School Uniforms - how many of what do you buy?

[Pandora]

SO I have the uniform pricelists from the schools we are looking at for DS1.

But how many of each things do I need - shorts/trousers/socks/shirts?
I have no idea for boys, but I remember that when I was at school I had 1 jumper, 1 tunic (winter) 2 summer dresses and 2 skivvies.

Is it the same for boys? Obviously not the same items, lol, but for trousers/shorts/shirts, would 2 of each be enough?

And how many pair of socks? 3?

Just trying to figure out the cost a little more accurately.

ETA: wow are girls uniforms more pricey! I'm glad I have boys.

[Lulu]

I think 2 trousers, 2 shorts but 3 shirts/tops.

I always get 5 pairs of socks, all the same brand so matching isn't a PITA.

[Pandora]

thanks
Socks are have schools clours/banding so theres no choice, which sux when they're 7.50 a pair.

[Trillian]

My kids have three shirts each because they are yellow and get grubby looking pretty quickly, DS has 3 pairs of shorts for summer, 3 pairs of trousers for winter, 2 pairs of trackies, 1 pr sports shorts, 2 jumpers and 1 sports jacket. As well as the shirts DD has 3 skorts, 1 pair sports shorts, 2 winter skirts, 2 trackies, 2 jumpers and 1 sports jacket. As for socks, they have 10 pairs each.

[Rouge]

Budget for accidents, be it with permanent Marker or ink or anything or even just a hole from play. And make sure you label everything! Even shoes!

[~Raven~]

I will have to do a full stocktake to be sure but I think it's 4 full changes. I don't need the pressure of having to wash their uniforms all the time either. I ended up buying more from the uniform shop to make life easier.

We tried to only have a couple but with my grots I couldn't do it If they're not playing footy and getting filthy it's food or general schmutz.

Also if they are the tracksuit style ones they will shrink in the dryer. I found out that the hard way After an emergency wash and dry poor M had pants up above his ankles!

[Pandora]

oooh 4 full changes...wow..I will have to do some maths!
Not including blazer, thats roughly $500 for one of everything..so 4 of everything is not going to be possible. I will have to investigate the second hand uniform shop as well.

[Sweet Bliss]

This is an interesting thread, cos I was wondering the same thing!
This is the price list for the school we have chosen for DD for next year, it is private, I was wondering how it compares? Also, when should I purchase it, do you think at the end of the year?
(sorry for gatecrashing this thread!)

Primary Shorts $23.00
Primary Trackpants $18.00
Primary Summer Dress $55.00
Primary Pinafore $55.00 - $57.00
Primary Jumper $32.00
Polo Shirt (short sleeve) $22.00
Hats $15.00
Secondary Girls Skirt $49.00 - $60.00
Secondary Girls Dress $59.00 - $62.00
Secondary Boys Pants $45.00
Secondary Boys Shorts $39.00
Wool V Neck Jumper $74.50-$92.50
Rugby Jumper $80.00 - $85.00
Long Sleeve White Shirt $20.35
Tie $20.35

Secondary Sports Polo $28.00 - $45.00
Secondary Sports Shorts $28.00 - $35.00
Secondary Trackpants $34.00 - $40.00
Secondary Tracktop $64.00,- $71.00

[Tinks]

All my kids started at school with 2 shirts, 2 jumpers and 2 pairs of pants. Every year I buy 2 more of each. They stayed in the same size for a couple of years then when they grew out of that size I passed it down to the next in line. So my eldest now has 2 of everything in his size, the middle has more and the youngest has STACKS!!

He won't be needing an extra jumper or long pants in summer so you could start him off with 1 jumper, 1 pair of long pants and 2 pairs of shorts and buy more throughout the year as he needs more.

Does your school sell second hand uniforms? Perhaps you could buy 1 of each then buy a 2nd set 2nd hand to save some cash.

