Can we have a school uniform thread?

[lottieandmia]

I'm going to post my experiences with different brands and also ask about school shoes.

Next - I like the style of the cardigans but they tend to go bobbly.

The pleated skirts are very nice and wash / wear well. They also do nice track suits for PE.

Sainsbury - great polo shirts which stay white and wear well

Cardigans also very nice but although they don't bobble they do fade in colour.

Marks & Spencer - generally good quality - I have to buy skirts for dd3 from there because nowhere else does green.

John Lewis - do the best most hardwearing summer dresses. Also the shirts are very good. Unfortunately as my girls become older I'm finding the styles they do aren't as fashionable as other places though.

Usually we buy Startrite or Clarks shoes. This year I was wondering about trying Next shoes as I've seen some reviews saying they are comfortable. I also wondered about M&S. Does anyone have a view about that or do they all get similarly trashed?

Lol, luckily DD has just moved out of infants and the red uniform so I'm off the hook! I do think Tesco and Next have been on but I've replaced most terms as DD wrecked them with markers etc anyway 😬

M&S for skirts, trousers, boy's white cotton shirts. Their boys socks don't last in this house. Tried Pex socks last year and they lasted the entire school year and are going into a second year ... highly recommend those.

Does anyone have schoolbag (backpack) recommendations - suitable for 9/10 yr old girls please. We've had Trespass which were great but they don't really have new colours and dc would like something different ... which will last! Thanks.

Asda - jersey polo shirts very nice, wash well but small made and more suited to a slim built child. The fancier style blouses are great but again run small and for slim children.
Jersey skirts and trousers don't have adjustable waistbands so can't buy them. Cardigans ok but fade a bit.

Tesco- poloshirts are like cardboard after washing and the shrink so end up short and wide. No nice style of blouses in blue. Skirts and trousers ok but had a few issues with gems falling down last year. Jersey trousers have adjustable waistbands but bobble very quickly and fade at the knees after 3 washes.

Debenhams - only tried the cardigans but found the wash well and don't shrink, fade or bobble too much.

Next- most trousers and skirts are made with what I like to call 'dog hair magnet' fabric so I avoid. Cardigans are fine - not had bobbling issues like other have mentioned but I never tumble dry school cardigans.

Sainsburys - lack of adjustable waistbands on most of the range. The skirts I did buy years ago where paper thin - probably the thinnest I've ever seen on school clothes. Blue polos with embroidered details look nice but I have never seen them in stock beyond age 3 and 4 - ever, over the last 4 years I have been shopping for uniforms.

Matalan - fancy knee high socks shrink and warp in the wash. Diamond pattern tights shrunk at least 2 sizes in the wash. Trousers have been fine as have the dresses.

M&S - If your child is on the slimmer side avoid. Everything looks like a potato sack - dresses/ skirts/ trousers/ shirts. the shirts we did also buy with the velcro top button where rubbish. The velcro didn't stick very well and wrecked her school tie by sticking to it all the time. Pulls developed in various random places for no particular reason also.

Now defunct BHS done great culottes but the jersey trousers washed terribly and the button broke off after a month (and they wouldn't exchange them!)

Aldi - only tried the girls school trousers and they where great for us. Really slim made on belly and bum area, with nice high waistbands and long enough legs.

Think that's all we've tried so far.

For school shoes -
Clark's are ok, startrite are better.
Ricosta - indestructible and appear to grow with your child feet! Downside is they can be a bit clumpy and not got many nice styles.
Lelli Kelly - nice soft leather but wore out much faster than any other school shoe we have tried. They split at the toes and no tread left within 4 months - DD is very easy in shoes and has been known to get the best part of a year from them before outgrown - and usually still good enough to pass on.
Tried a deichmann pair and the patent part peeled after a week.
Tesco surprisingly lasted ok apart from the strap stretching out so much I had to cut a bit off to stop it trailing on the ground.

Sainsburys polo shirts were great for dd at nursery last year so we'll be getting those again. Also got a pack of Morrisons polo's that mil bought so we'll see how we get on with those.

