A bit of a school uniform rant ...

[redskytonight]

DD has outgrown her school polo shirt and football shirt.

Both are available from a specific supplier only (in theory a plain polo shirt of the same colour is acceptable but in practice it's a hard colour to find; football shirt is unique and not available elsewhere).

The supplier is out of both items in her size and has been for the last 3 weeks ...

I know it's still early in the summer holiday but we are away for basically the last 2 weeks of the holiday so I only have 2 weeks left to get this stuff! Football shirt is not so bad as she probably won't need it straight away in September, but she can't not wear a polo shirt.

Why on earth would a supplier not work out that parents might want to be buying uniform at this time of year!!!?

Lots of people seem to do their uniform shopping in June when the "back to school" promotions are on.

I'm assuming she's at secondary school? Does the shop take orders? Could you team up with a friend who's at home while you're on holiday?

Put in an order and pay for it. Keep note if not in by September the school can take it up with shop not with you as you've done your best. But don't leave it any later. 4 weeks order time is reasonable to expect shop to order it in.

I can't order it unless it's in stock! (it's a major national retailer). otherwise I would have done that ages ago. I have the "notify me when this comes in" thingy set.

I've checked again and there is not a single polo shirt available in a size bigger than a 7/8. Considering this is the only shop that sells the logoed ones (that most DC wear) that is really pretty poor.

Have you contacted the school? Administrative staff may well be around if teaching staff aren't, and they may know a workaround.

Could you tell us the colour? MNers are Da Bomb at finding obscure things.

Surely she has more than one polo shirt? Can't she wear others til then?

No admin staff in school sadly (well only just before term starts which is no help).

kilmuir um yes she has more than 1 polo shirt, but they are all the same size, so she has equally grown out of all of them!! They literally are too small to get on her without a lot of struggling.

Another parent has given me a lead to a shop that apparently sometimes has some of school colour in, so will venture out there in the next day or so. Fingers crossed. (Major retailer still has none in stock).

When I went to our local supplier they had ONE skirt available. They embroider to demand, but only take orders by post. We couldn't try on other skirts to figure out which size to order. It's a 30 mile round trip to the shop.

I anticipate a further two visits before both DC are knitted out.

What colour polo shirt?

It's a really weird blue that is almost royal blue but not quite. Hence most children wear the logoed stuff (only available at one shop) and the children that wear anything else stick out like a sore thumb. DD has begged not to wear a-not-quite-the-right-colour top as she doesn't like to be too visible!! I