New school uniform for big school

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tiredmumof2
Posts: 66
Joined: Sun Sep 05, 2010 10:14 am

New school uniform for big school

Post by tiredmumof2 »

We went to get ours today as it was "10%" off day, today. DD has been instructed not to grow any more before September.

DD looks surprisingly scruffy with new kit, even though it's not even gone grey yet from me washing the whites with the darks. She did the tie up half way down the blouse which didn't help much - though have to say impressed she could tie it - I couldn't!

She looks a bit drowned in the blazer (and "posed" beautifully in true "kevin the teenager" style before she threw it off and left it in a heap on the floor).

The pleated skirt will be a marvel in putting the boys off (phew) - though I don't expect it will stay at the regulation 2" below the knee for long.

The PE shorts are apparently gross and she tells me she looks "fat" in them. The hockey, "three quarter length", socks go up to the thigh.

It's all going to last until year 10 I think, although clearly most of it will be lost in the first 3 weeks of school.

Has anyone else bought any kit yet - usually I leave things to the last moment, so am rather pleased with myself, though I'm sure DD will now have another growth spurt.....
pheasantchick
Posts: 2439
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2009 10:28 pm

Re: New school uniform for big school

Post by pheasantchick »

Our school uniform shop had a discount week back in May so we brought most of it then, with the shop saying we could change it at a later date if DS had a growth spurt (providing we hadn't put name tapes in etc).

Since then, DS has proudly shown his new uniform to his grandparents. We may have to change his PE top as he was borderline between the smaller size looking okay, and the larger one looking huge.

We just have to get shirts and trousers now. A mum with a year 7 boys suggested that Next are the most hard wearing, as she has found M&S trousers to split. Has anyone else got advice on this?

ITs all very exciting (and expensive!)
push-pull-mum
Posts: 737
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:52 pm

Re: New school uniform for big school

Post by push-pull-mum »

The school skirt is proving the most difficult item on our shopping list.

The polo shirts are bought through the school and come in a range of sizes - huge, vast, and can't see your feet, the PE kit (ditto) is lovingly crafted from potato sacks with the school logo embroidered on every available surface, but the skirt merely has to be black and 'of a suitable length for school.'

Sadly the leading manufacturers and I have widely different ideas about what constitutes 'suitable.' The skirts in Bhs are actually the same length for 15 year olds as for 9 year olds! I may end up having to go to the local schools outfitters and pay a small fortune for the 'regulation' skirt for some particularly straight laced convent.

Also an ongoing argument with everyone I know about the meaning of 'opaque.' DD has always worn wool/lycra mix tights except in the very warmest weather and I see no reason why she shouldn't continue to do so. Friends with older children at the school, however, assure me that they aren't 'opaque' and I actually have to buy the non woolly variety which DD and I (for different reasons) dislike. Surely 'opaque' just means you can't see through them? I defy anyone to see through DD's woolly tights. :D
katel
Posts: 960
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2007 11:30 pm

Re: New school uniform for big school

Post by katel »

Dd and I can usually agree on a skirt from the workwear range at Dorothy Perkins.

I suggest you don;t invest too heavily in tights until you find out what the others wear. My dd very quickly ditched her woolly primary school ones for 40 denier ones from M and S (the most hardwearing, I find). They have to be hardwearing because once the skirt is rolled up the tights bear the brunt of daily life - the skirt is for the purposes of preserving the minimum level of modesty they can get away with only!
DIY Mum
Posts: 744
Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2007 10:08 pm
Location: Not in a hole in the ground but in a land where once they dwelt-the Beormingas

Re: New school uniform for big school

Post by DIY Mum »

Yup! Definitely eXpensive ! Two of mine start y7 in September and my eldest who'll be in y9 for September is having a growth spurt so new uniform for him also! :evil:

For this reason, I've been doing mine in batches. Bought dd her shoes and satchel. Got ds2's blazer, house tie and jumper. But he'll have to have ds1's trousers as spares because he goes through trousers like anything (including Next ones). :x

Re: skirts, dd's school states 3 lengths- 18, 20 & 22. I'm sure the girls at induction were wearing shorter than that. :lol:


push-pull-mum
Posts: 737
Joined: Thu Nov 11, 2010 2:52 pm

Re: New school uniform for big school

Post by push-pull-mum »

katel wrote:Dd and I can usually agree on a skirt from the workwear range at Dorothy Perkins.

I suggest you don;t invest too heavily in tights until you find out what the others wear. My dd very quickly ditched her woolly primary school ones for 40 denier ones from M and S (the most hardwearing, I find). They have to be hardwearing because once the skirt is rolled up the tights bear the brunt of daily life - the skirt is for the purposes of preserving the minimum level of modesty they can get away with only!
Ooh - hadn't thought about the 'grown up' boutiques for skirts - thanks, Katel.

Going to follow your advice on tights as well - she's got some to be going on with - and then she can decide for herself once she's settled.

Started out on my 'suitable skirt' journey determined to have something 2 inches below the knee. We are now agreed on - must be able to touch toes without flashing. Secondary school parenting is a steep and scary learning curve. :oops:

Have not yet found trousers that are DS proof so inexpensive and plentiful is the best approach there. Funnily enough, he has managed to keep the same pair of Tesco school shorts for 3 summers in a row.
Thingsbehindthesun
Posts: 463
Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2011 11:25 pm

Re: New school uniform for big school

Post by Thingsbehindthesun »

My first daughters school has recently implemented a new school uniform that shall be debuting in september,so no hand me downs from older cousin. :lol: but we just wanted to get everything done after all the effort of getting into the school in the first place.

She had to be measured at a specific shop and the measurements then had to be relayed back to the school which will then order the items.The £30 skirts have to be full length, to the ankles ( so at least I'm getting my moneys worth xD ). Whereas blazers are £59 each.Ties £5, pe jumpers £18 and bottoms £12 each and with the schools logo. But the white blouses can be from anywhere, but John lewis clothes always seem to last for ages, if that's any help,I don't have any experience with next clothing.
;D
Minesatea
Posts: 1234
Joined: Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:08 am

Re: New school uniform for big school

Post by Minesatea »

DS has had 2 pairs of M&S trousers since the beginning of year 7 (now end of year 8 ). They will have to be replaced this summer as I can no longer lengthen them any further but have worn well. Needing elasticated waist and extra long length to get them to fit I am very limited!

push-pull-mum - EN's black skirt is the same as the girls grammars but black! Having bought DD 1 for band last year I now know why the grammar girls roll them up - at proper length they are so straight it is impossible to break into a jog in them, not good if you're running late for the bus!
scarlett
Posts: 3664
Joined: Fri Jul 16, 2010 10:22 am

Re: New school uniform for big school

Post by scarlett »

I haven't bought my son anything yet apart from a calculator and some new pants.

He has to have a fitting for his blazer in August at the school uniform shop and they sell a starter pack with pe kit, tie etc.I'm wondering where to buy his trousers too.He usually has the dark grey combat ones from Next but he now needs plain black ones. I've also have to buy DS2 new school jumpers as DS1 has made holes in his forgetting that I need them for the next 2 years for DS2. :twisted:
scary mum
Posts: 8841
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: New school uniform for big school

Post by scary mum »

What you need is a DD like mine who had her growth spurt in year 6 and hasn't grown since year 7. She actually changed schools in year 10 so I had to buy new stuff, but otherwise it would all have lasted her 5 years!!
scary mum
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