School uniform, where won't be sold out?

[attheendoftheday]

Hi all. Dd1 starts school in September and I'm a bit of a novice at school uniform. We are quite rural which makes actually getting to a shop to buy uniform difficult, but about a month ago I'd ordered a load from M&S online in 4-5. Tried it on today and it's huge, really far too big. I'm not especially worried as I'm happy to buy a smaller size and keep this for when she grows, but M&S are sold out of a lot of their uniform already as are a few other places I've looked. I foolishly thought uniform would be easy to get hold of over the summer.

So, where else would be good to try online for uniform? Will shops get more stock in before September? Also does anyone have any ideas about whether sizes come up large or small for different brands?

Next seem to have stock in age 3/4 if thats any help

Thanks, I hadn't thought of Next, I'll have a look. Does anyone know if Next sizes are large or small?

John Lewis stuff is good quality and starts at 3yo. I think the sizing is quite big, DS wears 7-8 clothes generally but is ok in 6-7 uniform.

M&S runs a bit small. BHS online is great as well. Their sizes runs larger and their dresses wash up and wear beautifully.

EBay has lots of online uniform sellers (shops selling brand new uniforms and parents selling second hand ones). Innovation is a popular brand sold in unifrom shops and online uniform shops. Again their sizes are slightly larger which I love because my DD is an energetic girl who loves to run around.

I have not tried Next.

Most of DS's stuff is Next because it seems true to his size, he is skinny/medium build with long body and shortish legs if thats any help. He's nearly five and age 5-6 skinny trousers seem to be the best on him with a little room for growth.

I tried M&S but they were a bit baggy, Sainsburys trousers were clownish. Didn't try anywhere else because Next were a good fit. Its so individual.

Thanks, really helpful! I'm surprised to hear M&S are generally small, the clothes I've bought seem absolutely enormous, and dd1 normally wears 4-5 clothes. Again I hadn't thought of eBay or bhs so thanks very much for the tips!

I found M&S uniform varied a lot. Some of the blouses were quite tight but other things were enormous (DD wore age 3-4 PE shorts all year, but age 6-7 blouses).

Like horsewalks, I also found BHS online great, particularly as they also deliver to the store for free. Their pinafores were a much more reasonable size than M&S's (a bit large) and the ones I chose had fewer pleats (bonus for ironing) and were less stiff than the M&S version.

Last year we got some stuff from ALDI which does a uniform day each summer. Unfortunately, we missed this year's as we were away but there are some items still in store I noticed last night so it could be worth a look - packs of socks and blue polo shirts, PE shorts and skorts, sweat shirts and track pants, generic red jumpers, for example. It just depends on what you need but we found their stuff good quality last year, and it is very cheap.

I would also recommend their summer dresses for next summer btw. They sell them in the Easter holidays in two packs and they were nice and loose and comfortable on DD.

I noticed yesterday that Matalan also do a range of schoolwear, but I have no idea of its quality I am afraid.

Sainsbury come up small and skinny
Marks slim fit is wonderful and about height for age accurate if she is indeed skinny (think only a skirt in slim not pinnies mores the pity)

Next is also pretty skinny. But size down so mine fit Next as they reach halfway through the age label, DD is still in age 7 but just turned 8. She will grow at 8.5 and then wear Next 8.

John Lewis are wide and short.
Think about her body shape and ask advice from that.
Mine are skinny and long bodied.
Next skater skirt stays up on DD But is the only skirt I have found to do so without pulling in yards of inside elastic tape.

She's still in her PE shorts from reception... Waist 18" but going into Y4

Thanks everyone for your sage advice. I have ordered some bits from John Lewis and some from BHS and we shall see how they go.

Marks will restock before the holidays are out.