Why do girls wear pinfores and not school skirts ?

[stoopidqu]

I have a DS at school and a preschooler DD, but I don't get why the girls at infant school wear pinnys and not school skirts ? Do skirts just not work on infant age girls ? I mean a skirt can be worn all year with tight or socks around so surely this is cheaper? I don't see many girls in trousers either, which seems crazy in the snow and ice last year they are all wearing tights.

I mean I think personally the school uniform shouldn't be different for girls and boys, but anyway I don't want to make this protest via my DD 🤨

Pinafore is popular for young girls at our school. They are comfier and look tidier in my opinion as shirts don't come untucked. As my dd got older she had more of an opinion about what she wanted and felt skirts were more grown up so she wears a skirt now.

Shorts are also on increase for girls, you can purchase them at Asda and Next etc in girls section.

My dds always had a pinafore with a zip up the front in reception and year 1.
No worries about skirt riding up or down.
No having to tuck shirt in
Easy for PE.

Both of mine wore pinafores during Infant school, I always felt that they were more comfortable and easier to fit.

We had stretchy jersey pinafores, they were comfy and reduced the stains on their white tops. Both my dds opted for trousers by y2, but they wanted to wear a dress before then.

I sort of agree with having one uniform for everyone, but the problem is that this would likely mean everyone getting the uniform perceived as "for boys", rather than boys being asked to move into uniform perceived as "for girls". So it isn't the feminist action it initially seems.

@Abraxan

I mean I think personally the school uniform shouldn't be different for girls and boys, but anyway I don't want to make this protest via my DD

That's fine but why does the default have to be trousers?

Why can't any child be allowed to select from any of the following: skirt, trousers, shorts, pinafore, dress, culottes Regardless if whether they are a boy or a girl?

As an adult I hate wearing trousers. They are a pain to get the right fit, especially as I'm short. Was the same growing up - getting the right fit for both waist and leg length at the same time can be really difficult.

Same. 27 inch waist, 38 inch hip, I’m 5ft 7 tall but with a 29 inch inseam. Finding a pair of trousers to fit is nigh on impossible. I’d have been screwed if trousers were compulsory at my school!

My 5 year old just doesn't like the skirts. Says it chokes her tummy 🙄

@stoopidqu

If girls wear trousers it would mean like boys they need a summer alternative. My DS has never worried about having his Polo T-shirt tucked in 😂 I do find it crazy that girls have a light summer dress option and boys don't.

It's been boiling the last few days here 27-29 degrees and seeing the girls in pinafores they look boiling with the double layer. Of course they can wear summer dresses instead up to half term, but most parents wouldn't of bought these for just a few weeks of
September. Was just musing on whether a skirt would work
Summer and winter, but I've not put DD in skirts really as dresses are or playsuits are compete outfits.

You don't need to buy new uniform every September OP, if it still fits just keep going. My DD has been wearing her existing summer dresses this week as usual, I buy them with the view that they'll be worn from about March-October on sunny days. On rainy days she wears trousers like many of her female classmates, so I don't know why you've never seen girls in trousers. Through the winter she also wears skirts, pinafore or culottes, whatever feels most comfortable to her. She's year 4 now so skirts fit better, but as others have said when she was younger, skirts rarely fit as they wouldn't commonly have waist adjusters and would just slip down. Pinafores always fit great and are easy for her to dress herself in. But she definitely prefers trousers in the winter.

@PumpkinKlNG

Also my 4 year old has just started and no way would she manage with buckles or buttons, I don’t see how people claim they are “easier”

Most of them have a zip down the front as the fastening.

Like this

Pinafores are easier to wear for the little ones I think, they’re also majorly cute! My DD wore them at first but decided she was too old for them after year one she chose to wear a skirt and top. Girls can wear trousers at her school but not many of them choose to. I would be worried about a school that insisted girls wear trousers and not pinafores or skirts because it’s all about having the freedom of choice. Feminism isn’t about wearing the same thing as those of the male gender it’s about the choice to.

I love pinafores. My girls look so much tidier. The shirt is obviously tucked in and her tie is behind it. It also means the white shirts don't get stained with all the food, pain etc that ends up down the front of the pinafore which is grey so doesn't show marks so easily. My eldest insisted on a skirt this year, she looks a mess after about 5 mins and is constantly being told to tuck her shirt in apparently. She has asked me to get her some more pinafores.

