Uniform advice please

[Pico2]

Now that we know where DD1 will be going for reception, I'd like some advice on buying her uniform. Our priorities are:

1. DD is comfortable - so probably more natural fabrics.

1. An easy life - minimal ironing and enough uniform to not need to have a regimented washing schedule.

1. The right balance between cost and durability. DD seems to stain a lot of clothes at nursery, so we might not want to buy uniform to last so well that DD2 wears it too, but we wouldn't want it to fall apart after a couple of washes.

Can anyone advise on where to buy uniform and how many to get of each item? Also, when is the best time to get it? Will she need summer dresses in September or straight into winter uniform?

Label with permanent marker.

Shesparkles I've had one school with painting apron on uniform list, but it was never worn. It stayed on coat peg in the corridor and DC were never prompted to go and get it before painting so it came home at the end of hte year absolutely pristine.

Second school didn't ask for painting apron. I asked about sending one in and they said "they don't bother with them" as by the time chidlren have got them on they have lost interest in painting. Reception and both KS1 teachers are all childless btw.

So we lose a lot of infant-sized uniform to paint (and also whiteboard markers and tomato-based dinners).

Our school has a wonderful outdoor/forest area with a mud kitchen. We replace all polo shirts once a term. DD has 1 logo polo shirt for photos, concerts and school outings. We found zip from pinafores worked best as she could reach the zip easily, tights we bought a size too big as they all shrink in the tumble drier. School requested wellies and waterproofs for outdoor play but with free flow play they often catch children covered in mud even though they have said waterproofs and wellies! We have a sturdy warm waterproof coat that is not pretty or fancy (think outdoor shop hiking gear!) that can be washed at home. It has been washed at least twice a week since September. I am of the 'don't care about the mud/dirt' school of though but many parents aren't keep on the amount of washing or have bought lovely woollen duffle coats which get wrecked.

Both mine come home filthy every day. Mud, food, paint, glue. In any combination. I have 6 of everything for both!! My DS has been known to spill breakfast before we even leave the house. Our school has an awesome outdoor classroom and is very creative so in ks1 it's daily changes!

We have a week's worth of everything, washing done on the weekend. In our school kids (especially girls) are in summer uniform in September, even the reception ones. For shoes we tried everything, startrite and Clark's get trashed in days, kickers can live for weeks, put dd in boy shoes in the end.

Get a lot of socks and tights, the right colours can be really hard to buy mid-year, tights worse than socks. And label, label, label. We use marker pen on the inside neck and inside bottom. Label the shoes! Use nail varnish or tipex if the inside is black. Number of times you'll send her in with tiny startrite Mary Jane's and she'll swap with Michael from year 3....

Oh and I used to buy trousers at M&S or JL, super quality, recently found asda are almost as good at a fraction of the price. Budget shops can run out of some colours a few weeks after the back to school sales.

If your DD is average size then uniform anywhere will be fine.
If she is outside of that in any direction, tall, petite, skinny, plump then finding uniform that fits nicely is a much bigger issue.

I also have a personal bugbear about pleats. Everywhere is cheap skating and only put pleats on the front of skirts and pinnies. When they sit down, the skirt doesn't fall into their lap and knickers show.
I buy pinnies from next for this reason as they also have pockets. Online only.
Tights John Lewis
100% Cotton shirts M&S but you need to order online and they sell out fast.

SirVix, the John Lewis polo shirts are 100% cotton

That is good to know reluctantlandlord. They are supposed to wear ones with the school logo, but I do get others for under pinnies or jumpers, if I can find cotton ones in the right colour ( a strong bright yellow). Boden did the right colour a couple of years ago and I bought a few then, but if JL have white ones that are pure cotton I might be able to dye them. (Although often the thread used is polyester so when dyed all the stitching shows up bright white which looks terrible). The school issue ones bobble really quickly, after literally a couple of wears they look as though they've done a term or so. The cotton Boden ones still look great two years on and have just been handed down.

We don't mind whether they start in summer or winter uniform, but most start in winter as that is what parents have bought to last through until Christmas.

It is worth finding out if the school or PTA run a second hand uniform sale as there will be lots of summer dresses that the other children will have outgrown over the summer if you want something cooler if we have an Indian Summer.

John Lewis do a gold type colour in the 100% cotton but I'm not sure if that's the correct shade for you; have a look!
We are supposed to have school logo too but the material is so horrid that I stick to JL.

Oh just noticed they have a gold and a yellow in their range. The gold is bright and def 100% cotton. Check the blend on the yellow! Hth

Sainbury's is great for uniform. My DD is a get dirty quick type too so I get enough for clean everyday and think I'm lucky if get 2 days out of skirt / jumper. My DS could get away with less but it's so cheap getting 5 full sets not too bad (especially if buy bit by bit).

reluctant could you link for me please if you get a chance? I can't find them. I can only find the poly mix ones. Not sure where I should be looking as initially no yellow came up at all, and then I found some gold ones in the sale, maybe the ones you meant, but they only have big teenage sizes left, they are the right sort of colour so that is a shame. Then I found some yellow but only in the poly mix. They seem to pop up randomly in the side panel!

Asda do 100% cotton polos in yellow, too. JL and M&S will restock late May early June for their back to school specials.

here

Sorry, that was for SirVix.
If you scroll down and click on product info, it confirms 100% cotton. Also, look at the reviews. One very poor one complaining that the collar needs ironing and the others saying it's the best polo shirt ever. I def concur that it's excellent quality and the 100% cotton isn't just nicer but also stays white longer.
It's great that they do this one in lots of colours as often the cotton is only available in white.

4/5 of everything here.

everything needed washing every day in reception year. and if they didn't get it filthy at school they managed it on the way home (i let them play in dirty woods and climb trees).

Initially I didnt have enough uniform and had to do alot of frequent washing. In total we have;

Summer
4 summer dresses
2 cardigans (ideally would have a 3rd...)

Winter
4 pinafore dresses (got 2 from charity shops)
2 woollen jumpers from M&S which are nice and toasty
5 shirts (my DD burns through 1 a day)
4 pairs woolly tights
when its really cold she likes to wear roll necks so we have 4 of those too...

On top of this you need to budget for PE kit (Tshirt, shorts, tracksuit bottoms, trainers, sweatshirt), forest school kit (all on one all weather and thermal boots) and shoes (we are on our 2nd pair this academic year).

Buy on the big size and see what you can 'inherit' from others / school shop / charity shop..

Thank you reluctantlandlord! They look great. That colour is very close to the uniform colour, so will work really well.

I love the jl gold polos too