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?

why don't they just wear shorts in summer?

Mine has always worn shorts under her skirt. She does a lot of hanging upside down and swinging off of things and doing cartwheels. I think most girls would prefer to do that without their pants showing.

My dd is 16 and she was told off in her first week of school in Australia aged five for not wearing shorts under her dress by the deputy principal. I’m still mad about it now!

These threads have been cropping up every summer for about ten years, I think. When my elder DC were in KS1 early in the millennium, it wasn’t an issue, but a couple of years ago when my (much younger) DD started reception, “modesty shorts” were definitely “a thing”. So that helps pin down the dates of the madness.

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.

I started buying Boden on the basis of MN advice. Generously cut and good thick fabric.

My DD likes to climb and roll around etc. She also finds that knickers can be a bit uncomfortable when doing this. So she wears 'modesty shorts'.

Fucking hate that they are called that! They are just a pair of blimmin' boxer trunks that you'd find in any boy section.

DD loves them though as she finds them very comfortable. They are from next.

@StripeyBananas

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

I think it's the idea of wearing something tight like cycling shorts in hot weather that makes me feel ill. I'll wear looser shorts, but don't like the idea of cutting the air off!

My 15 year old wears shorts under her shirt skirts, it was her decision and makes her feel more comfortable.

@Smallsteps88

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

We’ve never had a uniform shorts option for girls at either of the two primaries mine have attended. Several of us did ask (and nah and agitate) but we didn’t get anywhere.

Not that I’m a supporter of bloody “modesty shorts” myself, but actual shorts would have been great.

We did cartwheels and handstands and hung upside down off bars. Sometimes we tucked our skirts into our knickers to stop them falling over our face.

At some point clearly little girls were told to feel ashamed about their knickers. That's a pity.

@EinsteinsArousedSausagesHCB

My DD likes to climb and roll around etc. She also finds that knickers can be a bit uncomfortable when doing this. So she wears 'modesty shorts'.

Fucking hate that they are called that! They are just a pair of blimmin' boxer trunks that you'd find in any boy section.

DD loves them though as she finds them very comfortable. They are from next.

The word modesty doesn't sit comfortably with me either. Why can't they just call them boxers?

I'll have a look at Next.

I have noticed that the material is thinner than her brother's

Buy the “boy” pants.

Asda do multipacks of 10 pairs for 4. They are all different bright colours. No pictures or wording. Not obviously “boy” pants (whatever that would be)

I agree totally with @Smallsteps88. If the girls feel uncomfortable with their dresses flapping around, why not just wear shorts?*

Also, at age 4, I can't get worked up about a little girl showing her knickers on the playground.

• I concede, however, that the girls in question may not agree. DD, who wears shorts at home regularly, prefers to wear dresses to school. Much to my frustration.

Mind you, I'm old enough to have had to do gym in your knickers and vest when in infants if you forgot your kit!

And wear navy gym knickers as a teenager playing hockey (now that was grim).

I think it's become a thing much more over the past years and also for girls and women of any age with the horrible "upskirting" photos only very recently made a criminal offence

Most supermarkets do play suits in the style of summer dresses which are great.
If she's only 4 though she may need help zipping it up after the toilet...

tuclothing.sainsburys.co.uk/p/Navy-Gingham-School-Playsuit-%283-12-Years%29/136255133-Navy?searchTerm=:newArrivals&searchProduct=

We’ve never had a uniform shorts option for girls at either of the two primaries mine have attended.

If they’re an option for boys they’re an option for girls. Put them on your child if you want to and dare the head to explain why you can’t.

Not a new thing but only when the weather was hot and Dd would be likely to be doing handstands or cartwheels

Not necessary in colder months.

@sleepyhead

We did cartwheels and handstands and hung upside down off bars. Sometimes we tucked our skirts into our knickers to stop them falling over our face.

At some point clearly little girls were told to feel ashamed about their knickers. That's a pity.

Yes but modern knickers are too small and flimsy to do that!

Asda do some nice cotton shorts in the PE section.

My daughter wears them She gets hers online from Snag Tights. They are actually called ChubRub shorts - odd when they start at a size 4 !! She says they are really comfortable.

In Australia they are called monkey bar pants. They go over your knickers which is ridiculous in the million degree heat.

Boden knickers are brilliant! They cover everything even when cross legged. They are a stupid price though.

At dd school (primary) you are not allowed to do handstands, cartwheels etc if you have no shorts in under a dress.

Knickers are not suppose to be seen.

Lots of girls wore shorts under their skirts and dresses when I was in Primary school (early 90's) so it's not a new thing. But I don't ever remember it being spoken about or referred to as a decency issue.

Those cotton shorts from next look fine, if a little boring. At least they are cotton. Boys’ trunks might be nicer but without a y front!

I used to wear shorts under my skirt when I started my periods ( I was still in primary school).
Dd has only just asked to wear shorts under skirts dresses (she’s 11).
It’s always been a thing, but due to society nowadays more people are ‘offended’ easily 🙄.

My dd has worn cycling shorts under her dresses since she started school, and more recently wore a skort with built in shorts - more to protect her legs from the grass if she's rolling around / sitting on the grass as her thighs got itchy from sitting on the grass if she didn't! Nothing to do with modesty, just comfort. Most of the girls in her class do the same if they didn't wear shorts.