To not buy DD new school uniform, shoes, bag etc.

[MG92]

Hi everyone.
I've seen numerous posts (mostly pictures) on Facebook from parents buying their kids new school uniform, shoes, bag etc. And wondered if I am being unreasonable for not buying DD who's going into year 2 tomorrow anything new as I feel it's a waste of money and I have nowhere to put her 'old' stuff.
I tend to get her a new pair of black trainers and a cardigan every few months, with the most recent purchase being in May. Both items are holding up pretty well..
I'm concerned she'd feel upset if all her friends have new stuff and she doesn't.

Nothing new for my DD going in to year 1. Shoes and bags will be replaced as needed, but uniform all still fits. Not sure why anyone would if not needed.

YANBU. It's good to teach your kids not to be wasteful. I cannot understand the thing of buying everything new every September.

Exactly.

We do new when you need things. It's not often fun having the chat with them whilst they sound like spoilt, entitled little so and so's being upset that x got new whatevers and I didn't...but it's part of learning. My son had a paddy the other day that his sister had new shoes for a party when he had to wear his school shoes (which are bloody new!!!!!). I proceeded to present him with the 5 new pairs of shoes he's had in the last month (school shoes, pe trainers which stay at school, trainers for outside school, sandals and wellies) and the response? 'yeah but I didn't get anything today!'

FFS! Should have called him Dudley.

YANBU, I always just replace stuff as and when they need it. I don't see any need to buy new stuff specifically for the new school year. Both my DC got new school shoes towards the end of last term so I'm not anticipating they will have grown out of them in a little over a month (hoping not anyway)!

Out of interest let's say reception they get a new backpack, then year 1 they get a new one and reception backpack is used for days out... surely then you're just done? When you get to year 3 and the year 2 backpack is the days out backpack where's the reception one? And so on and so on for the full 13 years of school? That's a lot of rucksacks! We're still using DH's schoolbag as our family day bag...it must be 30 years old!

I have an interview dress which has been my interview/funeral dress for about 15 years. It's LK Bennett (found it in a charity shop!), classic and I really look after it. Definitely have not bought a new outfit for every interview or first day of a job. DH has about 3 suits he rotates and has done for years. The storage required otherwise would just be way too much 😬

My little one said only her and one other girl didn't have a new bag out of a class of 24. I can't believe 22 bags needed replacing after one year. Lo's is still like new

I only ever buy as needed.

Ds3 (7) usually needs a full new set of uniform in the summer because his previous set by then is holey or stained. I think I spend most of May and June saying 'well it's only a SMALL hole, it will be fine for a few weeks' 😂

Shoes/bags/lunchboxes/bottles/stationary - buy as needed though.

Haven't had to buy any as all dc's stuff is in decent condition from last year.

I don't buy everything new each year, especially not backpacks, lunch bags or pencil cases.
I think my main purchase has been white polo shirts and only because they get grubby.
Even if their shoes still fit, they have a good polish and will be worn.
New is only bought when their current stuff is scruffy or does not fit.

Ive never needed to fully kit mine out for September since reception.
They always get new school shoes as we always make them last the full school year so they have generally outgrown by the following summer. Once or twice following growth spurts I've needed to replace in April/May but i just bought a cheap supermarket pair then replaced with better quality in Sept.
Rucksacks last at least 2 years if not 3 and mine have used same pencil case for years.
Jumpers /cardis are bought with growing room so last 2 years generally.
I do usually buy some fresh polos as in my experience these take the brunt of wear and tear - paint and white board on them, occasionally seams coming loose if they been pulled on while playing chasing games, food spilled on, you name it.
Coats again bought with growing room so expected to last 2yrs at least. They machine wash nicely.

DS has left now, but as he didn't have a growth spurt in the summer holidays I'd just replace uniform items as and when needed throughout the year.

This thread comes up every year (probably this isn't the first one this year) and there are always two camps, sensible people who buy things when they need to and people who seem to buy for the sake of it.

Maybe some of the latter type can explain why, I don't get why anyone does that

My ds' school uniform was made to last as long as possible. When he went through a growth spurt I used to rehem his trousers with black seam binding to make them an inch longer rather than buy a new pair in May or June.

Now he's at an independent school and everyone has secondhand uniform. The school 2nd hand page does a roaring trade.

I've always just bought stuff throughout the year as they've needed it.

I've never heard of this until ttoday.i sometimes have new bits to buy in September if some of it was getting a bit small in June and I was holding on till the end of the year to get stuff better fitting and make the most of a bugger size.

But I bought DS 5 new polos in March when his old ones had got too small. Bonkers to think I need to get new ones arbitrarily now.

I can spot an old white polo shirt a mile away compared to the crisp new ones and that can't make children feel good.
I don't believe for a minute children are bothered about the whiteness of their tops.

And this is why the planet will die.

100% do not buy stuff you don't need just because "it's nice to have new bits"

ARGHHHHHHHHHHH

I buy new everything for September to get the job out of the way, but then that’s it for the year. By July both boys are in half-mast trousers and their polo shirts are an interesting colour. Sounds like you have the right idea doing it as needed OP.

I totally take a different view. New polos here only when needed, I think its wasteful to just do it at the start of term if older ones still fit. I. Also hand clothes down and my kids haven't thought anything of it and no one has ever commented!

Half mast 😂😂 great phrase!!

I tend to size up too. So when my 4 year old started reception I bought him age 6-7 t shirts, which has worked out well now he's going into year 1 and could comfortably wear 7-8. Last year they were a bit (okay slightly more than a bit) big, by the end of this year they'll be a bit small. But saved me buying 3-4 separate sizes of polo shirts!

I wouldn't buy if I didn't need it. I've only replaced worn out things this year. Shirts, blazer and PE kit all fit fine so why would I replace them?

It was expensive enough getting the stuff that was needed without buying for the sake of it (youngest starting Secondary)

DD1 is going into Yr9... the blazer changed last year and apparently there is a bit of a thing where her year group are determined to keep their old ones as long as possible (and the old pe kit)

Has anyone else developed a visceral aversion to the word "bits" because of MN ??

I bought DS new shoes for PE (indoor and outdoor) and new school shoes because his old ones are too small...or start to come apart.
I've also bought him a new pencil case for his Art supplies because the old one is too small to hold everything.
Additionally, I got new uniform tops. We'll, they'll arrive next week because silly me had thought that the old ones still fit. Just ordered new trousers to avoid a similar situation with those. He's currently still wearing his shorts and won't need them for a week or two at least.

His bag will be used for the entire time at primary school. Not getting a new one unless it's falling apart.
He did get a new water bottle but only because I got him one with a picture of him and his baby sister on it. Harder to lose than just taking a photo.

When DD started reception, her skirt came just past her knees. Comparing the photo of that day with her last day of uniform in yr13, I swear it was the same skirt, now barely covering her bum 😂
Buy only when needed here…

Providing that her current bits are okay size wise, not super tatty etc. and she has the bits she needs then that's fine to reuse and then obviously get new bits at the time they are needed. Would be a waste of resources and money otherwise to me 🤷🏼‍♀️

I did a mix. Technically she didn’t need new polo shirts but they were off white, so I’ve bought new and kept those for a back up. Also new shoes - can’t grumble last pair lasted her a full year!

Bought her a fjallraven bag for reception and figured that buying her a better bag would last rather than replacing a Smiggle one every year (have heard they are not hard wearing)