s elementary school just changed the dress code as well. Same theme-dressed down and now gender neutral. Clearly a trend. First, in an effort to make Town’s dress code gender inclusive, clothing requirements will no longer be divided into boy and girl categories. While the options for students remain the same Monday through Thursday, removing any reference to gender means that all students may choose any of the options. Guided by our mission’s clear statement about inclusivity and our community values expressed by S.O.S., it is important that Town’s dress code not reinforce gender stereotypes. This revision provides the flexibility for students to wear clothing that reflects their gender identity, preferred gender expression, or simply makes them more comfortable.
Second, Friday dress is changing to be less formal but more uniform. Next year, all students will be required to wear a school logo shirt in navy with khaki bottoms on Fridays. (The Town. logo will now be available on Lands’ End uniform shirts.) This change is intended both as an expression of school spirit on Fridays, when we often gather as a whole community and have visiting speakers or performers, and as recognition of the fact that with full days on Fridays, jackets and ties are no longer practical for our students’ active schedules. Over the course of the year as we have adjusted to the new schedule, I have received several thoughtful and respectful student proposals to make the move away from formal dress on Fridays. Accordingly, I think the students will be pleased and will enjoy this more comfortable option that better suits their active schedules. I also hope this eases the burden a bit for families to buy clothing items that are rarely, if ever, needed on other occasions.