In an age of pop and punk culture where body; piercings, tattoos, and the grunge look reign, some private and parochial schools are putting the lid on teenage fashion. At Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix, it’s not Big Brother watching over you, but the good sisters of the local archdiocese. Included in the school’s official handbook is its two-page dress code, restricting everything from skirt length to nail polish shades: “Makeup must be appropriate for young women in a Christian school. Excessive or exaggerated use of dark-colored eyeliner is not allowed.

Black and dark-colored lipstick and nail polish are not allowed. Only shades of red and pink lipstick and nail polish may be worn.

Sarah Roberts, a freshman and one of the nearly 1,000 female students at Xavier; says that she continues to wear green polish on her toenails, which are covered with “sensible shoes” as described in the dress code. “Luckily,” says Roberts, “the dress code doesn’t mention nail art, so some of us are thinking about having some pink and red designs drawn on our nails — just something a little different to break up the monotony.”