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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Which shop sells best uniform.... not cheapest

50 replies

MayDayChild · 13/01/2011 20:14

Hi
Just planning ahead for September!
What shop has best quality uniform in your opinion?
Sizing
Style
Washing - bobbling and creasing
Quality of seams etc
Toughness (girl tho so not worried about holes in knees!) but likliness to rip if caught on nail iyswim
I would rather buy once and spend more, so are there any non shop brands you recommend (such as those independant school uniform shops)
or is this false economy as they grow/ruin uniform so quickly
Thanks

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nancy75 · 13/01/2011 20:19

i bought dd's dress' from woolworths online, they wash very well and don't need to be ironed at all.(they fit abit small to size)
she also has a couple of much more expensive school shop ones which take forever to iron and drive me mad.

Bhs is good for cardigans, as is M&S but the ones which was best are the £2 sainsburys ones.
Tesco do the best tights

Eglu · 13/01/2011 20:23

I found m&s polo shirts good when I bought them a couple of years ago, but then bought replacements that have not been as good quality. I do like their trousers though.

A friend gets Next school uniform and really likes it. I didn't want to get from there as it is only online and I need to see sizes for my DS.

chiefchef · 13/01/2011 20:26

M&S boys trousers - rubbish - they wash very badly and look worn and faded at knees after one term. Sainsbury's version wash far better and third of the price.

coldtits · 13/01/2011 20:28

You're not worried about holes in knees because of her being a girl?

Be worried. Although not overly, because ds1 and ds2, combined, have never yet put holes in the knees of their trousers.

Binfullofmaggotsonthe45 · 13/01/2011 20:31

I remember one of the mums at ds old school getting a lovely grey pair of culottes for her dd in grey from Next.

Very practical for playground and sitting on the carpet etc.

I used to be a reader and it was quite distracting when one of the girls would sit on the chair cross legged with one thumb in her mouth, and her hand up her knickers....wish she'd got a pair

I agree the polo tees from marks are really poor quality now, but their non iron formal shirts are really nice.

I had to get some emergency George trousers and they went very shiny and the hems fell down.

Original poster

MayDayChild · 13/01/2011 20:34

Perfect information!
Esp Nancy75 re tights! Hadn't thought of those! Or culottes - fab

OP posts:

smokinaces · 13/01/2011 20:35

Marks and Spencers basic range. Great price, great quality. Believe me, my 4yo DS does everything young boys do in trousers, and where as other kids at the school have faded knees already his are still great. And they wash/dry really well and dont need ironing. Their polos dont lose their shape either. Cant recommend them enough, and will shop there every autumn now.

Madsometimes · 13/01/2011 20:35

My top uniform tip is to buy tights in a much bigger size than you need. So if your dd wears 4-5, buy at least 6-7 if not bigger. Tights sizing is very small from M&S, BHS and even John Lewis.

nancy75 · 13/01/2011 20:55

back to the tights, when you decide what size you need buy every packet they have in the shop - dd has to have grey - not an unusual colour but i can never get her size, this year i bought them all in June!

Original poster

MayDayChild · 13/01/2011 20:59

thanks Nancy75
I have a nightmare with normal tights so will be buying about 15 pairs as soon as they hit the shops!
In 4 different sizes!
They always shrink don't they...

OP posts:

Takver · 13/01/2011 21:03

No holes in knees with girls?

I just bought dd some 100% cotton trousers from Marks, from their Skin Kind range (I think that's the name of it) - they seem a bit thicker & better made than others I've had, they're not teflon coated, & still very reasonable.

They're sold for kids with allergies, but its hard to find 100% cotton trousers elsewhere - I think they wear better, & when you do get holes they're easier to mend neatly.

mummyshreddingnora · 13/01/2011 21:09

ooh I have been starting to think in advance too - and also a DD here.... any tips greatfully received....

I was currently planning on the m&s everything proof stuff (feel free to clarify if its as good as they say!)

Mum72 · 13/01/2011 21:10

Trutex.

I love Trutex. It is blummin fab! Washes well, keeps pleats, does not bobble. Blouses dont need ironing if hung on hanger out the washer and just feel nice to the touch. Just altogether fab.

Its not easy to get hold of because they dont have their OWN shop,they supply others. John Lewis have a limited range but usually school specific. Independent School uniform shops/outfitters will have bits and bobs of it.

