DD1 7 off to secondary in Sep, school bags

[MegGriffin]

She is my first to go and I was wondering whether to get a back pack, large handbag or messenger bag. She want's a back pack for comfort but does not want to look 'uncool'. What do your DDs use please?

Title should read year 7!

Have a look and see what the children going to that school wear but I would agree with your dd, a backpack is more comfortable (and if worn correctly causes least damage to a growing spine). Around here it is the norm to have any Nike backpack but that may vary from area to area.

what about an animal backpack. Trendy and can be in plain black but coloured wording?

Anything Nike round here according to my dc is chav

Mine certainly started with backpacks probably at least up until year 9 when it developed into Jane Norman carrier bags and other nonsense.

Thank you. We have watched them go in and the girls seem to have big handbags although they could be older, it's hard to tell. A few have the pe type bags on their backs so a bit of a variety really. None of them wear coats, despite the weather . Apparently that's because they have no where to put their coats all day. She will have a locker but they are randomly allocated and could be the other side of the school from your form room. So much for me to learn about!

Both my dds started Yr 7 with packpacks but I must admit they didn't use them for long. DD2 is now in Yr 9 and it seems that Paperchase messneger bags or old-fashioned Gola/Dunlop etc are the current bags of choice.

• scuse typos...

Large black handbag here. Paul's boutique wouild be ideal!

I have boys but rucksacks seem to be the norm. They last a term if we are lucky.
They need to be very large as they end up carting all their stuff around all day. This includes not only books but PE kit, trainers for PE, and a coat rammed in there if I have "forced" them to wear one because it's snowing.
DS1 takes a packed lunch as well and insists it all must go in the one bag.
Apparently even when there are lockers available they don't want to use them.

My Yr7 DS says NO-ONE wears a rucksack they're SO UNCOOL MUM so I've just (eventually, after much nagging) bought him a 2nd school bag - this time a messenger one which he says EVERYONE LITERALLY has. So I'd avoid rucksacks. The girls seem to carry enormous handbags though but others will be wiser as to brands as I only have DSes.

Suoerdry messenger style bags for boys here
Monsoon bags for girls.

We had this discussion the other day (as DS1 is going to secondary in September). I commented that at the same age I made my own bag by cutting up an old pair of jeans and sewing across the bottom and adding a strap. I even sewed a 'purse' behind the zip fly...

DH disappeared and proudly re-emerged with his old Dunlop bag which he still had in the loft .

DS1 gave us both a withering look.....

It's only rucksacks here (but then I only have experience of boys).

Actually, more and more schools seem to be doing away with text books, so there is less to carry now than there used to be.

At the school where I work, the children have to have either a completly plain back bag or a specially branded one e.g. the school's own design. Other bags get taken off them. I know most schools aren't this...specific lol but just wanted to warn you that some can be. To be fair, the one your DS will attend doesn't sound that way from your description

For girls oversize handbags are the thing here, with PE kit carried in a carrier bag (pref Jack Wills, failing that Miss Selfridge or Top Shop.)

Oh, and yes, the no coats thing goes on in all seasons, but you have to accessorise the lack of coat with a pair of last year's school shoes that have holes in the bottom and top.

But you must NEVER forget to plaster on the foundation, even though an oldster like myself would KILL for that lovely, dewy, unblemished skin

Don't get me started with the micro mini!

We are uncool here . I hate peer pressure.
I drilled into them at an early age that fashion is for sheep and they should never wear, or more importantly,do , anything just because everyone else does. Fine if they genuinely like something.

Thanks again. DD isn't too worried about what other people think but obv does not want to get picked on for having an untrendy/babyish/uncool bag.
Will look around over the summer hols and find something not too expensive in case she changes her mind later on I think.

Messenger type bags here for all. DS1 has a Bench one which has been great. DD has a black Nike one (and some big handbags in between) which hasn't been so good, but she's very hard on her bags and DS2 has a flimsy Nike backpack (drawstring bag?). I didn't used to like Nike, but they seem to last very well.

Cath Kidston bags are all the rage here!

Get a fully supported backpack.

My DD and her year seem to like the big bags from primani Primark.

What is a messenger-style bag, please? Is it a satchel?

Kind of satchel shape but no flap. Google gola messenger bag.

Ah, but its the flapless vinyl types that are trendy.