Costumes for assemblies have I made some awful pfb error!?

[Fernie3]

my daughter had a letter saying she needed a costume for her class assembly it was just a White Top and black leggings, we didn't have either so I just bought a cheap set in asda with my shopping. My daughter came home today (she is 6btw) and told me I had done it "all wrong" because I wasn't supposed to buy a new one apparently her teacher had realised that I had bought it and told her that I shouldn't have bought anything new, my daughter is now convinced that her outfit is wrong - have I made a horrible pfb error in buying the outfit? My daughters horror has started to rub off on me...

[whydobirdssuddenlyappear]

Well if you didn't have one already, I'm at a slight loss as to what else you were supposed to do! I'd assume that the teacher just meant that she hadn't wanted anyone to spend any money unnecessarily.

[mrz]

The teacher is probably concerned you have gone to unnecessary expense I would explain your daughter didn't have any so you bought a cheap set and tell her your daughter is worried her outfit is wrong.

[Fernie3]

I assumed that that is what the teacher meant I might mention it tomorrow I only spent £2.50 on them lol.

[UniS]

just faintly possible that your DD has been swanking about HER stuff being new while another kid has big sisters slightly baggy leggings or a not quite white top....& Teacher has pointed out that it didn't need to be new or perfect.

Worry not, she'll get more use of them in weeks / months to come and next time she needs black leggings hers will be the holey ones with shiney knees.

[DooinMeCleanin]

Perhaps you were meant to make the clothes appear as if by magic rather than buying them?

You haven't done anything wrong. I agree with the above posters, although the teacher was a little silly saying anything to a 6yo about it. She should have had a word with you to apologise if she put you to any expense. The teacher should also have realised that not everyone might have these clothes and should have added a note at the bottom, suggesting alternatives if she didn't want people going out and buying new.

Just wait until next year and all the 'spotty' days or 'red' days etc and your dd must have something new, because all her friends are getting new things. You'll soon be wishing for cheap leggings and tops

[bidibidi]

Oh, 6yos are always getting the wrong end of the stick; I'm sure teacher was trying to say it didn't need to be new, not that it mustn't be new. If possible, talk to your teacher together who will say it's fine, really. I always have to buy in bits for costumes.

[sittinginthesun]

Oh, this is one of my nightmares too. The school quite rightly prefer us not to spend money on outfits, but if you don't have the stuff, you are stuck. It does get easier - I now keep a box of all the odd bits of dressing up stuff I have aquired, and sometimes pick up things in charity shops if I think they will come in useful. DS1 is in Year 2 - we have been through three Infant Halloweens, Nativity plays, World Book Days, a Pirate day, Fire of London Day, a Knight.....

[IAmRubyLennox]

that's all it is, just that the teacher wouldn't have wanted you to go to expense. If she asked for black leggings & white t-shirt, and that's what you've got, then I can't see how your DD's outfit is wrong.

And sittinginthesun is quite correct. In the last 3 years we have had to produce: angel, camel, king, safari explorer, ladybird, bumble bee, Puss in Boots, pearly queen, spaceman, pirate captain, Burglar Bill, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, tin man from WoO, raccoon (seriously).

Save everything from now on, even if you think there's no way they'll ever have to be a raccoon.

[SardineQueen]

ruby your post has put the fear of god into me. Surely all of the non artsy parents just end up letting their children down with shit costumes?

[virgiltracey]

This happened to us last year. DS1 was required to have a plain pink long sleeved top and plain pink leggings for the school play. I have two DSs! Funnily enough we didn't have pink tops and leggings lying around and you wouldn''t believe the hassle I had trying to find a plain pink top without dora or barbie or peppa pig on it. I ended up having to buy a pack of three and a pack of five pairs of pink tights!

Then the school said I shouldn't have gone out and bought new stuff! Was I supposed to magic it out of thin air? Quite why they couldn't have given that outfit to one of the many boys with sisters I really don't know!

[Lonnie]

laughs ruby your post made me laugh .. The worst we had was a pig

[Hulababy]

I wouldn't worry about it. Schools say this nowadays to try and prevent parents going out and spending a small fortune and trying to use just what they have.

Right now my DD wouldn't have black leggings or a plain white top. I'd have gone out and bought - andshe could have then used them afterwards anyway.

DD is a fairy in her next school production. At 9y she no longer has little dress up outfits readily available, I also discovered not many places do fairy outits in the bigger ages. But there is no way I could have made one, so buying was my default option.

[southeastastra]

i buy costumes from ebay sometimes, i think i'm quite arty but still cannot magic up a roman or tudor costume from a bin bag

[SarkyLady]

This is really common IME.
School asks for black t-shirt and leggings "so that the parents don't need to spend money" ... Most parents then have to go shopping as most young kids don't tend to wear plain black clothes

[IAmRubyLennox]

Admittedly, I have 3 KS1 children and they go to a school that is heavily into all the dressing up and themed days malarkey.

SardineQueen, I couldn't sew if my life depended upon it, but necessity truly is the mother of all invention.

The school uniform shop sells plain colour T-shirts. Hobbycraft sells sheets of a clever stuff that allows you to iron one fabric onto another without having to sew a stitch. Sheet foam is your friend. Sainsbury's and Tesco sell plain colour pillowslips that can become many things.

I've just remembered the hippy costume and the mince pie costume, that was a triumph of imagination over expertise, let me tell you.

[fastedwina]

That sounds quite tame really. I got carried away and went OTT recently on a roman costume - and felt a bit of a show off tit when the other kids turned up in their dads white t shirts or white sheets.