school uniform - where best to buy?

[kaz110]

DD will start YR in september so bit of a school uniform virgin

we need white polo shirt, grey/black trousers and cardigan (red).

where is the best place to buy? or are they all (tesco, sainsbury's, asda) pretty much the same?

thanks!

We've always been very happy with M&S.

I bought a mix of m&s and debenhams....DS managed the whole year and only just got a hole in his trouser knees. Will be buying again for next year. Jumpers are good too...and his shirts, I got bigger than I should and he will get another year(just) out of them. If you wait until July, that's when a lot of good deals start.

We bought pinafore from Next and it's lasted all year. Still looks good as new if a tad short (end of term here tomorrow). Asda shirts, polo shirts and skirts were all fine. Found the shirts and polo shirts did grey after a while but are pretty cheap. Also bought some shirts from M&S and they've been excellent quality. Got tights and cardigans from M&S too and they will do next year as well.

To be honest I'd buy a decent(ish) cardigan as they wash better but other than that would just buy supermarket stuff as they grow out things/rip them/spill paint on them/lose them!! I also wouldn't buy tons of stuff. Just wash and wear.

I get our non-logo stuff from ASDA, and it's always been fine. I particularly recommend this for white polo shirts on small children as they simply don't stay white so the cheaper the better.

We did M&S for DD when she started last September. Stuff all still look brand new, prob won't need to replace this year as she still fits everything.

My White polo shirts have stayed white

The school's second hand uniform sale

I usually buy from Marks. Everything lasted well, except the pinny with the zipper.

M&s gets our vote too. My boys Are pretty hard on school clothes and I found others didn't last anywhere near as long. And you can get iron free shirts! And they do long length trousers which is a god send for my tall lanky boys! 20% offer usually ends fairly early though!

thanks - had not thought about m&s but will make a look there :)

sainsburys. their tu range uniform is really good. they are the only pair of ds's trousers that haven't gone through into holes on the knee, and for dd, the skirts and pinafores are a decent length.

Our Sainsbury's had some lovely red tank top two packs in for a fantastic price - shame DS wears navy - tank tops are usually so expensive
He looks lovely in them with his shorts and school shoes - like a little evacuee
Not worn much this summer sadly!!

M&S or sainsburys. All the uniform I got from here worn well and looks as good as new. Polo shirts still white here too.

Asda, very poor quality, and Tesco is so so, as MrsM said funny fit for some items.

I think John Lewis is a lot better quality than m&s. I don't think it'll be that noticeable on the items you've listed as DD will stain and/or outgrow whatever you buy fairly quickly but if you do consider any skirt and tights combo John Lewis tights are about a million times better than M&S ones - they are long enough, stay up and don't come home full of holes on the first day.

School uniform sale and tights from M&S.

Bhs. They sell uniform all year round as well.

I've bought it from m&s, asda, sainsbury mostly and was surprised that the asda stuff was so good. Sainsbury good too but the m&s cardigans went a bit horrible after a while.

Got DD's uniform from M&S and Sainsbury's for YR last Sept.

Found the sizings not consistent. Most of the M&S stuff was 4-5 except one pinny that we had to get 5-6. Sainsb she's been in 5-6 but Asda didn't seem to do 5-6, only 4-5 and 6-7

I bought enough uniform for a change every day but it all obviously gets washed every week. The Sainsbury's red cardis have all faded in the wash and two of them have developed those annoying little holes up by the shoulders. I have one red asda jumper and it's a different red. Sains is more scarlet and asda more crimson.

JL or Sainsburys and BHS is usually pretty good quality and VERY cheap (I bought a pack of 2 gingham summer dresses there last year for £4!!)

I would say though if it is just a generic uniform and non logoed (is that a word?) I went for short sleeved white shirts rather than polo shirts as they stay whiter for longer and are just as cheap (the only downfall is they do need ironing and you get the lovely buttoned up wrong look when they've had PE - dd managed to button a shirt up when it was inside out last year, I was very impressed)

My sister always buys john lewis for her daughters and it lasts through both girls - so must be pretty tough.

Love m&s although haven't tried any others. One tip is that if your polo shirts are white buy pinafores rather than skirts so that the polo shirt doesn't get covered in lunch! Also my dd much prefers pinafores with zips rather than buttons as less fiddle to get changed for PE.

M&S have 20% off uniform at the moment. We had pinafores, skirts, and pe kit from M&S, cardigan and polo's are logo'd so we had to buy them from a local stockist. Everything has washed and worn really well so will stick to M&S.

Agree with pp that pinfores keep the polo/shirt clean!

Another vote for M&S or Sainsburys. DD in Year 1 and still wearing last year's M&S white polo shirts for PE. Their skirts and summer dresses hardly need ironing either, which is a bonus on a Monday morning when you're fishing them out of the ironing pile in a panic!