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 like the air of superiority that comes withthe line "if I don't buy second hand for myself I wouldn'tfor my children" as if there's some moral line to be drawn. I sometimes buy second hand for me. I don't so often find stuff that fits and I like as obviously children grow out of things that can still have life in. School uniform I tend to buy new as it's cheap and gets a lot of wear but this is a pragmatic question rather than a moral one. I could buy everything new if I wanted but prefer to give my money to a charity shop and save stuff from landfill if the opportunity arises. Don't buy second hand if you don't want, but don't feel sorry for children in second hand clothes.

No why would you replace stuff that still fits ? Just weird.

I buy new trousers (Tesco) when needed but the branded polo shirts etc I get from the PTA at 50p a shot, and when we outgrow then I give them back.

I always buy the next size up in the pre-summer uniform sales online.
That way assuming he has a growth spurt at some point during the year, the next size is sitting in the wardrobe ready to be worn. It doesn't cost much because we don't have anything with logos on and no PE kit.
I live rurally so the nearest city for buying uniform is about 90 mins drive away so it saves having to go to the city unnecessarily. We probably only visit the city about 2-3 times a year.
I pass on the clothes that are too small but with still plenty of wear in them to a friend who's DS is a couple of years younger. Other clothes either go to the charity shop or a recycling clothes bank.

No just replace what needs to be.
I've 2 dds and 2 ds. The first boy is about to start school and will be wearing his sisters shirts. There is absolutely no difference except for they fasten the opposite way.
I will be buggered if I'm buying more when I have around 50 shirts in various sizes in the loft. We have blue shirts so they don't go grey and look brand new.
Everyone gets new shoes though because they do need them.

And as I said upthread, if you look at the most affluent, perhaps in Prep schools, huge numbers of them wear uniform from the second hand shop with a sense of pride - it can actually be seen to be a bit nouveau to buy all new and want to look all shiny. It often is those who are 'newly arrived' in fluency who need to prove it with all new, or the flashy version of everything.

Of course, nothing wrong in buying new stuff if the old stuff is worn out or too small. And I totally get buying in advance when you see a bargain and know it will be needed in a couple of months due to growing out or wearing out current stuff....but why not continue to wear the old stuff until the old is worn out or grown out? New in the same size as the old, just for the sale of having new seems a bit odd - what do people who do this do with all the old perfectly good stuff they are no longer going to use? I'd be happy to have it. It's funny how people can see secondhand as a badge of pride or shame.

Me too, it's awful and embarrassing. Likewise having to walk around in huge clothes like blazers to get the most out of them.
At my child's school all of the year 7s are in blazers with room to grow so it's not an issue at all.

The only thing we buy new are school shoes and stationary, unless anything else is needed.
The school changed their uniform this year (for September) and it's £39 for one skirt!

My friends DS is in secondary and they have a winter and summer uniform. She buys him new everything each time they change their uniform (Winter is October to march and summer is April to September) including new shoes, pencil cases, bag, stationary, shirts etc.
She also buys a brand new PE kit every 5 months including new trainers.

I did the whole buying new for Y1 as everybody else was doing it, then realised what a complete waste of money it was and so from then it was replace as needed.

But for those who do the same, do remember to check whether the uniform still fits at least a few days before they go back to school in September. Unlike me last year . Didn't help that we had been away and only came back the day before DS went back. Thought I had better check it still fitted that night and realised his school trousers were far too short and his pe shorts were like hot pants! Cue a very hasty Next online order.

My parents only replaced uniforms every three to four years (they would buy slightly big and wait until I had completely grown out if them). This was quite common where I went to school, it was a private school and the uniforms were very expensive.

I get new shirts each school year as both mine get stains that even a nuclear blast wouldn’t remove.
Ds2 shoes are knackered so new for September, ds1 will have look at his as he has probably reached as big as he is going to get (please).
Trousers get replaced if worn or look like they are preparing for a flood.

I would have used Ds1 junior school jumpers for ds2 but there was a huge difference in size for the same age!

Main bane of my life is stationery being lost or chewed/broken.

No. We aren't either

Dd's pinafores and cardigans are still in brilliant condition so will be reusing them.

Everything else will need to be replaced though. Mostly because she's outgrown them.

Going to donate them to charity shops

Replaced as required here, but usually did a stock check in the summer hols to see what needs replacing. Usually bought new school shoes though, as feet have slowed down in growth one pair lasts the year then needed replacing. DC no longer in uniform, sixth form and university hopefully, so will check if jeans and hoodies need replacing/adding to.

