to think that 'modesty shorts' are going to lead to trouble

[RainbowsStars]

A hypothetical young woman isn't wearing any under a shortish skirt. She goes out and is sexually assaulted. The defense know this. She is then considered to have 'asked for it' just as women used to be (I hope it is used to be) because she chose to be 'provocative' by not wearing the modesty shorts that have become a standard item for females wearing dresses and skirts.

I have a son so I was quite surprised when I heard of modesty shorts. apart from in school I can't see much of a reason for girls to wear them really.

I've never heard of them for adults.

I think they have some use for girls in school summer dresses who have reached the age where they don't feel comfortable flashing their pants, but are still young enough to want to do handstands etc. in the playground. I wouldn't have a problem buying them for DD if she wants when she reaches that age, if the alternative is that she stops doing any physical play.

OneLittleToddleTerror: precisely.

And one would hope that a child of that age wouldn't be perceived to be 'asking for it'...

If I remember Juniors correctly, we wanted the boys to see our knickers: they weren't that bothered.

Oh and regarding "skorts": they've been popular in the US for decades, primarily for little girls. In schools with uniform, they're the most popular uniform type for primary age girls.

Adult women don't wear them. I could see them being available at some point as along the same (very popular right now) trend for adult women's playsuits, but I'd be baffled and laugh to find a skort in my size.

direct.asda.com/george/school/shorts/girls-school-2-pack-modesty-shorts-navy/GEM302473,default,pd.html

i used to wear something similar under my pe skirt

I'm a grown woman (31) and still wear them when I am cycling and wearing a flow-ey or shortish dress or skirt to work. (I can't get away with leggings at work)

But not as a "modesty" item or to prevent rape... more to save people being flashed at by me!!!

I wear cycle shorts under dresses. But it's more to do with the fact that the dresses in the shops that I have been able to find are shorter than I feel comfortable with (mid thigh). I can't seem to find anything that falls just above the knee and I don't like maxi.

I don't wear them for anyone else. I just like to know that I can bend over/ crawl and climb at the park with the dcs without flashing my knickers (and this is for my comfort rather than caring what anyone else thinks.

In my head it feels like wearing shorts and a long top rather than a dress. No one can see the shorts, so I don't think you can say that no one wears them.

SinglePringle: you could - and I would absolutely support your right not to be raped. But you might find yourself being detained under the Mental Health Act...

What a hideous, hideous name :(

I can't believe they are being called modesty shorts by the shops.

Having an item of clothing around "modesty" for young girls is just an awful message to send them. Are ASDA channelling a victorian vibe or something? Will they be adding table-leg covers to their home range next?

Baffling.

FFS, there is nothing wrong with a girl doing handstands or whatever, which result in her knickers being on show. To quote my mother 'to the pure, all things are pure'.

Ones legs, arse, fango etc are just another body part and the more we perpetuate the myth that they are somehow 'other' and must be 'hidden' (especially in prepubescent girls), the more we feed into body shaming.

I'm not suggesting we do away with common decency (and thus, underwear) but the idea that we ask young women (and never men) to cover up for modesty's sake is abhorrent to me.

i suppose i can see the logic if you put white pants on these days they are so blasted thin its ridiculous you can read a newspaper through them so i buy my daughter the black ones granted its more practical for a girl who has began her monthlies to wear black but i did have a brief moment (or a moment by the briefs as it were) thinking how does this look im buying black knickers for my 13 year old daughter we were always told black was for adults or girls who ahem "know too much and show too much"

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2108125-To-think-was-a-a-bit-wrong

Here and there have been other threads, some of the views on ^ that thread appalled me.

OddFodd you're not the first to mention it !

So once upon a time we invented clothes... just in case they didn't cover up enough we invented underwear... so now we're expected to wear overwear over our underwear in case anyone sees the clothing that's covering up the nakedness. What next? Pantaloons to cover the modesty shorts in case anyone sees the clothes that cover the clothes that cover... and so on and so on.

Barkin'.

My dd is 20 and wears shorts under short skirts. For her own comfort, no other reason.

single: again, I agree - but if my daughter doesn't want to show them, I can't make her, can I??

The younger one, on the other hand, told me the other day that she would flash her bottom for sweets. I may have some more work to do there...

No idea what modesty shorts are.

I suspect you are not in the UK due to the amount of teeny denim shorts swamping the streets which you would probably have something to say about.

No one asks for rape or assault. The blame lies with the perpetrator.

And, by the way, why the fuck (am I allowed to swear?) are 'modesty shorts' even in our world? Women can dress as they like.

Skorts appear to be a thing this summer, new look and asos etc are selling them.

My toddler has the boden version, they have sold them for years, they were good as they covered her nappy up, disposable nappies under skirts/dresses don't look great and can sag, the skorts held her nappy in place. She has still worn them now potty trained just because they still fit and are practical. Couldn't give a stuff about modesty.

It's fine for anyone to wear shorts under dresses etc of their own choice but marketing them as modesty shorts ans giving the message girls should wear them... Not ok.

Broken, sure - I get that. You can buy her 'big' knickers / cycling shorts if that's what she wants (although I would talk to her and find out the motivation - not to disparage you; you know your kid / am sure you have if it was of concern to you). It's more the concept that they should be - might become - the norm that sticks in my craw.

yabu for having thought this whole nonsensical hypothetical post up.

it doesn't matter if men thought women did didn't wear shorts under dresses were immoral, that doesn't turn men into rapists any more that it would be a legal defence in a court case.

Shorts under dress or skirts is a fashion thing, surely?

An therefore intrinsically ephemeral.

There was a fashion for this a while back, shirts over trousers.

But not marketed for "modesty"

5madthings that thread you linked is absolutely shocking!

I couldn't read all of it because of feeling THE RAGE.

seven it did get better as more posters came along who thankfully realised it was shit to get the girls to wear shorts and that it was the boys behaviour that should be dealt with, but yes it gave me the rage as well!