School uniform and buying new each year

[Justtheonequestion]

Does everyone buy everything new each year? Blazers shirts trousers jumpers pe kits shoes trainers socks bags everything?
Ive done so in the past but it seems daft to dispose of the stuff which is still ok.
Wibu to just replace the obvious bits, ie buying 3 shirts each and new shoes, rather than everything? Or will that make them look scruffy?

No, why would you? It gets replaced if too small or very worn but if it's still ok, then it gets used again.

Great thanks for the reassurance.
I'm worried if they dont look all 'shiny' people might think we are a struggling family (im a single mum with severe MH probs which school are unfortunately aware of).
I notice very MC families often have the scruffiest uniform whereas my friend on income support skints herself to buy new shirts and polis each month.

Normally I buy all new stuff. Maybe this year I can get away with not getting a blazer.

It's not an issue of money but rather an issue of need. Of course if they have trousers flapping round ankles and holes in jumpers you'd replace where you could,, but don't just replace because you feel you should. As a kid, a new bag and pencil case were always the big things.

Nope, started off with dd1 in reception and yr1 buying new but soon saw sense. They get new shirts every year because they couldn't keep a shirt in good nick if their lives depended on it but otherwise it's as and when.

No never . I buy m and s trousers which have a bit to take up and wash them as little as possible.

I notice very MC families often have the scruffiest uniform

I think this is true. Those families have no compunction about using second hand sales, and passing clothing on to siblings (uniform and the rest - so they tend to have lesser pink) and between friends.

Just on a basis of thrift, buying new when an item does not need replacing just because it's September, strikes me as profligate.

But younwill see lots of new stuff in Sept, because the little blighters grow like weeds; and the stuff that really shouid have been put out of its misery somewhere around the summer half term (but was still used, on the grounds it was silly to buy when they've only got a couple of weeks to go), is finally and reluctantly sent for textile recycling (clean rags)

I replace polo shirts as by this end of the school year they are a yellow-grey from suncream and general primary school grime and I think they all have some kind of unwashable paint/ pen stain on them.

My DCs have slow growing feet. I check their shoes through the year. DS2 had his replaced about halfway through the year. DS1 is still on last September's which are now very worn and ripe for replacement.

Other items, I replace as needed through the year. DS1 has recently had his second size of cardigan after the originals saw him from yR to y2 and DS1 is still using the originals. Trousers/ shorts also seem to wear well.

Why don't schools do grey polo shirts???

I buy as I need on secondary, we've had a few blazers as I hate oversized clothes so buy ones that actually fit.

Shirts get replaced often and bottoms as they grow.

I buy a whole heap of stationery in the summer hols to last the year and new bags etc.

New short sleeved shirts as they are stained beyond belief by sunscreen and more yellow than white. Everything else when ripped or outgrown (ripped trousers become shorts). Outgrown gets saved for the younger brother.

I stagger uniform shopping throughout the year as and when needed. I used to buy at least one new cardigan and skirt in September, so they had one half-decent set, but all the new stuff invariably looks shite within a month anyway, so I knocked that on the head.

No way! Only replace what needs replacing. As long as everything is clean and looked after nobody at school will bat an eye. Children in unwashed, screwed up clothes with holes in do stand out, old but clean clothes in good repair are fine though. My youngest wears school jumpers that have been previously worn by two older siblings, each wearing them for 2 at least 2 years!

I normally buy new every year, however, this year DS has lost so many jumpers I've had to buy throughout the year so they're still quiet good, his trousers seem OK too so I'll probably just get shoes and shirts too.

DS has almost finished reception and his uniform is fit for the bin. I imagine I'll be buying yearly for a while but as he gets older I'll expect the more expensive pieces to last longer

You can buy uniform all year round now so I don’t see the need to replace things until needed!

This year I have got ds two new pairs of trousers and the rest is fine!

If things still for and are in a reasonable condition then I see no harm in using them again rather than buy new.

I work in a pretty average secondary school and loads of kids don't have a brand new uniform every year. Similarly, when I was at school, uniform was bought as and when it was needed. My blazer lasted 5 years because I was careful with it and didn't grow much.

My son starts school this year so will be buying full uniform but hoping at least some will do for next year too. Having said that, he grows like a weed and generally comes home from preschool looking like he's been down a mine!

