Dress Coded

Dress Coded (2020) is a middle-grade novel by Carrie Firestone. It follows Molly Frost, an eighth-grade student who starts a podcast to protest the dress code at her middle school, after numerous girls get unfairly “dress coded,” the novel’s term for getting a dress code violation. The novel explores The Power of Peaceful Protest, The Transition From Childhood to Adolescence, and Female Friendships and Solidarity in the Face of Discrimination.

Carrie Firestone is a teacher and writer based in Connecticut (“Bio,” Carrie Firestone). The critically acclaimed Dress Coded is her first middle grade novel, and was named the Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year and a Junior Library Guild Selection, among other accolades (“Dress Coded,” Carrie Firestone).

This guide is based on the Kindle Edition published by the Penguin Young Readers Group.

Content Warning: Dress Coded mentions a school shooting and depicts sexism, racism, ableism, body shaming, and addiction.

Plot Summary

Dress Coded opens with Molly Frost, an eighth grader, starting a podcast to discuss a recent incident where a classmate, Olivia, was “dress coded” at their school. The principal, Dr. Couchman, promised the class a camping trip if everyone followed the dress code for a certain amount of time. The trip was cancelled after the incident with Olivia, and once the news got out, Olivia was blamed and bullied for it. Molly wants to give Olivia the opportunity to share her side of the story because she doesn’t think it’s right for the teachers to bribe the class and thinks the dress code is unfair. The dress code targets girls and is unevenly enforced, particularly by “Fingertip,” the dean of students, who targets girls with more developed bodies.

As Molly begins recording, Olivia expresses discomfort about sharing her story publicly, and Molly calls her friends Navya, Ashley, and Bea over. Molly, Olivia, and Olivia’s friend Pearl tell Olivia’s side of the story: Olivia tied a sweatshirt around her waist to hide a period bloodstain, and she was shamed for her exposed tank top. The girls console Olivia and help spread the truth to the rest of the class, and Olivia receives sympathy. Molly decides to disregard the dress code for the rest of the school year and continue her podcast; she has her parents’ support for both. She begins to invite different schoolmates to share their experiences of being dress coded; her friend Bea is her first official guest. Since the school camping trip is cancelled, some classmates’ parents volunteer to chaperone a separate camping trip. Molly’s mother comes back from a parents’ meeting feeling upset about how badly Olivia was treated and suggests Molly send a petition to the superintendent to revoke the dress code. Molly and her friends draft a petition and collect hundreds of signatures, which they deliver to the superintendent’s office; however, they receive no response.

Molly continues her podcast with different guests, from seventh graders to high school seniors. Ashley grows apart from the group, as she finds the podcast and dress code protest unnecessary. Molly’s brother, Danny, an eleventh grader addicted to vaping, is reported to the police by the parents of a 12-year-old because Danny was selling him vape pods. She has been allowing Danny to hide his pods in her room to improve their relationship. When the police arrive at Molly’s house, her mother checks her room and finds the pods. Molly doesn’t tell the truth, wanting to protect Danny. As a result, she is grounded; however, she is allowed to keep the podcast going. It gains momentum through Instagram, which sees people from other towns posting outfits they have been dress coded for.

Molly’s neighbor and best friend, Will, encourages her to give up on Danny. After Danny starts throwing up from nicotine withdrawal, Molly finally tells her parents the truth. Danny goes missing for a day in search of a nicotine fix, and the family decides to send him to Molly’s grandmother’s house for a while, where he will begin treatment for his addiction. Meanwhile, as the school’s dress coding continues, Molly and other girls decide to put up posters in protest. Molly’s bully, Nick, gets detention for calling her names and later links her to the posters. She takes the blame, and Dr. Couchman gives her detention as well; Molly shares a recording of their conversation on the podcast, which becomes popular.

Molly tries to include the dress code petition in the board of education’s upcoming meeting agenda but is told there is no space; she can only make a public comment at the end of the meeting. She and Navya work on a speech, but the meeting runs long, and the board refuses to hear the girls out. Tired of waiting for a response, Olivia refuses to leave the school hall where the meeting was held. All the girls and their mothers stay with Olivia and decide to camp out in the school gardens in protest, instead of going on the camping trip.

Molly messages the class group about what they are doing, and a number of classmates show up to join them. Dr. Couchman arrives with members of the board of education to get the group to leave. Mae Dunn, the board chair, offers to hold a meeting next week, but Olivia and Molly hold their ground, refusing to leave until a verdict is made. The camp-in grows larger, with seventh graders and seniors joining as well. Finally, Ms. Lane, an ally language arts teacher, brings in Ms. Milholland, the ex-principal, who promises to organize a board of education meeting the next evening. Molly broadcasts the meeting and reads the dress code, and a number of students share their dress coding experiences. Shortly after, the board revokes the dress code. They promise personnel changes in the face of the disturbing nature of some of the incidents shared and promise to rewrite the dress code over the summer with input from girls involved in the protest.

Molly and her friends graduate eighth grade. Molly’s friend and neighbor, Mary Kate, who begins eighth grade the following year, takes over the podcast to keep talking about important issues. The amended dress code directs students to wear a top, bottom, and footwear, and only prohibits clothing that displays hateful, violent, illegal, or lewd content.