Summer dresses from Morrisons again as I happened to see them and thought why not.

I plan on going to Schuh this year for school shoes to get a pair of Kickers or Doc Martens. Looked at the Clarks website and wasn't impressed with the selection for girls at all.

I like Sainsburys pinafore dresses. Have lasted us well.
Tesco school shoes: only tried ne pair but took them back after about 3 wears as so scuffed! Dd is 7 and a bit of a tomboy but really?!

We got Sainsbury's pinafores last year and they looked better than the marks and spencer ones by the end of the year. 25 per cent off at the moment as well so I just got 2 pinafores for £6.75!

Fantastic thread; I'm new to school uniform.

Does anyone know where I can get plain royal blue polo shirts from? All the supermarkets, JL, M&S seem to do light blue only.

M&s has royal blue online

Or maybe it's for a particular school. Matalan seems to have darker blue

FYI sainsburys has a 25% sale across all its clothing range including school uniform. Picked up cardigans, shirts, PE tops and coat. Still lots to get but need to wait til payday!

Has anyone got any recommendations for black boots for girls, suitable for school? I got some from Vertbaudet last year, but they seem to be not so plain this year, so not sure they'll be suitable DD going into year 2, she'll need around size 12. She's now too big for the younger shoe ranges, but not old/big enough for the older girls brogue styles.

As far as clothes are concerned, she has a long and skinny body, so I tend to get Sainsbury's polo shirts, as a pp said, we tried Tesco, but they shrank so were very wide on her, but too short in the body They are fine for her wider older brother with normal length body and long legs though Tesco trousers tend to be shorter though, so I tend to get them from Sainsbury's! Sainsbury's have some lovely jersey dresses this year, and I always get summer dresses from there as they are really nice quality, a lovely shape and great price For school socks for DS, he now has enormous feet, so I just get women's bamboo black socks in Tesco and we share them

I got these for dd last year www.marksandspencer.com/kids-freshfeet-coated-leather-patent-ankle-boots-with-silver-technology/p/p22458365?image=SD_04_T72_6795Y_Y0_X_EC_0&color=BLACK&prevPage=plp&pdpredirect they look like new still, will be getting them again when it gets colder

DD is tall and slim- she's almost ten but is almost five foot tall, has a C width fitting (and ortho inserts)

I need either tights that will stay up (the holy grail) so she can wear skirts or trousers that wont fall down or need to be gathered so tightly on the waistband there's a bunch of spare fabric on the arse.
Any ideas?

Rebecca, I've found John Lewis the best for tights. If she's 5ft then you could also try some of the ladies ranges in M&S (wouldn't recommend their children's tights - they don't have a foot shape!) or another department store and get 50+ denier.

Whispers I got DD DM boots last year for reception. Chelsea boot style and they lasted brilliantly, we walk or cycle to school and no cold or wet feet all year.

I seek hard wearing boys school shoes for size 2-3!
For those of you with red fading issues, buy dylon washing machine dye and refresh!

These arrived for DS today, they look great!

@ThanksForAllTheFish Sainsburys blue embroidered polos are in stock in most sizes online, you can just do click and collect from your local store.

Also, Sainsburys is doing 25% off all clothing this week if anyone is interested and hasn't used it yet.

M&S for trousers, tesco or asda for polo shirts, Debenhams for v neck jumpers.

Sorry if this has already been said but Sainsbury's just started their 25% off all clothes sale. I got most of our uniform bits from there. Still need shoes though.

RatOnnaStick I did notice that this year but unfortunately DD's school has switched them to shirt and tie this year. The online service would have been handy the past couple of years.

Typical! Sainsburys polos are great quality too.

That's the one thing I didn't get! They had them in tesco for pence on yellow label. She only needs them for pe though

I've bought these shoes for dd3 today from Clarks. Usually Clarks don't last 5 minutes but these ones look sturdy so I've got high hopes! I also find that patent lasts longer.

I've heard good things about trutex. They are based up north and supply the schools and do all the embroidered sweatshirts too.
I think they are good quality and last really well.