What’s the mum “uniform” in your area?

[GrinAndBear]

Is there a mum “uniform” - aka what you’d typically see someone in the playground or at the school gates wearing - in your area, and if so what is it?

I recently moved from Highgate to Finchley Central and it’s pretty different, despite being just two tube stops apart

CE / Highgate mums seemed to all wear Birkenstocks, hiking boots, straight cut jeans, parkas or Patagonia fleeces and fair isle or cashmere jumpers with hair in a messy bun.

Finchley Central mums are all in floral dresses Chelsea boots, blowdries, make up and proper coats and look at my scuffed old Blundstones as though I was living rough in a caravan… Not that I’m going to do anything about it mind, I’m very attached to my boots and fleece, but it’s odd how different it is

That seems to be the Edinburgh look too, minus the messy bun (loose hair or ponytail)

it’s quite laid back here and don’t feel that judged on what I wear at the moment

I look totally different to the other moms where I live anyway, I wear hiking boots, camo coat and big jumpers, I just look like I live in the woods in Maine 😂 I'm not super bothered about it!

I made a special effort to look around at school today. Genuinely can’t say there’s a specific uniform:

• no business attire at all - if you have to wear this at work then you’re already at work by school run time
• some branded wear - PT hoodies, local private school cleaner uniform, nursery worker uniform, one lady I know is a doctor, vet scrubs (I always wonder why she and doc are sometimes in scrubs as isn’t the point that they stay clean? 🤷‍♀️)
• tracksuits, one of which was white with a black graffiti type print all over it
• lots of jeans and coats
• some athleisure
• i wore leggings, long dress, hair unbrushed in a bun, long puffer gilet. Had to change especially out of my joggers but should have just gone in joggers tbh as im going to change back into them now.

I've not noticed any uniform but I genuinely don't pay attention to what people are wearing, but mostly it just seems to vary!

Edit to add we are in the North!

cup of tea or coffee seems to be In just now at school

I'm a rugby mum and so many of the mums wear dry robes to stand by the pitch. It's the South West (not near the sea). It is not that cold. I'm from up on the Pennines originally and it is positively balmy here.

I don't like seeing healthcare workers, in uniform, doing the school run. Unless they are on their way to work, then wearing clothes that have been in contact with goodness knows what, to pick up your children, isn't very thoughtful. I don't like seeing people in scrubs doing their shopping either. I am a registered nurse and would never wear my scrubs outside the hospital, it's heavily frowned upon by infection prevention.

There are 3 different uniforms where I am (mc market town).
Look 1. Gym wear / new balance trainers / duvet coats / white blond hair - always straight / makeup / big clean 4x4 car.
Look 2. Trendy looking / wavy hair / scarves / wide trousers / DMs / dungarees.
Look 3. More hippy / cargo bike / walking boots/ muddy jeans.

Eh, what if they're like a District Nurse or something where the whole point is you're out and about in the community in those clothes?

I've never seen anyone doing a school run in sterile operating theatre scrubs, but perhaps someone will be along to say that it's all the rage in Totnes.

It always amuses me how many people completely miss the point of these threads. It’s not about how much (or how little) you care, how much effort you make or don’t make, it’s just interesting observing what people wear and how popular fashions vary between demographics and geographical areas.

I don’t have a huge amount to add as DS’s school has a car line system so nobody actually gets out of their car and I only see people’s heads and shoulders most days.

At our school there’s two distinct styles;

1. “I’m a posh, rich man’s husband” - they only wear lululemon leggings and fleeces with messy buns and very clean white trainers
2. “I’m a working mum but I only work two days a week because I am married to a very rich man!” - they wear straight pencil skirts, jackets and blouses, perfect makeup and straightened hair. i personally wear T-shirts and leggings and often forget my bra!! 😂

I have no idea. I've obviously been very unobservant, and unfashionable. How does everyone know where everyone else's clothes come from?!

Every mum dressed like Lydia Millen- even though I know for a fact which ones can't afford it.

It's nice though, everyone gets dressed to leave the house! Thankfully, no dogs allowed within the drop-off area so no yapping to deal with at 8am.

OK how does anyone possibly know that anyone else is wearing a cashmere jumper on the school run?
Various posts mentioning this.
It’s just ‘a jumper’ surely, unless you’re all in there touching each others’ tops at 8.40am..?

Why dry robes and not coats?

A few reasons I think. They come in a very Scamp and Dude colour selection of leopard with neon trim. The price is within reach of mums looking for a coat at about £160 but enough to feel like you've treated yourself.to an expensive brand in something you "need". And they are big, so they always fit over your clothes.

It's fashion originating from practicality. A bit like how I wore a "ski jacket" through most of the late 90s when I've never been on skis my whole life!

I’ve thought it through and I’m good with the eye-roll. Thanks!

Rural North West village school. It's a mix!

Lots of people in hiking boots/leggings and a fleece.
Some in office wear.
Some in riding boots or wellies and muddy clothes because that's what they've been doing!
There are a few more glamorous sorts with designer brands, etc.

I'm usually in something muddy as I've been out with the dogs! Pick up time it's a long dress and DMs usually, or leggings and a smock/tunic. Depends on the day/if and when the animals have been walked/ridden.

Just googled “Shein sets”. OMFG

I live in a very rural village in Canada. Most of the mums wear some kind of leggings and a t-shirt and a hoodie, with sneakers. The dairy farmers wear much nicer coats and boots though.

In the town I work in, which is an old mining town, it's similar for WC mums, but for MC mums it's more like quite nice sporty leggings or increasingly straight leg trousers, a somewhat boxy t-shirt, and something like blundstones.

We're not really into winter yet so still mid-season coats, no hats and gloves. But the shops seem to have changed coat styles this year so I'll be interested to see if people take up the new offerings or keep to the black puffer coats of the last few years.

When my kids were at primary school, In the morning the mum uniform was sometimes pyjamas 😁

I'm enjoying this thread although I haven't had to do the school run for a while

However I do wear a variety of the mum uniforms mentioned esp if I'm chucking something on to go to the shops or for a walk depending on the weather. And of course work clothes are a thing of their own.

These are all easy to put on clothes where you look decent with minimal thought or effort and practical if you're walking not driving.

If I'm driving I might choose something different to if I'm walking.

Obviously weather dictates a lot.

If I'm walking a longer distance I'm going to get sweatier so it needs to wash better and be comfy so definitely not jeans then.

I left London in 2016. I home educated and the Highgate woods set was very much summers in Saltwaters and Boden dresses, winters in jeans, cashmere jumpers and Uniqlo style, down longline puffers. I live by the sea now. It’s all hiking boots & Dryrobes.

I totally get wearing active wear on the school run if you're not going to the gym because it's so easy to chuck on and wash.

It wasn't something I wore because I was always in my work clothes

But I like my sweaty Betty leggings if I'm walking somewhere to do a chore like pick up something from the shops if I'm on my own not if I'm meeting someone though.

I know a nurse would never wear their uniform in public

It's how you know they're HCA or carers because as nurses it's drummed into you never ever to wear your uniform in public