Paris school trip - uniform question

[Givenupgivingashit]

Eldest DD has started sixth form at a grammar school which has very traditional values in terms of rules and regulations, including uniform (shirt, tie, blazer, etc)

She's just arrived home with a letter regarding a music trip to Paris later in the year where they will be attending and performing in various concerts. They will be departing school at lunchtime following morning lessons, travelling by coach to Dover, ferry across (no cabins, they have reclining seats) and then onwards to Paris. It's essentially a 12 hr journey.

The letter states that students will be required to wear uniform for travelling, and also for the concerts, for security and as representing the school respectively.

Before I ask the school stupid questions, can anyone tell me how this is either a) be comfortable, and b) going to work in practice? I just don't see how wearing shirts and ties, etc is going to be comfortable for a long coach journey/sleeping, etc, knowing how strict the school seems to be with things like this. And how much extra uniform will be needed? Sorry feel really stupid 🙄

Well since none of us know what the uniform is… so can’t comment on how comfortable it will be.. no, no one can help

and as for how much to take? What does you dd wear each day, how many days Is the trip = do you have enough

Where is the school? Because the ferry and journey from Calais to Paris is about 5 hours. Is she travelling from Scotland?

I think it’s a daft idea, I get they probably want them representing the school, but by the time they get there they’ll be rumpled at best and sweaty and dirty at worst.

I did say, sorry. They have to wear shirt, tie, skirt, blazer, so pretty traditional, in that shirts have to be tucked in, ties done up.

We're in N Yorkshire

No different to business wear. People travel in formal attire all the time, take spare blouses and skirt.

So normal uniform then? Nothing about that sounds uncomfortable or going to cause any difficulty travelling.

Is your concern that they are effectively being asked to sleep in the uniform, on the ferry?

Because no, it doesn’t sound comfortable to sleep in a tie. Hopefully the school will make sensible allowances for overnight though?

I'm obviously aware that she's not the only one, and I'm trying not to sound precious or difficult here, but she'll have been in uniform since 6.30am, done a morning in school, then another 12hrs including sleeping doesn't sound very comfortable in a smart shirt/tie/skirt. Not sure what she can do about it though, don't want her to get into trouble, or for me to come across as awkward, seeing as we're new to the school

She's travelling overnight with only a reclining seat. That is going to be uncomfortable even if she was insilk pyjamas. Wearing a shirt and tie won't make much odds.

You need more info. I didn’t think they had cabins on the ferry as the journey is less than two hours? I assume they’ll be arriving in Paris and then bedding down before concerts the next day?

Anyway, not much use fretting over it now. Call them in the morning.

I think that's a cost thing

Doubtless. I'm saying she'll be fine. She might not get much sleep but what she's wearing is immaterial. She'll either sleep OK or not and wearing a tie will have no bearing on it. No point worrying.

Yes I think uniforms are ridiculous in schools, never mind on a coach and ferry. Having lived in France I can also assure you they will be the butt of many jokes.

The ferry is short enough they'll not be sleeping much anyway, and likely to early in the day anyway. Then the coach on the other end they might sleep if it's late enough, like midnight, but nobody will see if they loosen their ties or untuck their shirts when in a coach seat - it'll probably just happen naturally. then they'll get to wherever they're staying, and the next morning they can smarten up again.

Tell her to try to hang her blazer up on the coach if it's a really creasable type. Take a blouse for each day, and an extra skirt if you have one in case of stains. Then add comfortable clothes as they might well let them wear those for the time off between events or whatever.

It sounds fine. Plenty of people wear skirts and blouses all day. yes, maybe not the most comfortable, but not the end of the world. And it does make them easier to identify, and gives cohesion to a group on a trip.

Being in uniform on the trip will make it easier for the school to keep an eye on everyone (especially if one of the chaperones doesn't know all the kids that well)

It also means that if they misbehave on the ferry and are reported to staff they know exactly which school to take it up with.

The irony being that she's up watching TV with us now, still wearing her uniform with her tie loosened and shirt untucked; so it's not the wearing of uniform that's the issue, it's the comfort

I don't see that the alternative, probably jeans for 90% of them, is going to be any more comfortable than a skirt and blouse.

And if they're leaving school at lunchtime for a 12 hour journey, they're going to be arriving in Paris around midnight and then presumably to bed somewhere. Excited 17 year olds are not going to be wanting to sleep on the coach at 9-10pm. They'll be high on adrenaline / excitement.

I would expect that would happen naturally on the coach and the teacher would remind them to smarten up a bit when getting off. The ferry is relatively short and public, so they are less likely to be dosing, so less of an issue. Then presumably they will arrive around 1am, so go to bed there, so they can get changed for that.

Is your DD worried about it? I think you are overthinking this a bit.

I think you are overthinking but equally the school are being a bit ridiculous. Sometimes you just have to go with ridiculous rules - this is not life damaging.

I'd be more worried about how she is going to manage transporting formal wear to Paris without getting it all crumpled and looking like she's been dragged through a hedge when she actually performs!

It's probably me more than her. I remember having to do a similar thing when I was at school in 5th year, except that it was a longer journey by coach. I felt travel sick for most of the journey and the fact that I had to keep my tie/top button done up for the whole time just made me feel very hot and restricted.