Girl's uniform for YR

[freetrait]

Any tips? What are the pros and cons of skirts/dresses? And as my DD spends most of the time wearing leggings at the moment maybe we'll go for trousers- although they rarely fit (that's why she wears leggings..). She has short legs for her height and is very slim. Boys uniform was so simple in contrast (badly fitting old man's trousers!).

Are cardigans ok for YR? Pros and cons, cardigan/jumper?

Ah, you are better than me . I did a tuck in DD's ballet skirt, on recommendation from her teacher, when it fell down, but the rest of time so far for DS I have bought adjustable waists and yanked them in as far as they go, and DD lives in leggings for the same reason.

The only trousers that really fit DS are similar to DD, elasticated waists tracksuit type ones. Jeans etc he wears but they fit badly. I remember on his birthday one of his friends turned up looking immaculate in good fitting jeans and smart top. I looked at DS in his baggy jeans and too small top and thought, hmmm, must do better (but haven't )

me too. My kids point blank refuse any trousers with adjustable waists. They have to be pulled in so tight, so much material bags up that there is 100 bits digging in their non existent flesh
I go for soft waist bands and sew them smaller.

Incidentally, my SIL works in NHS and this year, they have yet again increased the weight ranges on the centile graphs (red books). No wonder my normal kids are falling lower and lower.

I have a tall, slim 5yo who wears age 7-8 for length. Tights have to be this age or they aren't long enough and dresses are indecent otherwise but she has a small waist so dresses are always better than trousers.

DD's preference however is culottes (illusion of a skirt but freedom of trousers) or shorts.

We also prefer cardigans as they have pockets which are invaluable for a tissue and leaves and a flower and a small piece of fluff and a penny and on and on and on...

I give DS's old trousers that are too worn to pass on to the school, they use them for kids who've had accidents etc.
They're always really grateful.

Ah yes, good idea, will do that pepperrabbit with the trousers, good plan, thanks.

What is most annoying is if you buy trousers with elasticated waist the right size, and then they are still too big (not talking school uniform here). Perhaps I need to develop my sewing skills. Hmmmmm...

DD wears leggings because she struggles to pull up other trousers - she has mild cerebral palsy. I'm dreading having to find her trousers/skirts for school in Sept!

When DD was in reception (and year 1, as she hadn't grown) she wore dresses that looked like a grey pinafore but had a white polo shirt style collar and sleeves. They were really easy for her to just pull on and off in one go, when getting changed for PE and had no buttons and zips to worry about. Not sure if they still do them but they would have come from either BHS or M&S.

Well I'm 41 and all the state schools around us including mine had strict uniform

I'm 46, I went to 3 different primaries in different areas and none had a uniform, and the only kids from other schools I remember with uniform went to the local convent.

Maybe it started in one area and spread.

I'm 39 (argh!) and we had an optional uniform at primary school. My brothers and I wore it, along with about a third of the other children, but the rest didn't.

Make sure you get the uniform list (or talk to a mum at the school before you buy). At our school, only boys wear polo shirts, with the school logo and only from Easter to October. Girls can wear gingham dresses in the summer.

The rest of the year the children must wear shirts and ties. I agree that long sleeved shirts are a win to keep clean and pinafores hide more marks than white shirts.

I avoid white socks as DD likes to "skate" around in them and they get filthy.

my reception daughter is extremely tall and skinny (needs age 8 for height) so pinafores work much better than skirts for her BUT she wants skirts because that is what the others wear. hers was from Sainsburys and is adjustable waist but it actually isn't too bad when pulled in and doesn't seem uncomfortable for her. her last one was Asda adjustable and again she seemed ok with it.

tights are always an issue for us - age 9-10 when in reception is ludicrous (she has big feet too so needs them for foot size as well as leg length) so I got her over the knee socks.

cardigans preferred by her because less chance of pulling out her bunches/ponytail etc when taking on and off.

How tall is she Peri, if you don't mind me asking? I have a giant son in Y1, about 128cm, DD is one of the tallest girls in nursery at about 110, but I remember DS was 118 at his YR check in November of YR.

