Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Original poster

Do people really dress up for the school run?

152 replies

Orangeanddemons · 16/09/2014 18:53

Just heard a few comments lately, that seems to indicate that people plan their outfits for the school run

Now I love fashion and clothes, have a degree in fashion, have worked in the industry....but have never ever even considered wearing anything special for the school run. I just get up, drag on some jeans and rush out. And it appears all the other mums at my school do this. Apart from one who is always made up to the nines, and wearing ott stuff, but she may have just come from work. I just can't get my head round this. Does it really happen?

OP posts:

TimeForAnotherNameChange · 18/09/2014 16:25

That's exactly what I meant upthread Mary, that's what happened to me - I utterly lost myself, and rediscovering fashion/style/trend is working wonders on my mood and self esteem!

furcoatbigknickers · 18/09/2014 16:27

I usually wash and put a bra on.

furcoatbigknickers · 18/09/2014 16:29

Sometimes wear gym clothes then go home and eat a cream doughnut

OscarWinningActress · 18/09/2014 16:49

We've got a lot of really glamorous, hipster SAHMs at our school so I do try to put in a bit more effort than I usually would ...not heels or dresses or anything but something along the lines of skinny jeans, my beloved Frye boots and a cashmere jumper. I blowdry my hair and put on makeup because it makes me feel better. Only in the afternoon though...in the morning, after dropping kids, I go right to walk the dog/ride my horse so it's breeches, muddy boots and my scruffy old body warmer. Hair is always messy but hidden under a baseball cap or toque so it doesn't look too bad, I guess.

SludgeBrown · 18/09/2014 18:35

Sadly I don't do fully blown school runs anymore, just a train drop off. But there's only one person I dress for and that's me! I really don't give a flying fig what other people think. And tbh I don't really care whether mums turn up in their pjs. Good on them for having the confidence in themselves. But what I hate is when you're judged on what you wear. My dad enjoys fishing, no one ever comments negatively about this. I enjoy shopping and putting outfits together so why should I be judged?

LuckySaint · 18/09/2014 18:57

I like to wear a snorkel and flippers, usually with skinny or boyfriend jeans, a slouchy tee, havs/gigis, Superga or ankle boots.

santamarianovella · 18/09/2014 19:16

Lool at lucky bet everyone is of you

LuckySaint · 18/09/2014 19:33

Yep Santa, I'm quite the trendsetter i'm joking obviously

I'm thinking of wearing a gimp mask for a/w, to mix things up a bit

Turquoiseblue · 19/09/2014 12:18

Nice. Don't forget your mumsnet scarf now it s getting cooler

TheVeryThing · 19/09/2014 14:20

I honestly don't see what is wrong with trying to look decent when out & about, whether that involves a school run or not.
I work full time so don't drop or collect very often, but find these threads just a little bit patronising.

moomin35 · 19/09/2014 18:26

What's a mumsnet scarf?!

BackforGood · 19/09/2014 18:42

Every woman wants to look presentable

Really, LucyLloyd ?
Lots of people dress comfortably or to keep warm, or safe. Lots of people don't need to feel they are being 'presented' to anyone.

IME -after about 15 yrs of standing in the playground, and also many, many years of teaching, people wear what they would be wearing if their day weren't interrupted by collecting their dc from school - that might be paint stained overalls, it might be a smart dress or suit (if work in that sort of environment) or it might be jeans, tracksuit bottoms, leggings, shorts or whatever they were wearing that day at home.

MaryWestmacott · 29/09/2014 22:00

Just thinking about this thread again when I saw that on the Great Plains website, they have a whole section of clothes for the school run

Enjoy!

kaykayblue · 29/09/2014 22:27

I always assumed that the standard "look" was either work clothes, or:

Nice fitting jeans with a nice jumper and ballet flats (with big coat and scarf at winter)

Nice fitting jeans with some sort of band t shirt and converse.

I sort of assumed that only in certain parts of Essex would women be wearing anything remotely over the top (as if they were about to head off to a bar)

Awks · 29/09/2014 22:35

I am so grateful that my school run days are over. God they were boring and they weren't made any more interesting by looking to see what other folks were wearing. I cannot recall one single outfit that any person wore. Ever.

EmilyGilmore · 29/09/2014 22:56

Mine has just started at proper school and I did drop-off the first couple of mornings (DH had the week off and was doing pick-up) and was totally at how smart and groomed the mothers appeared at 8.30 in the morning. I was a bit depressed about it until I switched to doing pick-ups instead and realised all the well-dressed mums at drop-off were the ones heading into work straight after! The ones doing pick-up were SAHMs and dressed really quite normally. This is a well-known London private school so there's money around but I can assure you most of the mothers I see are wearing jeans, trainers/pumps/ankle boots and tshirts or casual jumpers.

Very reassuring!

DC used to attend a nursery in a hot country miles away from here and we did pickup in shorts, vests and flip flops - I miss it!

EmilyGilmore · 29/09/2014 22:59

I have to smile at the reference to wearing gym clothes, I think that's a cunning trick actually. Easy to throw on, no thought required, plus you convey an image of being raring to go and super-organised....even if you do go home and eat biscuits in front of the tv.

MaryWestmacott · 30/09/2014 11:26

Emily - that's genius!

notmydog · 30/09/2014 12:15

I work from home, I start at 7am (as my head office is in a different country) so mornings are completely mad. For the school run, I put on jeans and often just a fleece over my pyjama top. My main aim is just to get out of the house in time!

wanderingwilma · 30/09/2014 12:41

I always wondered about the women who wear the full gym shabang, do you reckon they ACTUALLY go to the gym EVERY day? My money is on them going home watching jezza with a bacon sarnie!

carrie74 · 30/09/2014 12:45

The thing is I couldn't get to 8:45 and not be dressed (and usually showered, but not if I'm going to the gym/a run). 3 days a week I'm going on straight to work, so wearing work clothes, so the other 2 days I tend to be wearing gym kit to school, or, if I can't get out for whatever reason, then my normal clothes that I wear when I'm not going to work. I do plan my outfits (as another poster upthread said, in the shower), to take account of the weather and what my day has in store, and thinking through what I have that fits in with that.

I also think there's an element of practicality - "what clothes can I wear that are both practical for a school run - so need to be able to walk, wrangle children, conceal grubby finger marks, hold a plethora of school bags and musical instruments, protect myself from the rain, etc - that is also mildly stylish?".

I can't imagine ever wearing my PJs outside - even wearing them downstairs is highly unusual. Don't own any trackie bums (although do have a pair of posh yoga pants).

wellthatsdoneit · 30/09/2014 12:49

Yes I do - if my tshirt has got curry or fried egg on it I'll put a coat over the top.

leedy · 30/09/2014 12:55

Lord no. Well, I mean, I'm usually trying to look relatively presentable because I'm generally on my way to work, but dressing up specially for dropping off DS1?

Didn't one of the women's mags have some hideous regular "street style" feature that was basically ridiculously overdressed women at school gates?

iseenodust · 30/09/2014 13:11

Blimey no. I have explained to DS that while I will try to be the best mum for him I have no intention of attempting to be a cool mum. So long as I am clean and covered I'm good to go.

magicpixie · 30/09/2014 13:32

sadly yes I do care

they other day I was buring up but only had a tiny vest underneath, if I was at home o would have pulled my jumper off, yet I didnton the school run as I didn't want to be seen as showing off my body or something

sad really

Flip

1 2 3 4 5 6 7