To try to buy a blazer that will last through all of prep school

[NotJimmy]

So DS got a full scholarship to an elite prep but now we have to buy the uniform. Is it possible to buy a blazer that will last all the way to the end? Do people do this or will it mark DS as a “commoner”? They cost around 90 pounds so not thrilled to change every year

There's no way a blazer will last more than one year max as your child will grow out of it. Is there a thrift shop at the school or a FB page to sell old uniform? Unfortunately we found though that the blazers take quite a bashing during the year and the second hand ones had threadbare cuffs or ripped lining.

A) let go of the commoner thing. The very smartest people I know wear second hand clothes.

B) go for the second hand shop- many people will!

C) it’s possible, but I wouldn’t encourage it. Maybe aim for 2 throughout his school tenure- otherwise he will drown in it for two years, fit it for two and squeeze for two. He will spend more time with a badly fitting one than in a fitting one.

I work for a prep - people don’t buy every year but you would be unlikely to get one that will see you all the way through.

Ask school about the second hand uniform shop which most PTAs run - blazers last well and you can save significant sums using second hand uniform.

What age? You will get sway with one every 2 years maybe but you can’t send a 7 year old in an age 12 blazer. Dds old primary school had a very healthy unofficial pass on market her blazer is on its 3rd or 4th owner.

No, you can't do that. He will look ridiculous for at least two thirds of his time there - massively big at the start, too small and threadbare at the end. They last two years in my experience so you might get away with just buying two at a push, but more likely three. You don't have to buy one every year though, every two years.

Do they actually have to wear a blazer, or are they optional? My grammar school had one as part of the uniform, so we bought one, but nobody wore them.

I wouldn't do that. Child will look ridiculous in a over-sized blazer at the start, and by the time it is getting too small, it will be worn, saggy and threadbare. He will never look (or feel) smart and good in it.

Blazers also suffer wear and tear: I had to stitch a fairly new one back together at one point. We started out buying the blazer from the uniform shop, then opted for M&S and sewed the badge on. School second hand shops are also good.

If your child is starting at 8+ and gets through to the middle of Y8 before having a growth spurt you might get away with it. Ds had the same blazer from Y4 to halfway through Y7, and then two more blazers in 18m, and his sleeves were halfway to his elbows when he left.

Buy a larger one and take the sleves up. We did this in year 7 and its been going 3 years and counting.

I'd hold off another couple of weeks to find out what requirements will be for sept. My dd's prep school hasn't allowed blazers since covid due to not being able to wash every day.

Also I agree re second hand sales but they might not be allowed this summer. I paid £25 for dd's instead of £85 new.

The second hand shop (every school has one) is the place to go. In my experience blazers are worn and traded in until they fall apart. Everyone uses the thrift shop. One of our schools had a long coat which changed from Harris tweed to some other cloth about 20 years before and the tweed ones were still changing hands regularly, they were indestructible.

We always got a blazer (might last 2 years if you are lucky) and a spare at the 2nd hand uniform shop (everyone did). We don’t have uniforms in September - definitely check!

My son still wears the sameblazer I bought in reception (year 3 now). he’s not the only one ;)
We still have one turn up in the sleeves left, so will probably fit in year 4-5

And label everything - don’t assume people won’t pinch uniform!

Our school also said no blazers in the autumn term, so maybe you can wait a bit befzyou buy

I was unhappy buying my son a blaser that fitted this year (I like to buy big and let them grow I to things....but son begged not to start a new school in a massive one.) He wore it every day.....if Covid hadn't happened I would have thought getting daily use for a year wasn't that bad value. Obviously it has and he's grown about 6 inches so not sure we can make it do another year....

My son has managed two years in each of his, but they wear them a lot and look v shabby after 2 years. His last day of prep tomorrow. Farewell, lovely wool blazer.

AsK the school if they have a nearly new shop

There is no way a 4 year old can stay in the same blazer until age 11!

Buy big enough to last 2 years. Im sure they'll do a 2nd hand sale for the future. There is at DSs prep and there is zero judgement for buying there.

All preps have secondhand uniform shops- YABU to not use that!

Like others, I’m not too sure what age a prep school is, something tells me it’s like a junior school? Kids grow so quick at that age that there’s no way i’d put a seven year old in an 11 year old’s blazer.
The kid will be wearing it every day, and it’s the most obvious item of clothing if it’s the wrong size.
I would absolutely be getting my kid a size up second hand one every time they grew out of the size.

My mum used to do this and I looked absolutely stupid and I hated it. My auntie used to make my cousins wear ridiculously oversized clothes so it will last them a long time as well and looked hideous. Please please don’t do this to him. It wasn’t good for my confidence. :(

Our prep merged with another about 25 years ago, and there were still items from the other school (had three letters on chest) when I was buying items for DD five years ago!
Blazers last almost forever.

@Wobba11 prep is normally 7-13.

This is a wind up surely. No one expects any item of clothing to fit properly for 6-7 years on a child!