S/O Did YOU wear shorts under skirts/dresses?

[TwinFoxes]

I've been reading the other thread on and off, and I am really surprised at the overwhelming number of people who answered yes their daughters wear shorts under their dresses/skirts. I'm especially surprised that schools mandate this.

When I was little, I never wore shorts under my dress. If I was wearing a dress I didn't play on the monkey bars that day. And if I sat cross-legged, I tucked my dress in front so no one could see my undies. Same with the other girls in my class. My grandma (who lived with us) was big on "sitting like a lady" so I knew how to keep my business covered. It wouldn't have mattered if I had shorts on or not, I was supposed to sit like a lady.

So I'm curious, did you ladies all wear shorts under your dresses? Until about what age?

[HIU8]

Nope. I rarely wore dresses to school unless it was a special occassion though, b/c I hated having to think about that stuff etc... (for me it was just one more thing to "keep tabs on" during the day that I didn't want to be bothered with).

[lizzywednesday]

I attended Catholic grammar school and wore a school uniform (K-3 jumper and blouse; 4-8 skirt, vest & blouse) from Kindergarten through the 8th grade.

The only time I wore shorts underneath was if we had gym that day so I wouldn't have to show off my undies to the other kids in class (we all changed together below the 4th grade.)

We didn't have playground equipment, so monkey bars were never an issue.
Sitting cross-legged was also a non-issue as the skirts were long enough to cover everything anyway.

When I hit high school, I wore jeans until I couldn't find any that fit. Then broomstick skirts came back into fashion and I wore those all day ... but climbing around didn't matter anymore, because I was 15 by then.

Although, I did wear a pair of red Umbro brand shorts under my field hockey uniform - field hockey players wear skirts.

Now, I've got a couple of Spandex skorts I bought from Izod for walking in the 2-Day I do every year, but there's not much difference between those and bike shorts for me. (I wear skorts to eliminate the possibility of thigh-slap chafing if I wore a skirt.)

[ladysoapmaker]

No, I didn't wear shorts under my skirts when I was younger. But then again after I left Catholic school in the 6th grade I think I work a skirt or dress less then 20 times before I graduated from high school. At Cathlolic school we had no playground equipment and I really don't remember it being an issue by that time.

Jen

[KHF]

I didn't when I was younger, but I do now :bag: I have the aforementioned thigh chafing issue. The shorts do wonders for that.

[AnnieW625]

At my public elementary school in the 80s (82-89) it wasn't mandatory and no one made a big deal about it, but it was common knowledge that if you were wearing a dress you probably should'nt use the swings or the monkey bars. Now 10 years later when my sister started girls wore leggings, shorts, and capris under dresses all the time. I loved to wear dresses and wore them for most of elementary school by choice at least once a week. I also loved coulots and gauchos because it was wearing shorts that were like a skirt.

[mousemom]

I wore jumpers/skirts every day for school from 5 till I graduated high school and never wore shorts under my skirts. Neither did most of my friends, although i did know a few in hs who chose to wear boxers underneath. We played on playground equipment and ran around in the gym/park for recess with no second thoughts about it. We did change to shorts/pants for our official gym classes. We sat cross-legged all the time and the skirts were always long/loose enough to cover us up. (they were supposed to be knee-length, although of course some pushed that in hs.) The only time I remember even thinking about it was when we were practicing for some ceremony and some of the students were to be sitting on a stage in front of a group of parents. Students in the front row were instructed how to sit so that they wouldn't be showing off their undies throughout the ceremony.

As an adult, I enjoy wearing skirts partially because I like that they often feel less restrictive than pants.

[lizzywednesday]

I didn't when I was younger, but I do now :bag: I have the aforementioned thigh chafing issue. The shorts do wonders for that.

So do Spanx.

[vludmilla]

Nope and I don't plan to start.

[brittone2]

Never. I'm sure by the time I was school-age my mom discussed ideas on how to "sit like a lady" LOL, but I don't remember anyone ever making a big deal out of it.

[KHF]

So do Spanx.

What I wear are actually knockoff Spanx :)

[MommyAllison]

Yes, I did, though the school didn't require it. Made playing on the playground much easier!

[kijip]

No. But I didn't wear skirts to school after about 2nd grade until I was in high school. From ages 7-14, I only wore dresses to church and big parties and only if I had to.

[ThreeofUs]

I wear bike shorts under skirts when I'm out and about with my kids. Now.

[mariza]

I went to Catholic school for 12 years and yes, I wore shorts. Maybe not in the 1st grade but I clearly remember wearing them as early as 3rd grade. The boys were always flipping up girls skirts and if you didn't want your stuff showing, you wore shorts. I wore them all the way through HS even though I went to an all girls HS, but we all did at that point for various reasons.

[bubbaray]

I'm impressed that so many of you can remember what you wore during school-years. I can't remember what I wore yesterday!

ETA: I did wear "liners" or matching bottoms under some dresses. Then again, I was a kid in an era where little girls wore insanely short dresses.

[maestramommy]

I think I did only a couple of times, if my skirt was rather short, and I was going to be active.

My girls don't wear shorts under their skirts. Although I'm considering it because they are always living their skirt!

