Would it be such a bad idea to just allow smart trousers to be school uniform, and not skirts?

[Stanky]

I've seen many debates about school skirts being too short, and head teachers sending pupils home if their skirt is too short. The primary school we go to has had battles over girls wanting to wear shorts under their summer dresses. They say that this is not allowed due to "hygiene reasons". I still don't really understand what that means. I remember being at school myself and feeling peer pressure to roll my skirt up short, and look as much like Britney Spears as possible.

AIBU to think that it would just be easier to have all the children wear smart trousers or shorts for school uniform? Would that be such a bad thing? No more worrying about flashing underwear whilst playing or bending down, and ladders in school tights. Wouldn't really have to be so worried about shaving legs. Just seems like there's really no need for skirts. They're not practical at school, and they seem to open all sorts of cans of worms.

[Foofoobum]

I hated wearing a skirt at school so the option of shorts/trousers would've been great but my daughter loves wearing skirts and especially the gingham dresses.

I don't like seeing young girls wearing skirts so short they constantly have to pull it down (imp if you're feeling uncomfortable with its length or lack thereof wear a longer one) but most local schools here have a knee length or longer policy. The private high schools all wear calf length skirts and I love that look.

[steppemum]

Yabu , girls wearing trousers as uniform look really scruffy. I would associate them with a under achieving comp.

I'd better let the head of dds super selective grammar know then

[Orwellschild]

"Under achieving comp"

Nice.

[MrsKCastle]

Yabu. All children should have the option of skirts/dress or shorts/trousers.

My DDs have the choice, they both choose skirts/gingham dresses. I find them just as practical as trousers- they can (and do) do as much running, jumping, climbing as if they wore trousers. With the added bonus that dresses last a lot longer because they can be worn from very long to quite short, while once trousers get short they need replacing. It's also far, far easier to put ultra-skinny DD2 in a dress- even adjustable trousers can be too loose on her, or fit in the waist but are too short.

I'd love to see a world where all children are free to choose with no stigma attached.

[annandale]

Plan A: stop bothering with uniforms please God

Plan B: Yanbu. Ds's school is trousers, white shirt, vile acrylic badged school jumper. Done. Everyone survives.

[thatsn0tmyname]

Trousers would be fine for girls but they often wear spray on lycra ones. After a few years we gave up trousers and now have skirts with logos that make it easy to spot rolling up.

[mummytime]

One problem of very short skirts, is that in some subjects students sit on high stools (Science and DT) because the work surface has to be the right height for working when standing, as well as for writing. When girls are wearing very short skirts (which is often not so much a choice as social pressure), they often don't have the skills to sit without flashing their pants. Which I for one don't want to see (I don't want to see boys pants either).

Most DT and Science teachers wear trousers, at least most of the time.

[AndNowItsSeven]

I don't mean comps all all underchieving just the ones that have a lax uniform policy.
Locally the grammar school girls wear skirts.

[cinnamonorange]

I can't stand those short skirts. Our two (prestigious) local comps have really short, really tight skirts as standard uniform, and it makes me cringe seeing the girls look so uncomfortable. Having to constantly worry about flashing your pants or looking like a sausage can't be conducive to learning, especially when you haven't got the ideal figure. Trousers all the way as far as I'm concerned.

[steppemum]

well, I am very thankful that dd1s secondary school will allow her to wear trousers. She hasn't worn a skirt for years, and is very uncomfortable in them.
I had to wear skirts and tights at secondary and I hated them with a passion.
I am always amazed that people (including schools) think it is OK to force girls into either trousers or skirts.

For what is is worth, round here the high achieving comp has an untidy lax uniform. The grammar has skirts and trousers, and the sink comp down the road has just changed its uniform for a swanky smart tie and blazer job. Funnily enough it doesn't change the quality of the lessons.

[robinia]

Trousers are just as problematic as skirts in terms of enforcing the requirements (usually tailored, not skinny-fit, not jeans style, etc.). Just let them choose, skirts or trousers, and then do the enforcement. You can usually tell how good a school is by how well they enforce their uniform policy - regardless of what that policy is.

[Stoneagemum]

Problem is 'tailored' school approved trousers only suit those who the manufacturers seen fit. For my dd it is farcical trousers that fit her waist have swaths of fabric around the hip so won't be worn as they don't fit as to any sensibility but they are "uniform" so that's ok?

