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.

My kids are going into years 2 & 5 and all I’ve bought them is 1 new pair of trousers each, a few bits of PE kit (their PE kits weren’t new last year so grown out of some bits), wellies and PE trainers. Bought the wellies and trainers on Amazon today and they’re meant to arrive before they go back on Wednesday but if not I’ll simply send them into school when they do arrive.

I bought some new polo tops at Easter and they got brand new school shoes then too which still fit. I didn’t even think about school bags! Theirs are fine. They haven’t even had haircuts. 🤷🏻‍♀️

My son goes into year two this week. I've bought him new school shoes (as his feet have grown 1.5 sizes since the last purchase 🤦🏻‍♀️) and new uniform, only because we haven't bought any more since he started reception and it was starting to look small on him. We haven't bought anything that still fits/serves its purpose ie lunchbox, bag, coat etc. Other than the money, I don't really want to teach my child at such a young age that we get new things just for the sake of having new when the old works just fine.

You do you OP 😊

I had to buy quite a lot of uniform this summer because almost all of their polo shirts are stained from last year. Lots of outgrown or trashed trousers. New school shoes, but the last pairs did last a year. I did also get a new lunchbox and rucksack for mine because both of mine had those since nursery (even ds9) and they had holes in. I don't routinely buy new every year though. I tend to buy new as needed. Things like water bottles I buy fairly often as they always get used/broken. If something gets stained or tatty through the year I try and make it last until the summer holidays though, so it probably seems like I spend a fortune because I don't replace during the year unless I really have to.

Retired teacher here…honestly none of the children that age will notice uniform.They might pay some attention to a new lunchbox, and teachers notice all the new shoes because the children spend the first week falling over as they’re not used to their new bigger size!

I do think it's nice to have some new polo shirts. I couldn't have re-used last year's polo shirts even if they fitted - they start out red and end up like dark pink cardboard covered in pen. DS has a new bag for year one as he no longer has to use the bookbag, which was a pain in the arse to carry, but he won't get another unless it breaks. His school jumpers also still fit. Shoes also new as he's gone up half a size. New coat just because - but that was a total bargain at Craghoppers.

DD had the same rucksack for all of primary, a new one for secondary which she still had in year 9. She's still in the same uniform in year 9 that she had in year 7, except some new PE kit. If it fits then it still gets used. Her friends are the same, and no one thinks it odd

I could be seriously rich and still not do this. SO wasteful. I really don’t understand the mentality.
My eldest has new polo shirts this year, middle has hand me down ‘new’ and youngest more hand me down ‘new’ plus a new fleece. Shoes still fit + youngest in hand me down ‘new’ shoes.

They all have second hand ‘new’ bags / lunchboxes as we have never done packed lunch but they want it once a week now. So my son my we’ll go in absolutely beaming with his new bag/lunchbox but his old one (used for about 3 years) was school branded and he wanted one for something he was into.
We earn well (household income 110k pre tax - not stealth boast as on MN that’s pennies but for context) but maybe it’s because I grew up poor I love a bargain! Plus it’s just the sheer wastefulness of it. My kids get exactly what they want or need but I always look second hand first 🤣 my eldest has been kitted out this year with a whole new wardrobe and I’ve saved probably thousands. I’m not joking.

I certainly don’t feel bad for not buying new!

Tbh OP maybe the people on Facebook are buying new things because they need them? It doesn't mean they buy new every year

@Summerbreeze456 our pre prep also does excellent second hand trade. We have a lovely ‘shop’ at the school where everything is hung up in size order by the PTA. I’m not paying £20 x 5 for a polo shirt unless it’s absolutely necessary!

I also can’t believe that people bin white tops if they’ve greyed a little, surely a quick soak in laundry bleach and they’re back white?

everone round here kits their kids out in brand new stuff in September….shoes, bags, water bottle, packed lunch bag, coat ….maybe last years pe kit if it still fits…..I’m NW England….this is a working class area

We also buy new polos every term or so. They're a few quid from the supermarket and seem to be a magnet for paint and holes. Everything else is as it's worn out/grown out of/lost.

I only buy them what they need. This year DD1 just needed one new jumper and a pack of 2 bigger skirts. DD2 needed bigger jumpers at Easter so haven't bought her anything for next week apart from new trainers

I’ve been a primary teacher for many years. Children that age don’t notice uniform. Many children start a new school year with ‘old’ uniform.

Does it still fit her? No holes / tears? Clean? If so it is absolutely fine.

This is the first year I haven't bought all new. He's 13 and having little growth spurts, so I'm only changing when actually needed,which for shirts and trousers will likely be soon, but not yet. He couldn't care less,if his shirt isn't pristine for a few weeks. Get your moneys worth out of uniform OP.

I got my son going into year 2 new shoes, socks, pen and pencil case and that's literally it. All his uniform still fits and he doesn't need a new bottle or bag so the existing stuff will remain in use.

Unless the DC is joining a new school and therefore needs a complete kit-out, it's just plain wasteful to buy new before the item is outgrown or trashed

And surely only those in very affluent circumstances can afford to buy again when things don't need replacing?

My DC outgrew all of their uniform this year, but they had it from Sept-July without replacing anything. The last couple of weeks of term DS's trousers were up his ankles and DD had to squeeze into hers! So we bought all new clothes for the new term. I'm fairly certain some of it was from 2022/2023 as well.

I was going to buy them a new backpack each but neither of them could decide what they wanted so they're having their old ones. They got new water bottles, though.

Why on earth would you buy new stuff every year if it's not needed?

My dd's uniform lasted more than one year most of the time.

London and tweed 🤷‍♀️🤣

I have, but only because mine has outgrown everything and the white polo's have mud and paint stains on them. I didn't purchase anything new during the year though, they lasted the whole year, with the exception of shoes. If he hadn't outgrown the uniform and it was in good condition, I wouldn't have bought brand new.

Shoes should be lasting more than a half term though, sounds like you need something more robust.

I’ve bought new trousers for my youngest, as he’s sprouted extra leg acreage but nothing else is needed.

I literally don't know anyone who thinks the norm is to buy new clothes for interview / new job and I've just asked the 8 other people in the room and they're all equally puzzled. Yes the clothes should be smart but why new? This seems incredibly wasteful.

Yay for normalising kids wearing uniform until it is worn out or doesn't fit! I'm definitely in the minority amongst friends for sending my kids in the same uniform they wore in July - it was only 6 weeks ago, it fits, I buy as and when they need (new shoes like you say, or DS had new t-shirts last term as he'd grown). I reckon DD will need new shoes after Christmas but otherwise nothing.

My son going into y5 literally has nothing new (unless you count some hand me downs from his brother!). He last got shoes in the spring which still fit. His bag is about 3 years old and he shows no sign of wanting to replace it.

I buy as we need it. Ds is going into year 10 and all he has new is his school shoes.

when I was growing up it was hard to get uniform at other times of year so people buying it for September made sense. Now it is much more widely available all year round so no need to buy until it’s needed.