Understanding how school PE uniform impacts teenage girls

NIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre-funded researchers at the University of Bristol have been looking at how secondary school PE uniforms can impact teenage girls. They explored how PE uniforms influence body confidence and participation in PE lessons. Here one of the researchers, Alice Porter, blogs about what they found. 

PE lessons are a chance for children to be active, build movement and social skills, and grow in self-confidence. But many girls don’t enjoy PE. As girls get older, they are more likely to drop out of sports and engage less in physical activity. Why? A lack of confidence, worries about how their bodies look, and uncomfortable or unflattering PE uniforms are some of the reasons.  

We talked to groups of Year 8 girls (aged 12-13) in six schools in Bristol, UK. The girls shared their thoughts on their school PE uniforms and how they felt wearing them. We also interviewed PE teachers from the same schools. They shared insights into how schools could change their PE uniforms.  

What did we find?

Girls want more choices 

Many girls said they would feel more comfortable in their PE uniform if they had more options, for example being able to wear their own leggings. At the same time, it was also important for all pupils to look similar so they were less likely to compare themselves to others. This is what one Year 8 girl said: 

“‘cause we have such a good amount of choice, I think it’s easier to wear something you’re more comfortable in one day.”

There should be styles to suit everyone  

Some girls felt unisex PE uniforms were “made for boys” and didn’t fit female bodies well. However, they also felt their choices were limited when uniforms were labelled by gender. Instead, they suggested offering a range of styles and fits for everyone to choose from.  

Self-confidence plays a big role

Girls with lower self-confidence were more likely to feel self-conscious in their PE uniform, especially if the clothes felt too tight or revealed too much skin. This could make them less likely to join in PE lessons.  

One girl said:

“you see other people and they look better in their PE kit than you do… the PE kit makes you feel like they can do it better than you.”

Being allowed to wear their own bottoms or extra layers could help some girls feel less self-conscious and more willing to participate in PE lessons. 

Many girls also felt uncomfortable in the changing rooms. Some schools allowed pupils to wear their PE uniform all day on PE days, which helped reduce self-consciousness.  

What’s next?  

We will use our findings to create guidelines for secondary schools in England. We want to help schools provide PE uniforms that are comfortable, inclusive, and encourage all pupils to participate in PE.  

You can read more about this research in this pre-print paper: A qualitative study exploring how secondary school PE uniform policies influence body image, and PE engagement among adolescent girls | medRxiv