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Original poster

coats and blazers - wtf??

33 replies

Stillpinching · 28/08/2018 22:22

Can someone please help me with this as I just don't get it! After a summer of preparation I feel like ds finally has nearly all of what he needs for starting secondary school. But I'm stumped by the blazer and coat combo. I know a lot of kids don't wear a coat but if it rains then they're stuck in a wet blazer?! But if they get a coat that fits over a blazer said coat needs to be huge!? If coat/blazer are to go in bag for various stages of the day bag needs to be huge?! It's not, and blazer would surely get creased up like a dish rag...

what do others do - I just don't get it. Thanks for any help.

OP posts:
Sugarhunnyicedtea · 28/08/2018 22:26

DS will wear a hoodie if it's really pouring. He wore a coat twice last year and managed to fit it in his bag with a full pe kit

WhoWants2Know · 28/08/2018 22:26

DD10 will go without a coat for as long as possible and then just stuff her blazer under her coat. Some of the other kids put their blazers in their rucksacks

Almondio · 28/08/2018 22:34

Ours (year 10 and year 8) wear their blazer and if it's raining they have a thin black waterproof jacket, something like Karrimor or whatever. They can stick it in their bag or locker when not needed.

They're not into labels (yet) so aren't bothered about it not being the coolest brand, it's just for the mile walk to and from school.

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totorosfluffytummy · 28/08/2018 22:36

A thin waterproof is best to go over the blazer. A pac-a-mac type is fine for September/October & they roll up and fit in most school bags.

Get a proper coat after half term and just take it on very cold/wet days and use thin one on other days.

PiggeryPorcombe · 28/08/2018 22:37

Ds wears a normal coat over his blazer if cold or wet. Fitted fine. Just a trespass waterproof jobbie. Blazer worn at all times so never stuffed in bag. Coat on a peg at school. Or at the bus depot lost property counter Hmm

walkingtheplank · 28/08/2018 22:38

Good question. DD about to start secondary and blazer is compulsory but she is the type to wear her winter coat for from October to Easter. I'm not sure what we'll do either.

MrsAird · 28/08/2018 22:38

Yes, blazer stuffed in bag, and maybe a hoodie if weather is truly atrocious.

DS carried a rolled up cagoule to and from school for months and never once took it out, even in torrential rain.

Most school classrooms are very hot, apart from the ones that are too cold, so they dry off quickly.

If your DS really wants a coat, get one from Mountain Warehouse or similar when the weather turns cold.

JustlikeDevon · 28/08/2018 22:39

Dd has to wear her blazer at all times when at school so her coat spent a year being not worn at all.

Original poster
Stillpinching · 28/08/2018 22:40

I see - so a large kagool type thing and winter coats are bigger anyway. Blazers just seem to me the most impractical pile of shit, but perhaps I'm just tired...

OP posts:
TheThirdOfHerName · 28/08/2018 22:40

Blazer gets worn everyday.
If it's cold, they wear a jumper under the blazer.
If it's pissing down, they wear a thin cagoule over it.
If it's freezing, they wear gloves and/or beanie.
No coat.

(Four teenagers aged 14-18)

OpalTree · 28/08/2018 22:46

Dd had a parka coat from year 7 - 9 which fitted over her coat. Think she put it in her locker during the day.

OpalTree · 28/08/2018 22:47

Fitted over her blazer i mean

TheThirdOfHerName · 28/08/2018 22:50

Blazers are useful in terms of pockets, especially the ones which have a zipped inner pocket.

Ihatemycar · 28/08/2018 22:51

My son is in year starting year 8. Most kids hate coats specially if they don't have a looker. They do anything not to carry one even if freezing but sometimes needs most so needs to be bigger.
Secondaries are obsessed with blazers they need to wear them all the time at school.
If it isn't very cold but rainy a light waterproof jacket is essential.

OpalTree · 29/08/2018 11:17

When I've picked dd up from a school club I've seen lots of girls in coats. Can't remember if I've seen boys in them

MrsBlondie · 29/08/2018 11:19

Blazer only on dry Autumn/Spring days.
Winter was freezing last year so coat over blazer for a lot of it.
If not cold but raining - just got wet! He didn't seem to care.
Boy here.

AveABanana · 29/08/2018 11:46

Only foolz wear coats!

Blazers are like mobile pencil cases/hand bags. They always get worn. But costs are for babies and only come out when there's 5 inches of snow on the ground and/or a hurricane.

SnuggyBuggy · 29/08/2018 11:50

We had this stupid rule. Coats and other things like scarves had to be "carried in a bag". Teachers would kick off if they saw a coat or scarf even if you had just entered the building 🙄

We just went cold in the winter and kept scarves in a bag.

Namelesswonder · 29/08/2018 11:58

I really don’t get why state schools make kids wear blazers. DD school kids wear normal coats or school hoodie when outside, jumpers in classrooms. They are black v neck unbranded jumpers, white shirt and ties. Smart, cheap, all the same.

SnuggyBuggy · 29/08/2018 12:02

To be fair the inside pockets are very useful for things like bus passes and tampons. They just don't keep in the heat, well they do in the summer 😥

PiggeryPorcombe · 29/08/2018 13:37

I agree, blazers are useful garments most of the time. Ds is perplexed on non-uniform days as to where to store all the stuff he usually keeps in his blazer. Coats aren’t uncool round here for some reason. Although they draw the line at putting their hoods up in the rain. Girls win in this scenario as it’s socially acceptable for them to use an umbrella.

QueenofLouisiana · 29/08/2018 14:37

DS has a down coat (mountain warehouse type thing- bought in a sale) which sits rolled up in his rucksack. When there was 4 inches of snow on the ground he deigned to put it on. It does roll up small and is light, adds a bit of warmth.

No lockers at DS’s school so everything has to be carried, no coats allowed in school building either. If there wasn’t such a massive difference in GCSE results, I’d look at a school with less stupid rules.

shadypines · 29/08/2018 14:45

what do others do - I just don't get it. Truthfully I despaired over this one myself for 7 yrs esp in the winter when both DC point blank refused to wear a thick coat over a blazer. They would literally come home freezing and/or wet through, same with school bag. Then in the summer they are baking hot and still forced to wear it with their jumpers/ties until you eventually get the text from school when the heatwave has been in full flow for 4 weeks already that they can ditch the jumper.

Sorry not much help, occasionally mine would wear a mac (if got to minus 10) but only occassionally. On the plus side they were hardly ever ill with colds etc [smile}

Moonflower12 · 29/08/2018 15:24

Everybody knows teenagers can't learn unless they're wearing a blazer! Hmm

Nottotheirstandards · 29/08/2018 15:43

I went to an all girls school and we and blazers and ties. If we were wearing coat there was a teacher sta ding by the main entrance demanding them off and asking why they weren't off when our foot set on the school ground Confused used to scare the living day lights out if us. I missed my bus home in year 7 once because I was running late from dance practice and had to get to the bus. They don't wait for you and I was holding my blazer. Teacher stopped me made me put it on. I missed the bus by 39 seconds and had to watch everyone go home. I had no money to get the train and was about 3 towns away from home so had no other way to get home. Luckily a friends my. Saw me and ran me down to the next school in her car so I could hop on! That is bad! I was 11