To not buy DD new school uniform, shoes, bag etc.

I appreciate I’m lucky to be in the financial position to afford this, but yes I do buy my DD new uniform and rucksack/lunchbag/water bottle for the start of each new school year. For a start she normally has outgrown various uniform bits and/or they look discoloured and shabby. As far as the rucksack etc is concerned it’s exciting to start a new academic year with new stuff and she has SEN so I figure any way I can help her fit in/be accepted….

In short, if you can afford it I don’t see the issue in buying new things - if you can’t, then don’t.

I have always bought new every school year, however, unless outgrown I won’t buy anything throughout the school year. This will be the first time my 14 year old will not have new eagles for the school year as I had to replace them a month or so just before they broke up & other than the crease across the toe they’re fine to wear.

I think each to their own, my parents always bought me everything new every school year so I suppose I’ve just followed suit. However I wouldn’t think twice about anyone child rewearing uniform, you get plenty of parents who will hold onto old jumpers to pass on to the younger siblings ect.

I buy what they need when they need it.
DD2 is wearing the same polo shirts she wore 2 years ago. Her sister wore them for 2 years before that.

I saw a mum I vaguely know, she was on her way into town to finish the uniform shopping. She said she'd spent £600 so far! I don't know what she's buying. She has two DC in Primary and one in Secondary.

New shoes every year, but they will last the year (even if barely).

An additional polo shirt or two, an additional jumper or two - the old ones still get worn, but some are now a size, say, 5-6 and some a size 4-5 - the new ones might be a bit bigger and the old ones a bit smaller, but they all generally fit. Only stuff that's obviously too small gets thrown out.

But it's not as easy as just buying a new generic polo shirt set here. All bear a logo and are therefore around £8 each, jumpers even more expensive.

I only buy what's needed. Why waste money and send more stuff to landfill. At that age I doubt her or her friends will notice who has new and who doesn't.

I did a mix. Technically she didn’t need new polo shirts but they were off white, so I’ve bought new and kept those for a back up. Also new shoes - can’t grumble last pair lasted her a full year!

Bought her a fjallraven bag for reception and figured that buying her a better bag would last rather than replacing a Smiggle one every year (have heard they are not hard wearing)

Providing that her current bits are okay size wise, not super tatty etc. and she has the bits she needs then that's fine to reuse and then obviously get new bits at the time they are needed. Would be a waste of resources and money otherwise to me 🤷🏼‍♀️

When DD started reception, her skirt came just past her knees. Comparing the photo of that day with her last day of uniform in yr13, I swear it was the same skirt, now barely covering her bum 😂
Buy only when needed here…

I bought DS new shoes for PE (indoor and outdoor) and new school shoes because his old ones are too small...or start to come apart.
I've also bought him a new pencil case for his Art supplies because the old one is too small to hold everything.
Additionally, I got new uniform tops. We'll, they'll arrive next week because silly me had thought that the old ones still fit. Just ordered new trousers to avoid a similar situation with those. He's currently still wearing his shorts and won't need them for a week or two at least.

His bag will be used for the entire time at primary school. Not getting a new one unless it's falling apart.
He did get a new water bottle but only because I got him one with a picture of him and his baby sister on it. Harder to lose than just taking a photo.

Has anyone else developed a visceral aversion to the word "bits" because of MN ??

It was expensive enough getting the stuff that was needed without buying for the sake of it (youngest starting Secondary)

DD1 is going into Yr9... the blazer changed last year and apparently there is a bit of a thing where her year group are determined to keep their old ones as long as possible (and the old pe kit)

I wouldn't buy if I didn't need it. I've only replaced worn out things this year. Shirts, blazer and PE kit all fit fine so why would I replace them?

Half mast 😂😂 great phrase!!

I tend to size up too. So when my 4 year old started reception I bought him age 6-7 t shirts, which has worked out well now he's going into year 1 and could comfortably wear 7-8. Last year they were a bit (okay slightly more than a bit) big, by the end of this year they'll be a bit small. But saved me buying 3-4 separate sizes of polo shirts!

I totally take a different view. New polos here only when needed, I think its wasteful to just do it at the start of term if older ones still fit. I. Also hand clothes down and my kids haven't thought anything of it and no one has ever commented!

I buy new everything for September to get the job out of the way, but then that’s it for the year. By July both boys are in half-mast trousers and their polo shirts are an interesting colour. Sounds like you have the right idea doing it as needed OP.

And this is why the planet will die.

100% do not buy stuff you don't need just because "it's nice to have new bits"

ARGHHHHHHHHHHH

I've never heard of this until ttoday.i sometimes have new bits to buy in September if some of it was getting a bit small in June and I was holding on till the end of the year to get stuff better fitting and make the most of a bugger size.

But I bought DS 5 new polos in March when his old ones had got too small. Bonkers to think I need to get new ones arbitrarily now.

I can spot an old white polo shirt a mile away compared to the crisp new ones and that can't make children feel good.
I don't believe for a minute children are bothered about the whiteness of their tops.

I've always just bought stuff throughout the year as they've needed it.

My ds' school uniform was made to last as long as possible. When he went through a growth spurt I used to rehem his trousers with black seam binding to make them an inch longer rather than buy a new pair in May or June.

Now he's at an independent school and everyone has secondhand uniform. The school 2nd hand page does a roaring trade.

This thread comes up every year (probably this isn't the first one this year) and there are always two camps, sensible people who buy things when they need to and people who seem to buy for the sake of it.

Maybe some of the latter type can explain why, I don't get why anyone does that

DS has left now, but as he didn't have a growth spurt in the summer holidays I'd just replace uniform items as and when needed throughout the year.

Ive never needed to fully kit mine out for September since reception.
They always get new school shoes as we always make them last the full school year so they have generally outgrown by the following summer. Once or twice following growth spurts I've needed to replace in April/May but i just bought a cheap supermarket pair then replaced with better quality in Sept.
Rucksacks last at least 2 years if not 3 and mine have used same pencil case for years.
Jumpers /cardis are bought with growing room so last 2 years generally.
I do usually buy some fresh polos as in my experience these take the brunt of wear and tear - paint and white board on them, occasionally seams coming loose if they been pulled on while playing chasing games, food spilled on, you name it.
Coats again bought with growing room so expected to last 2yrs at least. They machine wash nicely.

I don't buy everything new each year, especially not backpacks, lunch bags or pencil cases.
I think my main purchase has been white polo shirts and only because they get grubby.
Even if their shoes still fit, they have a good polish and will be worn.
New is only bought when their current stuff is scruffy or does not fit.

I only ever buy as needed.

Ds3 (7) usually needs a full new set of uniform in the summer because his previous set by then is holey or stained. I think I spend most of May and June saying 'well it's only a SMALL hole, it will be fine for a few weeks' 😂

Shoes/bags/lunchboxes/bottles/stationary - buy as needed though.

Haven't had to buy any as all dc's stuff is in decent condition from last year.

My little one said only her and one other girl didn't have a new bag out of a class of 24. I can't believe 22 bags needed replacing after one year. Lo's is still like new