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 is a recent thing, started in the US where they are obsessed with “modesty” , and then crept over here, some time in the late nineties to early noughties.
We did handstands and cartwheels in primary with no problems, the thought of tight shorts in summer, ugggh.
Are pants flimsier now ? My dds have always had pants that cover well. I think the ones that are more hipster shorty types, with no leg elastic , probably ride up, but proper briefs shouldn’t . Petit Bateau are expensive but excellent quality.

How would we all be feeling if boys underpants were exposed as frequently?

Why don’t boys expose their underpants as frequently? Why is this restricted only to girls?

Because boys wear trousers and shorts they can do sports in without exposing said underpants.

So why on earth do we insist on putting girls in dresses that expose, then worry about extra garments to cover up.

Get rid of dresses if you’re worried about someone seeing your kids pants.

I used to wear cycle shorts under my uniform in the early 90s.

@bluebluezoo

How would we all be feeling if boys underpants were exposed as frequently?

Why don’t boys expose their underpants as frequently? Why is this restricted only to girls?

Because boys wear trousers and shorts they can do sports in without exposing said underpants.

So why on earth do we insist on putting girls in dresses that expose, then worry about extra garments to cover up.

Get rid of dresses if you’re worried about someone seeing your kids pants.

Well, why do we put boys in shorts on top of their pants.?

It would be better if boys and girls would be allowed to wear what makes them feel comfortable.

i don't think it's as simple as saying all girls should just wear shorts/trousers.
Some don't like them.
Sometimes they don't fit very well. At our school (in Australia) we used to provide girls' trousers in our uniform shop - but hardly anyone bought them because they didn't fit many girls - plus too hot in summer! we don't provide skirts now, either - we sell skorts (which here are divided skirts - a cross between a skirt and shorts, they don't have shorts underneath them, that would be a skater skirt) and girls mostly wear those. Some of the girls do wear actual skirts, with cycling style shorts underneath, or they obtain skater skirts. We don't much care so long as they're plain black.

I think schools that DON'T allow the choice for the girls are unreasonable. There is no valid reason to keep them in skirts/dresses, especially if they are very active - but no reason to force them all into shorts/trousers either - give them the choice.

It's to protect privacy.

Why do they need shorts on to protect their privacy? That’s what knickers are for.

I also buy boden pants for my daughter as they are generous cut and nice thick material. They last for ages too so although they are more expensive I think they are worth it (and they get passed onto my niece too)

This wa the norm when I was at school. Much more comfortable both in the heat (to prevent thighs rubbing together) and the cold (obviously). I didn’t realise that little girls didn’t wear these under skirts as standard anymore. I still wear them sometimes when I’m walking for extended periods or expect to sit on the grass for example.

My dd (10) wears shorts under her dresses and skirts. Just pe cycling shorts, we buy them in packs of 2. I can't remember what year she was but I'm sure it was ks2. I know she same bone and said I put my pe shorts on as I was doing cartwheels and didn't want people to see my knickers. I wear dresses all the time and don't put shorts under them so I did wonder for a while where it came from. She wears shorts under any dress or skirt now.

My DD's didn't but they are now young adults. When I was at school we did pe in our knickers and vests (the navy blue school kind!)

Ps I do wear shorts under short skirts now because nobody wants to see a middle aged woman's hold it in knickers!

Don’t make an issue of it - it isn’t one

Totally agree.

This thread is bonkers. Knickers cover girls' private areas, there is no need to cover knickers.

And shorts under a dress sound so hot and uncomfortable!