School dress ruined at school!

[DianaMitford]

As the title says. New dress, bought at the beginning of the summer term. 9yo DD, doing art today and black ink has soaked through her apron onto her dress. I washed it immediately she came home with Vanish and it's faded but it's ruined. I mean, she can still wear it but it's got black ink all down the front

My dilemma is that a new dress is £40 and there are no secondhand ones. Do I say anything to the school?? If so, what?!

I think it's one of those things you just have to suck up. Dresses also get stained at state schools but obviously dresses can be purchased much more cheaply...no consolation if you're really hard up...the dress is still ruined and that's that. The plus side of uniform is that even more expensive clothes aren't ruined with black ink.

I would have more than one dress though, just incase of instances like this. If you can afford private fees you can afford another £40. Personally I would have 3, but then I seem to be crap at laundry.

wasonthelist rubbing alcohol = surgical spirit, dirt cheap from chemists.

And just be glad she wasn't wearing a blazer...why would a 12yo be wearing a blazer in an art lesson? No, I didn't replace it immediately, he had to go to school with as platters effect for a while, but didn't seem to care, unlike the OPs DD, which I think does make a difference.

White spirit gets biro ink off, so it could probably manage other ink

I'm a teacher and one of the children in my class drew on my beige coat with board marker. I managed to get most of the ink out using an ink remover for leather!

The stain is the result of a school activity. The dress is clean albeit stained. Just keep sending her in to school in the dress - they can hardly complain can they.

I feel the same about the parents having conniptions every week at DS's school when the children come home with paint and ink on their shirts - the educational activity using the paint and ink is more important than a pristine shirt.

conniptions

What an excellent word!

What is the dress design/colour?

At dd's school a lot of kids wear similar dresses on art days but they are generic ones. Depending on the manufacturer they sometimes sell cheaper online

You can still get Stain Devils. I found a pack of 3 in Sainsburys today for £4 which includes one for dealing with ink - DH had a biro leak in his pocket.

I think clothes get ruined for all sorts of reasons at school so I'd never expect to only have to buy one dress for a term, no matter what the cost.

I'd buy a new dress but perhaps also suggest to the school, they could have better aprons or use washable ink.

Oh - this sounds just like dd2 who got black paint all over her dress and I'm sorry to say it never came out. I discovered 3 years later that mother of one of her friends made the school pay for a replacement as her dd was in a brand new £36 pound dress the day of the black paint stains..

Bleach did at least tone it down a bit but not until 8 of us got our revenge on the school by sending our dds in on photograph day in the paint splattered dresses. Ruined not just the class photo but 4 of the were in the front row for the whole school photo as well - head not pleased but I felt it served them right.

Why the hell are school using indelible black ink/paint in art lessons anyway?

My daughter goes to nursery prep - funded by 15 hrs funding. Don't assume everyone is rich!

It's a bit fur coat no knickers to send your dd to a private school but only buy one dress (imo), even if you do work very hard (as many people do)

Keep trying the stain removers but sadly, you are going have suck it up and buy a new one. Get the next size up and hopefully it will still fit next Spring.

Have had similar summer term traumas in the past, DD lost a v expensive (£80) blazer two weeks before the end of term and had to have a new one for Speech Day (no secondhand ones as school had just changed to new style). It's annoying but part if if the deal you sign up to when you go down the prep school route.

Hang it out in the sun for a couple of days - never met a stain that can withstand the bleaching property of sunlight (including turmeric and baby poo!).

Oh and just out of interest - what do the boys wear in summer? Personally, I've noticed that's it's been much cheaper to clothe DS for the same prep school that DD attended.

No expensive summer dresses - grey shorts & white shirts you can get anywhere with school tie & jumper. No expensive winter kilts and school specific blouses - as before but with trousers in place of shorts. Seems unfair that parents have to fork out so much more for the girls than the boys.

Just buy another dress. Keep using the stained one especially on days when they have art.

It is ridiculous only having one dress.

I know the fees are a lot but if you can't afford another £40 then you probably shouldn't be sending your child to private school.

a tip for next time is wash in cold water with a tablet of soap. you have to leave to soak with the soap on for an hour r so but it is really good to get stains out.

I think the problem is that schools think that if you can afford the fees you can afford silly prices for uniform. some people can of course but a fair few will have pushed themselves to the limit to pay.

LOL at working very hard. If that was what was behind affording private school fees, they'd be populated by the children of Third world peasant farmers.

World's tiniest violin from me. You'll have to shave a couple of bottles of wine off your next Ocado order

It isn't always as easy as buying another. You have to get it from one supplier. Dd's school uses a supplier with an 8 week wait. So have a growth spurt and you are stuffed. They have recently moved but old shop could feature in 50's period dramas - you can't just pick things up and try them, things hidden in ancient cupboards and produced one at a time, lots of waiting while staff go up and downstairs. And don't mention needing an age 13 when the school finishes at age 11. I'd use the stained dress.

Don't just assume all parents who pay for orivatw education use ocado lynda

My DH and I scrimp and save by shopping in aldi / primark / in order to make the school fees. That is a choice we have made. Some families can afford the fees comfortably and shop in ocado

God I hate reverse snobbery. Constantly feel like I should be apologising for our family choices

Try white vinear and vanish. .place in bright sun. .it will fade. Buy an apron.

Like pp, finding it difficulty to be sympathetic for the cost of replacement dress for a family who can afford private school fees. I've always found the private school throw back uniforms a bit odd (boaters, bonnets (yes, bonnets), kilts etc), but replacing this goes with the price tag territory I'm afraid.

More fool you then, Malty.