Which shop sells best uniform.... not cheapest

[MayDayChild]

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

I just took my M and S boys trousers back this weekend as they had gone white at the knees. I'd looked at the reviews on the M and S website and they admitted that they had had a quality isue - I got a full refund. Then I went to John Lewis - where the 9 year old trousers seemed huge on my average 9 year old, and the 6 year old ones fitted the slightly above 6 year old just right!

I bought Next trousers and polo shirts, as well as black PE shorts - all brilliant and have washed so well.

For my oldest daughter we buy the Trutex shirts and trousers. Blazer and PE kit have to come from the school shop.

My youngest daughter also has trutex jumpers with the school logo on. I bought one from Uniform direct and it shrank on the first wash and bobble really badly so it is resigned to an absolutely desperate spare.

Trutex trousers and short trousers - those have been great.

David Luke polo shirts - I bought white ones and they are still in perfect condition after 6 terms.

And yes, always buy big/massive! I bought my 4yo a 7-8 jumper and it was fine.

Gap polo shirts, John Lewis for everything else (plus logo'd sweatshirt from the uniform shop).

Asda trousers brilliant (boys and girls), I agree with prev poster about M+S trousers being far worse this year, bobble really easily.

Asda or tesco polo shirts are fine (cumulative uniform-buying-years=10!)

Got some lovely pinafore dresses from Tesco this year, washing really well and non-iron!

Girls' cotton school cardies from ADSA don't always last especially well, but as £2-3 each seem reasonable...and considering the amount of time they spend being flailed around the yard by one arm or used as 'reins' to play horsies they survive at least a term!

Tights, M+S or tesco..if you see any in the right size, buy them! (especially next year's size in the sale...)

M and S have extra long zips on their dresses, so girls can change themselves for PE more easily.

I get DD1s trousers from Sainsburys (they suit her shape best) DD2s dresses from M and S and polo shirts from either of those.

DD1 likes to wear the official school cardies (internet), while dd2 likes wooly ones (only BHS does girls knitted cardies in royal blue so we go there). The official wash better and last longer.

If you get tights from M and S their sizes are tiny, my DD2 is the shortest girl in her class and quite slim, but I still need to get her the next age up.

For summer dresses, the M and S ones are a lovely style but need a lot of ironing, so it can be better to buy cheaper ones if you're lazy like me.

Hello!
I can't find any really good quality navy school skirts for my DD who is starting Nursery in the fall. Does anyone know where I can get them custom made? Or anyone who does really gorgeous classic designs (such as kilts, thick pleated cord etc) - something with a bit of style?

"something with a bit of style?"
Thank goodness for enforced school uniforms, even if you can only get them from the approved shop...

custom made skirts for nursery? dear me

Most of ours is from BHS, always washes and lasts well.

Have had polo shirts from M&S but they shrunk, and have also had them from Debenhams and they also shrunk.

Girls skirts from Asda seem to be fine, but their boys trousers aren't great.

stuff thats easy to get in and out of is really important. Ebay is always full of people flogging stuff they bought but never used cos they got too much...second ahnd summer dresses are particularly good as they tend to wear well and have a lot of life left in them

M and S

The skirt I was asking about is not available from the uniform supplier.

I am not sure why almost every discussion has to center around where to find the cheapest possible items for school uniform.

After all, it's worn 5 days a week.

And when I say a bit of style, I don't mean sequins or ruffles. Just classic, well cut and well made.

I guess the mums who wrote the scathing replies are okay with baggy polyester.

Actually I don't think that nursery school children should wear uniforms at all be they baggy polyester or custom made ..but I've had that argument before

Trutex. I have 3 kids and I want them all to be able to wear the polo shirts, and for the trousers to go through 2 boys. I buy here. I also got sports shorts from this site as the school demands crimson PE shorts and nowhere local seems to sell decent ones.

Not the cheapest but it has a lot of wear in it, doesn't mark easily, retains its shape and is well made.

M and S for plain navy tracksuit though.

Next trousers are excellent.
M and S tights crap-John Lewis better

bran - surely if they want to wear skirts they should be allowed?

I personally would not really chose to wear trousers very often. I dislike them a lot and don't find them very practical on the whole. They often end up trailing on the floor, esp when beding down - which I have to do a lot in my job. And when in the wet or snowy weather the bottoms end up cold and soggy. I also don't find most trousers very warm compared to skirts an tights or skirts and leggings. I hate jeans.

Ad 8yo DD is just the same and would never chose to wear trousers.

As it happens DD's uniform is compulsary and very specific, and involves skirts and pinafores, or summer dress. She, and I, am very happy with it.

In response to the thread title - we get DD's uniform from John Lewis (as specified) and find the quality exptremely good. It wears well, washes and dries well and lasts too.

Yes another vote for Gap polos (nice and long in the back, wear well) John Lewis/Trutex trousers.

M&S school cardigans are good too. IME they are a notch up from the John Lewis ones.

M and s, I have bought basics skirt and more expensive pinafores, both great. Asda polos okay, but the trutex ones wash and hang and look ironed where the assa ones need ironing. Trutex cardigans are fading a bit. No choice there really for us as unusual colour with logo. All tights shrink!!! Without tumble drying. Have m and s ones, I just buy them big.

Oh, trutex stuff from local independent uniform
Shop, I'm sure there will be a local one .