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Original poster

Jersey pinafore dresses - ok?

32 replies

MummytoMog · 06/08/2013 14:36

DD will start reception in September, a week after her fourth birthday. She is speech delayed and has some 'interesting' behavioural issues, which are particularly focussed around what she wears at the moment. Specifically, PINK. Everything has to be pink, or sometimes purple at a push. Leggings must be long enough to completely cover her ankles, trousers are not for girls and t shirts must have long sleeves. This does make things tiresome in the morning, but I really don't know how I'm going to get her into uniform. I suspect spending a week dragging her to school kicking and screaming and trying to take her clothes off is in my near future. She probably will settle down to it after a week, but why on earth does the damn uniform have to be blue? My options are quite varied, and I think the easiest choice is going to be a grey pinafore with white polo shirts and knee socks, but a lot of the pinafores I'm seeing are made of jersey? Is jersey acceptable do we think? Because if it is, I can make my own, line them in pink, and everything gets a lot easier for me Grin but if they're beyond the pale, I'll just buy normal ones and suck it up.

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MrsLettuce · 06/08/2013 14:42

I'm not in the UK so not up to speed on the strictness (or otherwise) of uniform these days, but surely it should be possible to line the 'correct' pinafore with pink?

Poledra · 06/08/2013 14:45

My DDs have all worn jersey pinafores in reception - they're great as they don't need buttons or zips, just pull over the head so it's much easier changing for PE! No teacher has ever commented on the jersey pinafores to me (or indeed, the jersey school trousers which also don't need fastenings Smile)

anklebitersmum · 06/08/2013 14:45

On a purely washable basis jersey ones tend to 'die' earlier than cotton. If you can make them in jersey could you not make them in cotton? Perhaps using a nice big pink sewn in ribbon to label all the bought uniform might help too?

Original poster
MummytoMog · 06/08/2013 14:47

It's a bit fiddly to retrofit cotton pinafores with pink lining, and I'm not really up for making five of them (because I am lazy and hate buttonholing/zips) but jersey pinafores, made reversible with pink on the inside, would only take fifteen minutes each (stretch means no closures needed and the lining doesn't have to be quite so precise).

If this is anything like nursery, DD will actually go to school in whatever was available in the local 24 hour Tesco the night before.

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Original poster
MummytoMog · 06/08/2013 14:49

Oops, cross posted! Sewing in pink ribbon sounds like a very good idea, I could even sneak in flower appliques on the inside....

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Llareggub · 06/08/2013 14:51

You won't need five of them. My boys are as messy as anything and I've always got by on 2 pairs of trousers. Don't underestimate the power of friends and rules. My DS won't even wear coloured socks instead of the regulation black these days, just because his teacher said he couldn't.

Original poster
MummytoMog · 06/08/2013 15:00

That would be brilliant! I am hoping that she'll want to wear the same as everyone else (uniform wasn't compulsory in nursery), but a bit apprehensive about the first week or so.

DD is VERY messy. And I'll have to send her with a spare in her bag because she goes ballistic if she gets anything on her clothes, even just a splash of water. Two hour melt down at a kids party because someone in the paddling pool splashed her. Sigh.

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Fuzzymum1 · 06/08/2013 16:01

My middle son has asperger's and has always been very awkward sensitive when it comes to clothes. Until school he wore nothing but t-shirts with horizontal stripes (long or short sleeved but no pockets/designs or other things that had additional stitching etc,) and joggers - he refused to layer anything. I was expecting him to completely meltdown at the thought of school uniform but on the first day of term (having refused point blank to even try them on beforehand) he happily got dressed in polo shirt, school trousers and sweatshirt and did so every day of primary school though it would take me weeks to convince him shorts were OK and then weeks to convince him to go back to trousers when the weather changed. At secondary school they wear proper shirts/tie/blazer etc and I was worried how he's cope again but he wears it without complaining because it's what has to be done. Kids will often surprise us in my experience.

Original poster
MummytoMog · 06/08/2013 16:35

That's reassuring! I may get her some 'normal' uniform and leave it hanging in her room where she can see it. Even if I can't get her in uniform the first couple of days, she might get the idea when she sees all the other kids in uniform...

