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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To have DS2wear DS1s old uniform?

29 replies

TwoMummyPigs · 30/08/2017 13:21

My sons go to a normal high school. Not grammar or anything. For a blazer and jumper its almost £50. I am on ESA due to poor health.

Ds1 was in year 7 last year. He has a blazer and 2 jumpers here that are still in good nick. Ds2 isn't bothered about it.

He's never really worn hand me down uniform as primary was much cheaper.

He has new shoes/ coat/ trousers/ shirt ect. But WIBU to recycle DS1s uniform.

Part of me just feels starting highschool he should have brand new :/

OP posts:
BannedFromNarnia · 30/08/2017 13:23

Nah, totally normal. In fact much of my school uniform was bought second hand from the uniform sale, all the mums did it, and that was in a fee paying school so it was hardly like second hand/hand me downs had a stigma.

SteelyTesticlesOfObjectivity · 30/08/2017 13:24

Why should he have brand new?

indulgentberries · 30/08/2017 13:24

It's far more environmentally friendly to reuse the uniform so I think you have an obligation to do that rather than buying new Grin

PeaFaceMcgee · 30/08/2017 13:25

What a waste to buy new for the sake of it! Perfectly fine to hand down.

MongerTruffle · 30/08/2017 13:25

YANBU in my opinion

Many pupils here buy second-hand uniform from the school shop anyway (due to the huge cost of secondary school uniform).

arethereanyleftatall · 30/08/2017 13:26

IT would never occur to me to not dress dd2 in hand me downs.

pradathescammer · 30/08/2017 13:26

Why should he have brand new? Is he Prince George?

Don't worry OP xx no one will tell the difference and if you're ok ESA you're struggling enough

Lovingmybear2 · 30/08/2017 13:27

Good grief no that's perfectly normal.

Scribblegirl · 30/08/2017 13:28

My parents weren't struggling for cash at all but DSis always had hand me down uniform as long as it was still in good nick! Spending for the sake of it otherwise.

lalaloopyhead · 30/08/2017 13:28

Absolutely fine, there must be plenty of wear left in it if your DS1 only wore it for a year. My DD is in year 11 and is only on her second blazer, I thought it was traditional for it to be oversized in year 7 and up round their elbows before a new one is bought!

Ttbb · 30/08/2017 13:29

We are buying extra for DS1 with this in mind. Most people I knew wore their siblings uniforms (I went to private schools and a lot of them had millionaire parents so it's not a money thing)

seven201 · 30/08/2017 13:38

I'd never heard of anyone not using hand-me-downs if they were available!

BarbarianMum · 30/08/2017 13:40

????? Um, yeah, that's totally normal. Confused

ChippyMinton · 30/08/2017 13:43

If DS2 is fine with it, then it's a non-issue.

Does the stuff not fit DS1 anymore?

Mrscropley · 30/08/2017 13:45

I know a woman who deliberately gave her dc the same initials so she could reuse the private school uniform. ..

Urglewurgle · 30/08/2017 13:46

I wore my mum's friend's daughter's uniform, then passed it to my little sister!

Bekabeech · 30/08/2017 13:47

My youngest didn't want a new Blazer. she's now on her second one and both have been hand me downs - and we could afford new if she wanted.
Its not an issue. Actually here the older "house shirts" are prefered often over the newer ones - the logo is sewn better.

OhGodWhatTheHellNow · 30/08/2017 13:53

What would you do with the outgrowns if they weren't passed down?

What baffles me is I run the uniform exchange for our primary (only keep the pricey logo stuff, in good nick) and I can't give the stuff away. I'm seriously considering knocking it on the head.

CruCru · 30/08/2017 13:55

Seems sensible enough, as long as it isn't ripped to shreds and covered in spaghetti sauce stains. I'd get new shoes though.

OhGodWhatTheHellNow · 30/08/2017 13:56

Incidentally, DD gets her first New cardigans this year and she's in year 2. She always looks smart, and loves knowing who her clothes come from.

theymademejoin · 30/08/2017 13:57

I just wish any of mine had uniform items that were in any sort of fit state to be handed down. The jumpers, trousers and pe bottoms all have holes by the time they grow out of them/leave school and the white polo shirts tend to get really grey and tatty but if they weren't cheap, I would reuse despite greyness.

The only item that is vaguely reusable is my dd's skirt. Unfortunately, ds2 refuses to wear it.

formerbabe · 30/08/2017 14:02

Don't most people pass uniform down to siblings? I have a boy and girl so the only uniform I pass down is the jumpers/cardigans if they're still in good condition...of course, it's fine.

Tralalalalz · 30/08/2017 14:07

Why on earth wouldn't you? I've handed down all DS1's jumpers and sports kit for DD and handed all DD's prep school uniform to her friends siblings who are literally the richest people I've ever met and the mum was beyond thrilled with them. Who buys new of the old ones still have life in them?

MsPassepartout · 30/08/2017 14:14

We're planning on handing down as much of DS1's uniform as possible to DS2.
Most people I know hand down uniform to younger siblings if it's still useable, especially the more expensive logoed stuff.

DisneyMillie · 30/08/2017 14:18

I've got a a 6 year age gap and I'm saving all school uniform for reuse for dd2. We could afford new but why waste the money or clothing?