No school uniform 1st class what to wear

[TheBrightBear]

My son is moving from a school uniform school to a non-uniform school in South Dublin. He's going into first class. It's in a very affluent area. His old school just had a school tracksuit. I'm not sure what to buy him for school so that he fits in. I'm fairly sure that soccer gear is what's popular in that school. I'm clueless about soccer clothes and my son is mostly into GAA at the moment and not really aware about the different soccer strips. He's still happy with soccer gear from Penny's but I'm afraid he'll be teased for not wearing the official soccer outfits. We don't have a lot of money to spare and I'm not sure of the best way to approach this. I find not having a uniform more costly and stressful.

You can get cheap genuine footy kits second hand on vinted

My sons both went/go to non-school uniform schools in South Dublin (I wouldn't necessarily describe as affluent, very mixed). Fashion stuff didn't really hit until 5th/6th class, and even then, it was mainly among the girls rather than the boys.

At the lower end of the school, the kids just wore kids clothes - joggers/shorts/jeans/leggings (head used to have to send out a notice to remind people in winter not to wear shorts!) - some people from Pennys, some from more expensive brands and no-one noticed or cared.

Mine's going into 6th next week, he'll be attending in H&M joggers, t-shirts with silly pictures on (we just get them on the internet) and some kind of hoodie or fleece probably from Pennys. It's what he's worn the whole time he's been there, and never had any comments or issues. His best mate lives in his hockey kit (with thermal long-john things in winter)

I went to a non-uniform school, my children went to a uniformed school until 6th form. Kids at non-uniformed schools don't care about labels in the way kids at uniformed schools do. Just buy him practical clothing that he likes and is comfortable in. I don't know how old he is but if he wants a say in what he wears give him a monthly allowance (rather than weekly pocket money) and introduce him to the joys of Vinted so he can experiment without it bankrupting you.

Thanks so much. Hopefully it'll be ok. I notice the educate together schools seem to wear less brands. This school isn't educate together and the children that I've seen from it have all been wearing expensive labels/soccer gear. Hopefully there are a few people like us!!

Thanks hopefully this is the case for this school. It's not an educate together. I've noticed the educate together kids seems to have more variety in what they wear. I'll miss the uniform...just had 2 tracksuits, a few spare tracksuit pants and some polo shirts and never had to think about what the kids would wear to school.

Good luck - honestly, it'll be fine I think - the two non-uniform primary schools I'm familiar with (neither are ET) are both the same, everyone wears whatever they have. Plenty of GAA gear in the queue in the morning since that's what your son likes :)

It came as a massive shock to the system to have to have school uniform available each day when my eldest went to secondary - I'd got quite used to not having to have special clothes for school!

Thanks so much yes I guess it's partly about getting used to something new!

We're in a very affluent area in a non-uniform school (not educate together). The boys wear anything from Premier League soccer/Ireland or Leinster rugby/club hockey tops and shorts to polos, hoodies, sweaters, tracksuit bottoms, cargos, chinos, jeans. Have only seen one or two kids wearing GAA club tops. Honestly it's whatever they'd wear at home. The only brands I've noticed are North Face (for jackets), Hilfiger for sweaters, the odd Ralph Laurent but that's about it. It's all about On Air runners at the moment, ugly yokes but the boys love them.

Update: we were totally worrying too much! Yes there are some white Fox and Lululemon items but also dunnes and Penny's clothes. Big mix among the boys, soccer, gaa and just random hoodies and tracksuit bottoms/shorts.