[Trillian]

Mind you though, I get two years out of the shirts, shorts/skorts/skirts and jumpers. The only things that I have had to replace yearly are the trousers because it's so noticeable when they grow LOL. DS has had his sports coat since Kindergarten - it was a bit big on him then and now it's a bit small, but still does the job and he's been at school for 4 years now so some of the stuff you will get loads of use out of unless he's really hard on gear and gets it too stained etc or if he grows too much.

[Rouge]

I have

3 summer dresses
2 polo shirts
3 skivies (non uniform shop and no logo)
5 pairs of pants (they are a cross between slacks and lycra way more attractive than slacks!)
3 pairs of tracksuit pants (purely because they do not last and that way you've got backup!)
1 bomber jacket (if it were DS I'd get 2 as DS is messy!)
1 bucket hat
10,000 pairs of white socks


Keep in mind you can purchase some items from other places like Lowes or Target. Check within your area as to what stores have what. The only problem is with Target the range isn't year round its only at the beginning of the year.

I do buy everything that has a logo from the uniform shop, otherwise I purchase items from Lowes. I hate the slacks and will not be getting DS' from the uniform shop they are just hideous and not practical not to mention the waists don't fit the skinnier boys.

With the bomber jacket I got it in prep a size to big and she's just growing out of it now in grade 2. And I'll pass it down to DS as a spare. So keep in mind it does feel like a small fortune now, but it will get more than one wear with siblings depending on the item (obviously not tracksuit pants )

[*TripleJ*]

well i remember in skool we had about 3 dresses coz we wore them more often not much help coz we are girls lol i only had one pair of pants and shorts and a netball skirt 2 shirts my mum used to wash a lot and one jumper and one jacket but uniform was cheaper then coz we didnt have to have logos or anything most things we got at the start of the year at target so yeah not much help
primary uniforms are starting to get like high skool uniforms its cute yes but bloody expensive

[Pandora]

Blazer $174
Wool Jumper $65-73
LS Shirt $40
SS Shirt $38
Tie $16.50
Hat $14
Trousers $35
Shorts $23
Sock (with school coloured ribbing) $8.50

Rugby top $80
Polo $31
House Polo $27.50
Track pants $22
shorts $29

Everything other than trousers, shorts, track pants and sports shorts has school emblems or colours on it so needs to be bought from the school or the uniform supplier

[~Raven~]

I think your little blokes uniform is a bit more formal than ours

[Trillian]

Well whatever stuff that you don't have to get with a logo, get it from a regular shop for a lot cheaper. Also I know a few mums who buy cheaper shirts from BigW etc and then take them to get the logo put on it for only a few $$ and that still works out cheaper than buying it from the local uniform supplier.

ETA - and there are some things that he wont need right away, like the long sleeve shirt, trousers and trackies etc and you would only need 1 jumper to start the year JIC there is a cold snap, so there are something that you wont have to buy at the start of the year.

[Pandora]

...

ETA - and there are some things that he wont need right away, like the long sleeve shirt, trousers and trackies etc and you would only need 1 jumper to start the year JIC there is a cold snap, so there are something that you wont have to buy at the start of the year.

I actually hadnt thought of that, that he wont need it all at once, thanks

[Amity]

I'm lucky, DS's only 'uniform" with logos etc is jumper and t-shirt and hat.

I bought from Target at the beginning of the year - 3 shorts, 3 trackpants, 6 skivvies (3 blue 3 yellow), bucketloads of blue sox (like 15 pairs). From the uniform shop - 2 shirts ($30 each) and 2 jumpers ($35 each) and one hat ($19). He lost the hat within a week. I made him go with a bright red hat for the rest of the term and bought him a new one at the start of Term 2.

Mind you he also lost a lunchbox and 4 drinkbottles in the first term... and EVERYTHING was named...

[Trillian]

He lost the hat within a week. I made him go with a bright red hat for the rest of the term and bought him a new one at the start of Term 2.

Mind you he also lost a lunchbox and 4 drinkbottles in the first term... and EVERYTHING was named...

Oh yeah, we've been down that road. We lost a hat for an entire term once and it did turn up at the start of the next term as I have our surname sew onto everything like that so it's useless for anyone else to use (but after going through 4 kids it's gonna be useless anyway LOL)