Best brands for schoolwear 2014

[MooseyMoo]

DD is starting Reception in September and I've been looking at the school uniform threads on here but couldn't find a recent thread asking what brands people found the best (quality, cost, hard wearing)

Thanks

[lavenderhoney]

About to buy so this thread is great:) another vote for my nametags.com and use straighteners to iron them into everything:)

[MrsGrumpyPants]

Ooh good idea! I haven't tackled school shoes yet.

I can't face sewing name labels so am looking at the stick on/ iron on ones

[MooseyMoo]

Great

I bought DD her school shoes from Brantano as they have 25% off. Got some Hush Puppies for her. Next step is labelling everything!

[MrsGrumpyPants]

Hi Moosey I found loads! BHS, Asda, Sainsburys all do elasticated pull up ones. My faves fit-wise are Sainsburys and BHS. Sainsburys also v good for nice pull up PE shorts

[MooseyMoo]

Did you manage to find any trousers mrsgrumpypants?

John Lewis have some girl and boy school shoes reduced - looks like current stock on Clarks site

[MrsGrumpyPants]

Glad to find this thread, was just about to start one!

Does anyone know which boys' trousers don't have buttons or zips, just pull up/ down? DS will be going into reception in September.

[MooseyMoo]

Marks and Spencers have 20% off school uniform today

[MooseyMoo]

I've found www.identitydirect.co.uk for shoe labels. Seems to be the cheapest with nice images

[inthename]

M&S for older boys trousers. Sainsburys & next for shirts/blouses, especially if non standard colour (ours are pale blue) M&S for PE shorts (depending on whether silky or 'rugby' type)
Use 2nd hand sales and local charity shops (especially in July/August when the oldest ones leave) or get friendly with a mum with an only child in the year above!

[Applespearsorangesandlemons]

Always M&S. I don't find it worth buying anywhere else at all. It washes and wears well and can usually be passed down. Mine have regulation polos and sweats but trousers, skirts,pinafores and tights are all perfect several years later.

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

no Sunny - no grass at all! shocked me too as I went to a school in a city which had grass and now we live in a town but the playground hasn't a speck of grass. there are some raised flowerbeds and a few trees but just lots of tarmac for grazing knees on.

[Frikadellen]

With 4 children who have noe alm almost got through primary school last one in year 5 I can honestly say it depends on the shape of your child.

dd1 was in what was adams skirts and next shirts tights from asda sumer uniform sainsbury or asda
dd2 tights from sainsbury skirts m&s shirts from John lewis sumer uniform john Leeis or M&S
ds m&s for everything
dd3 john Lewis for shirts Skirts from next
summer uniform from Debenham and tights from m&s

for me iy depends so much oon the shape of the child I have passed down some stuff but the only one that worked was the adams stuff abd they no longer exists.

so my advice would be to try out lots of shops see ehat works on your son. Also remember to look at cotton content if that is of importance I Was shocked by how hard it was to find a high cotton summer dress

[3asAbird]

2nd the pe kit dd1 has lost 3this year!

Our school has no rass either just 2prision yards she still gets filthy.

The trend round here especially for r is forest schools .

managed to get dd1 some waterproof trousers and matching coat in navy quite cheaply from go outdoors.

our schools is very muddy as on village green so if weather bad we wear wellies to school then changed later.

Coats I love duffles dd1 refuses wear them.

we have 3coats on go 2 were 2nd hand.

one is quilted navy with hood lightweigt but not warm eneough when very cold.

Big black padded 3/4 one.

pink waterproof with detachable fleece.

in spring she has a gillet as many of her freinds do as nippy on am school run the roasting later.

[kicker]

I have three primary aged children.
For the boys, Next trousers as the eldest was/is skinny and they do a slim cut that doesn't leave him swathed in fabric. These have lasted until he outgrew them and they are still going strong for my youngest. Buy at least 3 pairs.
Polo shirts. I have tried MS but they shrank so I went back to Next which have been good up to now. The material is not so thick on the latest batch, but is still washing well.
Jumpers. In Infants I didn't buy the logoed ones, I had a couple from the 2nd hand uniform sale. I liked the BHS ones. Very soft and lightweight.
I also bought the all in one dresses that have a mock blouse and pinafore. She loved those as they were very quick to put on. Next and BHS do them. M and S did do them but they bobbled.
Shoes. I tried going the cheap route.
Styles with toe bumpers seem to last a long time and still look decent.
I now save up and buy GEOX. They have lasted till they grew out. In fact last years were good for three whole terms and they were worn everyday.
Skirts. I was given a couple of MS ones and they have lasted well.

[Mothergothel99]

Op not sure if it's been said but cardigans,. The girls all wear cardigans, my dd refuses jumpers on the grounds that boys wear jumpers! Friends dd is the same.

[youarewinning]

I've bought uniform from most places over the years I think!

Best place IME is Next. My DS trousers/ shirts from there have managed to last 5 terms so far!

Tesco and Sainburies have been the best supermarkets.

I bought M&S one year but 3/4 of it literally fell apart at the seams within 4 weeks and their customer service was so crap I wouldn't ever buy uniform there again.

[SunnyRandall]

No grass at all

I had no idea schools existed without grass.

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

ah - Sunny our school doesn't have such lovely things as grass!

[Layl77]

I write in biro inside shoes, has lasted since sept.
I've got a huge supply of socks and I now can't tell the difference between John Lewis and primark so I would just go to primark and get a load of cheap ones!

[SunnyRandall]

I disagree re wellies. My dc wear theirs a lot - every wk for forest school and whenever the grass on the school field is wet at playtime. So it really depends on the school. My dc soon complain if theirs are tight.

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

you can get special shoe labels which are shaped to go on the inside sole in the heel but any of the label stickers should be ok I think. don't forget PE shoes need naming as well.

[MooseyMoo]

It's a good point though nonick and for wellies too. And thanks to everyone else for sharing and tips.

I'm using mynametags for nursery clothes. How do you label shoes?

I'm going to pay extra special attention when doing nursery walk to see what the school kids are wearing/carrying from now on ... Hope I don't look too weird!

[nonicknameseemsavailable]

with regards to wellies - I always send in the previous year's home ones, so they are a bit small but who cares, DD1 wore hers twice in the whole of R and so far this year DD2 has worn hers once!

sorry to add gloves hats etc to your list but thought I should mention it. they tend to ask for sunhats in the hot weather too that can be left at school in a box or in the child's bag. I found we needed these in september so if you have an old one hanging around don't throw it out but keep it for that.

[Galena]

Sainsburys for girls jersey trousers and polo shirts. They were also the only place we found cardigans in sweatshirt fabric. Asda were ok, but Tesco and Aldi didn't iron well...