To not replace all school uniform

[Allyg1185]

Everyone I know buys everything new for going back after the summer. Am I the only one that thinks this is a massive waste of money if it's not needed?

I just replaced ds shoes and polo shirts at the easter holidays as the shoes had seen better days and the shirts were evading my stain removing abilities. I've tried on his jumpers and they still fit and aren't washed out.

So new I've bought socks and trousers as they were threadbare at the knees where he has fell etc and socks going the same way. He asked for a new more grown up school bag.

Anyone else the same as me and reuses what they can?

I don't understand why anyone would do that! Children don't magically grow in the summer and then stop for the rest of the year!

Never known anyone buy the whole uniform again from new for the start of the new school year. It would never occur to me to do that. Only if needed.

I buy one new set of uniform for the first day back, so I know I have a nice/new looking set for school photos, trips etc but otherwise I replace as needed.

dimple, has it really never occurred to you that it's a bit odd throwing away clothes that still fit and are perfectly usable?

Replace as needed. My sons shirts got binned, no amount of stain remover was getting out what he’d done. New socks cause the sock fairy steals them. Possibly new shoes, but I’ll see how he is end of summer. His shorts trousers and jumpers are all fine (jumpers replaced with next size up a few months ago after massive growth spurt)

It's fairly common in this area it would appear

I don't know anyone who buys a whole new set

I just replace as needed. Ds2 is in his adolescent growth spurt so I always have a few things the next size up ready for the day when his trousers suddenly don't fit over his arse.

I remember growing up always having trousers and shirts that were too small by the last term of school but parents refusing to buy new until September

Me too, it's awful and embarrassing. Likewise having to walk around in huge clothes like blazers to get the most out of them.

You can guarantee the parents aren't walking around in clothes too small or horribly faded/stained though.

I bought in June as a few bits needed replacing, if they don't fit in September then so be it. They will go to the charity shop but it's unlikely they will grow that much in two months.

Plenty of people with trolleyfuls of stuff in M&S when I was in last week.

As they get older I think you need to replace less often.

Last year DD was a scarecrow by Easter- everything stained, too small and ripped, so I bought new thinking I'd keep them until about Christmas. She had another big spurt upwards that Summer, nightmar.e

Must say I'm flabbergasted at the idea of buying new just for the sake of it - not because outgrown/worn out.

I hope that anyone who does, will pass on or charity-shop anything still wearable, and not just chuck it.

Mine get new shoes and socks every August as two are at the stage where their feet have stopped growing but their shoes do a lot of walking. The other one still growing so may get two pairs a school year. Last year I replaced all the boys white shirts as figured they'd done a while but otherwise I replace as and when needed. I have three kids at grammar schools and their uniform is mainly from the school shop so expensive , one got new uniform in June and will need a change again September 2019 and the other has lost two pairs of trainers nicked and lost most of his PE kit this term, so I'm not paying out more than I have too as I have so many extra expenses due to useless kids and thieving gits.

DD just reminded me that she had the same pinafores through all of KS1 then the same shirts for all of KS2. The pinafores probably would have fitted but KS2 had to have skirts. We think we only replaced her secondary school uniform one from Y7 to Y11 and that was due to wear! My DD is TINY!

I have 4 DSs. The eldest is 11 and the uniform he first wore in reception (the bits still wearable after going through 3 boys) will be passed onto the youngest when he starts in September.

Why anyone would buy new uniform for the sake of it is total madness!

I really look after DC’s uniform and only replace when either grown out of or completely ruined. My DC are small so tend to not grow out of uniform quickly like some children do.

Why on earth would you throw out perfectly good clothes just for the sake of it?

I buy whats needed the rest is used till grown out of/washed out etc. Costs enough without chucking out good clothes!

I try to get two years of growth in cardigans. It’s a bit tricker with other items. I replace as and when. Dd doesn’t even want new stuff. She’s complained I bought the size up of the skirt she likes so she can jusf wear both this year tbh.

I buy uniform to fit two years, if age 10 is outgrown, age 11 should be a perfect fit so I buy age 12 for room to grow. I buy new school shoes when they are worn out or outgrown, usually once a year.

With first DD, I really bought into the 'new uniform for September' thing. I realised how wasteful it was and now only buy when it's needed. Much cheaper and less stressful!

DD has had a massive growth spurt and I had to replace her summer uniform at half term so I assume I'll need to replace everything else but I don't usually, apart from socks which I'm pretty sure she eats and white shirts which are always stained.

I suspect it's not the most affluent areas where this happens either. If you go to the Prep schools, where people aren't short of a bob or two, you'll see many many kids dressed in stuff from the very good second hand sales of uniform that are run (looking elrfectly respectable) as well as a fair few in clothes which are a bit threadbare or small, because parents like to spend/save their money for other things and don't really care if the kids look shiny and new because ether have nothing to prove.

I suspect this buying new even if the old still fits happens not in the more affluent areas or the least affluent, but those where people are newly relatively affluent and want everyone to know they can afford new stuff - so it's a kind of badge. Perhaps it comes along with having the newest trainers and regular new curtains or sofas in the latest styles? Just a thought...I might be totally wrong.

Gosh. I have always bought all new for September because, to be honest, by the end of a year of school life I've needed to! I've never bought second hand either because financially I can afford not to and if I don't buy second hand for myself, I wouldn't for my children.

Nope, I just replace anything that's looking shabby/too small. I do try to make shoes last until the holidays so they usually go back in new shoes but everything else is on a 'need to replace' basis!

Actually they often do grow over the summer so if you buy early they have to be massive to last long enough. Obvs if too small in winter you have to bite the bullet. They get so little wear out of summer clothes, always buy larger.

We buy all new every year. They get grubby fast. If they were to outgrow anything we'd replace them of course. I guess the trousers get a bit short but it's not a big deal - they don't seem to care whilst in primary.

It's a nice feeling to start the new year in new clothes.