Why does it irk me that school skirts must be a certain length?

[Ilostit]

My DDs school has a strict on the knee (or below) skirt length policy. It really pisses me off! I just don’t see it’s anyone’s issue what length a school skirt is?! I don’t think above the knee is an issue.

Or am I cross because I feel it’s othering girls. I’m not aware of a similar boys rule?

[quote BowerOfBramble]1. If this is such a problem just take away the option of skirts. Everyone can wear trousers. I wore a skirt and it's handy because they fit for longer and can't honestly say I cared about seeing other people's thighs, but if adults are so bothered about it and they make the rules - trousers it is.

1. Heard a good show yesterday about dress codes, it really made me think a bit more about them - www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct3hgx[/quote]

I agree about the trousers, many schools have implemented them for this reason (amongst others) but then again these also need to be regulated given the skin tight hipsters I saw 3 kids wearing in the Asda near one of the local high schools - could see their neon thongs sticking out over the tops!

While it is useful for a skirt to be long enough to function as a garment, being too prescriptive with rules on exact lengths is unrealistic when bodies have different proportions and skirts tend to be bought to fit waists. A tall, slim girl will end up needing a smaller waist and often end up with a relatively shorter skirt than girls of a broader shape.
Prescriptive "official" skirts rather than allowing generic school skirts actually makes the problem worse.

DS has a similar issue with shorts. To stay up, they have to be a few years younger for his waist and therefore look short on his legs, especially now he's reached the age where legs get proportionately longer.

@Clarabe1 as I explained in my post above teachers are very reluctant to enforce the rules for fear of the repercussions. Its not worth the risk to their careers from malicious accusations.

@Clarabe1

I saw one amply built lass who had obviously applied the self tanner only for her already short school skirt to ride up and display the shining white moons of her lower arse cheeks. I had this terrible dilemma whether to approach her and then I thought how? How can you possibly approach a schoolgirl and have a conversation about her arse cheeks??? Poor kid.

What does her size have to do with it? Would it be ok for her to show her arse cheeks if she was petite?

Incredibly naive of you to think it doesn’t matter what length a school skirt is. Would you be happy having your daughter walk to school with her arse hanging out, so blokes can perv at her as they drive by.

And don’t start with the “she should be able to wear what she wants” nonsense. These are children we are talking about. They shouldn’t be dressed in a sexual manner with their knickers on show.

I saw a girl going to a local school here. Her skirt was so short i could see her pants. Kids will take relaxed rules to the limit.
I know for a fact the girl was around 13 at the time as she used to go to school with my nephew.

A member of the public wrote a letter to the headteacher at the school I was working at stating that the girls in their uniform "looked liked hookers". It wasn't exactly something we could argue with as many of them had VERY short skirts on, despite a uniform policy.

A strict rule on skirt length is very sensible, as long as it enforced by the school, and by parents.

Would you be happy having your daughter walk to school with her arse hanging out, so blokes can perv at her as they drive by.

So girls need to change their behaviour/way they dress to account for male pervs is what you are saying?

It is sexist though. The whole thing. No one thinks a boy walking round with low slung trousers on or his top few buttons open looks smart, but they're also not going on about how DISGUSTING it is or how they're putting themselves at risk from pervy older ladies or gay men.

We should be promoting a society where someone can walk down the street stark naked (in theory before you all jump on me) without getting sexually harassed. Teenage girls get harassed because they're young and vulnerable and not scary and empowered to get people into trouble, not because of their skirt length. Yes teaching all kids to cover up their bum/pants is good, it's a tenet of our society. But beyond that I couldn't give a flying fuck if you can see a lot of people's legs.

Just because it's a school norm doesn't mean it's good.

So girls need to change their behaviour/way they dress to account for male pervs is what you are saying?

I am so bored of hearing this trotted out the whole time. No, all children should modify their dress so as not to be walking around in public in a provocative manner. It is not acceptable for schoolboys to go to school shirtless, or with their pants showing above their trousers. It is not acceptable for the girls to go to school with their backsides hanging out.

@sanityisamyth

A member of the public wrote a letter to the headteacher at the school I was working at stating that the girls in their uniform "looked liked hookers". It wasn't exactly something we could argue with as many of them had VERY short skirts on, despite a uniform policy.

A strict rule on skirt length is very sensible, as long as it enforced by the school, and by parents.

