Experienced experts please- School uniforms- buy expensive as it's better?

[schooliscoming]

Posting for traffic!

DC starting school September- my first one and know no one with school age children!

Was talking to a friend the other day who said she's getting all her dc's clothes from next or M&S as it's all so much better than asda/ Sainsbury's etc and will last longer.

Surely if paint stains white shirt from any shop it's for the bin?!

AIBU to think it doesn't matter and they're virtually the same?
Please feel free to correct me if I'm totally wrong!

M&S trousers are good for slim to average children and hard wearing.

I have two now in junior school. I started off buying all M&S but DC1 in particular gets through school uniform like it's disposable. Think sliding on his knees across the playground 'for an epic save' four days in a row, covered in mud, grass stains, paint, beans... They both go in uniform from Sainsbury's now, with the odd bit of Asda thrown in, and I'm pleased with the quality.

P.S. I sent DC1 in shorts after the four consecutive days of ruined trousers and haven't had the same problem since, funnily enough.

Primary just get cheap as they grow like sunflowers and wreck everything anyway. Shoes are the only thing I spent money on

In reception and year one I wouldn't worry about a few paint stains that will all have them.

I buy Sainsburys in the 25% off promotion when possible and find the uniform (and other clothes) wash and wear well.

I bought everything from next to M&S and aldi to asda

I really like asda uniform and aldi trousers.
The main thing I felt was having plenty of spares so nothing wears out too much. Also using a quick wash with liquid for darks (navy uniform)

The aldi trousers are indestructible and I've boys who act like caveman

Asda shirts, pe kit, plimsols, tights/socks
Next trousers/skirts, tights (good for longer length)
School supply shop - jumpers (logo'd, rubbish, shrink)
Clarks - shoes
Usually outgrown before wrecked (apart from the tights...), shirts from Asda are cheap enough (for us) to replace the shirts every half term and start again with a pristine set (sometimes they go a full term).

I don’t think it makes too much difference for shirts / trousers / dresses, but cardigans can look like cleaning rags if you go too cheap and then you have to iron the buggers. So M&S for those and if you have a John Lewis near you their winter tights are £2 more expensive but last all year - the elastic goes with other brands so you end up paying again

I think Sainsbury's are best value, quality vs cost. DC reckon Sainsbury's trousers and summer dresses are the most comfortable.

M&S are good for slim fitting/extra long trousers or skirts, and for 100% cotton shirts. I've had good sturdy shoes from there too.

Tesco I found was a bit more synthetic material in shirts and summer dresses, also cut a bit short and wide, so maybe a case of what suits your child's build.

I have a mix of Sainsbury's and M&S and both have lasted as well as the other. M&S trousers feel thicker, but dresses feel thinner.

I always get my DD's skirts from M&S as I find they wash better, have adjustable waists which she needs

White polos from Sainsbury's and she likes the fluffy cardigans they do so also get them from there too - usually wait for the 25% off :-)

My children are fine with supernarket polo shirts, nothing wrong with the quality and my eldest in particular gets FILTHY so not too painful to just bin them after a few months as they're cheap.
However he does need M&S trousers with the 'slim fit' waist because the supermarket ones are so wide on him that they just fall down 🙈

For DD1 the issue with clothes lasting is more to do with how quickly she is growing rather than the quality of the clothes.

I mainly buy from Asda or Sainsbury's.
Asda do a good variety of skirt / pinafore styles and not all pleated (I hate pleats!)
I have had a few bits from M+S like boys shorts, longer length pinafore and polo shirts which have all been good
The polo shirts we have from Next have shrunk badly and are hardly worn either really due to Covid.

I had the exact same thoughts when my girls started, no one to ask/compare so I browsed EVERY shop range!!
I have girls who aren't particularly grubby so this may not apply.
Have bought Clark's shoes but they have always scuffed, M&S never have so am sticking with them for the time being.
Have bought M&S and Sainsbury's blouses and would say they are on a par.
Same for their skirts but have to say pinafore and trouser wise the quality is noticeable in M&S. they do a nice jersey fabric pinafore and the trousers are adjustable and have 2nd hem on some options.
Have bought various plimsoll and none are any good, we gave up and brought some decent Velcro trainers in the end.
Every thing has lasted whole school years unless outgrown which is rare.
My girls have friends who's mums have said they buy cheaper blouses/shirts every term cos they get ruined as their children end up grubby.
Perhaps it's more down to individual child rather than brand/shop/price.

Sainsburys are amazing quality especially if you can buy at 25% off. I've bought cardigans from M &S this time though as had vouchers. Sainsburys don't have navy blue polo shirts atm so have had to source from Asda so will see how well they last.

Annoyingly the school supplier is rubbish quality and all the items are a different colour navy. Won't buy again.

Makes no difference when they take the scissors to them. Dc1😡

YY to M&S shoes, best we’ve had, outlast Clarke’s and cheaper.

I have always bought skirts, trousers, cardigans from M&S or John Lewis because the quality made a difference. On the odd occasion I picked up extras from Sainsbury’s or Tesco’s, they weren’t as good, didn’t keep their shape and didn’t last as well. M&S wool tights are also good.

OTOH, I’ve learnt to treat polo shirts as more disposable. They grey, they stain, the collars warp. So I go to Sainsbury’s for those (and white socks).

Agree that M&S shoes are good too.

I buy things from different shops because I have a biggish DD. You may find prioritising jumpers/cardigans from JL or Marks and get polos from Asda. I did try Morrison's cardigans last year but they faded very quickly, as did Next. John Lewis cardigan are still going strong. EVERYTHING will get outgrown, trashed, lost or covered in whiteboard marker.
Keep a fresh set back for photo day. I'd also not get everything for September 3rd. My DD decided she wanted to wear skorts or trousers instead of pinafores, when I'd bought 2 of everything. FFS.

I wouldn't keep buying clothes if I had to replace them every term. The school supplier polo shirts and jackets cost more new than supermarket ones, but second hand was cheaper and lasted two years.

M&S all the way, here. I once bought Tesco school trousers. They lasted a term. The M&S trousers lasted 2 boys till the second one had grown out of them. Polo shirts didn't matter as much. They all gradually shrunk or got stained, so we tended to use Asda for those.

M&S and Sainsbury’s for trousers and shorts, and polo tops from anywhere - we’ve had M&S, Sainsburys, Tesco and Asda polos. I wouldn’t pay much for these as in Reception they are likely to be marked with whiteboard markers which rarely comes out in the wash.

Asda trousers looked awful within two weeks of wear - out of shape and the knees were faded and scuffed so I’d never buy those again.

We’ve had trousers and shorts from M&S and Sainsbury’s that have worn really well.

Polos from anywhere as they get grubby and stained in Reception.

Asda slim fit trousers in extra long have been a game changer here…before that DS1 had to wear a belt to keep his trousers up! So it depends on the fit for me.

Please don’t worry about stains…nobody in Reception (and beyond) will care. I do recommend buying the next size up at the same time because if they grow in December (DS1) then there’s nearly no uniform available anywhere.