Dumb fashion decisions

So the family is going to flee London in anticipation of rioting. They are going to make a long journey to the north. Do they wear jeans/trousers and sneakers that would seemingly make the trip more comfortable and safer? No, they dress up in mini-skirts and boots. Obviously it wouldn't have mattered to the bikers and the riots did start prematurely, but it seems like the Nigel Davenport husband/father character would have cautioned them to dress in a more practical manner.