Cheap School Uniform Discussion

full-time-mum

My eldest is 13 but even Tesco's largest size (if you can actually find any) are now too small. She is wearing Adult size 8 or 10. We have finally managed to find trousers at M & S which fit - size 8 long and weren't too expensive.

However, I'm not sure how to source reasonably priced shirts - any suggestions gratefully appreciated. She has to have plain white shirts with long sleeves and a collar that does up. Polo Shirts aren't acceptable nor are fancy blouses.

Thanks

sindy_2

If anyone's children wear green school uniforms then forget shopping for them in Asda, I popped in to my local one last week to stock up on some green checked Summer dresses and green cardigans, when I looked around there wasn't one green item to be found!...I asked customer services and I was told that they decided not to sell Green uniforms this year!!....How rediculous seeing as most of the infant/junior schools around here wear green....Asda had Yellow though!...I've not seen one school around here that wear yellow!

janetannhd

Matalan are selling uniforms for £4.00 consisting of sweatshirt for £1.00, skirt or trousers for £2.00, and shirt/blouse for£1.00. The good thing about this is that these are the full permanent price(based on age 4yrs to 6/7yrs ) and so have no promotional end date,unlike the asda offer.They are also very good quality, I have 3 school age children and have been buying my uniform from Matalan for the last 4yrs and they have got such a large variety of styles and colours.Definetely would reccommend to anyone looking for good value,quality and fashionable uniform.

janetannhd

to sindy and full time mum ........ try your local matalan they do single and multi pack shirts, and sell green school dresses, and yellow,and red, and blue,and pink infact they do most colours.....you can even buy online.

HelenKA_2

Chick1,

I cut the logo out of the old jumper and sew it onto a plain (cheap) supermarket one. It looks fine though our school isn't terribly fussy - though they do promote uniform.

Term finishes in a couple of weeks and I peruse the lost property for abandoned jumpers either for use if they're good enough or for cutting the badge out if they are not. Must add the caveat that I only ever take unnamed stuff and after that particular item has been there for the term!

bubblegumcola

Some shops which sell school uniform with the logo can sell you just the wee round badge. You can then buy a cheap and cheerful sweatshirt or jumper elsewhere and sew it on...then you can unpick it when they grow out of it and sew it on the next one.

I have bought from Asda and Tesco in the past but usually buy from M&S now, I know its more expensive but the stuff lasts so much better. I can also never get the sizes in Tesco for uniform and my DS needs adjustable waist he won't wear a belt, M&S do best for him. The M&S stain away polo shirts have lasted so well that I am putting them away for my other son , they haven't gone that horrible off-white yellow, dull colour ones from Asda seem to do. I got their winter school jackets for next term in the M&S sale ages ago so saved about £60 getting them that way.I also got school trousers for my DD in my local M&S clearance shop a few months ago when they were selling them off at £2 a pair, usually cost well over a tenner. Haven't seen any uniform in the clearance shop lately though, I checked before I bought on three for two this week. I got plimsoles in Woolies in a few sizes before they shut. Think my DD will just need a new schoolbag and shoes. Ds will just need gym shorts and shoes. I hate queuing to get them measured for shoes, my pet hate but don't want to buy them too early. Did this once for my DD, bought them four weeks before school started and two weeks after she started they were grown out of...argh.

Twinkly

Surprised no one has mentioned Ebay yet as there are often some good deals on school clothes bundles there around end of/start of school terms.

I've bought navy sweatshirts in Primark for a quid each for the last 4 years for my son. They don't normally have them in my local store - don't know about anywhere else - but I seem to have touched lucky and been in the store on the day they just happened to have a small stock in for sale in my sons size. He was a millenium baby and the 9-10 age group for boys can be horrendous to find sometimes so I grab it while I can. One year I could not track down boys white polo shirts in size 7-8 for love nor money so I had to buy the next size up.

Those saying about waistbands being too big I had the same problem but because I can sew I stretched and stitched in a 3" long piece of elastic right in the middle of the back of the waistband so when it twanged back again they fitted perfectly. I found they also fitted my neighbours son perfectly too when I passed them on. If you can't sew ask around one of your friends might be handy with a sewing machine.

Asda has an offer on at the moment buy two of sweatshirts or polo packs for £3 and buy two of skirts or trousers for £5. Its mix and match so if you have a boy and girl (like me ) it works out really well. I have found though that the larger sizes (like 9 upwards) are hard to find store to store.

I love asdas box pleat skirts and with a shake out and hanging straight up when taken out of the dryer the pleats just fall back in lovely. Once a month I give them a press just to reflatten but thats it. Same with their boys trousers just get em out hot from the dryer, shake em out, put the leg seams together, line up the crease then lie them flat on the floor and press flat with your hands. Leave for a minute or two to cool and hang up. No ironing ta daaa ! For price and quality it has to be asda for me

TractorGirl327

I think there is a glitch on the Asda website.

I just ordered:

1 x pair school shorts
3 x pairs school trousers
3 x school cardigans

And got charged a total of £2.15 (plus postage)

Shorts should be £3, charged at £0

Trousers should be £3, charged at £0

2 x cardi's should be £4, charged at 5p each

1 x cardi should be £6, charged £2.05



Order gone through, payment taken and confirmation received! :T:T

KellyWelly

I bought my son's school uniform from Next when he was in YR. They wear shorts all year round so unlike trousers you can buy them a little big and wear them for a few years until they are a little bit small. His shirts and polo shirts were Next as well and if he hadn't outgrown them they'd still be fine too. The items weren't that expensive really and given they've lasted 3 years and been good enough to pass on, I think they were definitely worth it.

I got my daughter's things from M&S and Asda. The Asda items are complete rubbish and didn't last the year. The M&S things still look new and will last until she outgrows them.

I also bought tights from Primark that were see through and had holes in the knees in a week or two but the M&S tights are not bobbled and still have a good shape.

I really think cheap uniform is a false economy, they wear it so much it needs to be of a certain quality to last.

Money_maker

Note that long sleeved shirts are not included in the Asda deal at the moment even though they are on the same racks.
Made a special trip today for 6 packs which I had to return at customer services (cos I didn't check the small print) so be warned.

Will go elsewhere (she says, nose in air).