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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

girls in shorts???

13 replies

sageygirl · 28/03/2011 14:28

My DD is 4. At the moment she wears trousers to school and refuses skirts, dresses or pinafores. This is just about OK with me and I try hard not to moan at her about it and am generally successful. Last week I bought her older brother some grey school shorts for the summer term. DD was very upset as I hadn't bought her any. She has made it very clear that she wants to wear grey shorts in the summer. I have not laid down any battle lines or stated an opinion to her as yet but would really like her to put on a green check summer dress like all the other girls in her class.

Does anyone anywhere know girls who wear shorts to school in the summer? Am I worrying unnecessarily? Do shops sell infant girls shorts? Will poor DD ever grow out of wanting to be her brother?

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crazygracieuk · 28/03/2011 14:31

I think that culottes or skorts are the girls equivalent or school shorts. You can get gingham blouses.

The girl that I know who doesn't like skirts, wears winter uniform for summer too.(trousers and polo)

sanam2010 · 28/03/2011 14:35

In all the rest of the world girls wear shorts or whatever they want and nobody cares. Of course you should let your daughter wear shorts. Welcome to the 21st century!

Shorts are much better for runnin aroud/climbing trees/cycling etc., dresses and skirts confine girls to standing around on the playground while the boys have fun. It seems like your dd is quite sensitive to the subtle gender discrimination going on or to the role she is being pressed into so if that makes her uncomfortable i don't see any reason why you would force her to wear skirts and dresses.

Original poster

sageygirl · 28/03/2011 14:39

I won't force her to wear shirts / summer dresses or anything else! I will try skorts. Gingham blouses have been rejected already! But if she wants she will wear shorts or trousers. Nonetheless, I'd love her to wear a dress. I know she is her own person and wouldn't dream of forcing dresses on her, but I am am my own person too and would love to see her in a dress.

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exexpat · 28/03/2011 14:40

DD (8) has worn shorts to school for the last three summers. Mostly she just had boys' ones - some old ones of her brother's, but I also bought her some M&S grey cargo-style ones with pockets that she liked. Or I have seen specific girls' shorts (different fit or more culotte-like) in some places like Asda and Next (online).

They are really much more practical for climbing trees, hanging upside down on climbing frames and doing handstands etc - all the things primary-aged girls should be doing.

exexpat · 28/03/2011 14:43

BTW yes, you are worrying unnecessarily - I'd be pleased that she knows her own mind. She has plenty of time to conform to what the other girls are wearing later. Why are you so keen to have her in dresses?

DD doesn't wear skirts or dresses out of school either, and was thrilled at the weekend when I found some old combat-style cropped summer trousers of her brother's that fit her now. But she does like messing around with make-up and nail varnish...

SylvanianFamily · 28/03/2011 14:59

It's not a drama.

At about this age my (reception) Dd told the hairdresser she wanted a boy cut. The hairdresser basically refused - said she didn't want the tears if she 'changed her mind' - fobbed her off with a jaw length bob.

A few weeks later, I found Dd in her room hacking at her hair with scissors. I relented and cut it short-short for her myself.

She looked great, loved it, and really worked her 'boy look for about six months (taking pride in dressing all in blue etc). Haircut time came round again, and she said that she'd like to grow it longer now. It was a phase. Kind of empowering in a way, I felt - maybe because at school it was just the stage where the freindship groups started to fracture by gender.

IndigoBell · 28/03/2011 15:26

You can get girl's school uniform shorts at M&S and Debenhams and other places.

The kids with the very yummy mummy's wear them at my school :)

MrsH75 · 28/03/2011 15:34

I love them in shorts, they look really smart I think.

skybluepearl · 28/03/2011 19:21

yes maybe a handful

Mamaz0n · 28/03/2011 19:24

DD has grey school shorts that she adores. she is a very girly girl but seems to prefer either trousers or shorts.

I think she looks really cool and quite funky in them. I love that none of the other girls wear them and yet she still loves them.

IndigoBell · 28/03/2011 21:27

Oh, and yes she will grow out of wanting to be her brother :)

My youngest 2 are very close in age, and DS was desperate to be a girl like DD. He spent a whole year wearing her dresses and doing ballet etc....

Once he started reception, and all the girls from ballet turned out to be in his class, he very quickly grew out of it

So I think this year is the year your DD will grow out of it too.

cheesesarnie · 28/03/2011 21:37

my dd aged 10 wears shorts from next.she doesn't like the school skirts or culottes.

Original poster

sageygirl · 28/03/2011 22:52

Thanks everyone, I'll get her what she wants, which is generally easy to do as she is very clear (and often very loud) about what clothes she likes.

Don't quite make the yummy mummy band, which fortunately is small to non-existent at the DC's primary, but like the idea of my DD being smart for a change.

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