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

[Pedicuri]

...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?

My school run does usually involve running, with lots of fuck fuck fuck, muttered VERY under my breath. Hence I wear runners.

I don't really do smart casual. I wear jeans and t-shirt or gym gear. What other people feel comfortable in is their business.

Chuff........ not hanging out...............jumper............non-sparkly.........

My school run does usually involve running, with lots of fuck fuck fuck, muttered VERY under my breath. Hence I wear runners.

That made me chuckle.

I don't understand it. We have exactly the same things to do each morning. We get up on time. We live a short distance from school. So why oh why do we end up having to rush.

Thank you Deep. I think Bikin was meant to be Birkin. So a bag, basically.

I agree that a bikini with a lock on it would be far more exciting.

Yes I am being judgey. So is everyone on here, in their own way. But I hold my hands up to it - I think they try too hard, not because they look smart, but because they are OVERDRESSED. There. I said it. Victoria Beckham has nothing on these ladies.
And now I can't hear you all because I have taken the advice on this thread and invested in a pair of Chanel earmuffs. Perhaps I should actually wear my skis, so the other mums know I do actually go on skiing holidays?
No, I am not jealous, thanks all the same for suggesting. Guess I respect stealth wealth look more than 'look how rich I am'. Or 'does my butt look rich in this'?

Last week someone at one at my school picked a child up wearing just an above the new towelling dressing gown.

I'm glad lots wear something other than jeans. Although jeans are fine too. But prints, colour, style all that stuff is nice to look at.

We don't have many skyscraper heels but do have a lot of fashion stuff. Marant is a big one. Looks less dressy (to the untrained eye of course).

Was it a Gucci dressing gown?

Oh how I wish it had been a bikini with lock - now that would have got the tongues wagging. Sadly I meant to type Birkin.

"Guess I respect stealth wealth look more than 'look how rich I am'."

This is the problem. What has respect got to do with it? Yes, clothes can signify identity, but you don't have to respect or disrespect the wearer because of them. Respect them till they have proven themselves unworthy. Christ, this is shallow. Enjoy the skiing, darling!

Hully, good for you that you're friends with 'them'. This is exactly my point, your comments have undertones of snobbiness too - they are distinct from you in that they wear their money and they all happen to be wives of tradesmen. You will, despite these vulgarities be friends with 'them' - do they know your patronising them in offering your friendship?

Equally, you are making sweeping generalisations based upon your personal experience. TBH those who are commenting on the 'wrong' areas for prep schools sound like bigger snobs than the op!

Oh come on pink delight. I am being tongue in cheek. Lighten up.

I wasn't actually serious about wearing the skis either, just incase you believe that too.

Maybe. YA still BU tho. Ta-ra.

These sort of threads sadden me because it smacks of low self confidence.

If you're happy with yourself and your choice of dress, you shouldn't (and probably wouldn't) care what other people wear...let alone think about starting an internet discussion about it.

I don't understand why you think other people choosing to dress how they want, puts 'pressure' on everyone else?

Find something else to occupy your time and be happy with who you are and how you choose to dress.

DS2's school has a catchment area that includes both the "worst" roads & the "best" roads in the city so we generally get the full range of outfits/accessories etc. However, it is usually the "rich" mums in jeans & t-shirt and the "poor" mums in designer wear .

One day last term one mum brought her DD into school wearing pyjamas with teddies on, a pink dressing gown & fluffy slippers. While others around me were judging away I was thinking "well, she obviously thought it was more important for her DD to be on time than for her to be dressed".

It was when I saw her leaving Morrisons a couple of hours later still wearing the same outfit that I started judging .

who plays with who / who is invited to who's house for tea

IME that was the main game and dress is just one of the tactics to display correct status to get into the playdate clique. A better tactic is to let it be known that you or DH are a pop star/ author/ retiring millionaire :)

God that sounds so luxurious and wonderful Bonsoir. I am wishing I had kept it! The lunch, the outfit - sound fabulous. Might have to swing by again.

I need something to lift me out of bleurgh wardrobe atm. Saw a fabulous outfit today, floaty floral print with print and wide belt.

I'm actually kind of with the OP on this one.

It's all very well to say "why worry what anyone else wears" but realistically people do judge themselves by comparison to what other mums look like.

If most mums turn up to the school gates with a full blow dry, perfect make up, high heels and generally flattering and put together clothes, that ups the ante and means that if you turn up in baggy jeans, old T shirt and no grooming, you will probably look worse by comparison. So, if you care about looking worse than everyone else (and most people do if we are honest), you will then feel you need to make a similar amount of effort.

In summary the real problem with all this grooming and effort is it raises the bar for everyone else. Everyone then needs to make more effort in order to look "normal" by these newly raised standards.

And those saying looking nice takes no more effort than putting on any old thing - oh come on, that's just rubbish. Otherwise there wouldn't be a multi billion pound fashion and beauty industry.