(Above) Yara Koteish, grade 12, likes to, “Accessorize with earrings, bracelets, necklaces, and rings.” Yara also says she generally likes to wear jewelry, “Regardless of whether I am wearing a uniform or not.” Yara gets most of her
jewelry from Evryjewels, Tous, and Kendra Scott, showing that although a lot of people can own jewelry from that same brand, that there is always variety allowing for self expression.
Although uniforms promote conformity, students all over the nation are finding ways to shine in spite of that. According to goodreads.com, American fashion designer Rachel Zoe stated, “Style is a way to say who you are without having to speak.” This characteristic is prominently visible in many environments, particularly in schools. Like many private schools,Lake Highland Preparatory School is no stranger to dress codes. This leads many people to ask the question: “How can students show individuality if everyone dresses the same? As a person walks down our school’s hallways, they can see fellow students all using things such as bracelets, necklaces, earrings, nails, and their lanyards as a way of self-expression. Many popular brands include Pura Vida, Kendra Scott, Evryjewles, Enewton, and Pandora. However, regardless of that, the variety of styles from each brand still allows a person’s personality to show through. Although uniforms are meant to promote a connected environment, it is still important to let students’ personalities shine through.
(Above) Paula Toro-Leon, grade 9, says, “I wear jewelry along with my uniform because I am able to have something different than everyone, and I am able to show the colors and things I like through this.” Besides that, she believes, “Students can show individuality by wearing different colors and items like shoes, bracelets, necklaces, and earrings.” Paula’s bracelets are from the bestselling jewelry brand known for its high-quality beaded bracelets, necklaces, and rings, called Enewton. (Sophie Duque)(Above) Hiba Bilal, grade 12, showcases her watch, rings, bracelets, and necklace as her own personal way of self expression. Hiba stated, “I get most of my jewelry from Amazon, and my necklace was gifted to me for my birthday, and it is from Kendra Scott.” She goes on to explain that, “Wearing jewelry helps me reflect who I am, and the uniforms are bland. So I like to bring out my personality in any way I can.” (Sophie Duque)(Above) Sofia Cohen, grade 12, believes that, “Jewelry should be a meaningful piece that you can keep forever.” All of Sofia’s, “Everyday jewelry has a special meaning or was gifted to me from my parents.” Sophia’s rings are from Kendra Scott. Her ring on the left hand was a gift from her dad while he was in Colombia, and the bracelets were gifts from when Sofia was a baby. She also said that, “The red one is from Tous, since it’s a tradition for Venezuelan girls to wear something red for good luck.” Sofia explained that, “The evil eye one was a gift all the way back to my baptism when I was born.” Sofia’s necklace was a gift her dad gave her while she visited Tiffany and Co. in New York. (Sophie Duque)(Above) Valentina Lasa, grade 9, can be seen waliking the halls with her braclets on both her arms. Pura Vida has taken caution towards our ecosystem. In April of 2025, Climate Trace reported that 5.16 billion tonnes CO2 were released into our atmosphere. To avoid damaging the environment over the last year, Pura Vida has made their packages with a biodegradable bag that clients can bury in their backyard. Although jewlery brands are trying to fight against the high demands for new styles. Uniform Market reported, “18.8% of public schools and 57% of private schools in the United States need their students to wear school uniforms.” All across our nation we have seen a rise in the demand for jewlery. Even if uniforms are meant as a method of community they cause a lot of other problems. (Sophie Duque)(Above) Cecilia Ithier Perez, grade 9, can be seen with two piercings on her right ear. Both of her piercings feature hoops, her personal statement, as Artizan Joyeria states, “Double piercings have been popularized by counterculture movements and have become a mainstream way for people to express their individuality.” This proves how self expression can shine through jewelry. No matter how many trends pass through generations, hoop earrings have become a staple piece. (Sophie Duque)
Sophie Duque, grade 9, is a first-year staff member of Twice-Told Tale, the Upper School newspaper at Lake Highland Preparatory School, where she has been a student since seventh grade. She is also involved in Future Problem Solvers and Speech and Debate. Outside of school, Sophie enjoys reading, watching movies, shopping, traveling, and playing tennis and soccer. She is passionate about volunteering in her community and spending time with friends and family. Her favorite subjects are English, Spanish, and history. Sophie speaks both Spanish and Portuguese, proudly embracing her Latin heritage.
