Source : ABC NEWS
Zoe, 18, quit PE as soon as she could. She says it was because of her sports uniform.
“I felt like I was way too exposed,” she says.
“Some girls who did have wider hips would have also felt that way about the shorts, so a lot of us would restrict ourselves when we were actually moving.”
As an adult, Zoe says it’s still difficult to find activewear that makes her feel comfortable and confident.
“Going to the gym now, I would feel uncomfortable in gym outfits, so I would wear a lot of baggy stuff,” she says.
Zoe, right, with Nejla and Sophie, has struggled to find sportswear she likes. (ABC Adelaide: Lincoln Rothall)
Studies in Australia and overseas show that a big percentage of girls drop out of sport when they become teenagers.
In Australia, by the time girls hit the age of 15, only 23 per cent play organised sport, and teenage boys are three times more likely than teenage girls to get the recommended 60 minutes of exercise each day.
One of the contributing factors to this is the clothes they have to wear.
Nejla, 18, who plays lacrosse, has noticed the decline in girls’ participation as she has gotten older, and believes that how they feel in their sportswear plays a massive role.
“I feel like it’s very difficult to find activewear that makes you feel good … things ride up a lot,” she says.
“I’ve experienced a lot of girls stopping playing sport when they reach a certain age, where they feel like it’s not worth it anymore.
“They can’t put in the effort they want to put in.”
How uniforms have changed in sport
Comfort and practicality haven’t always been top priorities for women’s sportswear.
Up until the early 20th century, women were expected to take to the field, pitch or court in full skirts and even swim fully clothed.
In the 1890s, netball was created for women as a modified version of basketball, so they could play while adhering to the dress conventions at the time — ankle-length skirts and wrist-length shirts.
While a lot has changed since then, it wasn’t until 2022 that Netball Australia updated its uniform guidelines to give players the option to wear longer sleeves, as well as shorts and long pants.
In recent years, some sporting codes have made more of an effort to pay attention to what women actually want to wear.
Considerations around menstrual cycles led to the AFLW ditching white shorts in 2022 and Swimming Australia updating its rules to allow athletes to wear layers of period protection under their swimsuits when competing.
But many, such as Myah, Emily and Melika, say they still don’t feel comfortable in their sportswear.
Myah, Emily and Melika aren’t fans of their sports uniforms. (ABC Adelaide: Lincoln Rothall)
“It’s really bad,” says Myah, 16, about her school sports uniform.
“It’s got a really low cut ‘v’, and it’s really ugly.”
“Yeah, the low cut is bad — if you lean over, you can just, like, see down it,” Emily, 15, adds.
“If they [girls] are scared to lean over, they’re not going to want to learn, and [will] avoid classes to not have to wear their uniform,” Melika, 16, says.
Asked what they would change about the uniform, all three had plenty of ideas — adding pockets was one of them.
“Also, maybe like a jacket and pants, as well, for when it’s cold,” Emily says.
“Better sizes so it fits better, and better shorts,” Melika says.
“I’d probably make the uniform for both volleyball and soccer more fitted, so it fits nicer and doesn’t make us look like cereal boxes,” Myah says.
“If someone’s not feeling confident in what they’re wearing, they’re honestly not going to do their best.”
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Confidence and body image
Rasha, 30, remembers feeling like her school sports uniform wasn’t really designed with adolescent girls in mind.
“Especially if you’re a teenager, confidence is a big thing,” she says.
“I think that’s why you sometimes see teenagers — females — dropping sports, because they’re not feeling comfortable and their bodies are also changing.”
Kuwani and Rasha say the way sports uniforms are designed can affect girls’ confidence. (ABC Adelaide: Lincoln Rothall)
Thinking back to her time at school, Kuwani, 29, says the main problem was that sports uniforms didn’t account for variations in body types, so that would often make people feel self-conscious or insecure.
“It was a ‘one size’ sort of style — yeah, sure, it came in different sizes, but it didn’t shape people nicely, it didn’t fit comfortably,” she says.
“I think it’s nice to have a uniform so that you’re feeling a part of the community.
“It’s one step towards making everyone feel included and part of a collective team, but then if they’re not going to shape it to each individual person, that can get really tricky.”
A study by Victoria University found that body image was an important factor in whether girls continued to play sport as they got older.
As a result, hundreds of Australian girls were interviewed to find out what they wanted from their uniforms, and what would encourage them to play sport.
What girls want to wear
The findings show 90 per cent of girls want to wear shorts instead of skirts; they don’t want to feel overexposed; and they want sportswear designed specifically for them, not just unisex clothing.
They also want dark-coloured bottoms to help reduce anxiety about bleeding through while on their periods.
Research from the UK shows similar findings to what we see here in Australia, as 64 per cent of girls drop out of sport before they turn 16, with clothing being one of the main reasons.
Lexi and Poppy are students at Burnley High School in England, and they’ve recently been part of a campaign with a major sports brand to redesign their sports uniform.
Girls at a high school in England teamed up with ASICS to design a new sports uniform. (Supplied: Meg Wriggles, ASICS)
“We worked with ASICS to try to help girls and women be more confident in their bodies and in the uniform,” Lexi says.
They, alongside some of their classmates, shared what frustrated them about girls’ PE uniforms, such as material that showed sweat marks, shapeless designs and concerns around their periods.
Designers then used their feedback to create ideas for a new uniform.
“We drew models, and they showed us different fabrics and stuff, and we chose which ones we preferred and which ones we didn’t like,” Lexi says.
They ended up creating a sports kit with shorts that don’t ride up, adjustable waistbands, shirts made from material that breathes and doesn’t show sweat, and pockets to keep tampons and emergency hair ties.
The girls wanted uniforms that wouldn’t show sweat or cause period anxiety. (Supplied: ASICS)
“It’s important that other brands and schools and stuff come together and try and get women and girls more involved, and make them feel more included,” Poppy says.
Lexi and Poppy say they’re excited to see the impact of their new PE uniforms and are encouraging other young people to speak up.
“Confidence is very important when you’re playing a sport,” Poppy says.
“When you’re able to dress the way you want to dress, I think that has a big impact on not wanting to drop out of a sport.”
“Let people know that you’re not happy,” Lexi adds.
“You have to go into detail about what you’re not happy with, or else it can’t be changed.
“I think that the end goal is for women and girls to be the most confident you can be.”
