Would it be a mad idea to make DD 5 yo s cotton pinafores to wear over her clothes in manner of the Railway Children or similar?

[PipinwasAuntieMabelsdog]

Currently on ML and seriously thinking about this as a way of cutting down on washing in the current climate, both financial and environmental. She goes to school next week, but for weekend and home clothes, would it be mad/traumatising?

How would it cut down on washing? Sounds more like making more? And she wouldn’t want to wear them out of the house would she?

(I just keep my kids in their pjs, and only get them dressed if/when we go out 🤫)

I can’t follow how it cuts down on washing as you’d still need to wash it every day if it gets dirty. Buying a wipe clean apron for when she eats, does colouring etc might be a better bet

Surely it won't really cut down on washing?

I also don't really know any 5yo's who would wear something like that!

We all have "house clothes" so as soon as we get in we change into house clothes (lounge wear basically)which then do a couple of days and then we can wear out outdoor clothes another day. Also means that outdoor clothes last longer as they aren't as well used.

You mist have a far more compliant 5 year old DD than I do. Mine has a specific style and heaven help anyone who tries to get her to wear sonething that doesn't fit it.

You woukd have to wash them anyway so not really cutting down on washing?

This ^

Some friends of ours used to make their children wear their clothes inside out at home and then turn them clean side out when they went out.

They seemed a normal family in other ways.

I’m also not sure how this will cut down on washing?

Cute idea - my auntie used to do this in the 1950s, surely it's effectively wearing an apron, allowing you to go through one or two outfits per 5 days rather than 3 lots of clothing per day?

We're all messy muck makers in my house, I completely see the issue.

In our house it was either - keep school uniform on until bedtime and have a clean set each day.
Or change into comfy clothes after school, usually 1 or 2 outfits per week and school uniform at least 2 days wear, more for jumpers.
And if eating messy food then an apron or no top if the clothes still had a wear in them.

You can get art aprons that are wipeable that are pretty good too.

I was actually thinking of making some for myself or buying some nice 50’s pinnies - they were made in such lovely fabrics!

Not as cute as a pinny!

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Childrens-Crafts-Velcro-Fastening-Resistant/dp/B00UX6T4H6/ref=mpssa113?crid=17JI3P4V8L1RP&keywords=art+apron+kids&qid=1661959459&sprefix=art+apr%2Caps%2C73&sr=8-3

This and other similar comments I think have completely missed the point of what the OP is meaning.

the pinafore presumably wouldn't be washed daily unless absolutely filthy and also acts as a protector for the clothes generally. That was the point of them in the 'railway children' era.

I don't think it's a mad idea and I'm now also considering it as I'm getting fed up of having to wash clothes that would otherwise be fine for another day if they hadn't got covered in felt tip.

it's there to act as a barrier agains pen marks, drips, glue, glitter etc and certainly wouldn't need washing daily.

great idea!

My mum made me these in the 70s, out of beautiful Liberty fabrics. I loved them.

Another 👆🏻 this. Drives my husband nuts but it's so much easier.

Sounds sensible to me, you can make them out of pretty fabrics so it’s just an extra layer rather than feeling like she’s wearing a bib or apron all the time

That's what we had at nursery school in the 1970s!

I went to a boarding school in the 80's where pinnies were worn over uniform for school dinners.

Are you Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit, by any chance?

This was commonplace when I was a child. We didn’t mind ( and no one would have taken any notice if we had) because a lot of adults did the same thing. My gran always had an overall or a ‘pinny’ when she was working at home, my mother usually had an apron on over working clothes ( professional woman). I suppose we had fewer clothes, and they were more expensive, so we cared more for them. The pinafores were often made from cast offs!

When I lived in France ( until just before Covid) I was surprised to see that many French families still did this, you can buy various forms of overalls, pinafores, house dresses etc in Lots of places. Children often wear white lab coats at school to keep their clothes protected.

The pinafore presumably wouldn't be washed daily unless absolutely filthy and also acts as a protector for the clothes generally. That was the point of them in the 'railway children' era.
I don't think it's a mad idea and I'm now also considering it as I'm getting fed up of having to wash clothes that would otherwise be fine for another day if they hadn't got covered in felt tip.
it's there to act as a barrier agains pen marks, drips, glue, glitter etc and certainly wouldn't need washing daily.
great idea!

That's what I was thinking. I have some fabric, so now it does not seem too mad, I might give it a try and see. Thanks folks!

@watcherintherye

I went one step further than keep them in Pj's all day, I didn't buy them! Bought really cheap t-shirts, shorts, jogging bottoms from place called Ethel Austin (before primark days) used those for Pj's then if anybody called it just looked they were in play clothes. Plus thin cheap stuff was quicker to wash and dry👍but I had a brood of little boys.
I think the reason they had pinafores in the 'olden' days was because the dresses were made of wool, I don't think a lot of washing went on, I've read books that talk of sponging and brushing them........ Sounded pretty disgusting actually🤥 but think we probably have gone too far the other way and wash too much! When I was at school, many moons ago, I remember I only had two school shirts for the week and PE kit stayed at school all term....... Yuck. But we didn't have automatic washing machines and I was sent to the laundrette at the weekend with the weeks washing in a shopper on wheels.