[citymama]

I didn't wear shorts under dresses ever, and I've seen some pics of me with the really short kiddie dresses the 70s were famous for! So it is a bit of a double standard that my DD wears bike shorts most of the time.

[SnuggleBuggles]

No, never.

Beth

[MaiseyDog]

sure did- Even in the early 80's, my elementry and junior high, all required girls to wear shorts under their skirts and dresses.

[MontrealMum]

No. I only remember so specifically because my mom was really upset that it was actually forbidden at my school to wear short under skirts/dresses. I went to Catholic school and had to wear a uniform - uniform pants and top, or the typical plaid jumper. Most of us hated the jumper, but were required to wear it on the day of the week we had Mass. Any other day you were fine wearing pants. My class' gym day was that same day, so you see the issue. I left after gr. 6 so the inevitable hiking up and rolling over of the skirt to produce a mini was never an issue - our skirts were relatively long.

[Melaine]

I'm impressed that so many of you can remember what you wore during school-years. I can't remember what I wore yesterday!



:yeahthat:
So true. I know I wore really long, Laura-Ingalls like dresses (I was a big fan) but this is when I was late elementary school age. When I was younger, I'm not sure what I wore under dresses, if anything.

I guess I want my girls to have the freedom/comfort of pants with the fun/girly-ness of dresses and wearing shorts beneath seems to be a happy medium to me.

[cono0507]

I wore the typical catholic school jumper up through 8th grade and wore shorts underneath pretty much every day. Once I was no longer swinging on the jungle gym, I still wanted the shorts in case my skirt flew up in the wind or something.

[C99]

I am totally laughing because today, I am wearing a dress. And yes, I am wearing spanky pants underneath! I normally do not, but will if I am either wearing something short or will be running around with the kids/sitting in grass/being pulled halfway across a field by my skirt as I was today.

[Nooknookmom]

Dresses on me???=a nasty wresteling match between my Mom & myself, ack! I absolutely hated wearing dresses/skirts. Still do, I can play dress up once in a while but inside I am dying for my jeans.

My oldest wore them alot and wore bike shorts underneath. She was a girlie girl/tomboy combo.

In fact she just had on a dress yesterday w/ jean shorts underneath, she's a freshman now. She say's its easier than worrying about how to sit!

[BelleoftheBallFlagstaff]

He!! YA! I totally wore BIKER SHORTS! Can you say e-i-g-h-t-i-e-s-!

[essnce629]

I also went to Catholic school my whole life and I definately remember wearing shorts under my jumpers in my younger elementary years. I loved hanging upside down on the monkey bars so shorts were a must. We were also allowed to climb the trees in my school! Once I got older and spent my recess talking with my friends instead of climbing around I didn't wear shorts any more. So I guess my shorts under skirts period lasted from about kindergarten to 4th grade.

[Asianmommy]

I never wore shorts under my dresses. They were knee-length or longer, and I was careful to cover up--I don't remember ever hanging upside down.

[infomama]

nope, never wore shorts under dresses.

[doberbrat]

Never. I was expected to know how to sit properly. I remember being in 2nd grade and our class put on a play. I played the guitar and sat cross legged and my grandmother was LIVID that I sat cross legged on stage and my panties were visible for all to see. Not one word of pride over my playing, too furious that I didnt arrange my clothes properly or sit differently.

[Gena]

I went to Catholic school and wore uniform jumpers/skirts every day. Almost all the girls in my class put shorts on underneath when it was time for recess. We were a pretty active group had had a lot of competitions over who who could do the best/most flips from the top of the monkey bars. The boys would definately tease a girl whose underwear was showing. So we didn't wear shorts underneath all day, just at recess.

[BabyMine]

I was a tomboy growing up so dresses were almost nonexistent in my closet. The only dresses I had were for church and I never wore shorts under them.

[michellerw]

I went to Catholic school for 12 years and yes, I wore shorts. Maybe not in the 1st grade but I clearly remember wearing them as early as 3rd grade. The boys were always flipping up girls skirts and if you didn't want your stuff showing, you wore shorts. I wore them all the way through HS even though I went to an all girls HS, but we all did at that point for various reasons.

I went to Catholic school for 12 years as well and I wore shorts (boxer shorts were preferred) under my kilt in middle school and early upper school. By the middle of 10th grade, I stopped. Our uniforms were actual kilts that buttoned on the side and we rolled them up/taped them/hemmed them/stapled them as short as possible, so shorts usually were a good way to ensure you didn't show anything more than you should.

Honestly, I found boxers uncomfortable by the time I was a teenager and I'd learned how to sit like a lady. I should add that the boxers and/or gym shorts in the younger years (it was a speed thing when changing for gym class) were sort of part of the minimum self-expression we were allowed. We could compare patterns on our boxers, etc.

[MamaKath]

My dresses were much longer than the ones kids wear now when I was little. I do remember having some super cute bloomers for underneath them.

I wear skirts often now and I do wear bike shorts underneath. DD wears either skorts or skirts with shorts underneath as well.

[jent]

I remember this clearly because it was a BIG issue when I was growing up: my mom always wanted me to wear more skirts/dresses and I always refused because I knew it would limit my options on the playground. For some reason, wearing shorts was just not done. The dresses-with-leggings look was not popular until I was high school age or so and not into the monkey bars anymore.