A question about school uniforms

RoseandJoan

Teah starts school on the 16th August and I think I have finished putting together her school uniform capsule, however, I do not know if I have bought a suitable amount. (I'm horrified at the thought of her having too many items which will not be worn or not having enough and the washing machine constantly spinning).

I would really appreciate if you could share your school uniform buying tactics.

For reference DD has:
1 gingham school dress (suitable for warmer days only)
2 pinafores
2 long sleeve blouses
1 short sleeve blouse
2 jumpers

How does the above compare to your sons or daughters school capsule?

Thank you in advance for any thoughts on the subject.

13 years ago

General

13 replies

Latest reply was from RoseandJoan

Anonymous

I had one shirt for each day of the week (4) plus the one top from gym uniform. We have four seasons here so I would switch back and forth from short to long sleeve.

DD could do either a vest or sweater so I had one of each, plus:

2 jumpers
4 shorts to wear underneath the jumper ( excessive ) but I went with the idea that she will need a clean top and bottom for each day of the week.
Long tights or leggings for cold weather and the uniform shoes.

As time passed by, we kept having more and more stuff carrying over from prior years.

I would get a couple more of the shirts just because kids get dirty and perhaps you might not be able to use the shirt more than once before laundering.

13 years ago

Anonymous

My DDs attend public school, which has a dress code but no uniforms. However, back when one of my DDs was in middle school, she attended a magnet school that required a "uniform" that consisted of khaki pants and a maroon polo shirt. I just bought 5 days' worth of pants and shirts, and washed them every weekend.

I was really glad when the school put the uniform policy up for a vote. Because they were not actual uniforms, it was hard to find the clothing--especially the polo shirts. I voted to get rid of the uniforms, as did many other parents. Now the kids adhere to a dress code, but do not have to wear uniforms or matching outfits. Much better!

13 years ago

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

I wore a school uniform for 12 years

This sounds great for starters, Jules. I remember that my Mum added in many more gingham dresses because that's what I ended up wearing more often in HOT Hong Kong. I had to wear a clean frock each day because of humidity and no a/c in those days.

My suggestion would be to see how Teah goes with this capsule and to add onto it as she road tests her items - and how you fair with all the washing!

13 years ago

Debbie

Veteran

I agree with Angie> Let her start with this and add as needed. That way you can see which items are getting the most use.

13 years ago

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Does it sound crazy that DDs wardrobe is organised by capsules;
play clothes
smart clothes
horse vaulting clothes
and now school clothes
It must be the YLF effect!

Thank you for your advice, it looks like another blouse may be in order.

Angie, wait and see sounds like sound advice, the uniforms will vanish from the shops at the end of the month but thankfully the little WWW will help with that dilemma.

13 years ago

rachylou

Veteran

My dd had the khakis and maroon top uniform. My memory is fuzzy, but I think Fridays were free-dress day. So we did 4 pants / 5 tops (one extra for just-in-case), laundry once a week, when it came to the uniform. Also two jumpers, one coat.

For free dress day - ohmigosh - well, no end of clothing there. By high school, I was like, *you do not need 20 pairs of jeans!* and she was all, *they're all different!* LOL.

13 years ago

Keix

Veteran

I had a modified uniform in high school--choice of various colored polos embroidered with the school logo (which were very ill-fitting and no alterations allowed!) and non-denim/cargo/camouflage bottoms. This was the start of my love affair with skirts! As well as my continuing hatred of polo shirts and non-denim pants (I recently made up with corduroys).

I think I ended up with 5-7 different polos, but since we had a modified uniform, all the girls still cared about what they wore. If I could set the policy, I would have gone either all uniform or just dress code.

13 years ago

Inge

(website)

Moderator

This looks like a great starting point to me, Jules, and super advice from the other lasses.
I'm sure you are way ahead of me and have already thought of this: it's wise to have enough of each so that you don't need to wash everything constantly, but kids outgrow their clothes very quickly so I wouldn't overdo it with stocking up either.

Wishing Teah a wonderful first day at school!

13 years ago

Louise

Veteran

What a great idea, I'm guessing Teah is 4/5 if starting school? See how you get on with this capsule but you may find you need a clean outfit per day!! Many kids particularly at that age get filthy daily at school ( the one I work at anyway)!! Between lunch time yoghurts being dropped down them, paint, glue and some children's ability to just attract muck! My motto is they've not had enough fun if there's not a mess x

13 years ago

Anonymous

When we lived in Central America, everyone in the country had to wear uniforms, regardless of what school they attended. My girls got so dirty during the day that I felt the need to have a fresh outfit for every day of the week. Fortunately, the uniforms they had to wear were readily available in the local stores, as everyone wore the exact same thing--even the same color combination.

13 years ago

anne

Veteran

I have 3 daughters who wear school uniform but I am a bit vague as to how much each have! Sometimes I do have a big rush in the morning, checking the washing lines for clean ones. The advantage of having three is that I can borrow needed items from each other!

Children vary so much in how dirty they get. DD9 hardly gets her clothes dirty and DD4 can sometimes wear hers again while DD6 is like the children Louise mentioned who need a clean change every day!

Are there any rules about what time of the year things have to be worn? Ours doesn't.
I found that the children had preferences too. At the beginning they loved to wear the dresses, but I have to make my oldest daughter wear hers at all (I said she had to wear it once a week).

Other factors
How often do you wash?
Will you make them change straight after school ( I don't, but if you did you could put a load on straight away)
How much you tolerate stains (My younger kids uniforms are often pretty stained and faded, partly because they are handed down)?
Can you buy them second hand (our school has a rack at the uniform shop for second hand) or handed down ( I got quite a lot given to me that way)?
Will your second daughter go to the same school and thus get more use out of them?

One of my organized friends planned her week so she washed school uniforms half way through the week and then on the weekend.

I think you probably do have enough for the moment and if you did get anything else - maybe jumpers? My younger 2 often end up with non-uniform jumpers, (which is tolerated at our school) because they are easily left behind. Also are they knits and need handwashing and do you expect the kids to wear them every day most of the year?

13 years ago

Anonymous

My DDs wore the same uniforms all year long because we lived in a place where the weather stayed the same year 'round.

13 years ago

RoseandJoan

Veteran

Thank you for your thoughtful replies, the uniform for Teah's school is preferred but not enforced and quite easy to shop for. The girls may wear a white blouse/ polo shirt, grey trousers, skirt or pinafore and a grey jumper with the school badge. The gingham dresses are also allowed. As Teah is unable to undress herself the dress (with a front zip) was my number one choice to help the teacher on PE days.

With regards to the messiness factor, Teah is really dislikes being messy and usually manages two days wear from an outfit.

@ Anne, thank you for the in depth response. I do a wash a day at present but I do not have tumble drier so I may need to factory drying time into the equation.

@ Louise, it is taking me a little time to wrap my head around the Scottish educational system. P1 consists of children aged 5/6 with the oldest kids being born in March. As Emmy is February baby Ben and I will have the choice of placing her into P1 next year or holding her back for a year.

@ Inge, yes Teah is very well grown and will be starting school in an age 7 uniform, she may only get a couple of terms wear before I need to rethink the whole lot.

@ Ruth, it is fascinating to read about the uniforms in South America, thank you for sharing.

13 years ago

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