School uniform buying - what lessons have you learnt?

[LoveBuckets]

Need to get some new kit while sales are on and thought we could pool our experiences re quality, price etc. What are your thoughts on ironing too?

Polo shirts
I've also found Adams better quality than George. But the best polo shirt brand I found is a David Luke one I got 2nd hand - does anyone know where to buy this brand? The fabric stays softer and dries with fewer wrinkles and the colour still looks bright.
I've found that for yellow, it's best to choose the brighter eggy yellow shade rather than the paler yellow which turns grey in the wash fairly quickly.

Summer Dresses
I like the A-line ones with flower buttons from M&S, synthetic so I don't need to iron them.

Knitwear
Not very impressed with the Adams girls' cardigans, still intact but looks faded and droopy. Am I expecting too much?

I've learnt that you'll need a lot less than you think, 2 pairs of trousers are fine. Agree re buying at least a size up for polo shirts, the M&S basic ones were fine for us (sorry chasingsquirrels!). I prefer the £12 M&S trousers to the £7 ones on my ds (and he now has a pair of each as went through the knee of one of his £12 pairs) as they're a darker grey and a neater fit. Pull in waist is a must for him.

I reckon more than 2 sizes too big even though ours didn't shrink... the contents grow!

polos go all stained and horrid in this house and need replacing

M&S non-iron shirts, trousers and skirts + tumble dryer = my uniform of choice.

Never. Ever. Buy it from Mothercare. It shrinks even if you don't tumble dry it. Or always reconcile yourself to buying two sizes bigger and pre-shrink before wearing.

Whatever washing powder, Vanish type stuff you buy, your son will always end up with indelible yellowy brown stains and pen squiggles all over his polo shirts.

And yukky nasty nylon type jumpers shrink much less than sweatshirts. Even if they do offend the eye and the fingernails.

I learnt to stick to Next or Adams for fit and quality. M&S was poor in comparison especially on jumpers.

I also ensure we have a full clean set for everyday plus one spare set so that washing only has to be done once a week. Blackboard marker stains so handy to have a spare.

Ok, can someone do a spreadsheet of this thread please

the best thing I did was to buy on 3 for 2.
we got 5 trousers, 5 shirts and 5 jumpers

it is brilliant.

I have to second the frogs tip on shoebuying. why did I not think of that before, instead of wanting to murder the whole world rushing in a crowded shoe shop the day before term?

Not only that, Lupusina, but they are half the mainstream price. And they are very nice and hugely efficient.

No connection with Shoes for Kids btw I'd always assumed it was a bit of a dodgy setup, but it's entirely kosher and the shoes arrive v. speedily. I'm guessing they buy up ends of lines or whatever obv you don't get the full range of current styles, but tbh a school shoe is a school shoe. And no need for the nightmare that is a shoe shop in August.

Bingo.

One lesson some parents at DS1's school have learnt is.........

Wait until the results of the parent consulation are back until you buy the uniform - especiall when it's asking about changing the uniform.........and most parents agreed to the change. And while they can wear their current stuff next school year - many parents had bought a size or 2 bigger to make it last into the following school year

It's an ace idea frogs and loving the prices, but don't your dcs need to try on a couple of pairs to get a comfy fit?

lol cheesesarnie.....our school has a twice yearly uniform sale; great for a few bargains if you get there quick.

tasssissss we thought that in reception year, but DS was coming home covered head to foot in mud so we ended up with a few more sets.

but...if you do buy new....

Sainsbury's is just as hard wearing as M&S or Next.

Sainsbury's poloshirts are great, keep their colour and last well. I bought some from Next at the beginning of this year and they have shrunk and the colour has faded; they also hang onto stains more as well.

Make sure they have elastic waistbands.

ASDA trousers wear badly at the knees; they are the only trousers we have had that holed.

Don't buy a bumper pack of grey socks.....we did this and had ten socks of varying shades of grey that were impossible to pair up. We now buy toe/heel coloured socks so we know we have pairs.

and a final tip.....check carefully for reward stickers before bunging in the machine. We have several shirts with a grey sticky patch on that just WILL NOT wash out.

ooh yes to adjustable waist bands.

We don't buy logo'd stuff, but school don't require it; just sweatshirts/jumpers in the right colour.

Advice for Scottish mums.

Do not buy online because they will try to deliver on the 25th of August - 1 week after the schools go back. Thanks for that M & S.

what, even if you order in june?

eek, I would never order in June. DS can apparently grow or sometimes shrink a whole foot or two in that time.

M & S are doing 3 for 2, free delivery and 10% off at the moment. M & S school shoes come in half sizes. I think Sainsbury TU stuff is the same as Adams. I buy next year's polo shirts etc in smaller tesco stores a week after school starts as they reduce them to make way for Halloween stuff

I ordered my M&S stuff this week it arrived 2 days later and all sizes were available, so I am ready for school holidays that start next Friday

we only need logo sweatshirts thankfully.

And past experience has shown that the recommended uniform supplier, although a bit pricier, is of much better quality and longevity than the cheaper imitations.

thanks for the link to the shoe site frogs...it's now in my favourites

but you only need them to last for two years max and then they have outgrown them. We are not talking abercormby overcoats

who would nick a school sweat short?