School uniforms again ...

[icanonlydotigers]

My daughter (4)is starting school this September and needs a uniform. Where can you get smart, good quality grey skirts or pinafores and white shirts that will wash well and are reasonably easy to care for without being totally synthetic? I'm not keen on all that polyester, but don't want to make life hard for myself by pressing pleated skirts etc ...

It also should be reasonably priced, and I'm hoping to manage with 2 cardigans (bought from the school), 3 shirts, 3 skirts or pinafores, 1 PE kit.

Also, do you prefer skirts or pinafores and why?

Finally, can you leave off buying summer dresses until the Spring or do they need to wear them in September bearing in mind she might have outgrown it by next summer).

marks and spencer 3 for 2 atm

pinifores ok for non PE days

no to pinafores unless they have a zip at the front - nightmare to get off in PE!

I wouldn't bother with summer dresses this year, get a couple around Easter time - they will sell out by summer

Message withdrawn

M&S is good for uniform I find - go when there's an offer on (like now it seems )

Skirts are a lot easier, tho DD has a stretchy pinafore she liked.

The prob we have is that DD is skinny and not short so size 7 (she is 7) skirt will be huge and not that long. Size 4 will maybe fit on waist and be v v short.

M&S fair trade cotton polos were what we went with this year. They sharnk a bit actually but I took them back and changed for larger size and they seem to hav elasted OK.

Summer dresses nice in Sept (usually a way to spot the FS2 child with an older sister!) but only for about a month so make sure they are big. Or yes, buy a sale bargain.

HTH

I find BHS quite good or M&S.

M&S is good, and I also like the Next school uniform.

Dd started school in Sept in a summer dress, purely because it was still warm and a floaty dress is an easy on / easy off item.
I just bought a large size. (But then I like the summer dresses longer on girls, I am not keen on the straight down just above the knee look, I like the traditional ones with the slightly longer and fuller skirt)

John Lewis.

I'm not getting dd a dress for Spetember. She can wear a skirt and polo shirt.

I always get DD's uniform 2nd hand off ebay. People usually say where they come from so you can pick M&S, George etc. (I always ask to make sure they don't have a Teflon coating, which many brands seem to these days.)
Often people sell uniform as a 'set', so for example I got 2 pairs of trousers, a skirt and 2 polo tops for I think about £8 including postage. I've never had any thing that hasn't been in perfect condition.

My girls all started in button fronted pinafore dresses, the same two dresses lasted three girls, for reception and year one, and wer passed on looking as new still. I got them from mothercare.

I got one summer dress the following summer, again, that lasted three girls again.

skirts from adams are good......pleated ones do not need ironing every time.....I iron them monthly and the pleats have stayed sharp....again....thro all three girls!

blouses I find are best from M&S.

I do wish however that my sons uniform lasted......they go thro at least four pairs of trouser a term, and nothing is hand-down-able.

Thanks everyone. More questions:

Do M & S come up big? She is a very slim girl, I think skirts would definitely need an adjustable waist.

Quality is important because I want her younger sister (age 1) to wear the same uniform when she's old enough. What makes have you been able to hand down?

Do stain-resistant fabrics really work? And do they feel nice?

Do you prefer shirts with short or long sleeves (I think short are more practical, but are they warm enough)?

Thanks for the tip, Orinoco - I will look for longer summer dresses in the Sales so hopefully she can wear them next summer too.

Thanks again!

Yes I struggle with M&S skirts especially as DD is skinny. Apparently.

I found a nice stretchy skirt (ie no zip) ? we tried the size 7 (she was 6) it was Huuuuuge. So we went down and down until we found the size 4 (!) would just about stay on her hips but of course was far too short.

Who are these clothes made for (but that?s another thread)? We had to go back to the normal skirt with adjustable elastic, by the time I am happy with the length I have to pull it in so much she looks like an Edwardian lady with a bustle. Or she wears it hipster length.

I think all shops are the same tho, M&S at least has the adjustable waists.

I have handed on DD?s summer dresses, pinafores, skirts. She has worn the same cardies for three years [shock} I realised the other day. So they are getting a bit ratty. Not getting her new ones now tho as it?s a new school in Sept (juniors).

Polos ? hmm ? usually even with clean and tidy DD (as opposed to my DSs) they get a bit grey and grotty. I keep some for emergency use.

I rate M&S - non-iron shirts (not polo shirts) are still looking crisp after 2 years, trousers are not bad either. I find the cut is fairly slim, which suits my small skinny DC.
Look out for dresses in the sales - I got a couple in Woolies for £2 each, and Sainsburys had some too. At that price I don't mind if they only last until half-term.

M&S are great for uniforms - not too pricey and wash well throughout the year. You can get cheaper shirts, but they dont iron as well (but ours are blue so not sure if the M&S ones stay white).

My dd is also slim and I got three cheap skirts last year, and then had to spend the evening taking them in for her by an inch - so this year will pay the extra for adjsutable waists!!

I posted a question on this last year so feel I should reply 1 year on! We went for M&S stuff and it found it very very good. Having said that I have had polos from Asda and a cardy from Woolies and both have been fine also. I find M&S stuff is good for sizing - I would worry about length more than anything else unless your DD is very small. TBH I think school uniform is so cheap you can try some stuff out and see how you go!

My DD1 is a skinny minny so has never had a skirt - I just can't get them to fit her lengthwise as well as waistwise.

She started out with pinafores then has preferred trousers as she moved up.

I like Next uniform, it washes and wears brilliantly and their trousers have adjustable waists. I get her white polo shirts from Asda, and her cardigans and jumpers from the school.

I only buy her summer dresses around April before they sell out, I wouldn't worry too much about getting her one now unless it is a common colour you can get in Asda for £4 or so.