To ask if boys can wear coloured gingham school shorts?

[Makingitupaswegoalong]

DS starting school in September. I’ve never liked the grey boys’ school shorts. I think they’re horrible.

Could a boy wear the shorts version of the summer dresses in the warmer months? The ones like this:
https://direct.asda.com/george/school/shorts/light-blue-girls-gingham-longer-length-school-shorts/G008057152,default,pd.html?redirectFromInt=1&cmpid=ppc--geor-------_-dskwid-_dm&utm_campaign=pla:Fashion-School-_Performance_Max&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&gclsrc=aw.ds&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=17501196607&gbraid=0AAAAADt8Wcm1oMWVYoBrMZRAaJmY4OxHM&gclid=Cj0KCQjwgIXCBhDBARIsAELC9ZgYG9pdeZibdgD76_xniRBLDqnyyvZArL9DdLA7VsYiWE5zGC1CWE0aAkIFEALw_wcB

The little boys round here wear a lot of brightly coloured patterned leggings.

Why couldn’t they were these shorts? Are they obviously girly? Would people bully him or think we were weird? I just think they’re nicer.

This is an eye opening thread. Absolutely brilliant. MN generally full of 'Gender Critical' people who think gender is a load of bollocks, and yet an absolute no way, no how to a boy wearing blue shorts. Maybe the 'GC' lot just haven't found this thread yet.

If you like them, OP, and he likes them, go for it. Why should boys be grey and boring?

Those shorts like nice for outside of school, whilst the standard uniform shorts will be suitable inside of school.

I think there is real truth in this: children actually like uniform, they just also like to complain about it.

Won't it be right next to the older kids playing though?

It’s a formal setting. Would your husband be happy to wear gingham trousers (if you have a husband who wears a suit to work)?

OP you are just trying to make a statement and the faux naivety is so boring.

Yeah put him in them, let him get bullied, as long as your point is proven right? That’s all that matters and your DC are clearly just there to serve your purpose.

Great parenting right there.

Yes because kids can be horrible. They focus on something different and not the norm. I’ve never seen a boy wear those shorts to school.

I would let him get on with it in standard uniform and then see how he feels. Don’t make him the odd one out from day dot just because you don’t like grey shorts.

As a few others have says, these aren't just girls shorts that are predominately worn by girls under their gingham dresses, but as shorts, kids know that. It really would be very unusual to wear them alone as shorts let alone by a boy. It would be remembered and likely come up for years, just don't do it.

Those shirts are pretty awful for either sex tbh. How can you be offended by plain grey?

My grandson wont wear long school trousers at all - its school shorts whatever the weather - short socks in summer, long socks in winter.

I don't think they are. The girls at our school who wear shorts under dresses wear cycling shorts. These type are only worn as standalone shorts. They'd be really bulky under a dress.

They don't look like uniform to me though. I don't like the look of them on tje girls who do wear them. Never seen a boy in them but I don't think they'd look that ridiculous, no more so than they do on the girls.

When it comes to school, it’s not about you and what you do/don’t like. Technically yes they probably could wear them however none of them do. I’ve only ever seen the girls wear gingham, you’re really setting him up to look different and the other kids are going to view it that he’s wearing girls clothes as none of the boys wear them. It’s really opening up a risk of bullying, do you want that for your son?

Deprends on the uniform list. ours is unisex (everyone can wear trousers , shorts, dresses), so it would be possible.
Loads of girls in grey shorts, some boys in gingham playsuits

Because he will stand out and be 'different'. That's all a bully needs.

Depends on the kid. Mine hated uniform. So naff and uncomfortable.

11 year olds who need to run around in the playground to let off steam being expected to wear ‘business clothes’ (shirts, ties, blazers and stiff shoes).

Lots of people in the workplace don’t dress like that anymore, incl teachers.

We had a situation where Steve Hilton was turning up at 10 Downing Street in his board shorts, while 11 year olds had to turn up for school in the full regalia or get punished.

If there must be uniform, it should at least be comfortable for kids to learn and be physically active, e.g. polo shirts rather than shirt and tie.

As a teacher, I think for the most part kids pick up on difference rather than pick on it when they’re that little. It’s likely that kids would ask about the shorts, talk about them, point at them, go to the teacher about them etc. This isn’t bullying or unkindness, they just notice difference and are inquisitive/want to understand the ‘rules’. They may even say something like “You’re not allowed to wear those” particularly if their parents have said that they have to wear the grey shorts. Some kids can handle that kind of attention and quite like being different and some feel really uncomfortable being singled out for any reason.

Personally, I would put the grey shorts on my kids because they would find the attention way too much. Plus, starting school can be quite overwhelming - I would want them to feel as comfortable as possible and not give them anything additional to worry about as they settle in.

If you worked in Asda and said "can I wear a purple and orange outfit instead of the green outfit" what do you think the response would be?

Uniforms as the name suggests are uniform, all the same. I don't know anyone who liked their school uniform. I really don't understand why he can't wear grey shorts to school and different shorts outside of school. It's not hard.

Yeah I know the land of the brainless on here sometimes.

They look like swimming shorts - on a good day.

Or pants.

Your child would immediately be in the firing line for a mocking nickname.

They shouldn't but would you set your kid up to be bullied?
Boys and girls can wear what they want but most kids don't want to be the one that stands out.

The comments like they'll get stained if a boy wears them (implying that girls don't do physical and muddy play so okay for a girl) just shows how many are NOT gender critical and who live by some weird and fake stereotypes since all as many girls as boys do like playing in the mud or similar and probably enforce them on their children.

Can we have a yawn emoji please Mumsnet?

yes I think it is a shame that uniforms are so bland and colourless particularly for younger kids but I don’t think I’d use my 4 year as the catalyst for change in the hope that it catches on. I think having had 3 boys that it’s more likely they would be teased by their classmates particularly the older ones and I promise you that most kids just want to ‘look like their mates’ hence the same type of clothing even outside of school.
I really wouldn’t do it to him.

Work in a school, none of our boys wear those shorts. Very few of our girls wear those shorts unless they are wearing them under their dresses.

Black or grey shorts are part of our uniform. If a child does not like the more formal shorts we do allow plain black jogging shorts for some of our children.

I would check out the uniform.

As a side point stop supporting plastic uniform. At 40% polyester nobody should be buying it.