Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that 'cartwheel' shorts for girls are unnecessary!?

103 replies

Badgoushk · 07/02/2017 20:44

So, GAP are selling cartwheel shorts for girls.
www.gap.co.uk/browse/product.do?cid=1075544&vid=1&pid=000452255005
Since when has it become inappropriate for a girl to do a cartwheel without wearing said modesty shorts?!

OP posts:
VioletRoar · 07/02/2017 20:46

God they're scraping the barrel for ideas aren't they? I feel a bit embarrassed for them.

KATE3003 · 07/02/2017 20:50

Awful! It wouldn't have bothered me if they had been for teens / pre-teens (if they wanted to wear them!) but they only go up to age 5. Absolutely ridiculous to think such young girls would need / think they need such items,..

VikingVolva · 07/02/2017 20:50

Even on the UK site, the reviews seem to be from US.

Unless you gave a girl who loses her knickers frequently, and you think she might hang on to these a bit better, I really can't see the point.

DubiousCredentials · 07/02/2017 20:50

What a load of shite. Knickers cover the necessary bits, why do knickers need covering too?

FarAwayHills · 07/02/2017 20:51

DDs school asks that they wear their PE shorts under school summer dress when cartwheeling on the school field. Didn't realise that their was special cartwheel shortsHmm

FarAwayHills · 07/02/2017 20:52

*there

harderandharder2breathe · 07/02/2017 20:58

Are there going to be special "sitting cross legged on the floor" shorts too? Or special "climbing trees" knickers?

It's ridiculous. When I was at school by about year 5 (age 9/10) the girls wore shorts under our gym skirts for PE. I only did cause everyone else did but in infants we did PE in our knickers and vests. I do understand things have moved on. But there's nothing offensive about a split second of a small child's knickers showing while they're upside down. I'd be too busy being impressed at the cartwheel (something I could never do) to worry about their knickers.

If a child doesn't like wearing knickers for whatever reason, then shorts under a skirt would be a good idea (or just wear the shorts and a t shirt and have done with it).

reallyanotherone · 07/02/2017 20:59

Do they realise that we're not in the 19c anymore and girls can wear trousers or shorts these days?

Do schools not have equal uniform where girls can wear what the boys do if they want to cartwheel?

I despair.

Yura · 07/02/2017 21:11

Coming from a culture where showing ones underwear is considered to be very rude (yes, boys as well) and seeing that most girls seem to wear skirts to school In the uk, i like the idea (little girls wear trousers, or if it has to be a skirt they usually have integrated shorts, real skirts are for special occasions and for older girls).
For me, seeing underwear is a bit like somebody yawning with nothing covering their mouth, or chewing with their mouth wide open.
Might not be a product for everybody, but if I had girls, they would wear these! Allows them to blend in (wearing a skirt) and be what I consider polite. Win-win

Original poster
Badgoushk · 07/02/2017 21:27

Hi Yura, may I ask what culture you're from? It's fascinating how different parts of the world are so diverse on things like this.

OP posts:
FourKidsNotCrazyYet · 07/02/2017 21:32

When my daughter was primary age neither her nor I were bothered about her knickers being on show momentarily. As she got older and puberty hit she felt happier wearing cycling shorts under her dresses. I'm assuming that's just what these are but in better colours than black.

Original poster
Badgoushk · 07/02/2017 21:35

These ones start at 12-18 months. I just don't think that very young girls should be worrying about this stuff. I understand the need for when they hit puberty. It seems like we as adults are offended by knickers when they are innocent on a young child.

OP posts:
Notenoughimagination · 07/02/2017 21:36

I think showing underwear is a lack of privacy really. It's not appropriate at all so shorts under skirts is a good idea and if I had a girl would insist on her wearing shirts underneath her skirt.

Growing up I always wore skirts and wore shorts always. I still only wear dresses but I'm not a child so aren't going to be accidentally showing my underwear!

I do come from a religious culture though.

Yura · 07/02/2017 21:38

Too identifying to say exactly where I'm from, but it is Western Europe.
Nobody would take offence at a child showing underwear, but you would not be impressed with the parenting (much like a 4 year old speaking with their mouth full of food - it's not the child's fault it hasn't been taught manners, but yuck! ).
No diapers on show either btw as they are "underwear"

choli · 07/02/2017 21:42

These ones start at 12-18 months. I just don't think that very young girls should be worrying about this stuff

I very much doubt that girls that age ARE worrying about this stuff. It is the parents that put them in these clothes.

Do UK schools not give girls a trousers option with the school uniform?

OverAndAbove · 07/02/2017 21:49

I'm betting your average 12-18 month old can't do anything like a cartwheel, surely?!

choli · 07/02/2017 21:57

I'm betting your average 12-18 month old can't do anything like a cartwheel, surely?!*
But they can damage society by showing their underwear inadvertently. Apparently ;-)

Petalbird · 07/02/2017 22:05

Hmm can't make up my mind. Think it maybe a good idea if you have a girl like our dsd which likes to constantly lift her dress above her knickers when walking around shame the are too small for her

Original poster
Badgoushk · 07/02/2017 22:07

I must be shameless. I don't think there's anything wrong with a child showing a flash of knickers.

OP posts:
ceeveebee · 07/02/2017 22:09

Before I clicked the link I thought they were going to be skorts i.e. Shorts sewn in under a skirt which Boden and Jojo mamon babe have been doing for ages.
But these are just shorts - my DD has some similar that she just wears as, um.. shorts?

What's the difference between these and those frilly matching nappy covers that you get with some dresses?

reallyanotherone · 07/02/2017 22:10

Where does the logic follow though....

Little girls must were skirts/dresses if they refuse, maybe we should get them counselling for trans issues

When they wear skirts, they must wear shorts to cover their underwear, as they might sexually arouse nearby males.

The message being that girls are responsible for not allowing males to look at their pants, and for the sexual behaviour of males. Also that they must behave like girls and wear dresses and girl clothes, or they may be confused with boys.

Fuck it. Let the girls just wear the shorts without having to add skirts and female trappings. Or let them tuck the skirts in their knickers and flash a bit of underwear. Maybe nearby men and boys could not look, or not be stimulated.

I think we've gone backwards a few hundred years.

5OBalesofHay · 07/02/2017 22:16

What's wrong with pants? I thought they were there to cover your genitals. Why do pants need to be covered?

beachbodyunready · 07/02/2017 22:16

Don't really see the need for these knicker covering skirts but there not new Boden have been selling skorts for years, with the tag line 'perfect for cartwheels'.

NewtScamandersNaughtyNiffler · 07/02/2017 22:17

When I was at Primary school we used to spend most of lunch time hanging upside down on the wooden playhouse with our dressed over our heads. The boys used to laugh and run away.
My mums favourite photo of me I'm kneeling in a field with my dress pulled up to my face, knickers on display.

I can't see the harm. The knickers are covering anything that shouldn't be seen. They don't need to be covered too Confused

I've noticed girls wearing shorts/leggings under their dresses since dc started primary school in 2008.

FrancisCrawford · 07/02/2017 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.