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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

not to buy my DCs a football kit?

48 replies

Idontknowwhysheswallowedafly · 15/07/2014 12:33

I'm genuinely unsure whether IABU.

My 2 DC have an own clothes day coming up which is world cup themed (late I know!). They are both begging to wear a football kit. DC1 has a top and would need shorts/socks which aren't cheap. DC2 would need a full kit. They would like the kit of the PL team they support but would be happy with any of the big European teams or an England kit.

I don't want to buy it for them. I could afford to, but I don't want to. I'd sooner put the 70/80ish on our holiday spends or something. I don't think "world cup themed" necessarily equates to football kit.

On the other hand, we live in a football mad city and they're bouyed by the World Cup. I could be "projecting" here but I remember wearing slightly out of fashion, ill fitting, market stall clothing when I was their age (because it was all my mum could afford) and not begrudging it, but certainly being very conscious of it. I remember wanting to just have the same as everyone else seemed to and I think their friends might all be wearing football kits.

DC1 has offered to pay for his out of his savings which would solve the quandary, but DC2 hasn't got any savings so I think I would feel bad about asking one child to use their savings and then buying the kit for the other child.

They're pretty good kids and don't really ask for much but I'm reluctant to take this money out of the family pot - it will have a knock on elsewhere.

Oh and if everyone says IABU, could someone please tell me the cheapest place to get football kits! Sorry for this relatively boring AIBU but I just can't decide.

OP posts:
Legoaddict · 15/07/2014 12:36

I'd get them. You say they are good kids who don't ask for much and you can afford it. Treat them.

SamG76 · 15/07/2014 12:36

Why do they need full kit? Shorts and socks are a rip-off. Footie shirt and jeans look fine. And I'm sure you could get last season's shirt for some European team at Sports Direct for £20 or so.

Original poster
Idontknowwhysheswallowedafly · 15/07/2014 12:38

SamG76
Why do they need full kit? Shorts and socks are a rip-off. Footie shirt and jeans look fine

Should have put this in my OP - we've had that discussion and apparently it's just not the same thing AT ALL. although it is to me

OP posts:
blondiep14 · 15/07/2014 12:40

Sports Direct definitely your friend.
Sure they'll have some cheaper kits now WC is over.

My two live in football kits and I always begrudge the (extortionate) outlay. I have to say tho, they wear them so often they do get value for wear!

Also they dry very quickly and don't need ironing - which is always a plus for me Grin

TeenAndTween · 15/07/2014 12:40

YANBU.
If I need to buy anything for a dress up day it comes from charity shops. No way would I spend £70!

  • charity shops for any kind of football shirt, they can wear any pair of shorts, ignore socks just their usual ones
  • plain T-shirt with flag painted on, or decorated like a football
  • normal clothes with a 'football hat' or 'world cup' hat

Broadly speaking, anything except school uniform will be fine.

(If your DCs don't normally have/want football kits, then buying them for a 1 day thing is a total waste of money imo)

ziggy13 · 15/07/2014 12:41

I think if they are fans then you should get them (or at least a top for DC2). My DS1 is a massive Barcelona fan and loves ice hockey. His Barcelona FC top and Red Wings jersey were probably two of the best things i have ever bought for him. The first Barca top he got when he was about 8 he literally lived in for about 6 months!!

Igggi · 15/07/2014 12:42

I thought if never get kits for my ds, but he now has several. When I take him to football training every child without exception is in a strip, no-one just has sporty shorts and a tshirt. I won't get caught up in the new kit every season lark though. Teams who are big in Europe = ones you can get more cheaply on eBay etc. I've used Sports Direct but for dearer ones, or local club shops - you want lat sras kit

EarSlaps · 15/07/2014 12:43

How old are they? My DS is nearly 5 and bought himself a Liverpool kit but is equally happy in an England shirt from H&M and red shorts and socks from Sports Direct (Sondico ones, pretty cheap).

Igggi · 15/07/2014 12:43

.. Last season's kit, not the new one!
Will they get other use out of them though, not just the school event? Ds would live and sleep in a strip if allowed to.

Sirzy · 15/07/2014 12:44

Can you buy previous seasons kits for football teams? That's how I tend to get rugby kits

OneDreamOnly · 15/07/2014 12:50

Do they at football at all?
If they do then it sort of makes sense but I would go with the branded top and get some cheap shorts and socks.
Yes all the other kids will gave stuff with the big names on unfortunately.

If they don't play at all and it's just a 'oh let's do like everyone else' ... I think it's hard because they will want to fit in but won't need any if those.
I would base my choice on how well integrated they are, if they have any 'social' issue at school etc.. But I have to say I eod get grumpy at buying something that would only be used once but because 'everyone else' does.

