General Chat

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Over 40 years ago my parents found it hard to find the money to pay for my school uniform. The clothes I needed were available from one outfitter, based in London, and were overpriced.

When my son went to senior school in the 1980’s his blazer had to be of a certain style, but was widely available, and all I did was sew on a school badge

From listening to the radio this morning, I gather that schools have taken a backward step and are insisting that uniforms are purchased from a specific outfitter, and parents are paying over the odds for blazers bearing the school badge

What are your experiences?

Morning, Dee,

My school uniform had to be bought at a specialist shop and was very expensive, I seem to remember. We were allowed to have our summer uniform made if we hated the shirt-waisters that were sold but we had to use "approved" patterns and the fabric was much more expensive than ordinary summer fabric and only available from the one place.

We chose a school that had no uniform for our son but there was constant pressure from some parents to introduce one. I resisted this to the bitter end (as did other parents) and, eventually the uniform was only compulsory for new children. The governors forced it through against the wishes of the head teacher.

This was become some parents didn't know how to say no to what their children wanted to wear to school or were too scared to, so expected the school to do it for them. Until the uiform was introduced the school had a dress code which had worked very well for 25 years.

I hate school uniform. I think the kids usually look scrufffy because

1) there will always be kids like me who did all they could to individualise the uniform - eg short ties.

2) if the uniform still fits parents make kids wear stuff that is often only fit for the bin.

Gwynne

We have a son and 2 daughters.

Son's secondary school uniform was available anywhere,white shirt, charcoal grey trousers - l just had to sew on a blazer badge, as mentioned and buy a school tie.

The girls' school was quite different.
Their uniform was only available from one local outfitter, if we hadn't purchased through the London outfitter, who visited on a new pupils' open day before the new school year.
Blouses, - light blue, had rounded collars and were about £9 each back in 1980s, so expensive compared with a pack of 'normal' ones available on the High Street.
The £34 blazer, - an unusual non-standard mid to French Navy blue was phased out between the 2 girls joining the school...
The uniform changed between the 1st year entry of the 2 girls, so nothing could be used as extras for 2nd daughter.
The 2nd one wore a kilt, £25 in 1993, and in the summer she had a linen type skirt.... HAND wash only.....Who thought of that? It looked so creased most days.
Polo shirts and school jumpers now have stitched logos so can only be bought from designated shops.


Gwyn

Hi Gwynne

I agree with what you say about scruffy uniforms. To be honest they do no credit to the school. A dress code does seem a better way to tackle the problem, but of course some parents will not be able to influence their children's choice of clothes

Gwyn , It seems that it does often come down to the colour that the school chooses for the uniform. Mine was grey and maroon, colours rarely seen in the High Street shops. My son's blazer was dark navy, which was readily available

That's a good point Joan, perhaps the teachers should set a better example

Dee

I went to a grammar school in Liverpool.

The uniform HAD to be purchased in Lewis's. Not the cheapest store to buy from. Everything from knee socks and straw hat (summer) felt hat (winter) to the school blazer (summer) and mac (winter).

The winter uniform had a kilt, the tartan exclusivley designed and named after the school, so no substitute! The summer uniform was also exclusive.
I can imagine the extra burden the cost of the uniform put upon my working class parents. But they did it.

By the way, I'm all for school uniforms.


Deb

DEE
TESCO,S
SKIRTS FROM £3.50
TROUSERS FROM £4.50
CARDIGAN £3
SWEATSHIRT £5
SHIRTS THINK 2 FOR £5
SHOES SIZE 12 £10
GRANDDAUGHTER £30 TOTAL
GRANDSON £40 TOTAL

I USED TO BUY JUMPERS FROM JUMBLE SALES UN PICK RE KNIT

Got boys trousers yesterday - 2 pairs each.

7 year old in 9 year old size - cost for 2 pairs from Tesco £8
9 year old in 13 year old size - cost for 2 pairs from BHS £20 !!

I'd forgotten about the hats. Awful things.

Our uniform was bottle green and we had to buy it from the correct place - even coats and macs.

PE kit was also very expensive and from the same place.

We had to wear gymslips until the third year when we could wear skirts and the sixth form also had a different uniform. In the Upper VIth we got to wear tassels on our hats.

Gwynne

YOU CAN BUY CHEAP
BUT AFRAID SOME
MUMS THINK TESCO NOT GOOD ENOUGH
BHS HAS BLAZERS REDUCED EXCELLENT VALUE

OH WHAT DO YOU DO WITH OLD UNIFORM
DAUGHTER ALWAYS GIVES
OUTGROWN TO SCHOOL

Not too bad for me now, only one at school,was a nightmare when all four of them were at school.
Son wears uniform, but I only need to sew on school badge to blazer & he has to wear a tie.All other items I can get in town, usually BHS.
I agree with Joan, if the pupils have to wear uniform, so should teachers.

