MIL trying to insist that my 12 year old DDs wear their school uniform to a funeral in the easter holidays.

[sandyballs]

WTF? Why? Might be different if I was picking them up from school to go to the funeral.

I told her I thought it was very odd, then she said perhaps just the skirt then!

It's a big catholic funeral and I think she's worried that I'm going to let them turn up in their usual attire of skinny jeans and converse. I told her I'm taking them shopping to buy something smart but she still thinks school uniform is best.

AIBU? Or is she barking.

In the 70s it was very common for children to attend funerals in school uniform. I can vividly remember seeing DC attending funerals on the TV, after some tragedy in their school uniforms and thinking it was strange. Then thinking it through at the time that it was probably their only 'smart' outfit. We all wore jeans out of school or maybe party clothes for special occasions and would have had to buy something especially for the funeral. I can also remember seeing DC in court occasionally on TV in their school uniforms.

Not barking, just a bit old fashioned.

DD has used her black school trousers for formal choir events, but certainly not her coloured skirt and logo'd jumper.

Had I had to go to a funeral in the early '80s then it's very probable that I would have worn my plain navy jumper and skirt and a dark wine blouse instead of my white shirt and tie. However, not only didn't we have any money, we didn't have any shops either.

Good point about the style of uniforms having changed over the years. I had a wool blazer at school. Even though it was navy, it probably looked smarter than some of black - but more casual - uniforms kids wear today.

No she's not barking it's traditionally formal clothing for children and it would save you money too.

Not that long ago kids didn't really go to funerals.

My older ones went to a family funeral in school uniform. But uniform was trousers, blazer, shirt and tie and they had a special sort of blazer (tries very hard not to out self) as they had school "honours" and the person whose funeral it was also had had honours for the same thing back in their day. So it was more than appropriate. It was incredibly touching to see my boys there like he would have looked. And it's making me tear up.

But as long as they look tidy and not in something daft, they'll be fine.

I remember the Mum of a school friend getting very sniffy about kids wearing black (she was particularly old school). I had a new outfit on and the only thing she said was that she didn't like the trousers (they were black).

The school uniform may be a way of getting kids to look appropriate without putting them in black. Now kids wear black so I think the rule is relaxed.