Thankfully, at the school he is going to, they can wear either red or white polos - I am definitely buying red ones

I only buy when outgrown/worn out.
TBH I'm a bit bemused by the whole "buying new uniform in the summer holidays" - unless your DC is just starting a new school, then they tend to grow out/wear through clothes at a random point in the year, not conveniently at the end of the summer term. and if (say) you've bought your DC new trousers in May (as I just have following him growing about 4 inches) you are hardly going to buy new ones for the start of the new school year.

I think it really only matters on the first day, if at all. As far as shirts/polos goes, I always liked to have 6 in, one for each day plus an emergency, because I washed them altogether at the weekend on a hot wash with Ace to keep them whitey white. BUT only one or two of the 6 would be the school logo'd ones, the others would be Tesco cheapies.

Our school uniform shop also has a 'nearly new' rack and I never hesitated to have a rifle through. I never refused a kind offer from a parent further up the school either.
DD has just finished year 11 and all her uniform went to the nearly new lady who will sort, launder, ensure its de-labelled, and attach a code so that if it is sold the money finds its way back to us.

Good grief no. Our school had a bag of used uniform - you buy a top for 50p and when it's too small you just give it back. Current polo shirts are on their 4th child if the label is to be believed.

I replace as and when needed with the exception if shirts which always look a bit grubby by end of the year.

I never by anything in the last half term though. Trainers/mini skirts/ 3/4 length sleeves... I'll just replace in the hols then.

Don't people buy big and take up hems anymore

Some of us do... I'm already buying the next lot of uniform so I can get started sewing on the name tapes, too. Bloody awful job. DD loses everything so it's not really negotiable. But some of her uniform will fit for a while yet, hopefully. She's in KS1.

All the old uniform gets donated if it's still in decent condition. The school always need spares.

We live abroad but the DCs attend a British school so have a really similar uniform to U.K. students. We have a cupboard stocked with M&S white shirts in every size for DS (10) and white blouses in every size for DD (just turned 7), bought in the sales when I've been in London visiting family. Ditto grey trousers for DS.

They have navy jumpers/cardigans which I sew the school logo onto but we can buy those in local shops.

The ludicrously expensive uniform items they need from the school shop are a tie for DS and a pinafore style skirt and knee socks for DD. DS has one tie and will have the same one from Y3 to Y6 - it's 3 years old now and looking OK (wet pressed nightly and machine washed weekly or when there is a visible stain). DD has one skirt which luckily is also machine washable. It's good quality, at least. However will have to be replaced when she finally grows out of it (there is still some hem to let down). The socks are a bit of a nightmare as they're ludicrously expensive and DDs feet seem to grow like a weed.

P.E. kit I also resent as it's branded and very expensive but terrible quality. We bought big and they will wear it for as long as possible!

Bags, coats, shoes, trainers, swimsuits, etc. (luckily we can buy these from anywhere) are replaced when necessary and we encourage the DCs to take good care of them, e.g. DS knows he must change into his playground trainers to play football at break rather than wear out and scuff his school shoes.

There's no way we could replace everything every August and it wouldn't really make sense as everything from June would still fit but then they'd have a growth spurt in October!

Luckily they are too little/unaware to demand new stationery for the start of term but I do pick up new packs of colouring pencils and pens and make sure their pencil cases are well stocked ready for the new school year. (They tend to get things like pencil cases in their stockings at Christmas...Santa is quite practical in our house ).

@RedSkyLastNight, for most of primary mine seemed to have their growth spurts around May, so they'd be wearing new stuff for the end of each school year and then have the same stuff come September. Last year though DC2 caught me out by waiting until the summer holidays to have the growth spurt.

For primary, I generally bought stuff in bits and pieces in the next size up so that I had it to hand when I realised they need to move up sizes so could easily swap them out. DC1 had all new stuff but DC2 has had pinafores and some of the skirts and summer dresses new, but the vast majority was handed down.

I only buy new when outgrown or destroyed.

For dresses that is at least once a year though as my DD grows so quickly.

It is pointless buying new just for the sale of it, when last year's uniform is still serviceable.

Nope, I only replace that which is manky or outgrown. DD2 has one year of uniform to go and we hope she will ride it out in DD1's last blazer. Shirts are replaced annually, shoes as and when needed, trousers when outgrown.

Although I hate uniform and would love to see it abolished, it has to be said that our school's blazers are good quality and last and wash well.