To dress completely differently for private school visit?

[Criesoverspiltgin]

We’re visiting a private school for my child. It’s likely that they will gain some kind of bursary to attend as they’re pretty bright, but I REALLY don’t want to look like the ‘poor family’ on the open day. And if I do, what the hell do I wear?
AIBU to fake our usual attire?

oh gawd spot the anti-indy crowd picking away. Offended by tweed. Classic. What are your thoughts on cheap imported cotton garments made by impoverished children I wonder. Probably fine with that. You can buy tweed, woollens etc at M&S you know, its bloody autumn 🙄.

I escorted several hundred parents on school tours over 30 years. I only remember one outfit I judged. So, do not wear this.
Very high heeled gold lame' open toed shoes with red toenail polish
Skinny tight torn jeans
Gauzy white shirt over black lace bra
Dangling earrings shaped like penises
Don't wear this and you'll be fine.

@RaspberrySchnapps my kids are at an Indie. But unlike some posters on here I know that many people in the UK do not have a bit of tweed to shove on. I’ve only just stopped laughing since reading this.

Let them eat cake I say!

Just realised you are the tweed poster @RaspberrySchnapps do you genuinely think most mums thinking of applying for a bursary and needing to post this thread would have the odd bit of tweed just lurking in their wardrobe? Or were you being ironic?

Dangling earrings shaped like penises

Amazing. She literally got up that morning and chose those over any others she owned? I really can't imagine what the rest must have been like.

Jeans and a shirt should do it.

The dads at our private school take the piss out of the mums that get ready for the school run as if they were going on a cat walk.

I’m guilty of being a bit glamorous but I generally like to dress up where ever I go now that I no longer have to wear breast feeding friendly tops and huge bras.

Problem is you will stick out like a sore thumb when you can’t keep it up. The day you turn up in a hoodie on an off day, they will notice!!!!! And point it out.

It’s endless though. I always look smart casual with a little glamour wherever I go. Even to my in laws or the chippy. I love dressing up again. But I only shop at high street shops.

Got my ass handed to me when the equivalent to Amanda from motherland at our school pointed out she only shops at Reiss . You know, overpriced clothes that bobble?

What did I say?

Well Reiss isn’t quite Chanel is it? 😁😁😁😁😁

@GeorgiaGirl52

I escorted several hundred parents on school tours over 30 years. I only remember one outfit I judged. So, do not wear this. Very high heeled gold lame' open toed shoes with red toenail polish Skinny tight torn jeans Gauzy white shirt over black lace bra Dangling earrings shaped like penises Don't wear this and you'll be fine.

One girl at my (very quiet, old money) girls' school had @ very "nouveau riche" family. Her mum dripped jewellery, tottered around in stilettos, had big bouffant hair and tight mini skirts, very obvious make up. She defined the phrase Mutton dressed as lamb. She fancied our housemaster and was permanently all over him like several rashes.

God how we took the piss.

Dress smart from what you have and wear your working class clothes with pride.

@Raspberryschnapps I can't speak for anyone else on here but I'm not anti private school. I would love to send my children private (if I had a bit more money and my partner wasn't a raging communist). What I am anti though is the lack of representation and self awareness of many mumsnet users.

This is an interesting question 'What are your thoughts on cheap imported cotton garments made by impoverished children' because fyi, M&S and some of the brands that charge more actually use exploited foreign labour. Price is not an indication of ethics. My mum worked in an underwear factory that supplied M&S. When they realised that they could save 2p per bra (so producing and shipping a bra would cost an average of 17p instead of 19p - yep, that's how much they mark their prices up!) they moved their production to morocco and closed their british factory's). As they didn't have any trained mechanics in their new factory's, they temporarily shipped out their british mechanics. Theae men came back with stories of how the factoriea were full of exploited women and children who were having to sleep on the factory floor; who weren't allowed to leave until their order was completed. I will never shop at M&S.

Am laughing at this thread now- if for whatever reason - you want to appear “loaded”- just rub yourself down with some Mothballs so you smell like you have a great pile at home - seriously, I hope it goes well

Also OP ignore a lot of the posters on here saying your child will be the poor one… mine is at boarding school on a bursary & seriously, the kids don’t give a shit. She has loads of friends, they all shop on that horrible Shein website anyway or buy on Depop. I drive a 58 reg car, I wore an entire outfit from Tesco at prize giving, and it looked pretty much identical to everyone else’s (long floaty skirt, black top, old cardigan, Vans I bought on eBay) Certainly her private school isn’t posh at all - it’s full of normal parents who maybe have a smaller mortgage so can just about afford the fees, or grandparents help, or I suspect there are some bursary kids like mine. They’re just parents trying to do their best!
The only thing I would say is they can all afford better holidays than we can - but the past 18 months that hasn’t been much of an issue anyway fortunately. But my DD knows this, she’s not too bothered, & just understands she’s very lucky to be where she is & if that means she’s the only one not ski-ing at half term then so be it.
Good luck & hope it all works out.

I drive an old banger and no one at our private school cares

@pelosi

Tara Palmer Tomkinson said as long as you have a good coat and shoes, it doesn’t matter where your clothes are from.

I just bought a full sleeved check/houndstooth dress from Primark for £13, looks fab!

I agree with this - and a good bag!

Nancy Mitford had a character - Lady Montdore, I think - saying that about a really good coat

wear pyjamas ang uggs