11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi all

Just wondering if anyone has tried to buy a large school bag yet and if anyone has seen any good ones. I've seen a black rucksack bag in a large dept store's uniform section but DD is not keen. She needs a large black bag, preferably not too ugly (!) but I suspect we might have to consider function over form in this instance!

Anyone else started looking yet?

Good Luck,

I have found shopping for schoolbags only marginally less fraught than shopping for school shoes.

I highly recommend TK Maxx as they have lots of " cool " ie acceptable, makes of rucksack/messenger style bags at prices acceptable to middle aged women.
Once past Year 7 it is all Primark and Cath Kidston and style definitely takes precedence over function. Enjoy your power over choice while it lasts.

DD started off in September last year with a lovely black messenger bag from Clippy. It had 8 clear pockets on the front flap which you can personalise to your own taste. Then in the January it was Cath Kidston

She's asked for a handbag for this September - I don't think they do them strong enough for all she carries

The choice of bag must surely be a DD thing????

I have in the past week purchased from a sports shop a very sturdy and sensible school bag for my DS in Y10. He is ridiculously fussy when it comes to clothes outside of the school uniform but to my absolute pleasure he was delighted just to have got a new bag

She needs a large black bag, preferably not too ugly (!) but I suspect we might have to consider function over form in this instance!

A black bin liner? If she's anything like my DD, by half term it will be so full of rubbish it might as well be a bin bag.

Thanks everyone - your replies made me laugh! I can see I have all of this ahead of me! I dread to think about buying school shoes! I think we'll go for either a plain black rucksack or messenger bag to begin with (has to be plain black) but I'm not sure if they enforce the colour so much after Y7 so by then I'm sure she'll want whatever the latest style is.

Master Yoyo had an animal rucksack in year 9 , he's still using it just going into year 13 ..it holds A4 files, so paper doesn;t get squashed. Also has really good straps (back friendly ) plus it;s still cool after all these years!

Thanks Yoyo, we've seen some really nice Roxy and Animal ones that are mostly black but with a little bit of pale coloured stitching on, I'm hoping they will be ok although not entirely plain black. I'm glad the Animal one has lasted, I don't mind paying a bit more for a good one so long as it lasts. DD is pretty good at looking after things well & not chucking them around too much (unlike her younger brother!)

well they definitely last under heavy usage and slinging about

oh yes a DD thing. Ds has been at GS for five years and had 2 bags (first one fell apart after 4 years). DD has been there 2 years and has had 4.... the previous 3 were, too big, too bulky and too pink.