Spirit Week and its fun dress-up days are over, and it’s time for uniforms once again.

Although students at Kamehameha Schools may be limited by their uniforms, expression still abounds in the halls, where all students style themselves differently, whether through exciting optional dress days like Lole Aloha Fridays or the delicate details they add to their attire. Students have the opportunity to grow their self-esteem through these small opportunities, which collectively contributes to their overall mental health.

Every Friday, students showcase their pride for Hawaiian culture as well as their vibrant and uniquely patterned outfits by dressing in aloha attire or lole aloha.

“I like it because it breaks the monotony of having a school uniform throughout the week, and it gives me a chance to show my personal style a little bit, so I really enjoy that, and it gives me something to look forward to,” senior Elijah Gorgonio said.

In addition to having one day a week to wear lole aloha instead of a uniform, students can also create a unique look by wearing different accessories as long as they fit within the dress code standard. This is where students begin to branch off and find their personality through style. Students wear shimmering bangles, fun earrings and comfy hoodies.

“I think it helps me express myself because it makes me look different from everyone else, because we all wear the same uniforms. … So when I get to wear accessories, it makes me feel like I get to personalize my character, and it makes me feel more confident in the way I look,” senior Sara Stupplebeen said.

These accessories function like a character customization system within a video game, enabling students to stand out from one another, boosting their overall confidence. 

Accessories also foster connections between students and their kūpuna.

“My Hawaiian bracelet is from my tutu, so it really helps that I can have that connection from just being at school,” junior Emma Gouviea said. 

Having these pieces of jewelry proves significant to students, as they can have a piece of their family carried with them throughout their everyday journey. 

Sophomore Moss Kuon decorates his jackets with buttons.

“The buttons were my great-grandmother’s. She collected buttons and left them to me and my mom when she died. I had this plain jacket lying around, and so I decided to use some vintage lace and her buttons to bedazzle it. I decided to make a heart with it because it was close to my heart,” he said.

Personalization options enhance students’ self-esteem and promote their mental well-being.

A study by the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry based in Trondheim, Norway, surveyed 201 participants aged 13-18 years. The results found that individuals with a higher baseline self-esteem showed fewer indicators of anxiety, depression, and attention problems.

The study said that “Understanding the role of self-esteem in adolescents, and the reciprocal predictive role of self-esteem and mental health, is essential to facilitate a healthy mental development in adolescents.”

High school is a period of time when people often explore their identity and make connections.

Dean of Students Ms. Malorie Chong, agrees that being able to express yourself, even in small ways like Lole Aloha Friday or by wearing pins on your jacket are important.

“Studies show that adolescence is a time for self-exploration and examination,” she said. “I have seen time and time again, where teens didn’t have a formed identity and therefore had a tough time connecting. They would ask, ‘Do I belong to the band kids, the athletic kids, the gaming kids, the Christian club? Who do I want to express myself as?’  This place of limbo made it tough for them. Thus, it is safe to say that self-expression is important for teens,” 

Gallery • 8 Photos

Photo by Meleana Peterson

Kuʻumomimakamae Campos (11) adorns her headphones with flowers giving style to her taste in music.