how many school uniforms do you buy?

[littleoctonauts]

Hello

Last year when dc2 started reception I decided to buy extra sets of uniform so that I didn't have to iron mid week. I've done the same this year, uniform still has labels on and I'm thinking of returning some and just keeping 2 sets. So I'll need to wash and iron mid week but I'll save some money which I could use to buy a new set mid year when they grow out of it rather than stretching out the uniform for the full year. What do you do?

I have girls, two skirts each, I buy one new blazer/tie and one second hand one as a back up at the school fete, blouses for every day as these need daily changing.

So- every item different depending how dirty it gets!

I bought 4 each of polo shirts, sweatshirts, bottoms (2 pairs shorts/2 pairs trousers). And 8 pairs of black socks as DS(5) loves to wear them every day including weekends but isn't great at putting them in the wash basket and I keep finding one or two randomly down the side of the bed or in a corner of the bathroom.

DD9 also has 4 of each. Tops mostly need daily washing as she has definitely become a bit hormonal and is having to use deodorant these days and likes a fresh polo shirt every day. DS is mucky and pretty much everything needs a wash by the end of the day. It's all poly cotton blend so no need for ironing.

I have to put at least one washing load on a day just to keep on top of stuff (5 in household including a cycling husband). So everything gets through the system pretty regularly!

Definitely a weeks worth of uniform. 5 of everything except for shirts which I have 10 of. 2 complete sets of gym and games kits as stuff can go missing for weeks and I don't always have time at the weekend to buy replacements.

It's definitely worth having a whole weeks worth and takes the pressure off mid-week if you're busy.

I ended up getting an extra PE kit in reception too as dd started doing an after-school football club which involved her coming home in her kit when she had PE the next day.

DD: 3 skirts, 6 polos (because she loves to get stains on them) 3 jumpers, five pairs of socks/tights, one set of PE kit (because she really doesn't get them dirty, she hates PE) and a pair of trousers for freezing cold days.

I have to iron the skirts, despite hanging up (no tumble dryer).

2 sets each, but ds had 5 for much of primary (which still was in a shocking state by the end of the year. So depends on the child!

I'm confused, do people do a seperate wash for uniforms? Ours just get chucked in every one or two wears (depending how dirty) with the next load of clothes.

DS is 11yo can sometimes get 2 wears out of his polo and hoodie but trousers need changed daily. He has 4 Polo's, 3 trousers and 4 hoodies.

DD is 4yo and wanted a nursery uniform which is changed daily muck magnet. She has 5 Polo's, 2 cardigans and 4 leggings.

6-8 shirts so I less stress to get ironing done.
3 pairs of trustees.

I have four complete sets (2 pinafores with shirt/jumper and 2 trousers with shirt/jumper). One day a week is often forest school and on that day they wear normal clothes anyway (not in uniform), but I felt like that bought me some extra time in case I missed a day of washing mid-week.

DS1 is starting high school so he has 6 pairs of trousers, 6 shirts and two blazers. Everything gets washed at the weekend but during the week there's no time to be messing about with laundry. He's past the stage of spilling stuff down himself now but has started to get a bit sweaty so fresh uniform each morning is a must.

DS2 will be going into Y2 and is still in the stage of coming home covered in paint, pen and food at times so also has clean uniform each day.

In terms of cost we probably spend more, but in terms of not having to panic-wash mid-week it saves hours.

5 polo shirts
4 jumpers
3 pairs of trousers

I don't mind washing mid week. Would rather that than but loads of uniform for him to grow out of it in one term

In primary 3 polos, 3 trousers, 3 logo jumpers when they first started. Once I realised they didn't really need logo polos I bought a load of cheap Tesco ones to cut down on the mid week panic washing.

When I was growing up we didn't have much spare cash so my parents bought the bare minimum. I.e. One of items that didn't need daily washing (e.g. Skirts, jumpers, blazers) and two of everything else (shirts and dresses). It wasn't ideal, especially as we did not have a dryer. I have two children so I have just decided to buy five of items that need daily washing, and three of everything else asides from blazers which I will buy just one of. I am sure that a lot of it will be worn through and what isn't can be kept (I still wear my old school shirts) of sold back to the uniform shop/passed on to relatives if they choose the same school.

My own school skirt was dry clean only and I had one! God help me if i spilt anything on it. Mum used to wrestle me out of it as I was practically walking through the door.

Thanks everyone this is really helpful :) I can see that keeping the week's worth of uniform seems to be the most popular choice! My kids can hardlu ever make a uniform set lasts two days! So this option means buying a lot of uniform..

I definitely have to iron the cotton stuff-which actually is everything!

I have polo shirt for every day but skirts/dresses cardigans only 2-3 of as they don't get as dirty.

2 jumpers/cardis and trousers/dresses here, my ds/dd are not that messy and don't get body odour yet so they can go 2-3 days easily. They have 5 polo shirts each as I iron these at weekends

Im working full time! Three kids, two at school. I buy trousers & polos for each day of the week! Have two jumpers, so always have one spare! Two full PE kits! So much easier! Have all clothes for the full week ready and organised on Sunday (trousers, polo, vest, socks etc!) Makes it so much easier during the week! No midweek ironing etc!

My girls start reception this September, I've bought 1 pinefore, 2 trousers, 3 polo shirts, 2 cardigans, 1 jumper, 2 tights, 3 socks, one PE kit each. They're are not particularly grubby children.

My girls get one cardigan ( with logo) several polo shirts, a skirt, dress and trousers and a PE kit but my oldest starts high school so I've just bought her a blazer and skirt and PE kit, jumper and blouses and it's really expensive! I have 4 girls in school so there's no way I can afford to buy them more than one cardigan or blazer for example. I always do washing every 1-2 days anyway and always iron their uniform

Ds has 6 shirts (3x2packs), 4 school shorts (didn't wear trousers at all last year), maybe 1 or 2 jumpers (never wears them much either)

Dd (secondary school) has 6 shirts too, 5 skirts, 2 blazers (into 3rd year of use), 2 cardigans (only worn in the depths of winter)

I varied depending on child.
DD was very messy : 2 shirts2 cardigans : 2 pinafores... I often had to wash her shirt or sponge her jumper midweek
DS1 had 1 pair of shorts and 1 jumper and 2 shirts; he was always clean and no need for substitutes
DC2 was messy like his sister, he managed with1 pair of shorts/ trousers ( when older) and 1 jumper both of which could get through the wash over the weekend he had typo shirts a week until seniors wham he had 1 shirt per day