[Numberoneisgone]

girls wearing trousers as uniform look really scruffy. I would associate them with a under achieving comp

Huh really. My dd1 is a skirts only child and has happily worn skirts from day 1. Dd2 is adamant she will be wearing trousers. Thankfully the school allows this without an issue.

[Numberoneisgone]

Damn should be

[HowBadIsThisPlease]

yabu. skirts are easier to wear if you have a small waist and a big arse. If you are big of bum, trousers accentuate it and make you (I mean made me, of course) very self conscious.

I understand that some people think that trousers are more concealing, and I suppose they are more concealing than very short skirts. But skirts are more flexible as to how modest you want to be: you can drape yourself in a skirt that doesn't give much away as to your body shape, and I think any teenaged girl who wants the option to do that, should be allowed it.

[houseeveryweekend]

I hate trousers. Ive never worn trousers in my life i find them extremely uncomfortable so i would say YABU! I understand your point but i think its a shame to let the skirt become a symbol of something stupid or sexy. A skirt is just a skirt and can be as practical as trousers it just depends on the person. I find a short skirt with leggings or thick tights much easier to move in than trousers. Ideally girls and boys should be able to chose weather to wear a skirt or trousers. I went to a school where you only had to wear one item of the uniform at any time ie you could wear the school jumper or blazer or tie then you could wear whatever you wanted with it, trousers, skirt, dress, shorts, whatever as long as you also had one item with the school crest on it. It worked really well.

[houseeveryweekend]

Howbadisthisplease: totally agree! i was a very shapely child looked much older than i was and i found trousers mortifying when i was made to try them on by my mum, because of the way the accentuated my bum and thighs, i point blank refused to ever wear them

[PenguinsAreAce]

YANBU.

Gym skirts in particular should be a thing of the dim and distant past. Shorts for all.

[BillBrysonsBeard]

The day my secondary school allowed trousers was a magical day indeed.. Think it was 1999. Nearly all of us changed to them! More comfortable, no worrying about length, being able to sit cross legged, warmer etc.

[seventhgonickname]

When my dd was at primary school all the girls in. yr6 seemed to wear shorts under their skirts,n o idea why as they could wear trousers but skirt with shorts were in.Year 7skirts still'in' but not shorts!

[Out2pasture]

Hill House :) love the uniform...mountaineering pants

[FishWithABicycle]

Yanbu op

And it is an utterly sexist remark to say that girls in trousers look scruffy AndNowItsSeven - of course a girl can look scruffy in trousers, so can a boy. But either a girl or a boy will look smart in a neatly presented trouser uniform. Tbh either a girl or a boy will look smart in a neatly presented skirt uniform - but trousers are more practical for being active and being able to fully participate in all activities without worrying about how much is on display so I completely agree with the OP.

[claraschu]

There's a really easy solution to all this angst. Get rid of uniforms.

Children in Holland, for instance, seem to be less obsessed with fashion and less sexist in their attitudes than children here. Their education doesn't seem to suffer. They also seem to develop a sense of personal style, not based on name brands and showing off how rich they are.

I know that having a uniform is supposed to erase class distinctions and stop kids from obsessing over trendy clothes, but it seems to have the opposite effect.

[Nataleejah]

I know that having a uniform is supposed to erase class distinctions and stop kids from obsessing over trendy clothes, but it seems to have the opposite effect.
Exactly. Especially that class differences here are determined by the school itself.

[enterYourPassword]

@OP In case it's been clarified and I missed it, you aren't saying girls have to wear skirts, just that they're an option. In this case, you're being very unreasonable.

I went to a school with a very strict uniform policy and so do my sons. I like it. Girls can wear either shorts or skirts (in the prep school), boys shorts or trousers (depending on the season). All uniform is identical even down to school bags. I think schools without uniform cause all kinds of other issues ie. judging for the wrong trainers, shirts. Girls in trousers can look a little funny once they have hips, boobs and all the other things we're "blessed" with.

@the people -ing at the "under achieving comp", I do see scruffy non-uniforms as part of that image. It may be unfashionable to say, but every one if us associates particular images with articular ideas be they positive or negative.