Trendy School Bag

it is frankly stupid to say that because you are smart you shouldnt worry about brands etc,
it is a natural thing for a teenager and indeed alot of adults to want the brand & fashion,
its harmless! and in no way atall does it make anyone dumb etc so dont suggest that...
my dd loves her jack wills, hollister & other brands and altho i cant always give her everything she wants, i try to give her what i can,
i

£18 ruck sack, totally uncool DD.
If her much cooler younger sister wants a designer name it's simple "here is the current cost of a decent strong back pack. In 12 months you will be given the same sum of money again. If you want to buy anything stupidly expensive and/or not up to the job fine. You have pocket money."

DD says some girls were complaining about their sore shoulders at the end of last week, they were going to change over to the other shoulder... so expects they'll have two painful shoulders by Friday, at age 11.

This was recounted with an extremely smug expression. But she's always been too weak to suffer for other people's pleasures.

I agree celticlassie, i don't like the Paul's Boutique bags, but DD has always had an eye for them.

Turns out hardly anyone else at school has one, but she just really likes them so at least she isn't being a sheep over it! It was also her birthday present, so i figured it is up to her what she chooses within the budget, even if it is tat like this.

I did offer to stick random bits of rag and sweetie wrappers on a Tesco carrier bag to get the same effect without spending £60 but she declined!

We had a new pupil in Secondary school come up with a Little Mermaid backpack. And everyone laughed at her. Obviously they were told not to laugh and it was explained to them that what kind of bag someone is carrying is no measure of their character ... but they still laughed. Obviously if the child in question isn't bothered, there's no concern, but I wouldnt want my child walking about with a bag that meant everyone laughed at them. Secondary school is hard enough.

In saying that, these Paul's Boutique bags are feckin horrible (albeit inexplicably popular) and there's no way I'd be paying £60 for a schoolbag!

I love the ones on that Surfdome site

my son has this in Navy.

This bag is actually from the womens section

www.superdry.com/womens/bags/details/29216/vintage-logo-haversack

My daughter has just started Y8.Back packs are in here! they all have RouteOne £11.99 variety of colours. Practical and easy to carry.

Oh and she is at a very, very academic school!

My dd is scouring eBay for a vintage carpet bag qt the moment.

CeliaFate you put it much more eloquently then me!

It's simply a case of equipping your child (materially and emotionally) as best you can to make their journey through school a lot smoother. If your dc don't give a stuff and can take any teasing they may endure, that's great.

I'd rather do whatever I can to smooth the way for my dc. If that means buying a certain bag or shoes (whithin my budget, I wouldn't overstretch myself or get into debt) then that's what I'll do.

No, SRP. DD couldn't careless what bag anyone else has, she wanted a gola type thing and thats what she has. Yes it is the current trend but she has gone for a limited edition design that she says when she came home yesterday no one else had. But there are kids out there who will comment on backbags etc, fine if your child has a thickskin but my dd would be in tears rather than answer the "bullies" back. Yes I have told her to toughen up but it is not always easy when you are an emotional person.

So the "slapper set" are to be cultivated and their opinions respected?

I actually feel sorry for Bread's dd. She will be the one that the "slapper set" as dd calls them pick on/laugh about behind her back. I admire the attitude Bread but your kid is going to have to have nerves of steel.

CeliaFate and Carrots, it's ok because bread could not be more wrong about my children; they have the best of everything - schools and bags included

I agree, CeliaFate.

Comments like those of breadandbutter put the cause of feminism back 100 years.

It IS possible to be a fun-loving female who enjoys fashion AND have a brain y'know, bread.

My DD is a shining example

Academic and fashion conscious are not mutually exclusive, which is why I took umbrage at your post.

stripeybump - just seen your post. I have no particular aims for my dd's future earning potential. I do however hope she does something that makes her happy.

I have never had the faintest interest in expensive bags and cannot begin to imagine why people desire them. If I was a multimillionaire I would buy a bag I liked (as I do now) rather than one that cost a lot of money.

Where did you get your rather strange idea that things had to be expensive to be nice?

I'm no troll. I have bought my dcs up to disdain brand labels for their own sake, though.

Of course private school girls have posh bags. They have rich parents who like to buy privilege. So buying the brand is part of the ethos.

Another reason I feel v relieved my dd is going to a good state school.

By the way, I'd be v surprised if it was the bright girls who care about the branded bags. Those who have ambitions beyond trendy/pretty are bright enough to know that those who would judge them by their bags are not really friends worth having.

However, for those who value those kinds of friends, like shineypenny, clearly having the right bag is VITAL and MUST NOT BE IGNORED.

I liked to have a 'cool' bag at school.

I still like to have a 'cool' bag.

Just as well I worked hard at school to get a job paying me enough to keep me in Celine and Miu Miu

I suppose, bread, that you have low expectations of your daughter's future earning potential so need to prevent her developing a passion for cool bags. In that case I applaud your sensibility.

Gola bags are popular with the boys round here (and girls DD has one!)

My DD favours bags from Republic.

They are the rectangular shoulder-bag type. £25 - £40. Yeah, I know.

If your DC doesn't care, sunday, then you don't have a problem.

Believe me, if it an issue for them they will let you know!