Should skirts and dresses be phased out?

[Nothingyet]

I just had this thought after reading this:www.itv.com/news/wales/2021-06-10/caerphilly-head-bans-pupils-from-wearing-skirts-after-complaints-over-length
I mean, lots of fashions are now gone- periwigs and ruff collars for men, bustles and corsets for women. We all wear more practical clothes.
Has the skirt and dress had their day? Is there any practical reason why they should be preferred over trousers?

School skirts definitely. The way girls have them so short, totally against school uniform rules is ridiculous. Trousers for everyone at school. Otherwise no.

You will prise my dresses from my cold, dead hands.

Noooo! I love dresses. With pockets. So easy!
As for schools, what should be phased out is the insistence that the required length of skirt is always the opposite of what's in fashion. Let girls make their own choices on skirt length according to what they feel comfortable in and what suits their body type.

While I very rarely wear dresses or skirts as I find jeans and trousers far more practical, I would hate to not have the option of a cool floaty maxi on a hot day. I'd never choose to wear a suit type skirt and hate wearing them for weddings, black tie dos etc.

@FindingMeno,

If you don’t believe in uniform at all, fine.

If you do, skirt lengths have to be a part of it, if you have skirts. Or why not convert your school shirt into a crop top on a warm day or wear a tie as a bandana?!

And, as no one likes having skirt lengths monitored (and most teachers hate monitoring them), trousers for all.

@RodiganReed

How on earth are trousers more practical than dresses?

I know! I can never understand why for many people trousers are seen as the better choice, and it's being great to say to the girls 'ooo we will let you wear trousers' and the surprise when some say, nope I like skirts/dresses!

It’s personal preference, if you don’t like dresses don’t wear them.

However, I only wear skirts and dresses, I literally don’t own any trousers or jeans.

Actually that’s i lie, I have some work out trousers for going to the gym.
But that’s it.

In schools it should be an option to wear what they want.
I went to a school that had a strict uniform code, but even in the 90’s girls were allowed to wear skirts of trousers, whichever they preferred.

I opened this to see WHY anyone would suggest phasing out dresses, and I am none the wiser! I wear dresses 85% of the time as I find them more practical than jeans/trousers and a top. One item instead of two!
If I had the power to phase out any type of clothes, it would be uniforms on school kids. And possibly mom- jeans ...

Accessories and style details come and go, but basic garment concepts stick around.
Many people like skirts and dresses, and, unless you are riding a horse or something, they're totally practical. Even maxi length skirts and puffy skirts (for special occassions) are still around. I hate jeans.

Surely it's school uniform that should be phased out rather than picking on girls uniforms. Have simple rules: no slogans with offensive language, no heels above X inches, toes and nipples and bum cracks must be covered, hair beyond X length should be tied back.

And clamp down on the boys behaviour and treat all levels of sexual assault seriously.

‘TheQueef

Men.
Phase them out.’

This. Why should we have to moderate how we dress to stop men and their ‘ uncontrollable urges’

I read of 4 year old girls having to wear modesty shorts for PE.

We are going backwards in terms of equality.
What next ? Veils? Head coverings?
The Handmaids Tale is coming true if we carry on

I work somewhere where I have to dress modestly and wear dresses and skirts. The management did question whether there should be a 'trousers only' dress code but my argument was that an A line skirt is not a mini skirt and arguably far more modest compared to skin tight legging type trousers or jeggings. If school dress codes are really trying to promote modesty () then this won't help. Some of the girls at my local comp wear leggings with the opaqueness of tights and even I find myself agog sometimes at how little they conceal. If a man wore similar he would be arrested.

In schools, which I think is what the op is focused on they should be an option. I don't think saying they should be a decent length is misogyny... Having your arse hanging out is a crap look on anyone in anything other than beach wear and is not appropriate for a more formal setting, which school is.

@TheReluctantPhoenix I would have been horrified ( would still be) if I had to wear uniform-type trousers, as it would not suit my body type at all and I would feel exposed and uncomfortable.
I don't disagree with uniform, what I do disagree with is the rigidity of insistence on structured clothing from a bygone era.
I get there needs to be some sort of limits, but I don't believe skirt length should be one of them.

In schools or in life?
Personally I think all kids should be able to choose to wear trousers, shorts or skirts at any time. I'd like to see primary girls wearing shorts being normalised. Dresses are rubbish for little children to play in.
In life, no thanks

Who is going to phase them out? The fashion police? On the spot tickets?

In schools, there should be a choice. I was at school in the 80s, and there was a choice of skirt or trousers for girls. I'd say 90% of girls chose the skirt - in those days, usually a tight pencil skirt worn with fetching white stilettos .

The school still exists, and a few years ago I was walking my dog nearby at the time the pupils came out, and I noticed nearly all the girls were wearing trousers. Fashions come and go.

@RickiTarr

Who is going to phase them out? The fashion police? On the spot tickets?

I think OP is referring to schools and uniform regulations.

Will you offer a grant for tailoring trousers for people like my perfectly normally shaped DD who wore a skirt to secondary school because there wasn't a single pair of trousers in the school uniform suppliers that fit?

@RickiTarr

Who is going to phase them out? The fashion police? On the spot tickets?

Well it's not going to be hose whose idea of preventing low level perving by boys in schools is to tell the girls to act differently, rather than telling the boys not to be creeps.

Set a skirt length by decree - because that's the look you want - fine. Tell girls to cover up because boys cannot behave - very not fine.

I think OP is referring to schools and uniform regulations

No, I don’t think so - she was comparing them to periwigs, bustles and corsets, nine of which have ever been school uniform. She thinks we should do away with them generally.

Nine of which? NONE of which...^

@RickiTarr

I think OP is referring to schools and uniform regulations

No, I don’t think so - she was comparing them to periwigs, bustles and corsets, nine of which have ever been school uniform. She thinks we should do away with them generally.

The link is WRT schools.

Well it's not going to be hose whose idea of preventing low level perving by boys in schools is to tell the girls to act differently, rather than telling the boys not to be creeps.

No indeed. I wonder where the purveyors of “modesty shorts” for five year olds will stand?

I love them generally, except for the problem of a) shoes, b) bicycles, and c) sitting for a long time and I want to cross my legs.

I have terrible trouble with my feet and can find almost no shoes that are comfortable, except some ankles boots with socks and orthotics. Looks rubbish with dresses.

I need to cycle when I'm going somewhere nice, and then any longish skirt gets in the way - I'm worried about it catching despite chain guard, and worried about modesty when I have to pull it up to my thighs (fat person), and bring leggings with me.

I wear them to theatre or concerts etc, but I'm quite restless and keep having to cross my legs to get comfy, and somehow I always end up showing my fat legs, unless I wear quite a long one (I usually sit ankle up on my knee! I know this is something I can probably change, but still never that comfy in a dress).

But otherwise I like them for being cool, easy to wear, more flattering, etc.

It's just the damn shoes.

But yes for school, give them all options.