School Uniform

[Rosebud05]

I'm sure this has been done to death, but where are the best places to buy reasonably priced but long-lasting uniform for girls? Grey trousers/skirt/pinafore/white polo shirt/particular colour cardi/jumper?

Particularly interested in nice looking pinafores (please no ra-ras) and trousers with part elasticated waists.

TIA

ASDA generally have a good range in George - and they last pretty well :)

I have bought uniform in Asda, Tesco and M&S and all have lasted well.

I think M&S and John Lewis are good for different things they actually last

I have bought from Asda, M&S, Tesco and Sainsburys - they have all been fine.

I got a nice pinafore from Sainsburys last year.

I tend to stock up on staples (trousers, skirts, polo shirts and non iron shirts) in the 3 for 2 deal M&S usually have on in July. Top up from the other shops as required.

We have to buy the school logo sweatshirt so no idea about those

I find Sainsburys trousers good for DS. Nice pinafores from Debenhans and Tesco via eBay for DD. Her cardigans mainly from Asda. DS school sweatshirts from second hand uniform sale at school. Polo shirts from wherever I happen to be.

M&S for me on 3 for 2 as well - fine, no problems at all. Next good too for dresses. Word of advice though - most people in my DD1 class who bought shoes from clarks regretted it and had to buy new ones a few weeks later! I bought her a pair of LelliKelly shoes (£45) - more than i wanted to pay but thought as they were her first school shoes, i got her what she wanted. They lasted sept-march and were pretty much still ok just a bit dull looking. 3 weeks ago i got her a pair of clarks for £30 and they are wrecked! Within a week they looked worse than her lellikelly's! I'm glad its getting warmer as i intend to buy her white sandles in a few weeks! John lewis shoes always get good comments from other mums - i think its worth paying more if you want them to still look smart 3 months later.

shoes we have always gone for start-rite and never regretted it, ends up being very good value for money

Pinafores IME tho sweet are very tricky for girls to manage on PE days (and in general tbh).

As a helper/occasional TA in FS2 I was always amazed by parents who sent their DDs in with impossible pinafores.

To answer yr query OP, M&S has always worked well for me.

Occasional forays into George at Asda and Sainsbo's has always been a disappointment (no adjustable waist, poor quality, washed badly etc). Summer dresses tho have been fine from anywhere.

Pinnies are okay with long zips, I think - never witnessed them getting changed, but DD never complained (and was a bugger for dressing herself in Yr R). M&S have served us well - cheaper supermarket ones often have short zips that aren't much good for anything.

I agree with those saying M&S. I bought dd1 some lovely pure cotton blue gingham summer dresses from there which are much nicer imo than the polyester ones, although they do need ironing.
Regarding shoes, dd's first startrite ones lasted from Sept to April/May when she wore sandals. This year, she wanted patent ones, which I thought would look trashed sooner, but in fact they've lasted equally well and I think looked new for longer.

My experience with my two children is that different places have very different ideas as to the 'normal shape' of a child - and that sometimes you have to go with a shop where your child is the sort of shape they make clothes for.

For example, while I cannot fault M&S on quality, theirr clothes are usually designed for children who are bigger round the waist than my children (it probably doesn't help that my kids are tall and so take clothes around 2 years older than their chronological age). So DD has had lovely pinnies and school dresses from there but the trousers and skirts have to have the elastic pulled up so tight she looks absurd. I have found that DS is BHS's standard shape for trousers, so his come from there, but their girls' stuff is awful. Conversely, DD has had good stuff from Sainsbury's (they do nice pure cotton polo shorts) but it helps that she is not so hard on trousers and skirts as her brother.

Shoes - Startrite, always, partly because our local startrite stockist is also the only place that takes sufficient care over their fitting to ensure that DD gets shoes that genuinely fit his very weird-shaped feet!

Depends upon the child...

for ds we use mainly M&S though occationally have had some from Sainsbury that have coped ok with his weird shape.. Shirts M&S only but that is due to us needing to know the difference between Him and his sister. also in white shirts. Summer shits can only be bought from the school outfitter..

dd1 M&S was way to big and BHS plus John Lewis did us good as did Adams (but closed isnt it)

DD2 wore John Lewis from her older sister but the BHS ones didnt fit at all looked odd on her.. She has Next shirts only (have to have different labels as I am not checking every onefor what side the button is on)

dd3 is in Next and what pinafores that are from her sisters any skirts are to wide for her. currently her shirts are from next but the ones prior was from M&S (so much smaller doesnt matter)

for summer dresses dd3 is in BHS to be long and skinny enough DD2 is in M&S (different shape)

dd1 is in 2ndary school no summer uniform

We just buy wherever they have cotton uniform. So we have Tesco skirts, JL summer dresses, George trousers (via Ebay), cardis and polo shirts.

Tbh, I've never had a bad uniform buy. Although it is true that the fit differs, depending on the store.

While we are on the subject (I was thinking of starting the very same thread soon) - labels. Good companies for decent value name labels please?

labels I have used them, good service and good range