Shorts under skirts for girls - a new thing?

[Biggrizzlybear]

A discussion on a school parents chat has brought up something I'd not thought about. Apparently a number of parents of September reception starters (girls) are looking for shorts to go under their daughter's school dresses "to make sure they're decent." I don't remember this happening when I was at school. Is that not what pants are for? I don't know what to think about it. On the one hand, I don't want my daughter to look indecent in comparison to everybody else. But I don't want to teach her that how she looks and dresses is indecent when she's fully dressed. If her dress is long enough, surely she'll be decent. I doubt she'll spend more than a minute or two a day with her dress over her head!

Do little girls wear these nowadays? Am I being silly or neglectful in some way?

It’s sitting cross legged on the carpet that’s the problem, and if knickers are baggy they don’t always cover the right parts either!

Knickers are a lot skimpier these days compared to what they used to be like. They are made from thin material and don't cover a lot.

Little girls often roll around the grass at playtime or turn cartwheels. I had to stitch up my daughter's dress most days after school.

Also, unless your skirt is long enough to be tucked under it's not comfy to sit on the carpet/ground.

Knickers are to cover vulvas. If you then need shorts to cover knickers to cover vulvas what is next? Tights to cover shorts to cover knickers to cover vulvas?

An accidental flash of a 4 year olds knickers is not indecent. Is there a suggestion that some of the adults might be aroused by a flash of pant? That’s a big problem and the solution isn’t to cover the pants it’s to deal with that adult.

Yes, a lot of girls do, especially if they’re the active cartwheeling/handstand sort. Certainly noticed it over the last 15 years in primary schools, Moreso in KS2.
It depends how she feels, you seem to be aware, and bothered by the idea of being judged for her not wearing them, so perhaps you’ll choose to conform.

My granddaughter is in year 4 and has always worn shorts since reception under dresses/skirts.

I remember we wanted to wear shorts to do hand stands when 10/11 not bothered at 5-6.

There are come very very cute skirts now that have built in shorts. I would definitely be purchasing those if I had a girl. I’ll go see if I can find a name for them.

A skort is your answer.

I think it's new, but I'm basing that on my experience of being a skirt wearing girl in the 80s.

I'm not sure why they can't just make knickers like shorts for wearing under skirts if people are so bothered. Just buy a pack of boy's boxer briefs.

Just make sure their knickers are not too skimpy and they should be fine. Or you can get little shorts in the same material as their school dresses.

The thought of wearing pants AND lycra shorts in this heat makes me feel ill.

Bicycle tight shorts under my daughters skirt she's 7.

They seem to be called either culottes or skorts.

Cotton btw.

In fact, these "modesty shorts" are basically boxer briefs, so why do they need to wear pants under them?

www.next.co.uk/style/ST217273/158860#158860

Totally agree with @Pollyputthepizzaon

Maybe I'll ask her how she feels. But she's only 4, and she'll say yes if she thinks she's getting something new. She's not really the cartwheeling type right now.

So where does good knickers? I just buy from Asda/Tesco/Primark, wherever is convenient. I have noticed that the material is thinner than her brother's, not sure why that is.

And I agree with whoever said that wearing shorts and pants in this weather would make them feel ill. Me too!

It was very common when I was at school in the 90s, so you weren’t showing your knickers when you did handstands and cartwheels. Most people wore like plain black cycling shorts?

I'm 42 and have been wearing shorts under my dress for the last couple of days. I cycle and it just feels more comfortable.

They don't need to, but that seam isn't very comfy.

Why can't little girls cover up if they want to?

Mine wear them under dresses if going to the playground so they can use the slide and not get stuck! Also very useful when they have a favourite dress that’s getting a bit small- voila tunic and cropped leggings.

Haven’t bothered for school though as she was wearing tights but the school pinafores are made from quite sturdy material so I can’t see them Marilyn Monroeing.

My mum always made me wear cycling shorts under skirts and I wasn't the only one. I'm 32 so definitely not a new thing.

What I don’t get is why the people who are looking for shorts for under the dresses don’t just put their daughters in the school uniform shorts and forget about the dress

Those of you who say that wearing knickers and shorts in this weather makes you feel ill, what are you wearing?