4yr old uniform - pinafores or skirts and recommendations of where to buy please

[Tootired1]

My 3 yr old is starting school in September and I’m looking at buying her uniform. I’ve heard from some teachers that skirts are much better for little ones as many struggle with pinafores when changing for PE. However, some mums have told me that their little ones won’t wear skirts and will only wear pinafores. Please share your opinions/advice and any tried and tested recommendations of where to purchase from that wash and wear well.

Avoid flower shaped buttons on anything. They are fiddly little gits when you're trying to do them on an impatient wriggly child, let alone doing them herself. Sainsbury's guilty of this although the summer dress ones are better than the cardigans.

Sainsbury's and Tesco both decent enough. Aldi looked ok.

My daughter has dyspraxia so her dressing skills can leave a lot to be desired - I get her the jersey pinafores from Asda (much wider range if you click and collect than just go looking instore) which haven't got any fastenings and just go on over the head and she can manage those fine. She still ends up leaving her arse hanging out the top of tights and the crotch around the knees so quite often does their jersey trousers that just pull up on PE days!

My dd will be attending a secondary school where the girls aren’t allowed trousers. It’s not unusual.

I found pinafores were much better than skirts which she found annoying and uncomfortable. The stretchy ones are easier to get on and off.

Pinafores absolutely. If zips are a problem, get the soft Jersey ones that just pull over.

I think that skirts don't work for little girls, not until they are a bit bigger (and have a bit of a waist). Pinafores and dresses better than skirts till at least 7 if not older would be my approximation!

Definitely pinafores. They’re still careless with paint and food and pens at this age and their shorts get trashed. Pinafores Gide the stains better and can be worn with long socks in September and October.

PaquitaVariation - I think you’ll find that schools now can’t stop girls wearing trousers as it’s discrimination.

Trousers are much more practical, especially for younger children who run around more, climb play equipment etc.

@parker231

Not if they do not fit. My DD wears leggings (often capri length as 2 sizes below age), Primark skinny jeans (look like normal jeans on her and baggy around hips) or half mast joggers at least a size down which seem to escape quite often too. Tights stay up better on her so are more practical. She is not that unusual - 50th centile for weight, higher for height - hence pinafores.

@Parker231 unfortunately it’s not a state school and they can do what they want or they’ll simply tell them to go elsewhere.

direct.asda.com/george/school/pinafores-dresses/girls-grey-jersey-empire-line-school-pinafore-dress/GEM563459,default,pd.html?cgid=D10M2G1C19

These are the kind that we tend to use - they haven't got the exact ones I really like which had a little pocket in last year (bloody Asda always getting rid of practical stuff for stupid fashion features) and we've managed perfectly fine with them.

The other thing I've found with the gingham summer dresses when the time comes round is that the zip ones tend to be quite slenderly cut making it harder for them to get them on - I go a size up so they can wriggle themselves into it with a bit more ease.

If you get the option for cardigans as well - go for the sweatshirt fabric type ones with bigger round buttons - easier for unsure little fingers to cope with for that first year or so.

Pinafores all the way for my girls (they looked so sweet! )

If you have a headstrong daughter don't buy loads of uniform in advance. My daughter very much wanted to fit in with what her friends wore (still does). She would have hates to be the only one in a skirt if everyone else had a pinefore.

My daughter has been in pinafore dresses this year. She has ones with zips which she's found easy enough to put on. For me there were three main advantages over skirts.

• She is tall but slight so finding a skirts that actually fitted would have been tricky. Plus you can buy a bit bigger for them to 'grow into it'.
• It protects the white polo short underneath so they don't get ruined so quickly.
• It's far less fiddly that a skirt. I find managing a skirt, tights and t-shirt around the waistline a faff, my daughter finds that really tricky and ends up in a bunched up uncomfortable mess. Don't get the same problem with a pinafore dress.

Good luck school uniform shopping, hope your daughter loves school! X

Jersey or roomy, drop waisted zip up pinafores. The jersey ones aren't as easy to get into as the zip ones but they are so soft, DC tend to love them.

Long socks in tights colour - easier than tights, they can stay in them for PE and white socks are a pain.