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Original poster

..."as part of the day it is asked that your child dresses in Victorian clothes" ...

150 replies

Smithagain · 03/12/2009 19:17

... thus reads the request, so casually inserted in an otherwise innocuous letter about a school trip next week.

... oh, and by the way, DD1 also requires white shoes for her play on Tuesday ... and a warm shawl which will look elegant with her fairy godmother costume, without interfering with her wings.

BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANY OF THOSE THINGS!

I thought I was doing so well, having produced a chinese costume from thin air. And the other day DD2's teacher asked if I was OK, because "everyone says you're looking very tired".

I wonder why that might be?

(Ignore me, just a light-hearted, end of term, straw-that-broke-the-camel's-back rant so that I don't take it out on any of the hard-working and dedicated staff that normally have my utmost respect, but are just pushing their luck a teeny, weeny bit with the latest costume requests)

Merry Christmas!

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nymphadora · 03/12/2009 19:28

We have had tudors , evacuees and angels in the last week. DD1 is 10 and tall its not that easy to get an angel costume, we had to make it

Original poster
Smithagain · 03/12/2009 19:30

I take my hat off to you, nymphadora. Wouldn't know where to start with Tudors!

(Reminds me that I met a friend in Sainsburys today, with a very, very harrassed look on her face. Her Reception aged son is opposed to taking a speaking part, so was offered the options of shepherd, angel or crowd. Guess which he went for! Masculine angel costume, anyone?)

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JingleAllTheWay · 03/12/2009 19:31

re the victorian outfit - find someone who did it last year, and ask to borrow. That's what happens at our school.

My DD had to provide a black top hat that popped up to be Artful Dodger. We didn't really have one of those either!

nymphadora · 03/12/2009 19:35

I cant take the credit, my Mam struck gold in the charity shop. It was size 8ish so she took it up & in a bit.

JingleAllTheWay · 03/12/2009 19:37

smithagain - judo trousers, white t shirt

Original poster
Smithagain · 03/12/2009 19:37

JingleAllTheWay you are a genius! Next door's daughter is in the class above DD1 and I never even thought of that. Feeling a bit calmer, now.

OP posts:
juliemacc · 03/12/2009 19:42

I had to provide DD2 with a pearly queen outfit last week. Beat that!

Tortington · 03/12/2009 19:44

mums don't have anything better to do than pander to the fuck witted requests of primary schools

Lapsedrunner · 03/12/2009 19:51

As it's a trip I would have read that note as a way of letting you know that when they get to the museum (or similar) they will be dressing up in clothes provided....iyswim

Original poster
Smithagain · 03/12/2009 21:43

Unfortunately I don't think so, Lapsedrunner, - the letter goes on to say we should ask the teachers if we need any help, so I think they're expecting us to cobble something together. Presumably something that can be comfortably worn on a long bus journey!!

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Original poster
Smithagain · 03/12/2009 21:45

Pearly queen How many hours?!

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ABetaDad · 03/12/2009 22:17

Smithagain - right with on this one. At our DSs school it has been a barrage of requests for money, cakes, Xmas boxes, costumes for the last 4 weeks. Plus whole afternoons off work.

We are totally sick of it. We are so sick of it we are going to write a letter of complaint.

SlartyBartFast · 03/12/2009 22:23

i know mothers who use ebay for these sorts of requests.

linglette · 03/12/2009 22:25

Keen parent-volunteers make the costumes for all the kids at our primary school so the rest of us don't have to.

Maybe we should put this in the prospectus? on page 1?

SlartyBartFast · 03/12/2009 22:28

that is veyr sensible linglette.

FreeGeorgeJackson · 03/12/2009 22:29

rememebr the "make a pheasant " thread

HeadsUp · 03/12/2009 22:31

Thankfully our requests haven't been much more than legwarmers for a dance routine and that was something the girls came up with themselves.

Plus the nursery dep who "pop in" to the school coffee morning have lovely little simple costumes reused every year which consist of a sheet of crepe paper gathered at the neck worn a bit like a back to front cape. Various colurs for the charactors of the nativity, or to wear whilst singing carols. In fact they get through a whole nativity with the crepe paper capes, a couple of cardboard crowns, some tea towels, 2 lambs and a baby doll. God bless them .

ImSoNotTelling · 03/12/2009 22:36

I am absolutely TERRIFIED about all this shite when DD goes to school.

My mum couldn't do costumes and always was terribly panicked and mine was always shite compared to the others. But she was a doctor FFS why should she be able to fashion a lord mayors hat on short notice?

It is going to be HELL.

This is why we need gender equality if it was all dads at home would they be asking for complicated costumes at short notice? would they fuck. Or they might ask, but they wouldn't get, and the whole thing would just peter out....

brimfull · 03/12/2009 22:38

ds has to be a medieval knight tomorrow

I'm afraid I jst bought something off ebay

brimfull · 03/12/2009 22:39

I can't remeber dressing up for anythign other than xmsa play when I went to school eons ago

MrsWeasley · 03/12/2009 22:41

We had to do Pearly kings, Got some buttons from ebay (big bag full) and stuck them on black clothes with glue dots.

ABetaDad · 03/12/2009 22:42

ImSoNotTelling - to my shame I did once pull the 'I'm a Dad' excuse as DW was too ill to make the costume. I did the whole 'stressed and pathetic' act and the teaching assistant offered to make the costume for me on the spot.

RESULT!

CheeeseOnToast · 03/12/2009 22:49

ABetaDad that's cheating surely!! (like your style though )

EvilTwinsStoleSantasSleigh · 03/12/2009 22:49

smithagain - where is the trip to?

BosomForAPillow · 03/12/2009 22:52

OP Victorian costume is easy if you go for the "chimney sweep" look. Use old school uniform trousers and shirt (from lost property if you don't have any), rip them up a bit, put black muck (mascara?) over face and mess up hair. Carry broom if appropriate.

That's what most of our year 6s wear on Victorian Day.