Where to get uniform, your recomendations please.

[appplepie]

This may have been done to death - sorry - searched on here but didn;t find much.

DD is strating school in Spetember and I wondered if you could recomend where I could get the basics - skirts, polo necks etc.

Also, Asda had some lovely feeling lycra skirts that felt like jogging trousers.... would I be better getting the teflon?

Also, how many of each (skirt, jumper, tops) do you have in?

Not worried about it, more excited!

thanks

[oneofthosedays]

For DD (7) we have got;
A couple of Tu skirts and an M&S one
M&S Polos x 6 (only really need 3 though)
3 M&S Unisex V neckJumpers
1 School Cardi
1 Ethel Austin Cardi
Tights from Next - usually have about 6 pairs in
5 Pairs white socks M&S
2 Summer dresses from Tu (these have lasted 3 years brilliantly)
Hush Puppies shoes - second year buying these and will be getting again as they are so hardwearing!
She's got an M&S coat for this september which was a pressie
Need to look for a backpack for her
PE Bag
School PE Kit
Clarks Pumps

For DS (3) we have got;
4 Pairs Tu trousers
4 M&S Polos
1 Roundneck jumper M&S
2 Unisex V Neck Jumpers
5 pairs black socks M&S
Lunch Box
Book Bag
PE bag
PE kit - White adams tops (DD handmedowns) and shorts (Ethel Austin)
Clarks Pumps
Shoes - not sure yet - probably something hardwearing from the independent shoe shop we go to for DD
Coat - last year's Boden waterproof jacket (sale) - warm/waterproof and already worn in from last winter so not feeling precious about it getting dirty/wrecked.

That's it - not bought anything from Asda for ages uniform wise but if anything gets wrecked through the year we will probably be getting replacement from there.

[Hormoneoverload]

Dd's start right shoes have lasted all year as her feet haven't grown. Although they are more shoe polish than leather now they are hanging on in there! M and s stuff has done very well-not many places do black which is what we needed and the value skirts are great. Didn't start off with one set per day but soon realised it was the way to go. Pinafores get you more than a day out of a polo shirt though - and ours were a special colour that was difficult to get in supermarkets so I was grateful for that. Trutex polo shirts (the school logo ones for us) wash hang and wear without ironing-find the asda ones for pe need ironing to look nice.

[Scholes34]

Bought DD two pairs of school trousers last year - a pair from John Lewis for £20 and a cheap pair from Asda for £5. He's put his knee through the JL pair and the Asda pair are still going strong.

[Kiggy]

I usually get most of mine from asda and M&S.
M&S are the only place I can usually get grey shirts and their extra long elastic wasted trousers are the only ones I can get to fit my eldest.

This year I am stuck though and may have to result to the official uniform shop as I cant find navy skirts or blue open neck shirts anywhere. The main retailers seem to have decided that all state school uniforms are grey or black with white shirts!

[Beamur]

One thing I would avoid are the trousers in jersey type fabric, they feel nice and soft and are pull ups (good for this age group) but bobbled instantly.
Choose clothes also that your child can put on themselves too - good tip from EllanJane regarding zips rather than fiddly buttons.

[superjobeespecs]

7 3/4 lengh sleeve shirts
2 short sleeve shirts
2 polo shirts
2 pinafores
4 cardigans
6 skirts
12 pairs of socks
8 vests
6 pairs of tights
2 pairs of gym shorts
gym t -shirt (school branded)
2 pairs of plimsoles
school coat (school branded)
tie
bag
shoes
boots

most from asdas (it rocks bugger the prices the quality is fantastic) also debenhams markies bhs clarks disney store (school bag ) deichmann

just look for good quality that will last dont cheap out but dont spend over the odds. this is only my second yr buying so im still learning :)

[happybubblebrain]

I've only bought half of it so far, all from M&S with 20% off, all very good value and the quality looks pretty good too. I still have to buy the PE kit, jumpers and socks but I feel pretty organised.

[EllenJaneisnotmyname]

After working in Reception, get pinafores with zips, not buttons!

[BalloonSlayer]

My top tip is to get at least one summer dress (or pair of shorts for boys) because it is often sweltering for the first couple of weeks of term and all the older children are in their summer stuff.

When DS1 started school I had got everything - so I thought - but it was boiling hot and he was the only boy in the school (or so it seemed) not in shorts, because I'd thought he wouldn't need any till the following year as of course he was starting in the autumn term. Needless to say there were none in the shops and I felt like he was the odd one out. I was so relieved when the weather turned cold!

[angels3]

Gone back and looked again.

M&S do a skort and coullottes (spelling?) pinafore dresses and skirts, plus summer dresses. The polo shirts and jumpers we get from our school as they are embroidered. Our school secondhand rail is very reasonable at 50p per polo shirt and £1 per jumper! All very good quality. And so far we have not lost one single item whilst he was at school.

Agree with TrishCummings don't scrimp on school shoes. The will eventually get scuffed, but if they fit properly and are a good make they will last a lot longer, and it is cheaper in the long run.

[angels3]

I can heartily recommend M&S for all of it! I bought my DS trousers from there last year when he started in Reception. I just bought 2 pairs, plus numerous socks. The trousers are only just showing scuff marks on the knees and have lasted him all year.

I will be going there again as DD starts in Reception this year.

I got 2 pairs of trousers with teflon coating for £6!

[catchafallingstar]

if you have a girl I would recommend buying LOADS of socks (as sock monsters often eat up at least 4 pair) and also more tights than you think you need for falls in playground etc....
NBut mostly stock up on socks!

[littleducks]

DD changed schools in reception and so had to have new uniform.

