Avoid an Upskirt

Wearing a skirt can be cute and trendy, but even modest skirts can accidentally reveal too much. Avoid showing more skin than you intended by choosing a skirt and undergarments that provide extra privacy and protection. You may also want to be extra cautious with certain movements and activities while you are wearing a skirt, in order to ensure that your skirt doesn’t accidentally ride up. Finally, there is a growing concern with individuals taking photos up the skirts of women, commonly referred to as an “upskirt.” This behaviour is extremely inappropriate, but has increased as a result of new camera phone technology. In order to avoid an upskirt you need to constantly be aware of your surroundings and report any inappropriate behaviour to the proper authorities.

Steps

Choosing an Outfit that Provides Extra Privacy

1. Pick a longer skirt or dress. Your odds of revealing too much decrease significantly for every extra inch of length. Here's a good test to try: can you sit down and stand up comfortably without feeling like you've revealed too much? Can you stoop at the knees to pick something up from the ground without having the skirt inch up past the middle of your thighs? If the answer to both questions is "no," you might need to consider a longer skirt.
   • A skirt that comes past the knees will also make it easier to get into and out of a car without revealing too much.
2. Wear undergarments for extra protection. If you're truly paranoid about someone seeing up your skirt, you can try to lessen the potential embarrassment by wearing undergarments with plenty of coverage. Here are a few options to try:
   • A slip: In addition to preventing static cling, a slip can provide an extra layer of coverage between you and your skirt. Select one that's slightly shorter than the skirt you plan to wear, and is of a coordinating color (that is, a black slip for a dark skirt; a white or flesh-toned slip for a light skirt).
   • Boyshort-cut underwear: This underwear should cover your hips and rear completely, as well as provide frontal coverage from the top of the thigh up to the top of the hips. Even if your skirt accidentally rides up, boyshort-cut underwear will make sure you are still covered sufficiently.
   • Pantyhose: Most pairs of pantyhose should have an opaque "top" section, running from mid- or upper-thigh to abdomen. (This differentiates them from stockings, which usually stop at the mid-thigh.) A black pair of pantyhose makes any upskirt peek more difficult.
3. Try wearing bike shorts over your underwear. Bike shorts are usually made out of stretchy material such as lycra or spandex, and can be worn over your underwear to provide an extra layer of coverage. Because they're so fitted, you shouldn't be able to see that you're wearing them once the skirt is on.
4. Put on leggings to prevent showing too much. In the winter and fall months especially, leggings can be worn under a skirt or dress to provide extra warmth. They will also help ensure that even if your skirt does ride up, you will not show too much skin.

