To think that leggings as school uniform is not 'lazy parenting'?

[NewStateswoman]

Had a bit of a debate last night with a friend.

My DD wears black leggings to school. Her school isn't that strict about uniform; ties are optional, polo shirts are normal, etc. They do a daily mile run and lots of outdoors activities, and gym 3 times a week.

She's comfortable in leggings, they keep her warm, so that's what she wears (sometimes - she also has skirts and a summer dress).

But my friend was very scathing about the leggings! She says it's lazy parenting, to which I asked in which way I was a lazy parent for sending my daughter to school in comfortable clothes which adhere to the dress code.

She had no reply; essentially she just doesn't like leggings. It's sloppy, apparently, to let kids wear leggings, but other forms of black trousers are ok. I think she assumes it's to save me on ironing, maybe? Which it isn't.

So AIBU to let my daughter go to school in leggings?

I think a lot of kids just want to be comfortable so go for leggings. I'm shocked though. On an old mumsnet name I'd mentioned DD wore leggings to school for comfort, I was ripped to pieces for it. Maybe it's ok now?!

I think it's fine, DDs school allow it. A lot of DDs friends wear leggings with their boots during winter/spring term. Most are in dresses now, but I think they also look tidier that some of the children who have badly fitting trousers.

Salmon On a side note, in schools where there is not a uniform, it's a constant battle to get people to respect the dress code. Yes, even without a uniform, pupils are expected to have a certain standard. It's much easier to have uniforms.

I beg to differ.

I am in the US and my DCs went to /go to a public high school. There is of course no uniform, and a reasonable dress code that states no offensive slogans, no exposed midriffs, no hats in the building, no outerwear in class, no flip flops. Infractions are met with the issuance of a school PE t-shirt and/or shorts to wear over whatever you wore to school that was objectionable. the vast majority of the time, students manage to choose perfectly appropriate clothing for the school environment, for the weather, and to express their own personal taste.

Their previous school (K-8) had a uniform and clothes were quite a battle once they turned 12 or so, partly because civvy days were so special that the students tended to obsess about what to wear on those occasions, but partly because the school admin itself was so obsessed with appearance that they issued detailed instructions accompanied by drawings of what acceptable clothing looked like before trips to a musical, an opera, etc. It was ridiculous.

DD4 owns five pairs of leggings and one pair of jeans, and wears those in rotation to school daily.

Plunkette Most American schools have no uniform of any kind. All those pupils still mange to adhere to the dress code or uniform standards of their employers when they start work. It's not difficult, you don't need to learn it in school.

Amen to that. I have no doubt that DD4(15) will follow her older sisters and brother along the path of making sound sartorial choices when the time comes. Meanwhile, she is making great strides in applying makeup and won't be a novice by any means when she needs to be presentable.

A 6 year old in leggings in school is perfectly fine. Anyone who thinks otherwise has too much time on her hands and too much space between the ears. Even in the elementary school the DCs attended, leggings were acceptable in cold weather as substitutes for tights, under skirts. Also acceptable outside the building were fleece pajama trousers in any colour. We get cold winters here. Uniform or dress codes should always be practical imo.

DD4 owns five pairs of leggings and one pair of jeans, and wears those in rotation to school daily*

She wears the leggings as she would any other trousers/jeans. No tunic or anything else covers her rear end besides the leggings unless she chooses a lumberjack shirt. She looks perfectly fine and so do the hundreds of others who do the same.

Math is right. Our school district has a dress code which covers from Kindergarten right through high school. It's very minimal e.g. All pupils must wear closed toe shoes.

Kids come in shorts, dresses, shirts, t-shirts, sports clothes, skirts, leggings and trousers. .

Mostly they dress sensibly for the heat and practically for daily PE.

The local teenagers wear a wide variety of age appropriate and fairly sensible things.

