School Bags - Girls

[Journeytolight]

I saw a thread for boys but decided to make this one for girls. DD1 starts secondary in September. She isnt fussy about brands and styles etc. She just wants to stay clear of any messenger style bags and anything 'girly'.
Also, this style is just a no:
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00CQC7MMO/ref=mp_s_a_1_1/277-3926024-2817252?pi=SY200_QL40&tag=mumsnetforum-21&qid=1401131787&sr=1-1

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Hello, this thread is a little old now and some of the links are out of date. Take a look at this handy page for a round up of the best backpacks, chosen by Mumsnetters.

Well you've just ruled out every single bag the girls use at my dd's school

Following

DD (yr 7) has a surf brand (hot tuna?) backpack. Basically they all seem to have some kind of backpack style bag.

Lurk near the school in the morning or afternoon? My soon-to-be y7 will be getting a backpack I expect, which is what at least half the girls use at her school.

Most of the yr7/8 girls at DD1's school use something like the link you posted. And most of those at the other school in town use glorified handbags.

DD1 decided to carry on using her year 6 rucksack until she'd worked out what she really needed ... and then chose a really boring-looking black rucksack from an outdoor shop. Which just goes to show you can never predict what a pre-pubescent girl will think is a good idea!

The moral of the story is probably whatever you get, make it cheap, because she'll probably have changed her mind by half term .

Dd would not use a backpack in Year 7 and wanted a handbag....which I was not happy with at all. However a year later and she has now got a Hype backpack from the footasylum... which she chose. She loves it.

My suggestion is that whatever you get for her to start with is cheap. Then she can totally change her mind and style after a few weeks.
Usually in year 7 it doesn't need to be as big as later, when she will have folders instead of books.

Basically the smallest bag you can possibly get to ensure that PE kit has to be rammed in on top of carefully prepared homework so that said homework is a crumpled squashed blob at the bottom of the bag. Oh, and it has to be made out of the least water resistant material possible, to ensure that homework and planner are soaked through at the slightest drizzle.
[bitter emoticon]

A lot of the girls (and boys) at my daughter's school have the "mi-pac" rucksacks. They're similar to the one you linked.

DD went for a ridiculous hand bag type bag for yr 7. It fell apart by the October half term.
She and all her friends have backpacks. Eastpak, Roxy and Converse are popular.
Eastpak in particular are very hard wearing, they are often in TK Maxx on sale. I got DS1 one for £2.50 when he started juniors. He is going into year 6 in Sept. The bag goes in the wash and comes out like new. He carries massive lego encyclopedias in it most days, it has been to residential trips, chucked in the mud and it still bounces back.

This is our job for today. There will be words.
DD2(Y8) has a perfectly decent animal rucksack she refuses to use.

She has totally destroyed a Cath Kidson style cheapish (£15) oilskin satchel because it was too small and has spent a year grossly obese.

We shall have words about style over substance I fear.

The bag that is a "no" in your link is what my DD has and about a third of the year 7 girls at the school I work at. DD's has lasted well btw, she has had it all this year and it still looks pretty good.

Others have a smart giant handbag type thing but they are less common now. A few have a satchel type thing which is practical as it holds stuff flat, tho they do look a bit awkward to carry.

My dd had the bag in your link and it didn't last. She bought herself www.surfdome.com/Superdry_Backpacks_-Superdry_Star_Montana_Backpack-Navy-174462?$ja=tsid:39151%7cprd%3a174462%7ccat%3aBackpacks&utm_source=GoogleShopping&utm_medium=CSE&utm_campaign=CSE&utm_keyword=&adtype=pla&istCompanyId=6eb6b8f6-7dcb-4576-851b-e1dff2ebaf99&istItemId=xmiittaap&istBid=tztx&_$$ja=cgid:14552274192%7Ctsid:13319%7Ccid:183405672%7Clid:61780252872%7Cnw:g%7Ccrid:47283701352%7Crnd:1049969682081930198%7Cdvc:t%7Cadp:1o2%7Cbku:1&gclid=CjkKEQjw75CcBRCz2LiEs5OPsZoBEiQADgUmax8E5b44-93nKOMYVEC5wC9ZnsQZsE2qHyroi2EIW9Hw_wcB and it has lasted well.

DD is in Y7 and bought a sensible, school branded backpack to begin with. Then she wanted a patterned, surfer type backpack and some times used her Y6 messenger type bag- depending on what stuff she has to take in. Don't buy anything expensive and be prepared for her to change her mind.

Dd - y7 - has a jack wills rucksack. Her friends have a range of different ones. Most have backpacks or cross shoulder ones now. The Superdry bags are popular too.

Most of the girls at dd's school have cross should or backpacks as the handbag style ended up breaking or just not being sturdy enough to take the weight.

Their pe kits are in a different bag and left at school in gym lockers.

I know it's not quite the same, but my boys have these - but in a different pattern/colour (and they weren't on sale) and they are really hardwearing - there are loads on Surfdome though - let her have a browse through and see what catches her eye:

www.surfdome.com/Fox_Clothing~30#pt:374~lo=4&hi=160&pnum=1&psize=40&sort=bestseller

DD has a Herschel one which is quite good. It's always ridiculously heavy though; I worry about her back.

I would take her own in the sales to a shop and let her pick a cheap one out. I think it will soon be superseded by whatever the fashion is at her school. My DD's started off with sensible rucksacks (though bloody expensive), then went on to Accessorise (DD1) and Paperchase (DD2). I noticed most kids had sensible bags on day 1 which were then replaced by silly little handbags plus an extra bag or two for books and PE kit.

DD2's school have now brought in a compulsory rucksack thing which DD hates and wears over one shoulder, resulting in back problems. She moans constantly. Except on Fridays when she can bring her PE kit in a separate bag.

We have a rule that I will only buy a new school bag once a year - September. Any others and she would need to use hero wn pocket money.

Yep. DD2 has chosen a daft fabric backpack with silly un padded straps, which she's already set stupidly long.

I'm going to apply Hulababies rule and not replace it for 12 months.

Bet I have to repair it long before that

I have the same rule as Hulababy which I brought in when DD and I had different ideas of a suitable school bag at the beginning of Y7.

She went through the handbag stage.

Halfway through Y9 she ordered a sensible backpack from Amazon as she was fed up of impractical options.

I do wish she and DS1 would tighten the straps though.

Yes, what is it with straps?!?

I can understand you might want them a bit loose to sling them on and off quickly, but hanging by your bum looks stupid and is, surely, uncomfortable!

I only care because books spill out of too small messenger bags onto the hall, living room or bedroom floors.

And panics ensue over lost pencil cases, phones and calculators. Which have either rolled under the coffee table or being stuffed in her PE bag.

Notes also languish in her PE bag, because that's the only place with any room.

Thus while it doesn't matter in the great scheme of things, to a totally fashion free mother and her practical big sister, it's mildly annoying.