6ft tall 12 year old DD getting skirt length violations

[TooTallDD]

I’m really annoyed about this and I am one who is normally in favour of strict uniform rules.

DD is 12 and at a Catholic school in Australia that supplies uniforms from its own school shop. DD is a 6 ft tall beanpole and wears her correct size which is the second smallest size available. The skirt is pleated and tartan with only a couple of millimetres in hemline. She has just received her second uniform violation as her skirt sits just above the knee when it is meant to be knee length. DD is always in the full correct uniform and never gets into any trouble.

I am thinking of emailing the school and putting it back on them- DD is wearing the correct uniform skirt from the school’s uniform shop, she does not shorten it in any way and if the school has an issue, the school needs to take it up with their uniform supplier and ask them to supply skirts for tall girls or at least add some hemline material that can be let down. (Although the pleats would make this challenging)

Is this a good approach? I’m ropable because in 1992 shy, quiet 6 ft tall me was hauled in front of a school assembly for a skirt length dressing down when I was also wearing the school skirt that had been fully let down. My mum sorted that with a phone call and I want to sort this for DD.

Damned right take this up with the school. If you had any choice in the skirt, fair enough, but you don’t

they need to make their skirts longer

I had similar with my 15yo son and his school shirts keep untucking any time he raised his arm. The year head tried to give him after school detentions. I objected and year head doubled down, sending a shitty email at 10pm.

I complained to the head teacher and suggested that if this was a problem then the school could pay the £30 a shirt cost x 5 for the adult shirt equivalent I’d need to buy to replace the shirts 2 months from the end of term, when they’d not even been worn much due to the pandemic

school backed down.

That's what I was thinking, though my mum is the only person I ever have heard use that phrase 😅

My mother used to do this for me, but we eventually reached the stage that the bigger sizes just had the same skirt length.

Fortunately, the uniform code just stipulated a plain grey skirt, so Mum made one and I then began to wear skirts for adults, but even then it was difficult to source the right length.

I have flashbacks to my three going through the school uniform shop. Appointments had to be made and the the shop manager would bring out the budget busting uniforms and lay them out with a flourish. My kids were raised in Queensland (where if it goes below 22 degrees people put on a jumper). Felt formal hats (boater for one of them). Long trousers for the boys in Summer. Felt blazers. It was all so old school. It is just the way things are done.

Op - talk to the uniform shop, or buy the bigger size and have it tailored.

Ropeable. Excellent Aussie saying.

She absolutely should complain to the school, this is not the DD or OP's fault.

It isn't 'bolshy' to complain about this - it's just normal. I say this as someone who used to complain about things at school and was made to feel like a difficult person. Schools have a tendency to do this.

I’d speak to uniform shop get them to confirm longest length is one she has and then contact school.
I’d not have any nonsense.
DD is wearing a skirt from supplier. She’s in correct waist size and uniform supplier has confirmed to me today they don’t supply longer length. She’s 6ft so of course it will sit differently to a shorter girl.
Can you confirm date uniform shop will have longer length in stock and I’ll buy one as soon as it is stocked.
In interim please do no single out or penalise dd.

Bigger waist size doesn’t always mean longer length. I had issue with tall dd in a catholic primary. They switched supplier and new ones were much shorter. I remember emailing head with photos showing difference and they took it up with supplier.

What I never understood is why dont all the parents pull together and have these ridiculous rules changed.

I enjoy sewing and often customise my clothes and alter them to fit. But I wouldn't feel confident about altering a pleated skirt in this way - it would be difficult to make sure it hung correctly, for one thing, and you'd need to put in a new zip.

On principle, the OP should not have to make complicated alterations to the supplied skirt. Letting down a hem or moving a button, sure, but not 'structural alterations'.

The school has three options:

• accept the skirt will be shorter on OP's DD and other tall/long legged girls
• supply a skirt of the length required
• allow OP to source an alternative skirt, as near to the regulation one as she can reasonably find, of the right length.

OP - I would give the school a closed choice on those options. If they want the skirt tailored to fit, they can source and pay for a tailor - not you!

Yes complain to the school and ask them to take it up with the uniform manufacturer. We had similar and my daughter was sent to detention due to her skirt length. Like you, I was livid and complained. The school did let her off her detention. Put it back on them to resolve.

Im furious, because i, like you was singled out. I was shy too. I was 5ft9 so not even that tall.
This isn't about the skirt. Theyre basically picking on her because shes tall. Thats not okay.

My mum went into the school and reminded them that firstly my knees on display shouldn't be high on the list of priorities. And secondly when we'd asked if i could wear a long skirt, they refused ( yet it was fine for the Muslim girls).

Call them up and tell them to stop bullying her. Being tall is wonderful, she shouldn't be shamed for it. I would absolutely not be inclined to faff about with skirt adjustments

Why are you even asking?

She is complying with the schools uniform policy, supplied from their own shop - yet still being punished.

Why would you write a thread on this when you could have spent the time writing to the school? Do you struggle with asserting yourself?

^ This (and I really don't understand why you didn't do this after the first time she was told off).

As an aside, I'd be really worried about her being this tall at aged 12. She has a long way to grow yet. Has she been seen by a consultant about this?

This rings bells. I have a 5’11” 15yo at a UK school with a single length, tiny-hem pleated kilt. Hers is inevitably way above the stipulated “knee-length”. School recently introduced a new system: any girl getting three skirt codes would be required to change into a pair of school trousers. Not sure if they are to be trousers from Lost Property or from a stock kept specially for this purpose but ROFL. Let them try! With a 36” inside leg, school trousers are mid-calf length on her. She’s already said she’s looking forward to refusing to wear them. Funnily enough, although other girls have been ordered into them, DD - despite repeated skirt codes 🙄😡 - has not. OP: you should absolutely stand your ground but I get the sense you will!

Are you a doctor? Why is it worrying?

I agree. I would have phoned them after the first occurrence.

its just genetics - her mum was tall at her age, so her daughter has got the same height genes.

No need to worry about this. It’s not especially unusual for girls to have done most of their height-growing by that age - I am the same height now as I was at that age, I got tall v quickly then stayed there. And her mum said that she was also 6ft at a similar age. Sounds v much like good old genetics.

I kept in touch with the DM of one of my pupils as he moved to the Senior School; he was already a big lad, like his DF, and well past the 6' mark as he reached early teens. Mum managed to sort out day-to-day uniform (including size 12 shoes), partly by stocking up when visiting relatives in the USA, but sports kit was an issue; only one supplier allowed, and they simply did not offer regulation kit in school colours in his size. So she got the best approximation she could, only to be berated by the sports department, very keen on exact colourways (independent school).
She replied that he wanted nothing more than to fit in, and was at the deeply self-conscious stage. As well as Dad's height, he inherited Mum's fiery red hair, so this was always going to be tricky. She explained how she coped with his everyday uniform by relying on American manufacturers, and if they could direct her to a supplier for sports kit, she would happily comply. The issue was not raised again.

I think it’s appalling but I would prob get the bigger size and let her wear it below waiste line. Did the shop fit her? If yes I would be asking for refund if it did not make school requirements.

Geeezus my 12 year old is 1.3m tall lol 😆