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Original poster

Buying new uniform in January

30 replies

lynns81 · 05/01/2019 21:41

Needing a second opinion.

DD's outgrown her school shirts, fit fine except the collars now too tight and shes been leaving it open the past couple weeks before the holiday. The question is do i bother buying her new ones at this time of year? Is it really worth it? She's doing well tieing a larger knot to 'hide' it (at least it does at the start of the day) and it looks fine - not as if its hanging really loose or anything (not like how i used to wear mine.lol. )

I'm not that fussed, but she's asked me if she's getting any new ones? Thoughts.

OP posts:
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Acopyofacopy · 09/01/2019 21:06

Doesn’t everybody buy new uniform when it is needed?
Ds in Year 9 is having a massive growth spurt at the moment and I have just bought him new shirts. He’ll need new trousers soon. And shoes. And PE Kit. Shock

TheCraicDealer · 09/01/2019 21:03

John Lewis have these slim fit 100% cotton jobbies down to £9 each, and there's stock in ages 11 through to 15.

Michaelahpurple · 09/01/2019 20:52

Plus I am a really slack housewife so keep noting that I need to put some of my son's trousers in the bag for the second hand stall but by the time they work their way through the wash I have forgotten so they go back into his cupboard. And repeat.

Michaelahpurple · 09/01/2019 20:50

I have the opposite issue - gets me really cross to go into Peter Jones or whatever to buy school shirts in, day, January, to be told by a slack jawed assistant that they have sold out and don't know when they are going to get more in as "it isn't the uniform season". As though children have a neat little ratchet in their backs that one turns each August....

Original poster
lynns81 · 08/01/2019 20:16

finally some quiet time to reply to you all. lol.

To answer some questions, I've only ever bought the kids their uniform in the summer, never really occurred to me to buy at other times. lol.
She's in year 9 so yeah i guess she could get use out of new shirts next year too. She's also really picky, and coupled with eczema flare ups she gets in the crooks of her arms i always aim for 100% cotton ones.

Supermarket shirts, as much as that would save me a fortune, are never 100% cotton and that's if she'd wear it. She wont even touch the plain M&S shirts since starting HS as they are 'same as her brother wears' as she puts it. Fallen back on New Look and quiz at a push, both arent exactly cheap.......

OP posts:
Perfectly1mperfect · 06/01/2019 11:14

She's only 1 term in, most of the school year is still to do, so yes I would get her some new shirts. I tend to just buy uniform when I need it anyway, either because it looks worn, it's too small or they've lost something.

TinTinBanana · 06/01/2019 11:07

I bought my ds new trousers for school yesterday and also a new school bag. I just renew when he needs them and sometimes he is not wearing new clothes at the start of the school year.

flowery · 05/01/2019 23:31

”The question is do i bother buying her new ones at this time of year? Is it really worth it?”

Surely that’s a question you ask in June, rather than January?!

Maybe if you could clarify why you are considering not buying them it would help people answer?

Soomaa · 05/01/2019 23:21

Money is VERY tight in our family and even £19 for a 3pack of white shirts is an investment for us, but good fitting clothes are important for me and I'd replace the shirts ASAP.

clary · 05/01/2019 23:14

haha yes I was just thinking that 😃

AllyPallyMally · 05/01/2019 23:04

Well as the OP has failed to return we may never know the true reason for her reluctance to buy. Another of those annoying mn threads that go unresolved......

clary · 05/01/2019 22:56

Not being funny, just the vast vast majority of children in the actual real world (as opposed to on MN, I sometimes feel) go to a regular comprehensive rather than girls' grammar, so chances are high that the OP's Dd does too. Acutually even then. - I went to a girls grammar and wore a plain white shirt.

AllyPallyMally · 05/01/2019 22:32

Clary - no idea why you're getting funny about my post. I was merely putting forward what I would see the only possible reason why the OP may not be in a position so soon after Christmas to buy a load more school uniform. I happen to agree with you that if it is standard white or even pale blue shirts, available at M&S or any supermarket ( even if need to order online) that the OP should replace the shirts ASAP.

Boyskeepswinging · 05/01/2019 22:26

There's no rule saying that uniform can only be born in September
Anyone remember that thread where some people were aghast to discover that not everyone replaces every item of school uniform every September, irrespective of whether it needed to be replaced or not? Maybe OP is one of those people who believes that school uniform should be purchased once a year in September and that should be it for the year?
Unfortunately teenagers have a habit of having growth spurts at times other than August so I buy new uniform whenever it's needed (eg he's had the same rugby top for 4 years now as I bought it big).

ShaggyRug · 05/01/2019 22:21

Of course you buy more. It’s only one term in with another 2 terms to go.

goldengummybear · 05/01/2019 22:19

Why haven't you bought any? There's no rule saying that uniform can only be born in September

clary · 05/01/2019 22:17

yeah well allypallymally op didn't specify fancy school so let's assume standard white shirt, £19 for 3 from M&S or cheaper still at Asda, that would work at virtually every secondary on my city and county.

TeenTimesTwo · 05/01/2019 22:11

There's still 7 whole months until the end of the school year!

MarchingFrogs · 05/01/2019 22:07

Were they new in September? If they were and she has outgrown them after four months, either you didn't get them big enough to start with, or your DD is going through a growth spurt and will find the shirts truly unbearable at some point in the next six months.

You could just get a couple and invest in an extra packet of washing powder?

AllyPallyMally · 05/01/2019 21:59

Clary - the blouses the girls wear at any of the girls grammars where I live cost £35 for 2 so quite an outlay.

theworldistoosmall · 05/01/2019 21:55

Of course it's worth it. When they grow and clothes no longer fit, you buy replacements.

AllyPallyMally · 05/01/2019 21:53

Is the issue that the shirts are a particular colour or striped so they are silly expensive? Does the school have a second hand shop?

SavoyCabbage · 05/01/2019 21:51

There are two terms to go!

clary · 05/01/2019 21:51

Even if she's in yr 11 I would still buy her some; how much will five new school shirts cost?

iMatter · 05/01/2019 21:51

Would you wear clothes that don't fit? How about if you had to wear those clothes 5 days a week from now until July?

Buy her new shirts.