How to find/adjust uniform for larger girls

[BigMumBigKids]

Hi! My two girls (12+14) are quite large for their age. I understand that is bad but this we will deal with that ourselves. Lockdown (as for many of us), made this problem slightly worse, and I’m now needing to quickly source some larger uniforms. Has anyone had any experience in this? Is adult sizes the way forward? They hate uniform at the best of times and this is only making it worse, if they could they’d wear pyjamas all day!

I just googled plus size school uniform and loads of options came up. Asda, M&S, Sainsbury’s etc

@FAQs Yes, I’ve given it a google and it’s difficult. For example these www3.next.co.uk/g241502s5/665410#665410 trousers on next have reviews saying they aren’t actually very big for a “plus” fit. Additionally, the plus fit is apparently 1-2 inches larger around the waist, without being longer. This is good if your child is only 1-2 inches larger around the waist, but my issue is that they are a fair few inches more than that, so I’ll have to buy some “older” or adult sizes, but then they are too long. I’m not an expert but I might be able to take these trousers up, but I was hoping I’d find something to fit larger kids, since I can’t be the only one with this problem.

Look at the Sturdy Kids website. So much choice and a huge width of waistbands.

Another recommend in the Sturdy Kids website.

I found a company that makes adult work shirts for my daughter as none of the high street stores provided anything suitable. They are great quality and much more flattering then the normal school shirts. I can't remember the name of the company now sorry.

@Ohhgreat @WhenDoISleep Thanks guys! I gave a glance at that site but because it didn’t seem like it was updated recently I was cautious. I’ll give them a try! For a site advertising plus size clothes you’d think some of the kids they use to model the clothes might be a bit ‘sturdier’ lol. I know my girls always want to know what it’d look like on people more their size if possible!

@TheSparkling Ah that sounds a little expensive mind? Perhaps I should look at adult sizes though, especially for the tops, not so much of a problem if they’re a little long!

Sturdy kids! Long time customer. For uniforms, it's great.

No, Sturdy Kids is definitely fine to use. I placed a large order two weeks ago on Sunday - it turned up on the Tuesday. I returned some items this week and received my refund yesterday.

It is run by a company called Universal Uniform - which is another website that you could try.

I have a 13 year old boy who's solid think rugby player and has hit puberty and is now 5'8, it's a nightmare as he's simply not fitting in to age "12-13" even plus size is stupidly small from M&S, I for one wish they wouldn't put the "plus size" labels on the trousers as he's not eaten to much he's just a big bugger.

Anyway I was going too add, I've bought his uniform from ASOS, men's trousers I think we're a river island mens, shirts and socks etc.

So I was going to say work a look at regular women's skirts, if black etc, and have a look on ASOS good pricing and you can simply order size 10/12/14 etc and try on at home.

Or does your school allows girls to wear trousers? As you could again look on ASOS for all different style and fits for the girls.

Hope you find something, I really fell this needs addressing 100% as there must be so many families struggling to get uniform to fit.

My dc has been in adult clothes since they were 10. Now they are 13 there is no way they could squeeze into children’s uniform. Our uniform shop has bigger sizes to order and then embroiders them themselves.

@mellowgreenspring I’ll give ASOS a look but Sturdy Kids seems good! I’ve never understood sizes by age. Kids grow so fast and so differently, how many 12-13 year olds actually fit in that clothing? And then how many of them actually fit it for a year?

It would be much more useful for it to be just in clear measurements, so we don’t have to order or go in changing rooms with so many sizes. Something that seems really good with this Sturdy Kids site! Of course I appreciate shops that try and carry a “plus” size but it’s never actually been useful for me or the kids.

I agree 100% just size by measurements, my eldest son is all tall and slim and he was totally spot on for all of the ages, so at 12-13 he fitted that age trouser etc, all the way through school.

So it's been a bit of challenge I wasn't expecting with my youngest.

@Absolutelylush I’ll have to check with our uniform shop, I know they won’t embroider things not ordered through them, so for the school logo requiring pieces we are forced to find something there. It’s only on the jumper and tie though, and while they are up there in the jumper sizes they should be fine.

