Dress has been an important part of the Harding story from the beginning, as the institution has always aimed for modesty. Modest clothing, however, has been defined differently throughout the years. In the beginning, it was common to see men clean shaven in slacks and women in skirts or dresses. Today, if you walk on campus you would see both men and women in shorts. The dress code perfectly exemplifies the way Harding changes and grows with time, while still keeping a strong base in morality.
1930s: Women wore long skirts and dresses. Men had to be clean shaven and keep their hair groomed.
1970s & 80s: Women were first allowed to wear pants outside of class in 1972. In 1982 they were allowed to wear pants to class and chapel.
2019: Shorts were allowed to be worn to class and chapel.
From the very beginning how one dresses has been an important part of the Harding story. Modest clothing, however, has been defined differently throughout Harding’s history. In the beginning, pants for men and skirts for women at all times was the standard. While today shorts worn by both men and women can be seen on campus. This tradition exemplifies perfectly the way Harding changes and grows with time. While specifics of our traditions may change, the morality behind them has remained consistent.
Harding University History Exhibits 