DogCalledRudis · 15/07/2014 12:50

Sports Direct -- pretty cheap in there.

ohforfoxsake · 15/07/2014 12:51

I hate footy kits - £50 for a synthetic tee-shirt - swore mine would never have them.

Of course, they do. That went out the window about the same time I swore they would only have wooden toys and no plastic tat.

My boys wear them with pride, more than anything else. It's like some sort of identity thing. I don't understand it, but I don't understand how men who show no emotion at any time in their lives weep like babies on the terraces.

If you can get away with it, Sports Direct is the place to go. Or, if you can find last seasons replica strip, it will be reduced now as the new kits are coming out. Try ebay or preloved. Often the changes are small. It's all a scam really.

Ilovehamabeads · 15/07/2014 12:53

My DS lives in football kits out of school and I was also one who swore I would never buy them. The quick dry/no iron thing is the winner for me! I got the full official Barca kit from mandmdirect.com for £7.99 last year, his (unofficial) Spain kit came from a seafront shop in torremolinos for €10 and his local team stuff comes from the Everton end of season sales. He's happy with them and I don't care that he wears last season stuff, I wouldn't pay silly money for them.

flowery · 15/07/2014 12:55

DS1's West Ham shirt was about £50 but then towards the end of the season he bought himself an away shirt and a goalkeepers shirt for about £12 each. The prices really come down once you're not looking at new versions.

He wears virtually nothing but those football shirts so in terms of value per wear they're great, even the £50 one.

Having said that, if he had made any kind of fuss about just the shirt not being good enough, and needing shorts and socks etc as well, he would have found himself without anything at all....

bughunt · 15/07/2014 13:02

If this was a costume for a school event that could only be worn once then definately no. But you'll get your money back with this as it sounds like they won't want to wear anything else over the holidays. Go for it.

aderynlas · 15/07/2014 13:13

Last seasons kit should be quite cheap at the moment op. Hope your boys enjoy their football day.

Original poster
Idontknowwhysheswallowedafly · 15/07/2014 13:21

Ah see, my resistance is crumbling. I suppose IABU in that my main reason is "I don't want to". And yes, posters are right - they would get loads of wear out of them.

Flowery yes, I agree - and I think that's where my "no" stance came from, but I'm thinking back to when my mum refused point blank to buy me a brownies uniform as I had brown clothes already and that was "good enough" no it wasn't mum, it was awful I think it was the proudest moment of my life when I got a proper Brownies uniform.

So, Sports Direct you reckon? But I don't liiiiiiiikkkkkkke iiiiiiiiiit

OP posts:
playftseforme · 15/07/2014 13:25

i always cave in - but then I have residual issues about never having the right kit/clothes/uniform when growing up, so don't want my kids to go through that. i accept that that is an extreme view which probably puts me on the edges of BU.

CiderwithBuda · 15/07/2014 13:26

Don't want to put a spanner in the works but surely PL strips are not World Cup themed? Sorry!

And I bet you could get very cheap Brazil shirts in sports direct at the moment!

Floggingmolly · 15/07/2014 13:31

Have you time to eBay before the dress up day? I got full kits for my two for a fraction of the actual extortionate price.

wigglesrock · 15/07/2014 13:32

I know its not the same thing but H&M had football tops in last month. Just cheap synthetic ones but they had most of the teams that were participating in the World Cup. We have the Spain, Italy, France ones - my children are the kiss of death supporters Smile

OneDreamOnly · 15/07/2014 13:35

I have to say just as much as I hate football with a passion (and my dcs do know about that) I don't think you can expect them to play football wo the full kit nowadays.

But I also agree that it doesn't have to be the full putfitbincl socks etc.
I personally also have dig my feet at buying football shoes seeing they play once a week with school so nothing serious anyway. So they bought the football boots themselves (again not too expensive from .., yes Sports Direct).

ChillySundays · 15/07/2014 13:35

My DC had to buy football strips out of birthday/Christmas money. Occasionally would buy as a treat. I agree with others about not needing ironing so happy for mine to wear every day! My son has some football shirt material shirt but are not for any team - they are probably cheaper. Saw Primark has reduced t-shirts with England flag on - might have some children's ones. Wear with jeans and go as a supporter rather than a player

flowery · 15/07/2014 13:36

I really think a Brownie uniform as opposed to brown clothes isn't comparable in terms of reasonable distress levels in a child as a football kit including shorts and socks (which will rarely get worn) or not including shorts and socks... But there we go.