I’ve always just replaced as needed. It means you’re not wasteful and it spreads the cost a bit. Ds(16) has new shirts at Easter and I’ve had to replace them as he’s absolutely shot up over the summer. I’m kind of praying he’ll get even a few weeks out of his current shoes as at £100 a pop (men’s sizes) it would be good if I can stave it off for another payday!(in Scotland so back mid Aug)

I replace the polo shirts as not one of them has looked white since Easter. I make them hold on until July as the yellow suncream staining and general grubbiness is worst in the summer term. Shoes generally need replacing over the summer, that's expensive if they do get little use due to a growth spurt.

Everything else (mainly shorts/ cardigans) are when they are grown out of. The cardigans have done the oldest for 3 years because the smallest size was 24". Still massive on the chest, but getting short on the arms, so it's now time to get the shoulders back down towards the elbows where they belong

As and when, definitely. We don't have school uniform here in Germany but the temperature falls off a cliff come September so I find myself digging out all the winter clothes for the new term... my kids have a talent for getting stains on things and for unpredictable growth spurts so there's no way I would buy them all new and expect it to last the year. Last year DD2 went up 2 shoe sizes in 6 months. I'd have been gutted if I'd just dropped 80 euros on a new pair of winter boots just because it was time...

School has a great second hand system, I have bought many of the perfectly good posher brand jumpers and cardigans for £1, but I like a charity shop rummage myself. Had a set of 5 M&S pinafores for a fiver I've been hanging on to for when DD grows into them!

I buy new polo shirts and trousers (Asda!) And some new jumpers etc if needed but on the basis my son is growing ridiculously fast it just gets done as needed.

It's the summer shoe shop that's depression....last year with trainers, plimsolls and wellies it was best part of £200

Mine have new shirts at Easter as this is when they take off their blazers and the Sept to April shirts are now a bit grubby
New shoes when they need them
Just had new PE shorts
Bags - depends - some last better than others
Sons trousers needed but he need to try them on

Girls skirts have changed this year so both need new ones

Tights and socks as needed in the year

I know of Mums in my school who bin the whole of that years uniform on the last day and buy all new for the new year.

I don't though. Hand-me-downs and whatever is reusable from that year and then just top up as we go along. That said I did need to get DD a whole new set but only because she's outgrown/trashed everything apart from her summer dress (and that needed a concerted stain removal effort) and she has no sisters to inherit from.

if I don't buy second hand for myself I wouldn't for my children

I am wearing a top right now that is 4 years old and I still think of it as "that new top". My kids grow out of stuff every 6 months. There's no way I would spend the same amount of money on their clothes as I do on my own, you know? Also, until DD1 can learn to eat bolognese without wearing half of it, there's no way I'm wasting money on clothes...

Our school has changed to uniform from polo shirts and jumpers to plaid skirts, grey trousers (previously black), white shirts, clip on tie and blazer!
Thank goodness my eldest left this year. Would have cost a fortune.

I do it because by July polo shirts are faded, stained and getting a bit too small. Trousers are worn at the knee. The eldest’s blazer is worn at the elbows and I’ve already resewn the buttons and lining twice. His shirts were also worn at elbows and getting snug.

However neither of my DCs are fast growers. So I know if I buy what is required with a bit of growing room then they are good for the year. If I do need to replace anything or need something that is seldom required then I’ll go to the second hand sale.

I replace what’s needed. Always shoes, often trousers for DS. White polo shirts only if they get very grey or too small. I can live with one marks/sun cream stains. If they are wearing jumpers they won’t show, if they are not, then they’ll only get more. I pick up jumpers second hand where I can.

The only thing I buy all new are shoes, but that is because my children have yet to need them replacing in a school year, and they are generally on their last legs by July.

Other than that I replace as and when needed and usually stock up the next size when I see a discount if I think we are getting close to needing the next size up.

I replace when needed. In September they will all wear the same stuff that they wore during the summer term (including shoes)

I suspect that ds2 has grown so am anticipating needing to buy a new winter coat but I'll buy in the autumn. In primary I might buy a new lunchbag if the previous one is tired or they have a new favorite character.

I'm actually really excited this summer as my DC don't need an almost entirely new set of uniform like previous years, the vast majority of it still fits and is still in good condition. Just a top up of some polo shirts and some new school shoes, and we're done woop!