The teflon/polyester style pinafores are much harder wearing but I went for jersey material which does bobble after two terms (but washed daily) as it made it easier/quicker for her to get dressed after PE as the material is stretchy

[blackeyedsusan]

pinafore dresses can be bought a size bigger and do 2 winters. they don't fall down like skirts.

asda recommendation too. 6 polo shirts 6 of trousers/pinnafores/skirts 5 jumpers (second hand) about 10 pairs of socks (they go missing) 6 pairs of tights 9 vests (they go missing too) 10 pairs of pants 2 pe shirts and 2 shorts and pumps in current size and next couple of sizes /pe bag/ coat/ hat and 4 pairs gloves(cheaap from asda. matching ones... there always seems to be a missing glove too)/ sun hat.

[appplepie]

whta do you think skirts or pinafore dress....?

DD is quite dead against trousers for now.....

[M0naLisa]

i have just been looking at Asda. very cheap
Both Ds' starting school, one in reception, other in nursery both in school uniform.

i need:
8 polo shirts - @ £2 each
4 pairs of trousers @ £3 each
1 book bag from school office for £4
2 jumpers from school office @ £10 each - DS2 can wear Ds1 jumper, only had it since christmas
2 pairs of shoes
1 pair of pumps
1 pair of dark trainers
a lunch bag
2 sports cap water bottles.

shouldnt be as much as i thought it would be.

[TrishCummings]

Asda polo shirts are V cheap - but they don't wash well and they seem to stain at the drop of a hat. Or maybe I'm rubbish at laundry.

Sainsbury's clothes - good value/good quality. Sells out INCREDIBLY quickly and unless you do get stuff now, the size you are after will almost definitely not be there when you want to buy it. Sigh.... or maybe I'm disorganised AND rubbish at laundry..

Tesco - not much experience of their school clothes - not near enough for me to think about a special trip for school clothes, to be honest. Or maybe I'm lazy, disorganised and rubbish at laundry...

Next - good quality, not cheap. And sometimes guilty of "fancyfying" things a bit with too much embroidery (for girls!) etc. They DO do slim fit though, which is v helpful for my skinny little rabbit (son). Or maybe I'm frumpy, lazy, disorganised and rubbish at laundry....

M&S - top notch. Good quality - comparable prices to Next or sometimes cheaper with their occasional offers. Washes BRILLIANTLY. Would buy it all the time every time if my v limited budget would stretch to it. Or maybe I'm tightfisted, frumpy, lazy, disorganised and rubbish at laundry...

School shoes - always buy the best you can afford. Sacrifice all the rest of the clothes (bar winter coat perhaps) in order to buy the best quality shoes. They get scraped, scratched, worn through, soaked (puddle jumping...sigh!), scuffed, bent, and generally treated with contempt, but they HAVE to stand up to the job for as long as they fit the child concerned.

Also, it's very worthwhile investigating whether (once your child's settled into school and you don't aspire to them looking perfect every morning!) the school has second hand uniform sales, or whether you can find decent preloved stuff on Ebay/Gumtree, etc. Ebay has been BRILLIANT for winter coats for me.

HTH!

[CointreauVersial]

Definitely Clarks for shoes! Every time I've gone for cheaper makes it has been a total false economy.

[suzi2]

Oh, and don't try and put iron on name labels on teflon - they never last. Put them on the cotton waistband/pocket lining or such like.

For DS he goes through 2-3 trousers a week and 3-4 polos. I also have a few shirts (for photo day lol) and a few jumpers. And one pair of shorts.

For DD I've bought more but more of an assortment. She's a mucky pup and she gets bad eczema so I'm not sure what's going to work out best for her. You can get most uniform all year round, so I don't think you need to panic and have everything right from the start and can buy as you need.

[suzi2]

The trousers that kept best for DS were Sainsburys, far superior to his M&S ones. Though I've since bought him Next slim fit ones and they seem to be washing up well. I find tesco/asda far too wide for him.

T-shirt wise BHS ones have been good and so have Next pure cotton ones. I'm restricted to what I get due to weird school colours!

For DD (who starts in August) I have a mixture of stuff - Sainsburys, Next, M&S, Tesco. I have no idea what will come out best. What I can say is that even if one item from a shop fits and washes well, it doesn't mean all of them will. I was amazed that the M&S sizes varied so widely - DD has got an age 3 pinafore (she's tiny) but age 5 cullottes and age 4 cardis.

[allthefires]

Any tips for skinny boys? My nearly 4 DS is starting pre school (uniformed) quite tall but skinny waist.

Thanks

[Thehusbandsatcricketagain]

Oh & should have said school socks from M&S are imho far superior to others

[Thehusbandsatcricketagain]

I find asda bottoms are fine but the polo shirts tend to not last as well,m&s are better.Shoes have to be clarks,more money up front but cheaper in the long run.If you have to have a blazer for you tot then M&s are deff the best.

[CointreauVersial]

I miss Adams! They did the best stuff, trousers in a choice of lengths etc.

Asda do brilliant summer dresses, but I buy the rest from Next or M&S. I prefer to buy online as I can't be bothered to traipse around looking for everything (3 DCS).

I get two each of skirts/trousers/shorts/sweatshirts etc. and three or four polo tops/shirts for each. I certainly don't wash it every day - they usually get through the week on one set, maybe the odd change of shirt, luckily they aren't mucky pups.

All change for next year - DS1 is off to senior school and has just started to get that sweaty boy smell. I think a daily shirt and a can of deo will be in order from September.

[somersetmum]

Agree with faintpositive: Asda or Matalan.

I try to get winter coats in the January sales, when they are all atleast half price. This might not help for this year but you can always buy a bigger size in preparation for next year.