All the girls in DS1's R class wear cardigans. The pinafore/skirt/shorts/trousers ratio is roughly equal.

she is 125cm freetrait. at her health check thing in the winter she was 119cm so for a girl very very tall

Wow, she is tall! There is one girl in DS's class about his height, and one boy in the other Y1 class similar. It's funny as he is friends with three boys who are nearer the height of his sister so he looks very overgrown compared to them!

I know what you mean - they do look a bit overgrown don't they. I feel sorry for her because she looks like she should be in Yr2 and people just assume she is a lot older so seem to expect more from her but she is only 5. my other daughter has just turned 4 and is 104cm so average. I am going to have to buy her an entire new school uniform for september because her sister's cast offs won't fit for a couple of years.

Ah, but your other daughter may spurt as mine has done (although she's not as tall as her brother relatively). DD is 4.5 and 110. It's only in the last couple of months that she has shot up and is suddenly as tall, or almost as tall as the tallest in her class . There's a few months to go before September/winter YR check too....I reckon she'll be at 112-116 by then, we shall see..

Yes, I know what you mean re expecting older behaviour. Have got used to it I guess with DS, although now he is 6.5 perhaps things have evened out a little bit as 6-8 year olds don't vary perhaps as much as a 4 and 6 year old. He is less independent and mature than an 8 year old and probably some people think it odd seeing him holding my hand often walking beside me (he likes to). He is starting to look a bit overgrown in his beginner swimming class, although there were some 7 year olds in there more his size.

good point, she might do. She has always been a bit smaller than her sister though so perhaps not QUITE so tall.

These days reception children learn to write with little whiteboards and markers - anything that's not already black will probably gain some indelible pen marks pretty soon. You might as well buy the cheapest polos and tops/cardigans posible so you don't feel too bad about this! If you can get away with non-logo'd ones in the right colour, great.

For good quality polo shirts that last I find the best thing is to buy "fruit of the loom" or similar ones from ebay (a poly/cotton mix actually washes better) - essentially the sort used for logo uniform but without the embroidery. These last extremely well.

For boys Next slim fit are very good trousers - do they do similar for girls? I have a DS so skinny he is 7 and I just found a pair of age 2 pants in his drawer he was still wearing regularly .

Check if the girls wear trousers before you buy some, DD1 came home from school very upset because one of her 'friends' had told her girls don't wear trousers . And then she got too tall for them and it's impossible to get replacements later in the year.

We bought a mix of M&S and JL. Agree with PPs that JL tights are fab, we have 8 pairs (2 colour options, and the red ones get worn out of school). Also their cotton polo shirts are great and the red ones are a really nice colour and haven't faded at all (very pleased about this because I have to get three children through them). The M&S cardigans, trousers and skirts have faded, considering giving the cardigans a freshen up with some dylon. Admittedly I got the M&S skirt and trousers because they were cotton and are nice and soft (skin kind range) but they look a bit shabby now.

Thanks fossil. Ours don't actually (re the whiteboards), think we are a bit in the dark ages with our pencils .

I will try Next slim fit for DS. DS is quite broad but no bum or waist. I bought him some new PJS- top and shorts age 7-8. The top was fine, not big at all, the shorts fell down- had to fold them over at the top.... really could do with a mix and match, age 7-8 top, age 6-7 or 5-6 shorts.

I too have a tall, skinny DD. She's now in y1.

Things that were a waste of money:
Trousers- hardly worn due to difficulty of fastening and unfastening when desperate for the toilet.
Jumper- again hardly worn as she worried about getting her head stuck
Tights- quite tricky on PE days. We started to put her in leggings and socks instead which seemed to be acceptable

Things that got a lot of use:
Pinafore dress x2
Pleated skirt with adjustable waist x2
Polo shirts x3 or even 4
Cardigan x2
Gingham summer dress x3

We have bought from Asda, Sainsburys and M&S and all seem much the same too me but I'm not very fussy.

I would go with whatever option she can dress heself in and keep out of the toilet.

if she is unable to pull trousers down enough to not wee on them, or not hold skirt up at the back, pick the other option. depends also if it is mixed sex toilets like nusery, or split like ks1

you need many more socks/pants and vests than you could imagine as they go missing. small undies are impossible to find at 8 am!