This is where I get mine.
www.schooluniformshop.co.uk/section.php/3/1/girls/110b6267413b86dc25e5b4cea0012d80

The site also sells Banner stuff which is also very good and my 2nd choice to Trutex.

greenlotus · 13/01/2011 21:20

I am impressed with boys' trousers from Next, I did get them online but measured very carefully. In fact I think I rang the helpline to check measurements. They have a good choice of slim/standard/"plus" sizes. Their V neck jumpers on the other hand are very thin and stretchy, don't seem very boy-proof to me.

I also have some wool/acrylic jumpers from here and they are indestructible, warm, keep their shape, don't fade and don't seem to itch.

In terms of polo shirts, I am incompetent at washing and all the 100% cotton ones have faded and gone board-stiff. I am going to get school embroidered ones now or if plain, go for something like the Fruit of the Loom polycotton ones you can get from ebay or workwear/embroidery places.

redpanda13 · 13/01/2011 21:32

The independent shop near me does school badge embroidery onto polo shirts,sweatshirt cardigans etc. The make they use is trutex. DD's have all washed very well.

Eveiebaby · 13/01/2011 21:51

I found BHS pretty good for DD's polo shirts. I buy her trousers from the school uniform shop they wash very well - excellent quality. I bought her school jumper from the uniform shop as it has the school emblem on it but after a couple of washes it seemed to go a bit bobbly around the ribbed edging.

Lonnie · 13/01/2011 21:53

lets see

Shirts
M&S and Next wash well iron free and doesnt tend to loose shape

Polo shirts
Asda
M&S

Tights
M&S BHC or Sainsburys

Socks
M&S and Sainsburys

Uniform skirts
John Lewis
Next
M&S

Uniform troussers
M&S
Next
McCanns

(does it show I have 4 that has gone/going through this?)

scrappydappydoo · 13/01/2011 22:08

Well I can't speak from too much experience as dd has only done 1 term but so far - in context dd is tall & skinny

M&S pinafores fab - seem to wash well and keep shape
ditto M&S polo shirts
cardigans - tried asda and sainsburys - sainsburys were better and really good price. Haven't tried M&S yet for reasons waay to complicated to go about on this thread.
tights - M&S not so good - even age 5-6 were too small on dd and shrunk - as did Asda, sainsburys and primark (no suprise there). Tesco oth have been great - and this is with a dd who struggles with putting tights on.

One thing I really had to bear in mind is that all clothes had to be easy for dd to get changed not just for pe but dressing up etc - we had a few tears at first because I hadn't go how unprepared for uniform she was

DastardlyandSmugly · 13/01/2011 22:09

All of DS's stuff is M&S and it still looks good after 1 term (he's in Reception)

Oblomov · 13/01/2011 22:13

M&S boys grey trousers are RUBBISH. They used to be fab. Bought them for 2 years and they had a bit of wool in them and lasted very well. This year(Year 2) they are cheap and nasty. woman told me it was a cost cutting exercise. Mind you I think M&S quality has gone down overall.

Don't know where else to buy.

mummyshreddingnora · 13/01/2011 22:14

and what stuff can I get away with never ironing??? I HATE ironing!!!

ThistleWhistle · 13/01/2011 22:14

M&S for cardies, (nice and thick), and skirts, (adjustable waists), & a stormwear coat.
George for polo shirts, (M&S ones are crap)
Sainsburys for tights.

lillybloom · 13/01/2011 22:16

I buy trousers from next and I buy the next size up too as too often clothes that fitted on Friday are too small on Monday. My dc are all legs and no waist so the trousers are the best fit. All other stuff comes from the local uniform shop so no help there.

ShoshanaBlue · 13/01/2011 22:31

We have trutex pinafores. The texture is much softer than M & S.

We use M & S non-iron 3/4 length sleeves blouses. If I bought them with long sleeves, DD wouldn't be able to roll her sleeves up very easily.

We use John Lewis and/or M&S tights - would agree with whoever posted before about buying the whole shop. We also have grey!

We have to use school logo cardigans and ties (though very inexpensive to be honest).

It's so much cheaper having school uniform than ordinary clothes!

ShoshanaBlue · 13/01/2011 22:32

Also forgot to say we like John Lewis summer dresses - they do a nice shade of pink and the quality is nice.

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