If you want the girls and boys to wear the same pinafores are the way to go, maybe boys could have dungarees. Why if they are all wearing the same would it have to default to the traditional male clothes which I guess is what you were getting at.

as others have said

shirts don't come untucked
pinafores easier to fit, don't fall down.

But also, much easier going to the loo
Mucheasier to have tights and pinafores than tights and skirts (waistbands get in the way of each other)

My girls always prefered trousers, but then their trousers where like thick leggings, really comfy, much warmer and betetr than skirts.
But they were in the minority, most of the girls wasnted to wear skirts/dresses

DD wears pinnies or shorts. Wears both with thick tights in winter. Skirts just twist around and are annoying. I hate them too. She doesn't like trousers unless leggings, which she can't wear to school.

They are really cute, fit better than skirts, looks cleaner after eating lunch, the zip makes them easier to put on and off and my two liked to wear dresses so they were more willing to wear them than skirts. They are also less likely to be worn backwards or inside out. I love a pinny!

"Why if they are all wearing the same would it have to default to the traditional male clothes which I guess is what you were getting at"

Why is girls uniform inappropriate for the cold weather and for active play ? Tights and generally Mary Jane shoes for infant age girls? I don't see trousers as male clothing these days. It's only in school. I can assure you than 90% of the women in my office yesterday were wearing trousers and the mix of men and women is pretty even. We have floor aids not PA's, and a lot of them are men, so not an old fashioned male dominated environment.

The weather thing is my pet hate, my DD gets the warm joggers in winter just like my DS.

My DD has pinnys and skirts, a gingham dress, trousers and shorts to choose from. She nearly always wants a pinny if her gingham dress is in the wash, she just likes them but I will be encouraging trousers in the winter. She will only wear her shorts for PE though she just doesn't like them.

She's worn trousers twice and she is the only girl I've seen in them but who cares? She says she liked to be different and I hope she doesn't ever feel that being different is bad.

My girls always liked a variety to choose from, including trousers, but I found pinafores good for keeping white polo tops clean. I bought the gingham dresses anyway for the Summer as most of the other girls wore them and they were cooler.

The dresses save the polo shirts from being ruined. My eldest always wears trousers as she hates skirts/dresses.

@LakeShoreD

It’s easier to fit a pinafore because a skirt might be the right length but may not fit at the waist.

This. My DD is tiny (only just 4) and most skirts either sit too high/Simon Cowell-esque, or under her still-toddler-pot-belly. She does have a couple of skirts - found some lovely soft stretchy ones in Morrisons that work ok for her so she’s got 2 of those and 3 pinafores.

My daughter won't wear anything with tight waistbands - also, as everyone else has said, she is very slim so it is difficult to find skirts or trousers that fit.

I'm warmer in thick tights than trousers.

Our school insists on overpriced logo tshirts. If you buy a pinny, they can't see whether your child is in the logo, £7 a pop, tshirt, or the plain, 2 for £5, one in the same colour.

My two DDs have no waist so skirts just fall down. I also don't think skirts look as smart as pinafores. DD1 is now in year 5 and most of her class are still wearing pinafores.

Basically everything already said - skirt was being taken off and out on dirty floor to go to the toilets, keeps white polo shirt cleaner, because there is no tucking in or out of said shirt it also looks tidier. They are fairly practical with zips nowadays.

I feel school trousers are thin, you need tights underneath in winter and then they ride up when you use the wool variety.

DD wore boots in bad and cold weather and changed shoes at school and they could change back for break time. She never had wet or cold feet, most children did so. Thick thermal tights under a pinafore are equally warm than a pair of trousers with socks.

I don’t like uniform but I even more dislike the trend of saying uniform has to be unisex and therefore trousers only. There was a huge thread about this for secondary school uniform just a couple of days ago, responses were very similar, offer all bottoms but don’t insist on just one.

DD climbed and played in her skirt or pinafore equally well as she did in trousers at home.

I work in an office with a smart dress code, we have equal amounts of ladies wearing dresses or skirts to the ones wearing trousers, lots mix depending on the mood.

While I hardly wear anything but trousers I would be very sad when suddenly it became the norm that skirts or dresses are for special occasions only. We battled to wear trousers, we didn’t ask for dresses/skirts to be banned.

Pinafores work out cheaper in the long run because whilst they grow up, most girls don't seem to grow out at quite the same rate, so you can get more than a year out of them (compared to anything with a waistband that might not fit in the first place).

Not all children like the feeling of waistbands either.