Is it terrible that 90% of DC2s Reception school uniform is second hand?

[justanotherneighinparadise]

I’m sorting everything out and feel bad about it. Most of it is hand me downs from DC1 and the jumpers and trousers are faded/bobbly. I think I might have left it too late go order a logoed jumper now anyway if the majority opinion was this was considered bad form. I could get new trousers though.

What do we think?

Bit of a badge of honour round our way, how many times has your school uniform been recycled between siblings and friends. Lots of sewing up of hems, holes and buttons. Private schools mind you, so the kit is really expensive, and although parents generally wealthy, everyone buys and wears second hand.

Absolutely fine ! it gets trashed in no time from my experience of 3 kids through primary .

100% of DC2's uniform is second hand from their sibling. Well, actually, shoes are new due to size differences, but absolutely everything else is hand me down. Some of it is on it's 3rd or 4th child.

We could afford brand new but I wouldn't dream of it if there is decent second hand stuff available. It would be a waste of money and resources.

I doubt anyone will notice, and I'm sure your child won't.

I think I had one set of new uniform and the others hand me down. I remember one exceptionally faded jumper that my mum didn't like but I did as it had that old softness and slightly big.

When my DD starts at junior school next month everything except her socks and shoes will be second hand. Having had a boy then a girl there’s not a lot I get to pass down from one child to another so it’s quite nice! Things that I wasn’t able to recycle from DS I’ve been lucky enough to be given by my friend with an older DD. This friend has a younger DS so we often just swap clothes! Even if you buy brand new after 2 weeks they all look the same...that’s if they’ve not been lost first! As long as their clothes are clean and their hair neat then I think they look ok. I’d much rather save the money on school uniform and spend it on nice clothes for them to wear at home.

Definitely better for the environment than new. See if you ca spruce up the half be downs. Use a cheap disposable razor to remove any bobbles, re - wash and iron with some tlc. Re-asses at October half term?

Absolutely nothing wrong with second hand uniform. I bought new for DD2 as she’d moved schools....and it all looked secondhand by the end of week 2 when she’d covered it in food and dry erase marker pen, so at worst you have a very short term problem....😂

All my DS2s uniform this year is 2bd hand. Why not when its all perfectly fine.

I would judge you more for being ridiculously wasteful if you bought new when you had second hand available. My DC go to a prep school and I don't know anyone who buys new when they have an older sibling to pass down uniform. Most go to the second hand PTA sale if they need something they don't already have.