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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to think my school run is turning into a catwalk?

188 replies

Pedicuri · 13/09/2011 09:21

...and too many of the other mums have spent hours getting together their outfit? Apologies, a bit of a rant.....
My DC has started at the local prep (were aiming for local church/ state but didn't happen for us), and at first meetings the other mums seemed very friendly and were generally in smart jeans/ smart casual outfits. Now, I do admit to being fairly well groomed myself, as i don't feel awake if i am not up and dressed/ hair done etc...but this is in another league.
Gucci wellies? Glittery Boden cardies (more like evening wear)? skinny jeans and vertiginous platforms and heels? Elle Macpherson has nothing on these ladies.
In fact I would say that the mums going to work are not even as smart as those mums staying at home all day.
What gives? What is the point? Why do they put this pressure on themselves and others? I'm all for looking good, but this is just ridiculuous. Surely if they are hoping to display their 'wealth', wouldn't it be obvious that as they have children at this school, they are probably fairly minted anyway. None of them look particularly comfortable in their clothes either.
So far I have only seen one more relaxed sloaney outfit and a lady (probably richer than all of them) in moth-eaten and muddy 'walking the dogs' outfits.
Conversely all of the husbands I have met (military, pilots, lawyers) are all down to earth dress, mostly unshaven. What a contrast.
WTF - why are the women so 'try- to-hard'? Grrrrr.
Lots of money, no class?

OP posts:
pinkdelight · 13/09/2011 09:51

"gucci wellie euro-trash. Certainly when I was at uni, the sloaney types (I was probably one) did the big scarf and jeans look - not scruffy, but relaxed. Notabley all of the guys are still dressed like uni sloanes, and it is lovely."

Sorry, but this makes you sound horrible. At first I assumed you were irked because you're not hung up on looks, but now it just sounds like you want people to conform to your idea of a classy look. So what if you prefer the sloaney look? Get over yourself.

Pagwatch · 13/09/2011 09:52

Perhaps they are more bothered about what they wear because they are not Doctors or lawyers or teachers. Perhaps they fear they may be being judged and are trying to still feel significant?

Pagwatch · 13/09/2011 09:53

Yes to fancy gear making one happy.

NinkyNonker · 13/09/2011 09:53

You see, it is a snobbery thing. You think they're common and you expected better at a prep school. Maybe it isn't the classiest prep school?

I used to be quite preppy at Uni, but grew out of it. Really, try to stop making these judgements and comparisons (doctors etc dressing differently), it doesn't sound very nice.

MrsEricBana · 13/09/2011 09:53

I agree with OP - there is looking well groomed and well turned out and then there is looking like you are going to a fashion show, which hardly seems appropriate or necessary on the school run. Like OP I always try to be presentable etc but wouldn't dream of sticking on sky high heels for the morning school run. Obv different if you are straight off to work.

Hullygully · 13/09/2011 09:53

You have chosen a school in the wrong area. You obviously have lots of plumbers and builders with money who are trying to better their kids through education (the cheek).

You could try a home counties area for whatever the modern day equivalent of pearls are (hopelessly out of touch), or a public school for wellies.

Pagwatch · 13/09/2011 09:54

I may give euro trash gucci wellies a try. It sounds kind of sparkly.

Original poster
Pedicuri · 13/09/2011 09:54

FFS can I repeat, I also dress smartly. I get up and put on make up and do my hair. This is NOT what I am talking about, and some of you are being particularly tetchy. Read the post.
Do any of you honestly think I spend more that a few minutes getting ranty about this?
How many of you wear sequined clothes and wellies, skyscraper heels etc... For the school run? Really?
Yes, people are entitled to wear what they want, but I am pointing out that it is a little 'de trop' maybe for dropping DCs at nursery.

OP posts:
Hullygully · 13/09/2011 09:54
MrsEricBana · 13/09/2011 09:55

"fancy gear and swishing about" at 8am though?