Hev x

I think it is the schools that insist on uniforms in the more outlandish colours, or as Deb's school did, a certain tartan, that are the ones that deny the parents the chance to buy in the High Street stores.

I am not even sure, thinking back, that the quality of the clothes from the outfitters was very good, which made it even more annoying

Dee

I think the entire teaching profession would come out in strike if it was suggested that we had to wear uniforms.

Forcing kids to wear them is one thing but trying to force adults would be impossible.

I remember complaining to a teacher that she was wearing jewellery and I wasn't allowed to and she said it's because she was a grown up and when I grew up I could choose what to wear.

I still get kids complaining about the same thing today - and the fact that I wear nail varnish. I give them the same answer that I got.

Gwynne

I went to a well known school in Liverpool who wear purple blazers. I don't know about now, but in my time uniforms could only be purchased from the school shop. From what I can remember, they were very hard wearing any used to last a couple of years.

I am in favour of school uniforms, they look smart & give a sense of identity. Also easy to report bad/good behaviour & truancy to the school.
I had to buy from one outfitter for my daughters at senior school. Even the blouses/shirts had the school crest on the pockets as well as the blazers. Not cheap but they lasted all through their time at school, I think I had only to replace one skirt in that time. Will these "cheaper" supermarket items last for the same length of time, or will they prove as or more expensive in the end?
The 6th form also had its own uniform, very smart black blazers & tartan skirts in a choice of lengths, short & long. guess which one they all wore?. We saw the same skirts on sale in Warehouse which made them feel a bit better about it.
I went to a school with no rigid uniform policy & we all suffered a girl who would come back after lunch in a different outfit, every day.
Pat

Hi Peter and Pat, it was our school gaberdines that were poor quality, they didn't seem to be as sturdy as the one my Dad used to have, which was from a High Street Store.

They were certainly generous in their sizes, things seemed to last forever

I too went to a Grammar school.
Winter uniform for the first 2 years was a grey serge gymslip, white blouse, bottle green cardigan or jumper, bottle green blazer, socks and beret.
In the third year we could wear a skirt and beret was optional -ties had to be worn in the winter.
Summer uniform was a green & white striped dress, or open necked blouse and skirt.
The gymslip, blazer, beret and tie could only be bought from a small expensive outfitters. However, there was a second hand shop in the school - which was where my uniform came from!!
As there was only one other intake of children after me, (Grammar schools were axed) the regulations gradually becoame more relaxed.

My daughters went to a local comprehensive that had ideas above it's station!
Black jumper & blazer, grey skirt and tie for winter.
Summer - well to begin with it was red or grey skirt and open necked blouse. Then they changed it for a grey skirt, then, the school insited children wore ties long sleeved shirts and blazers all year round!!
The children had to ask to take off their blazers - amazingly some teachers refused - even in the 'oh so modern' glass buildings. The smell of sweat was overbearing at times!!
Just after my children left, the school introduced a new tie that could only be bought from the school - cost? £20!!

I think uniforms are a good idea, but question the need for ties.
I don't know any woman who wears a tie to work, and many men - even those in high positions - don't wear one either. How often have you seen Prescott ot Blair tieless?? (I'll ignore Brown - he seems to have some sort of 'issue' LOL)
One local comprehensive school has polo or sweat shirts (with the school badge on) and grey or black trousers (boys & girls) or skirts (girls!!)
The children look comfortable and relaxed.

maggie

Dee
I remember my gabardine mac, I never did "grow into it"! It seemed indestructible at the time.
When did anyone last see a child in a gaberdine mac? Mine fell about laughing at the mere suggestion. Rain, snow or shine, bare heads & no coats was the order of the day.
Pat

There was a song about a gabardine mac

Give me back my gabardine mac
It's no good to you
Here am I nearly 6' 5
And you're only 4' 2

xx

Pat, the last year we were allowed charcoal grey duffle coats, instead of the macs. I only wore mine a few times for school but have still got it, I wear it to walk the dog when we have snow

Maggie, you saying about the rules brought back memories. I was at school in the age of the mini skirt and we all hauled our skirts up and tucked them over at the top. On our way out of assembly we had to kneel in front of the deputy head. He had a ruler, and he checked how far our skirt hems were from the floor. Doubt they would get away with that these days

Dee
x

I hadn't heard that Kitty, but it is good ;-))