If even teachers can't be bothered to stand up for their students then that's pretty crap. If your neighbour wrote to complain that your visiting daughter/sister looked like a hooker you'd give them short shrift, probably suggest they keep their eyes up, stop being so judgemental and consider people's rights to dress as they like within the normal bounds of society. If you find yourself thinking "yes she does look like a prostitute and they're within their rights to complain" we've already lost the battle.

in a provocative manner

But provocative is in the eye of the beholder so to speak. It still comes down to adults sexualising children and then blaming the children for their own sexualised thoughts.

One more thing - the only time I knowingly broke the rules on skirt length was when I grew taller and we couldn't afford a new skirt, so do bear that in mind while hoiking any (perfectly hidden) judgey pants.

@sillysmiles

in a provocative manner

But provocative is in the eye of the beholder so to speak. It still comes down to adults sexualising children and then blaming the children for their own sexualised thoughts.

couldn't agree more, I don't find children "provocative" because they are children. Sometimes they are clearly trying to be "sexy" to other kids but they aren't sexy or provocative because they are kids, it's really simple.

This kind of thing makes about as much sense as me deciding that Geoff in my office is being a little slut because he sometimes wears those scoop neck t-shirts.

Rules are needed everywhere, we all know. Why is it any different when it comes to girls clothing in schools?

They should just scrap uniform altogether IMO it's expensive and ugly.
Interestingly one of the schools near me the girls wear mostly sports leggings or bum length skirts. On non uniform day nearly all the girls I see wear joggers and jeans so it seems to be the uniform causing the problem.

@Clarabe1

I saw one amply built lass who had obviously applied the self tanner only for her already short school skirt to ride up and display the shining white moons of her lower arse cheeks. I had this terrible dilemma whether to approach her and then I thought how? How can you possibly approach a schoolgirl and have a conversation about her arse cheeks??? Poor kid.

What has her size got to do with it ?

Wearing skirts this short is oppression IMHO.

Agree.

The problem with not policing skirt length is that all girls then feel under pressure to roll their skirts really short.
I personally don’t think teenage girls look provocative/slutty/disgusting in short skirts. I really couldn’t give two hoots what they wear but I do feel sorry for the ones who roll their skirts so short that they themselves feel uncomfortable but feel they have to do it to fit in.

I can assure you that no 14 year old girl wants to see my arse cheeks hanging out the back of my skirt when going up the stairs, nor do they want a view of my upper/inner thighs when sitting at my desk, anymore than they would be comfortable with a male member of staff wearing a pair of tighty whitie shorts that exposed the same amount and area of skin in class.

So why do I have to see theirs? If it's on the grounds that I am fat and old whereas they are young and slim, that's reinforcing the idea that it's about sexual desirability and not an innocent 'oh dear, my school skirt suddenly lost eight inches of fabric overnight, however did that happen? Never mind, only people I want to be attractive to are able to see this'.

Just follow the bloody rules.

I was really grateful when I was at school they toughened up the rules. There was so much pressure to conform to rolling it up as short as possible and yes I should have not given into peer pressure, but it's hard as a teen. I felt so uncomfortable though wearing such a short skirt.

Thing is, children come in different shapes, sizes and heights, so the skirts aren't always going to come up the same length.

I find it very frustrating that girls clothing is policed so much. Several secondary schools around our way are now moving toward a 'gender neutral' uniform in that the uniform consists of certain items, e.g. white shirt, black trousers, checked skirt, school tie, grey jumper... and pupils may wear any of those items.
Unfortunately the school my DC has been offered a place at does not. Boys may wear standard grey trousers. Girls must wear navy trousers from a specific supplier.
Another local school - girls must wear a yellow/gold blouse. Boys may wear white or grey shirts.
WHY?

It's a uniform - they can dictate what that is. As an adult if you do a job where uniform is worn you don't get to dictate the style/length of the items.

Having watched schoolgirls constantly tugging their short skirts downwards whilst I've been waiting outside school for DS, I'm pretty sure many of the girls don't really want to wear them that short either but they do it to follow the fashion. Far better that there is a specified style/length so that everyone is the same.
There are usually a lot of stairs at Secondary school - no one wants to be looking up girls skirts inadvertently as they climb the stairs!

Many women or girls with short skirts spend a lot of their time seeking to avoid their underwear being seen, or sit in uncomfortable ways to preserve their dignity. So I am supportive of skirt length, providing that the option of trousers is also always provided.

I agree that uniform in general should not be such that it costs more for girls than boys.

@BowerOfBramble this is WELL beyond growing too tall for their skirts! Unless most of them bought skirts to fit a 5 yr old .