Is this too ‘babyish’ for secondary school?

[Snacktastic]

My DD is starting secondary school in September. We were browsing backpacks over the weekend. She’s absolutely loves this Jansport one. (Photo attached but may take a moment to approve). Is it going to be too young for secondary/ will she be teased for having a flowery bag?
Most of the secondary children I’ve seen have black backpacks, I’ve seen Nike etc which I’ve suggested but she doesn’t want plain black. If this is too young for secondary, I may have to tell her a white lie and that the uniform policy says it has to be a block colour!

I think this is a great idea too...it'll save you some money too if she changes her mind. Tbh its too nice for a school bag...im basing this on the wrecks that are now my teens school bags...they might as well take a carrier bag in judging by the state of them...they refuse to let me get news ones haha

We need to change the kids’ behaviours, not the bags.

They are never, ever large enough.

at my DCs state comp they all have a black Nike or adidas bag. Anything else would be considered babyish. Shame but that’s the way it is.

No one would bat an eyelid at that backpack in the school I teach in. Lots of the girls have similar.

I thought so too, but it’s worked out quite a good investment. Now new bag each year. Most the girls at my DDs school (state grammar) have one (not fake).

Michael Korrs and Longchamp totes were all the rage when I was in school circa 2005-2008. Glad to hear that it is still going strong

Some schools do genuinely insist on plain(ish) black bags (you have to buy the school logo backpack at one local secondary here! Although DC1's school has no school bag code but it's a boys school) so check the uniform policy.

DD is Y6 and she flits between a teeny black rucksack, a black Nike backpack and a beach bag! Depending on her mood and how much crap she wants to cart about on any given day. I am hoping her new school narrow it down for us - we are still awaiting the uniform list.

It depends on the school and the child. A distinctive bag signals to other kids who like it that this might be someone they get on well with. It's not babyish - it's happy.

I can see sixth formers liking that, not babyish imho

my year 9 daughter is currently on her 2nd Jansport backpack ( plain colours though) I’m sure it would be fine but bear in mind they get grubby quickly!

My DD is just finishing up year 7, she's always done her own thing and has a bright pink and blue backpack. It makes her easier to spot in a sea of year 7s in blazers and black bags! If DD likes it and wouldn't be upset if someone said it was a bit lame then go for it.

I can't believe the oversized handbag/tote has come back around though, I had a green pleather one in 6th form that I absolutely adored, that one day just completely detached from the handle as I was walking along the street, textbooks and all 😂 funnily enough I went back to backpacks after that!

It's not babyish at all. I'd use that as an adult.

Year 7 get into black pretty quickly, customised with badges and keyrings.

So I’m now slightly embarrassed, as a 37 year old woman I own this!!!!

@Londonwelshieive always used longchamp. Had one in Y7, one in Y12 and then one at 24. £360 on handbags for 18 years of my life isn’t bad!

Yet another teacher here, looks fine to me. Many of my pupils have lots of dangling cute animals and keyrings also which look much more young than that. You should teach her to be comfortable with what she likes and not be influenced by silly comments of others anyway. We can but hope.

wtf? Where do you live? My dc would point blank refuse to take a handbag to school. It would be social suicide (west country).

It's a lovely bag suitable up to adult, I'm sure she'll get a lot of use from it in one way or another. For school I've found my DD to go in phases with this stuff, year 6 going into year 7 she was only into bright colours and refused to contemplate black. By term 2 of year 7 I had to buy her a new coat and backpack in black, by year 9 she's found a solid friendship group and is back to colourful coats but will absolutely only use the large black tote handbag style bag people have tutted about on here. She is so proud of it and it's the only bag you see girls using at her school. She's happy with colourful backpacks for weekends and travel though so that's not a waste to buy it and see. My DS on the other hand it's only about the brand. Don't overthink it, you can pick up a new bag whenever the trend changes she's not stuck with the decision she makes now.

Doubtful. It’s classy, stylish and mature. Anyone taking a backpack would be ridiculed where I live!

dont tell her but i have one and every loves it i am 66yrs

This post is nothing to the point but…..it makes me recall fondly a girl I was friendly with in my first year of secondary school. She ploughed her own furrow.

I remember her enormous soft bag, like one you’d check in on holiday as an alternative to a case. Initially people tried to tease her about it but after a few weeks of seeing what emerged from it, it took on mythical qualities and no one said anything nasty. I remember over the year her producing such disparate items as spare jumpers, tights and choc bars, but more awe inspiringly, a saw, a traffic cone and a full medical kit including a dummy Red Cross torso for practising resuscitation… what a character.

I just asked my year 7 if she would want me to buy a handbag for next year and she rolled her eyes and said that it’s not her style at all and I should know that! (Which of course I do). Some girls have them at secondary but don’t assume everyone wants them.

They are all the rage in Tokyo... So much so that Sparks wrote a catchy song called Jan sport Backpack 🎒 !!

I’ve had a very similar Jansport bag for 25 years so even if she asks for a new bag eventually she should get a lot of wear out of this one.
My son was teased this year for having, and I quote ’last season’s pencil case’. I don’t think you can predict what they will be teased for (and the bullys will always find something if they want to).