Maybe they would have some good ideas for shirts though and could be worth an ask, if the girls don’t mind the shop, they can be a little insecure and would rather order online.

DD is 12 and in adult sizes. I buy her white school shirts from Amazon, they are called women's work wear or women's work shirts, something like that. The skirts I had to get from the school supplier, along with the blazer.

And then telling kids that they are the size they should be in the future does no good! When my kids first had to be in a size a year or two above them they were devastated, though they are a lot more comfortable in themselves now. Can’t imagine what it’s like for kids who aren’t even ‘sturdy’! No wonder there’s so many poor teenagers suffering with eating disorders.

Yeah my girls often wear some adult sized clothes, but they aren’t the tallest and so need some short lengths usually. It’s strange because there will be school clothes labelled 16-17 for example, but girls that age are likely buying and wearing all their other clothes from adult sections, seems silly to me.

@BigMumBigKids but being very overweight is also an eating disorder, and I say this as someone who can go up and down and up again 2 stone in a year due to my food addiction. I can’t eat one or two biscuits I end up eating the whole packet !

@FAQs Well, being overweight can be due to an eating disorder, but it’s not always! It can be a myriad of factors and considering it just as an “eating disorder” would be similar to saying underweight people always have anorexia, it’s not really the case. There have been bigger people who in their attempts to loose weight develop an eating disorder like bulimia or anorexia and it goes undiagnosed for years as they lose weight. All I’m saying is the labels saying these clothes should fit all children of a certain age are potentially harmful to young kids.

What sizes are you looking for, OP? What waist/hips/chest?

I sell donated 2nd hand uniform to raise money for charity so I feel like I know a lot about diverse brands of uniform sizing. For basic non-logo stuff you just go for large adult sizes and maybe get the length adjusted on trousers. Logo stuff sizing depends on the school uniform supplier. Our logo'd sizing is bizarre. I wear a men's medium but age "11-12" in some of the school uniform items. I don't understand you making a meal out of what sizing the label says.

That’s true, just as being over or under weight due to eating habits/disorders is harmful to children and adults both in terms of health and mentally.

I guess as parents it is our responsibility to ensure our children have healthy minds and healthy bodies. (I’m talking just in relation to food) my parents restricted foods and that is as abusive as overfeeding.

I agree with what you are saying about the labels, I guess they work on a average, similar to clothes in sizes 8,10,12,14 etc kids in particular have a hard enough time as it is, especially in the current circumstances!

@lljkk I’ve put in a couple of orders now but thanks for trying to help! I’m not really that bothered about the labelling, it just seems to me that it’s unhelpful, and could potentially upset some kids who are already worried about their weight far too young, nobody should have to worry if they are too big when they’re a kid, even if they are too big! The parents should worry of course, but the kid shouldn’t be calorie counting etc.

Yes, though over feeding in certain cases can be abusive, I’m not going to police what’s in the cupboards and what they spend their money on. I’ve spoken to them about their weight a little and told them to try and make decisions with the future in mind, but growing up overweight myself, and being depressed with weight related issues, I’m not going to press them the way my family pressed me. I’m still overweight but at least I’m not suffering from depression etc, and I can’t bring myself to damage my children’s mental health just to keep them from being overweight. Still, I cook healthy food and they aren’t only eating junk, it’s just when I’m not around and they’re buying and eating snacks, for me that’s their mistake to make. They’ve seen and know what healthy eating is, and they know how/why they are getting bigger, if they choose unhealthily, it’s their choice, healthy is available to them. To me that’s not “over feeding” or abuse, but to others it may be.

Taking trousers up is relatively straightforward. My DDs are shorter than petite and so every single pair of trousers I buy needs taking up.

Even if you can't do it yourself it is an easy task for a sewer and an alterations place shouldn't charge very much.

I’ll have to check with our uniform shop, I know they won’t embroider things not ordered through them, so for the school logo requiring pieces we are forced to find something there.

Try to find the local embroiderer who will put the school logo onto your clothing. One of the younger women in our uniform shop let it slip who did the embroidery for them, I called them direct and they did logos for just £1.50 each (this was 6-7 years ago), it is usually a local place that does workwear that does the embroidery.