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Runoutofideas · 06/08/2013 22:24

I agree with fuzzymum. My dd was very anti anything with buttons at the neck ie polo shirts when starting school. I searched for polo shirts without buttons which seemingly do not exist. My mum suggested just getting the normal ones and telling her that's what everyone wears - I ended up doing that and she has been happily wearing polo shirts to school for 4 years now! She still wouldn't dream of choosing out of school clothes with visible buttons though! Children often do just adapt.

BrokenSunglasses · 06/08/2013 23:05

Any pinafore that doesn't have buttons will be fine, and jersey ones always look comfortable and warm. There are some school pinafores and skirts around that have subtle flowers embroidered on, and girls in reception seem to like those.

Could you try turning her attention to some special hair bands or shoes that she could wear with her school uniform? It will be fine if she goes in with pink hair bands for a while in reception, unless your school is very strict.

I wonder if you can get those stick and iron name labels in pink?

Nyla · 06/08/2013 23:13

I second the jersey pinafores with embroidery. DD had some from Marks for her first year that had very subtle clear sequins on the pocket.

Original poster
MummytoMog · 07/08/2013 00:08

I think special hairclips and headbands might well help - she gets very excited by character clips, so i could lay in a stock of Peppa Pig or something. The shoes are going to be hell on earth - madam does not like her black school shoes. She only wants to wear her pretty pink shoes with flowers on them. Last time I made her wear the (very nice with bows on) black shoes she sobbed hysterically for an hour.

I'm SO looking forward to her teenage years.

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MiaowTheCat · 07/08/2013 09:39

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Original poster
MummytoMog · 07/08/2013 10:17

OOOOOOHHHHHHHH! I always wanted a pair of Clarks Magic Steps. ALWAYS. Never got them. Might well work - I will take her shopping tomorrow.

Double layer jersey might well get too hot actually. Hmm. Maybe I could just line the top. I feel a trip to Walthamstow Market coming on....

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MiaowTheCat · 07/08/2013 12:31

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Original poster
MummytoMog · 07/08/2013 13:44

They already know I can sew - DD was a sheep in the nativity play at nursery and I made her a sheep dress like these. It was awesome. She has a panda one too, which she loves. It seems to be everyone sorting out their own costumes for nativities. Totes fine for Mog, as I am a sewing demon. Not so great for people without much time/experience.

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fatfloosie · 07/08/2013 14:00

Are you sure your spirited little girl won't decide she wants to wear her pinafore inside out if you line it?

She sounds fab btw. It rather offsets the worrying girly connotations of being obsessed with pink when they display iron determination to wear it!

Galena · 07/08/2013 21:40

I've ordered labels from My Name Labels and you can choose colour and little picture to go alongside. DD chose purple and a star, but you can get pink with a flower... I got a school pack (and have just ordered more bag labels in fact) and they arrived quickly. Haven't put them in yet, but they look fine...

hazeyjane · 08/08/2013 07:39

The school might be quite flexible about shoes, dd2 (year 1) wore a pair of purple dms with snowflakes on for the whole of last winter!

There is a little girl in Year R who has polo shirts with a pink pattern on the collar, which might appeal to her, maybe you could use your sewing skills for some embroidery!

bruffin · 08/08/2013 07:52

these shoes have a lovely pink lining

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 08/08/2013 07:59

DD has had jersey pinafores and trousers from M&S and they have gone very bobbly very quickly. Nice and snug for winter though. I'd agree that a double layer over a polo shirt mighr get too hot though, especially if she wears vests too, my DCs school gets very hot on sunny days all year round.

pooka · 08/08/2013 08:11

Next uniform is great - dd wears the jersey pocket skirts to school and the occasional jersey pinafore, even in year 5.

EdwiniasRevenge · 08/08/2013 08:22

If she is into character clothing how is she with hello kitty?

Asda do some school uniform with hello kitty embroidered on. I saw skirt, pinafore (grey -dunno about other colours) and white polo.

The embroidering was done in same colour so 'blends in' as much as an open mouthed big headed cat can.