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

[quote Wannakisstheteacher]@Wobba11 prep is normally 7-13.[/quote]
I think quite a lot of them have added on pre preps. We’ve got kindergarten, preprep and prep all under one roof

Second hand is absolutely fine. My BF had a scholarship to a posh school and said that all the ‘posh’ kids always had second had clothes.

And to echo what others have said label label label!!

Surely everyone just buys in the second hand shop?! I don’t know anyone who bought new. Apart from the nouveaux, of course.

Surely someone must buy new else there wouldn't be any second-hand!
Buy one that fits with reasonable growing room.

Red and green plaid:
That speaks for the quality of the items.

Our state school polyester blazers costing £25 last about 5 years of daily use max.

I’m sure that there will be second hand blazers in good condition for sale once a year. If there is not, please shave 25p a day off your family budget. This will allow you to buy a new blazer annually for your child. Please don’t give the other children at the school an excuse to be unkind to your child. I’m sure that your child will have many challenges to contend with in their new school. As a caring parent, please don’t add to them.

I had the same blazer throughout the entire time I was at secondary school. Where my Nan has shortened my sleeves hadn’t even been released!

Try the second hand store and see how you get on?

My children are state educated and between y7 (age 11) and y11 (age 16) they had 2 or 3 blazers each.

I wouldn't assume that your son needed a blazer annually but 13yo boys can be close to 6 foot tall so won't fit in clothes that fit at age 7.

Most private schools have a second hand uniform shop. I'd be looking into that

7 to 13 is pushing it. If you mean pre-prep to finish then no way

Every 2 to 3 years if you get it big

Go for second hand

I wouldn't. It's worth the extra money to have a well fitting blazer, so much smarter!

YABU. You can’t buy him a blazer that will last that long; it won’t fit him properly and it will become scraggly.

@rookiemere

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.

Of course it will! My eldest’s has done 3 years and will last another! It wouldn’t last more than that though unless the sleeves had been down past knees when originally bought.

And actually, mine at secondary school lasted 5 years.

We had proper wool blazers at grammar school and wore through them every 2 years, despite being girls and fairly careful with our stuff.

Just get ones that fit for the next year or so. I’ll never forget my stingy mum buying my twin sister and I blazers for going into Lower Sixth and she plumped for an equivalent size to a ladies size 16 “for growing room”, when we were both a size 8

All the other girls looked smart in their uniform that actually fit while I was wrapped in a woolen sack- I never felt “nice” or confident in my uniform as a result and that’s crap when you’re 16.

Dd was the same size at 11 as she was at 18 (and still is at 27) whilst she kept the sports kit all the way through we did buy a new blazer half way through. Ds though outgrew his quickly as he grew like a weed but with friends with older brothers and younger brothers blazers were almost communal and got passed around.

They’ll have a second hand shop, normally run by the PTA.

I’m not sure my daughter has worn brand new uniform once in the 15 years she’s been at private school. They always make you buy uniform you don’t need (painting smock! That wasn’t worn once springs to mind) so it gets resold as the kids grown or just don’t use it,

Ask for details of it, no one will think less of you I promise.

Just get slightly big, but not ridiculous, and then try and get second hand from now.

I mean for the next one.

Of course a blazer will lasts more than one year! I’m sure I wore the same blazer all of high school. I didn’t grow all that much but still.

We do private school. Can afford uniform no problem as can most but still the second hand store is generally thriving (ex-CV). I’ve been gifted loads of uniform from neighbours of friends of colleagues etc (ie people I don’t even know) and everything is gradually received. I hate the idea of wasting and also uniform is so tricky with it being strange sizes and you don’t know how fast they will grow in a year and if some things will last 3 years and other things barely a term.

DD2 is at a state school with blazer. She's needed 1 each year so far, but they resell for about 50% of the new price on Facebook, so it makes it more affordable.

Every two years or so would be fine. No longer than that.

I had the same blazer through secondary school as it was so expensive (£70 - state school, over 20 years ago). It was fairly awful and one of the reasons why I dispute the idea of uniform as 'a leveller' - it was obvious by year 10 that it didn't fit and I couldn't afford another.

My parents were the proud working-class sort who saw second-hand as 'charity' and never would have considered it. I used to agree but was initially amazed by the amount of private school parents on MN who think differently - changed my mind!

DD got a scholarship to a private girls school and the scholarship came with a grant towards uniform. £300 the first year and £100 on subsequent years. Find out if there's a similar scheme.

Find out if the Prep school has a second hand uniform shop. My DD's did and very few people bought a new blazer as the children only had to wear them in and out of school. They mostly sat in the cloakroom. You may get 2 1/2 years wear out of one blazer.

So many Prep schools, even top ones, have a real mix of families with a huge range of incomes. Some wealthy, some going without to pay the fees and others where the grandparents pay as the parents can't on their salaries. You might get the odd snob but ignore your DS got in on merit and deserves their place. I have made good friends from my DD's Prep school and only a handful care about rubbish such a what you drive and where you live. Personally I feel sorry for them being so shallow!

Apart from the nouveaux, of course.

What does this mean?

Prep is 7-13 isn't it?

I would expect a size up every year until they reach 10/11, it then slows down.

Def check second hand sales, most schools have one and they are in very good condition.

DD is in a state secondary, blazers are £80+ depending on size and we managed 2 years with one. It went up to her knuckles when we bought it but it was ok chest wise. Any clothing bought when she was 7/8 would never ever fit her at the time she moved to secondary, even bought large.

Ours are dry-clen only, so every half-term I pay another £10 to get it properly cleaned.

A friend has her girl at a private secondary, she said at least 75%of the parents went mad at the second hand sale so they had to introduce an appointment only system now. Money doesn't mean they don't like a bargain.