Students who want to wear shorts at Brigham Young University have a few more months to try to win over university officials on the more spring- and summer-friendly garb.
According to the President's Council, the "privilege of wearing shorts" will continue on a probationary status through summer term 1996. Students will have to earn the right to keep wearing shorts by meeting the knee-length standard.Those who are not in compliance can expect to be denied service at campus facilities. And the faculty and student body are being asked "to assist by reminding those not in compliance about their commitment (to the Honor Code)."
BYU's Honor Code dictates that students will observe modest dress standards, meaning that short pants must come to the knee. All students agree to meet the Honor Code prior to being accepted at the university.
To help out, the campus bookstore stocks special cuttings or pattern runs of shorts that comply or can be altered to comply.
Women's garment buyer Bonnie Morrow said the special clothing has been available for the past two years and is selling "extra well" this year since the privilege appeared to be in danger of being revoked."We actually have special cuttings that are done just for us," said Morrow. "We have major manufacturers who make the shorts according to our specifications."
Morrow said the shorts are cheaper than the standard brands and available for both men and women.
"We have several brands in several styles. They're very popular," said Morrow.
The shorts can be rolled for those who find them too long. They come to the kneecaps of the bookstore mannequins, which traditionally have longer thighs than most people.
In the fall, the bookstore runs sales on the shorts, said Morrow, "because for a lot of them (students) it's such a culture shock."
And buyers across the country are starting to tag on to BYU's lead, she said. "I'm finding buyers from other places shocked at how short the shorts are. They don't have the same standards to meet as BYU students, but they have dress codes too and they realize the kids' parents aren't going to let them buy such extremely short shorts."
Morrow believes there is definitely a market for the BYU kind of shorts.