Hullygully · 13/09/2011 09:55

"de trop" that is very common. Don't drop French phrases, it smacks of trying too hard.

NinkyNonker · 13/09/2011 09:57

I think people are getting more tetchy about the links you re creating between their dress and the relative status/dress of their partners, and the dress/status of the professional mothers. It makes you sound like a snob.

Hullygully · 13/09/2011 09:57

Why not MrsEric?

When my dc first started at their old prep I was surprised to see lots of ladies looking frankly rather like Ladies of the Night, especially at 8 in the morning, but they felt good that way. Others were in the dear old battered wellies, but the nice thing was, everyone knew each other and got on anyway. Imagine!

Pagwatch · 13/09/2011 09:57

[sigh]
my dd goes to a very dull prep. I want more hooker heels. Fucking surrey.

Pagwatch · 13/09/2011 10:00

I can swish anytime. I am very bendy for a woman of my years.

Why not?

Hullygully · 13/09/2011 10:00

Home counties, innit Pag? You just ain't got enough common.

TotemPole · 13/09/2011 10:01

Pedicuri, how do know what they're all doing for the rest of the day and the clothes aren't appropriate?

pinkdelight · 13/09/2011 10:02

I don't wear sequinned clothes and skyscraper wellies for anything. But nor do I wear sloaney scarves n jeans, or moth-eaten whateveritwas. It's irrelevant. The demographic for your chosen school obviously favours the glitz. I could understand it bugging you if you just thought it was OTT, but you have to admit, it's come across as more of a snob thing now where they just don't match up to your notions of taste.

Hullygully · 13/09/2011 10:02

Mind you it's interesting at their new school. I went mad and made an effort for an evening thing (brushed my hair), and they all came in wellies and kept their coats on cos it was a bit cold. It was the first and only time in my entire life I have felt overdressed. And I was in jeans.

Guess what happened at the next one? Yep. Wrong way round again. Someone said I looked "arty" which I chose to take as a compliment.

Pagwatch · 13/09/2011 10:07

Yes. I agree with pinkdelight. It isn't about over dressing. It is about taste.

I suspect many people wearing more expensive outfits wouldn't get the same criticism if they are more prada than moschino.

Grin at arty.

Original poster
Pedicuri · 13/09/2011 10:07

Pagwatch I agree with your last post.
A lot of you are angrily picking up on me being a 'snob' and I think you have taken what I mean the wrong way. Perhaps I didn't describe it well. Why should clothes be an indicator of the person or their wealth? What's wrong with smart jeans or smart/ casual clothes for the school run?
Sorry, I do think a lot of it is 'trying too hard' to look considerably wealthier than thou. Simple as that really. I own a lot of nice stuff, but I don't pile it on for the school run.

If this is me living in a parallel universe, then fine. I am confident in my clothes, and don't feel I need to wear all of my finery to take my DC to school, in case anyone should think I am (heaven forbid) not wealthy.
A lot of you are, frankly missing the point.
Off now to polish my LV handbag and shoes for the pick up, and need to dig out my Victoria Beckham finest.
God, I might look, you know, POOR, if I don't.

OP posts:
TOWISalford · 13/09/2011 10:09

You want everyone to dress like a Sloane ranger like yourself? I don't even know this preppy look, I'm too poor, my idea of looking good lies in the rails of topshop or river island and I can't even afford that at the moment. Maybe they just want to look different to people like you and would rather die than look like, I dunno, Camilla Parker Bowles. Do you all have sunglasses that only ever reside in your hair too, like a bird in a nest, never seem to be used for the purpose they were intended for.

ConstanceNoring · 13/09/2011 10:09

OP are you sure you're not just a little bit jel ?

Morloth · 13/09/2011 10:09

Why do you care at all? I don't get it.

JenaiMarrHePlaysGuitar · 13/09/2011 10:10

As Hully says, you have chosen the wrong area.

You are a dreadful snob, OP (and I think you know it).