As the new school year approaches, requests to alter school uniforms are once again pouring into tailoring shops across Jamaica. From trousers tapered tightly to the ankle to skirts taken in at the waist and blouses reshaped for a closer fit, students continue to seek fashionable adjustments despite many schools enforcing stricter dress code policies.

The practice has divided seamstresses and tailors. While some see the alterations as harmless improvements that help students feel more confident, others refuse such requests, arguing that adults should not assist children in circumventing school rules.

Marcia Brown, a Half-Way Tree, St Andrew-based seamstress with more than three decades of experience, said that although schools have become more vigilant about enforcing uniform regulations, the demand for alterations has not disappeared.