At the school I work at leggings are not allowed and as school uniform they look horrendous. The children are always trying to get away with wearing skin tight trousers - at high school I think this sends out the wrong message to male students and also staff and people they may see going to/from school. Primary school is not so bad when kids are still 'kids' but as soon as girls start developing they should not be allowed to wear them nor wish to show everything imo.

What kind of message does it send out to male students?

You have no business working in a school and being around impressionable children with that kind of attitude

My little girl often wears black leggings. School trousers never fit her nicely (she's tall and slim with a teeny waist) she says they're more comfy then tights and skirts x

I realise I am late to this but I love your idea so much NewStateswoman that it's overtaken Mumsnet Judgy Pants at top of my wishlist.

Please make these. Even better Mumsnet please make these so we can all have one. We're all doing our best and that's good enough. Feeling a bit emotional ...

lola you've got to be shitting me. Why they hell should girls hide their bodies in case make staff get 'the wrong idea?'

In fact, please do enlighten me: what exactly is the wrong idea?

It's this kind of attitude that sees wee girls dressed in floral blouses and compulsory tights, lest they either have fun or tempt adult males.

As long as it is in the school colours of grey or navy blue (perhaps black as some school allows) and it serves s purpose as keeping her warm then why not. Her are children who go in with school shoes and boots that are it in keeping with the uniform along with hair accessories that are ridiculous at some schools. My daughter sometimes where's leggings but it is all in keeping with the uniform colours and it's for her warmth and mainly only during winter time. I would t worry about what this friend thinks as as long as your child us clean and neat and tidy for school that all that matters.

I hate school uniforms these days, most are way too fussy. Your friend needs to mind her own business.

I hate school uniforms these days, most are way too fussy.
Teacher here and I agree. Some local schools to us are ridiculous.

The longer I'm in teaching the more I come to the conclusions that uniforms tend to end up being tightly prescribed because some parents can't get their head around how to follow a looser uniform.

E.g. when I was at school it was black trousers/skirt, school tie, white shirt and school jumper (or generic coloured jumper). Outdoor coat and black school shoes.
Other than them saying 'roll your skirt down', and reminding us that fitted shirts weren't ok we managed.

But you look on some uniform threads here and you have people kitting their kids out like it's a fashion show trying to argue that uggs boots, black jeans for boys, clingy mini skirts, trainers (and trainers disguised to pass as shoes), leggings style trousers etc are all uniform. So schools say "fine it all has to be done through our shop".

I'm not sure I'd say lazy but I like my kids to look smart and leggings most certainly are not smart. I don't think they are acceptable for school except for winter outdoor pe

Do they really run for a mile every day - aged 6?

Probably not far off Tw1nsetAndPearls
One of my colleagues had one of those fitness trackers and she did more than thay in a day (we work in schools), and the kids charge about at break/lunch too and maybe walk to and from school too.

It wouldn't surprise me if they do more than a mile a day.

I can see a mile in the course of a normal day but that is a bit different from running for a mile flat.

It is a long time since I had a five year old though. I looked up the link above and it seems popular and a good idea

Lots of kids wear leggings and polo and cardio to school. Looks fine and is totally practical.

Their polis tend to come down to tops of legs - I've seen a few touching the waistband but it still wouldn't bother me.

And you can get thick leggings. I've got normal thickness black ones and a really nice pair of thick black ones

Yes, they do laps around the playground after lunch. I think my lunch would make a reappearance!

For those asking about the mile thing - look up the daily mile or golden mile. It was an initiative started by a HT to raise fitness and it's proven to increase concentration.

We do it at our school - all pupils take part and because it's a sld/pmld school those pupils in wheelchairs get taken around by their carers. It's a real social time for us where we get to interact with pupils from around the school too.

Sounds fab!!! I'd love that for dds.

Early years uniform at DD's school -just for comparison
(Taken from website).

Which progresses to this. Definitely no leggings allowed!

Careful those look a bit short don't wanna give the wrong idea to male students now

www.mrlincoln.com/images/Programs-School2.jpg

Kindergarten group at a school near me.