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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

school uniform :: white blouses for a girl with a button phobia...!

25 replies

lucykate · 01/08/2009 22:30

a friends daughter is moving to a new school and the uniform is a blouse rather than a polo shirt. previously, instead of the polo shirt as they have buttons, she's worn a plain t-shirt instead. but new school is stricter, and it has to be a white blouse of some sort. has anyone ever come across something, in white cotton, but without a button front opening? the buttons can be cut off at the cuffs, but obviously not down the front.

she's 10, moving into yr6.

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GlastonburyGoddess · 01/08/2009 22:33

her name doesnt begin with E does it lol
My friends daughter has this button phobia too, I was bemused, Id never heard of it before, now seeing you thread, perhaps its not all that uncommon...

pointydog · 01/08/2009 22:33

what does the 'button phobia' involve? Does it mean she is not able to do up buttons or feels she takes too long? Or is she actually frightened of buttons?

GlastonburyGoddess · 01/08/2009 22:39

Koumpounophobia

Original poster

lucykate · 01/08/2009 22:49

pd - she's frightened of buttons, it is a recognised phobia.

gg - yes it does begin with an e!, wonder if it is the same person?, parents names begin with h & c??

OP posts:

Dottoressa · 01/08/2009 22:51

I'd try to get treatment for the phobia rather than button-free blouses. Phobias are no fun for the sufferer or for their family!

pointydog · 01/08/2009 22:51

Original poster

lucykate · 01/08/2009 22:54

sorry, pd, didn't mean my reply to sound short. it's taken me a while to get my head round it, i really struggle to understand. i'm a textile designer by trade so love using buttons and have a huge collection at home, it would be her worst nightmare to see my button box!

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MrsBadger · 01/08/2009 22:55

have seen in Next I think, hang on
second from right any good? still jersey but has a proper collar

am sure I've seen similar shape in other shops, not necc as schoolwear

could one sew up the front of a normal buttoned one so she can put it on over her head?

pointydog · 01/08/2009 22:57

Agree with dott. A 10 yr old would be far more receptive to help than a young kid, I'd've thought.

brokenspacebar · 01/08/2009 22:57

would a shirt with poppers work?
I haven't seen such things around, but I think it would be easy enough to customise? Another thing to do would be to get a shirt that has no buttons, more like a tunic but again a shirt with buttons could be sewn up, gap left for getting on and off?

CarriePooter · 01/08/2009 23:00

Could she just have the buttons cut off and replaced with velcro? You can get iron on velcro so it would be quite quick to do.

MrsBadger · 01/08/2009 23:02

could she get away with something like this?

pointydog · 01/08/2009 23:03

Doesn't the new school acknowledge recognised phobias then? Can't she say, I have a phobia and so I need a t-shirt or a polo shirt with the buttons cut off?

Original poster

lucykate · 01/08/2009 23:10

will send her mum that 'next' link, that's the kind of thing they're looking for but were hoping for the same fabric as blouses. they have spoken to the school about it, and they are sympathetic to a degree, the uniform is blouse and not polo shirts, they feel polo shirts are not smart enough, but were also concerned that any home done adjustments may highlight the fact that her blouses are different and lead to a bit of ribbing about it.

will suggest the velcro or sewing up the front idea, i could do that for her on my sewing machine, even sew up the button holes, and reattach the buttons. that way, the velcro holds the blouse closed, the buttons are still there but just as decoration, she doesn't have to touch them.

OP posts:

Wolfgirl · 01/08/2009 23:12

My sister has a button phobia, and she is 48!!!! always has LOL. In fact, I emptied mums tin of buttons... you know the old quality street ones, over her head when we were kids. Think she pissed me off with something, prob. more sinister - but cant desperately remember. Anyway, I've dined out on that story forever, so has she and people still go awwwwwwwwwrrrr looking at her pitifully then back to me with daggers and gasps of how could you!. Easy says I, she deserved it! best of friends now though

anyway, yes... the phobia is common enough, even a documentry on tv a year or so back. Hilarious! not to the suffer, obviously!

Metatron · 01/08/2009 23:36

That next one has one button on, but could easily be stiched up.

hellymelly · 01/08/2009 23:44

button phobia is very common, we have an adult friend with it too.I have thought it is probably due to a near choking incident unseen by a parent,or possibly being told "NO, No!" in a scary way by a parent when putting a button in the mouth as a baby.But anyway-if she is ok with buttons as trims then the easiest way is to sew them on top as discussed, and use poppers, or hooks and eyes, or velcro to fasten instead,or a zip which would be the easiest and the most concealed.You can get hooks and eyes on a long fabric strip like they would use on corsets and these are very secure,but I think a zip would be the most discreet ,not as bulky as velcro and no odd noise as she changes for games etc.

Original poster

lucykate · 01/08/2009 23:47

"probably due to a near choking incident"

i swallowed a coin as a child, am quite relieved it didn't affect me in that way. imagine having a money phobia

OP posts:

MrsBadger · 02/08/2009 08:38

in my mind I was lookinmg for these in kids' sizes

will keep my eyes open

AramintaCane · 02/08/2009 14:09

We have several of the next ones no button at all and look very smart.

academicallyTormented · 02/08/2009 14:32

Wouldthese work? Maybe if she's allowed grey or black jumpers?

Metatron · 03/08/2009 00:47

That's odd Araminta - I have 5 and ours have one button.

misshardbroom · 03/08/2009 08:01

really interested in other people's experience of button-phobia as my DS1 has it too.

I have to admit I'd have laughed if someone had claimed to have button-phobia, but in reality it's a huge nuisance to us all.

Not sure how he's going to get on in reception in September

FabBakerGirlIsBack · 03/08/2009 08:05

My DD won't/can't wear anything with buttons on except her school polo top. Makes shopping tricky.

Runoutofideas · 03/08/2009 10:32

My dd (4) is another button hater. She'll wear them on the back but not on the front.... She doesn't have a phobia as such, just doesn't like the look of them. Although confusingly if they are purely decorative and have no holes she'll sometimes allow them. She starts reception in Sept and have told her there is no other option, she has to wear the polo shirts. Will probably cause a complete meltdown on the first day though! It's a complete pain in the neck.

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