Managing Your Movements and Activities to Avoid an Upskirt

1. Choose a longer, fitted skirt on windy days. Loose and flowing skirts can easily blow up on a windy day and they are very difficult to manage. In order to avoid showing too much skin as a result of gusty wind, try wearing a tight or fitted skirt that hugs your body.
   • If you don’t feel comfortable in a tight skirt, or that is just not your style, you can try using skirt or dress weights to keep your dress down even on a windy day. Purchase small weights at any sewing supply store. Then sew the weights into the bottom hem of the skirt. This will help hold the skirt in place.
2. Smooth out your skirt as you sit down. Use one or both hands to smooth your skirt from mid-thigh downward as you sit, especially if you're wearing a skirt with a slit in the back. This makes sure you're sitting evenly on the fabric without it bunching, and also closes off any potential space that could be too revealing.
3. Cross your legs or ankles when you sit down. Crossing your legs will close any gap between your thighs, though it might reveal a bit more of the underside of your leg. Be sure to cross your legs carefully in order to avoid exposing your underwear while doing this. If you want to play it really safe, cross only your ankles - this will draw your legs closer together without exposing any additional skin.
   • You can also situate your hands on your lap so that they cover any area that might be exposed while sitting. This is a good idea if you want to avoid an accidental upskirt while taking a photo or exiting a vehicle.
4. Be careful when you're walking up stairs. Take stairs one at a time, and try to keep your steps as close as possible. If your skirt has a slit in the back, try to walk so that no one is directly behind you. When you're traveling in a group, hang back and start up the stairs last. This way no one will be behind you and able to see up your skirt.
   • If you're on an escalator that does not have glass sides, position yourself so that your rear is against the side. This prevents people several steps beneath you from trying to glance up your skirt.
   • On an escalator with stairs, try to position yourself in the middle of a stair and keep your legs close together. You can also use your hand to smooth your skirt in front to avoid an upskirt from below.
5. Avoid sitting on the floor or ground. If at all possible, try not to sit down on a flat floor or stretch of grass. You might be covered while you're sitting, but lowering yourself and standing back up might put you in a revealing position, especially if you have to maneuver around high heels.
6. Stay away from glass railings and elevators. Many two-story malls and shopping centres use glass railings and elevators. If you are worried about an upskirt, avoid standing or walking too close to a glass railing. People on the ground floor may be able to see up your skirt. The same thing applies to glass elevators. Do not stand along the glass. Instead, situate yourself in the middle of the elevator so that you are not visible from the ground.
7. Move carefully in your skirt. If you are worried about people seeing up your skirt you should make sure that you manage your movements. Avoid jumping and twirling, or any movements that may cause your skirt to ride up and reveal too much skin.
   • Try out a bunch of different movements in front of the mirror before going out to see what happens to the skirt as you move. This will give you an excellent idea of what movements to avoid when in public.

Reporting Inappropriate Behaviour

1. Pay attention to your surroundings. When you are travelling through public spaces it is a good idea to pay attention to what is going on around you. Many upskirt photographs are taken in highly populated areas, such as subways, malls, and busy sidewalks. If you see someone acting suspiciously, you can keep your distance from them to avoid an upskirt.
2. Know the local laws regarding voyeuristic photography. Upskirt photos are a growing concern as more people have high definition cameras on their smart phones. Often these pictures are uploaded to websites. It is difficult to charge people who post these images because many websites are hosted internationally. Also, many states are just now creating laws to deal with these types of photographs.
   • For example, in 2014 in Massachusetts a law was passed to ban the practice of upskirt photography. Those charged can receive up to 2 1/2 years in prison or a $5,000 fine.
3. Report inappropriate upskirt photography to the local authorities. Although you can do your best to take extra precautions and cover up while wearing a skirt, the major problem is that people are taking upskirt photographs in the first place. Laws will likely begin to change as more instances are reported. As a result, it is important that you make a report anytime you are a victim of inappropriate voyeuristic photography or you witness it taking place.
   • You can also report the incident to a store manager, security guard, or any other public or private authority in the area.
   • When you report an incident it is important to provide detailed identifying information. For example, description of appearance, an account of what happened and where it happened, license plate number, or any other details you think are important.
4. Publicize any instance of upskirt photography. Reporting an upskirt photograph to the local authorities is one way to help change laws. You can also publicize your experience by talking with the media or posting your experience on social media. Many celebrities have talked openly about having inappropriate photos taken of them and posted online. This type of publication may help to sway public opinion and lead to the implementation of more laws.

Tips

• If you need to, hold your skirt together with one hand when you're on an escalator or standing in the wind.
• These tips are meant for people who are especially concerned about upskirting, but you should not feel overly anxious about this. It's okay to behave and act normally in public, whether you're wearing a skirt or not.

Related Articles

• Avoid Looking Inappropriate for the Office (for Women)
• Modify Your Clothing
• Dress Well All Day

Sources and Citations

See also

• Wash Tulle
• Ride a Bike in a Skirt
• Wear a Dress in Winter
• Make Cheap Clothes Look Expensive
• Wear Dresses with Boots
• Wear a Midi Skirt
• Fix a Stuck Zipper
• Wear High Waisted Skirts
• Remove a Security Tag from Clothing
• Wear a Short Skirt Without Looking Overexposed

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