Are you buying school uniform?

[UsernameNotValid]

We're in Scotland so our schools go back in 3 weeks.

I'm normally organised for their return but I'm hesitant to buy DC's anything until we have a confirmed return schedule.

I realise it's planned to be full time but I'm not convinced and I don't know anyone who is!

I had one blazer for 5 years! Mum did buy it big but still.

Theres no way today that blazers would last 5 years.

And with the shoulder pads abd the shape of this so called "fitted jacket" they are really quite short for the size of them. This is the other bug bear if mine. Deliberately designed so you cant size up that much.

I am definately not a wash twice a month person either. They get sweaty smelly etc its polyester after all and schools make them wear them at all times unless theres an announcement they don't have to melt in class but you still have to wear from class to class and wait to be told you can take them off on the next one

I work evenings too so I need 2 blazers so I can wash one in the day time

For me the point about cost of uniform is that these are extra items I'm buying so my children can go to school. I buy them clothes obviously anyway so that they're dressed. But I only buy blazers/white shirts/ties/branded PE kit/"school" shoes and trousers (the clue is in the word) because school tells me to. These aren't things I would otherwise be spending money on, so it's additional expense.

I'm in England so 6 weeks left here still but yes, I'm about to start. I'm going to order polo shirts this week & socks/tights as they're a need regardless. I'll get them to find out & try on branded jumpers/cardis & trousers/shirts/dresses & aim to order any of those that we need at the start of August (I don't automatically just buy these, only if they're outgrown/tatty). Will book a shoe fitting for mid August.

But they'd need clothes for school either way. Because of uniform they need less out of school clothes unless you buy a full wardrobe of unnecessary stuff.

They can wear what they would change into when they get home

@SarahTancredi

They can wear what they would change into when they get home

Mine don’t change when they get home. No point, they’re already filthy from school (6 and 5 and spend a lot of time in the school nature area) so no point dirtying an extra set of clothes.

Well yeah they'd need clothes for school but those would just be, urm, clothes. Which I buy anyway. As they do not go about their daily lives naked when not in school.

Well, apart from the evenings that they have activities. So rainbows uniform for rainbows night, gymnastics gear on gymnastics night.
I don’t buy many ‘normal’ clothes now they’re at school, as they only wear them 2 days a week generally. So buying school uniform doesn’t make a difference to how much I spend on clothes overall I don’t think.
I imagine it’s different in secondary school though as I doubt many teens go and hang out with friends in the evenings in their uniform.

Tbh I think parents with state educated primary age kids don't really get this. When you have teens they need a full functioning wardrobe with clothes for all situations and all seasons anyway as they're interacting with the world semi independently and you're hopefully building habits for/signalling choices necessary during adult life. So you purchase all of that, but then you also have to buy other items - which are way more expensive than primary uniform items - in addition, just so they can go to school.

And actually even at primary school, there are well over a hundred days a year ie close to a third - if you count weekends - where they're wearing normal clothes, and thirteen whole weeks when they're not in school at all. So you need to have sufficient jeans/t shirts/jumpers etc that they can have fresh for a week and over several times a year ie across the seasons, and still buy uniform for the days they're in school. So you are buying two sets of clothes, so that they can go to school.

Tbh I think parents with state educated primary age kids don't really get this

People with state educated children don't get what? That children wear clothes?

What was the point of that comment?

They don't seem to get that it's an additional expense, because when kids are little and uniform items are relatively cheap it's less of an issue.

*So you are buying two sets of clothes, so that they can go to school
Yes it never seems to make sense on MN. On one hand there's no need to buy multiples of anything on the other they never change out of uniform . When and how do they even get washed .

And as for saving money. When it costs hundreds to kit them out you'd get an entire wardrobe fir that.

And I made the distinction between state and private because there are some private primaries where uniform prices are eye watering - you know, the ones with boaters and deckchair style blazers.

you'd get an entire wardrobe fir that

Yy. The £90 I have to spend on PE kit worn once a week in a field would get 9 pairs of jeans from Primark!

@LinemanForTheCounty

What was the point of that comment?

They don't seem to get that it's an additional expense, because when kids are little and uniform items are relatively cheap it's less of an issue.

The point was you seemed to be looking down from a very high horse at parents of 'state educated' children.

This comment just firms it up.

What do you mean they don't seem to 'get' that buying uniform is an additional expense?

What a nasty dig to make at people who don't have private education.

We are not idiots

@LinemanForTheCounty

And I made the distinction between state and private because there are some private primaries where uniform prices are eye watering - you know, the ones with boaters and deckchair style blazers.

No you didn't. The distinction was that state educated don't 'get' that uniform is an extra. Nothing to do with the cost of said uniform.

To be fair I went to shit schools where even at secondary we just wore supermarket skirts/trousers and polo shirts/sweatshirts. No blazers or ties, logos not compulsory and the PE kit was just whatever sports gear you already own. Didn’t have a uniform at all from 14.

These days the shit schools are the ones that seem to go for £££ single supplier crap where its 18 pound fir a skirt.

At dds school the skirts are 18.50 blazers 32.50 and they have to be washed separately 2 as you cant use softener. So I have to stick the machine on basicalky empty .

Real leveller huh.

@SarahTancredi

These days the shit schools are the ones that seem to go for £££ single supplier crap where its 18 pound fir a skirt.

At dds school the skirts are 18.50 blazers 32.50 and they have to be washed separately 2 as you cant use softener. So I have to stick the machine on basicalky empty .

Real leveller huh.

They are insane prices.

Jfc I was trying to understand the mindset of people saying it isn't an additional expense and work out why they were saying that, because for me it's always seemed like an additional expense, and maybe it feels different for people who have more money than I do (ie most people). It has always been a struggle for me to buy uniform, but lots of folks on Mumsnet don't appear to view it that way

I've bought everything as DS moves up to secondary so I can't just make do with last terms stuff. I'm holding off buying shoes until last min though!

DS1 is off to college so that makes life easier as he'll just wear own clothes

I got what you meant line

Mn is big on unifirm iys its apparent levelling properties except I cant see how anyone can have the tiny amount if uniform claimes whilst simultaneously not needing clothes at home and still able to wash and get it all dried in time so that the kids aren't wearing the same jumper all week.

Never adds up on here.

£45 per blazer here. 😫😫 There are sooo many other things I'd rather spend my money on, and not just clothes because £45 will buy you a bloody hoover or a microwave or whatever; it's actually a proper significant amount of household money.