Buying new school uniform

[Notyouraveragecliche]

Is it reasonable to buy school uniform despite the last year's still fitting or do you think it's unreasonable to reuse old uniform?

Boring question but me and my partner have different opinions.

Yes I'm replacing stuff after 3 months my boys particularly seem to attract dirt/crap all sorts shirts and polos are definitely greying and naff looking by the Christmas break. My daughter is getting better at looking after things but in y6 she had 4 different pairs of school shoes

@rabbitheadlights

I agree with @BluePeterVag - please, please make this the last year you buy everything new!

@BrutusMcDogface I don't buy new to willfully neglect or have a detrimental impact on the planet, however I want my children to look loom smart and well presented. If shoes and things didn't need replacing I wouldn't but in my opinion they do

Surely you don’t need to buy new absolutely everything, though?

And maybe if you wash white shirts with only white things, using appropriate powder etc etc, you could keep them white? My children pass down shirts that are still brilliantly white (save for the ones that get stained).

There are children walking around wearing greying tips etc and they DO look scruffy and unkempt; however, it’s not necessarily because they’re wearing hand me downs but because their parents aren’t washing the whites properly.

*tops

I just top up by two or three tops and maybe a couple of skirts a year then try and send them in the old stuff for the first part of the year while it still vaguely fits. The youngest though is mainly always in hand me downs from the older 2 but i do get her one or two new bits each year.

When i was at secondary school we had a kilt as the skirt and it was expensive. I had to wear the same one every day for 3 school years. Then i got a new one for the last 3 years! Dry cleaned once a year...

Kids are meant to get dirty at school

Painting, pens stains, forest school, grass stains, it’s part of being a school.

The amount of kids who won’t join in because they are worried about stains on their clothes because mum ‘will go mad!’ Is shocking!

All new this year for going up to secondary; the colours are different from the primary and most of it is branded with piping or embroidery in school colours, only available from one supplier, and they are having stock issues. We took their advice, measured her, and got sent trousers where she could wear each leg independently. Lots of parents having same problems, we are hoping the school are going to relax a few uniform rules.

I replace what's needed and they reuse what they can. No new bags or pencil cases as their school only allows one book bag and PE bag each.

I have one starting school and one going into year 3. I bought the youngest a new book bag as they wear out. I rarely buy new anyway as it's so expensive and second hand so cheap from the PTA sales!

@rabbitheadlights yes, it is definitely true. The jumpers last really well, blazers don’t get worn that much. PE kit is adult quality sportswear In sensible colours, and they do PE on grass.
Dresses and skirts/pinafores look fine as well even if there are already 2 crossed out names on the label (i have boys, so no direct experience).
Ties wash fine.
Trousers are standard grey school trousers, but they mainly play on the field/grass so the knees are not too bad. Shirts are plain white, so there are stains and some have to be binned after a year or so, same for white PE socks. I tend to bin 1-2 pairs of trousers, 2 shirts and 2 pairs of white PE socks per year, the rest is fine (and this is for sporty, high energy boys that get covered daily).
Ironically they aren’t much more expensive new than the shitty quality labelled stuff of other local schools, and because they last forever there is a good second hand supply for close to supermarket prices (cheaper if you take into account that most will sell again). Love it! Quality really pays long term.

Unfortunately our schools have 1 supplier which online, no pta sales, no swop shops etc so no alternative and I find the quality to be rubbish even though it is expensive. I don't know what the alternative is for the high school but I can definitely buy less for the primary school kids.

@BrutusMcDogface I honestly wash everything correctly I don't know maybe it's just not great quality stuff but it just doesn't last. With only 1 supplier I dont know what the alternative is

[quote rabbitheadlights]**@Newdaynewname1* our uniform lasts several kids - my youngest son’s jumpers are on their at least 3rd child, worn by at least 1 child before us, 2 years by my oldest, and now my youngest.*

Is this honestly true? In all seriousness I buy new in September and by Christmas I'm replacing stuff, I can't imagine any of it looking smart enough after a year let alone 4?[/quote]
DS had the same uniform from year 7 to 9, well until March because of the pandemic, shirts, trousers, blazer, tie, games and PE kit. Still has the tie, rugby shirt and PE vest going into year 10.

I've bought DS3 new trousers because he'd outgrown his old ones and DS4 new jumpers because his were really worn (hand me downs) and that's it I think. Why buy new if the old stuff is still wearable? It's terrible for the environment and a waste of money, I'll never understand people who buy everything new every September just for the sake of it.

one of our 4 year old jumpers (covered school logo and name label). we have the same ones with sleeves, they are fine!

That looks almost in better condition than ours do new! Oh I dont know obviously my kids are just uniform wreckers or they are just poor quality!