About

An Oral History of Wake Forest’s Dress Codes

What did it mean to be “appropriately dressed” at Wake Forest University? From the 1950s requirement that women wear hats and heels to Sunday church services to today’s casual campus culture, the evolution of Wake Forest’s dress codes tells a fascinating story about faith, tradition, and changing social norms.

Faith & Fashion in the Forest captures the lived experiences behind the rules through oral history interviews with Wake Forest students, especially those enrolled during the Baptist era. These conversations reveal how dress codes shaped daily life, reflected Baptist values, and gradually transformed as the university evolved.

What We’re Exploring

How did students navigate rules requiring permission to wear shorts on campus? What was it like when hose were mandatory for shopping trips uptown? How did formal dress expectations influence campus social life? And how did these standards change as Wake Forest transitioned from a Baptist college to a more diverse university?

Through personal stories, we’re uncovering the human experiences behind institutional policies—the creativity students used to work within (or around) the rules, the ways dress codes reinforced community values, and how changing fashions reflected broader cultural shifts.

Share Your Story

Whether you remember when coats and ties were required for dining hall meals, witnessed the gradual relaxation of dress standards, or experienced Wake Forest during its more recent casual era, your perspective matters. These rules didn’t just exist on paper—they shaped real lives, relationships, and memories.

Participate in this project by:

• Sharing your memories through our brief survey (approximately 15 minutes)
• Connecting with us for a longer oral history interview
• Submitting a photograph that reflects how Wake students dressed during your era

Your stories help us understand not just what the rules were, but what they meant to the people who lived them. Faith & Fashion in the Forest is part of the larger Fashioning Faith research hub, which explores intersections of religion, dress, and fashion. In addition, this project is partnering with the Oral History Collections of Wake Forest University’s Special Collections & Archives. This project will be added to the University Archives “History of Wake Forest Oral History Project” for long term preservation and access.