[LukeB]

the not so privilege kids will feel pressured they have to buy expensive clothes to fit in! uniforms don't put that pressure on them.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Blurryface

I do understand this, but I think also the policies around uniform need work. You don't buy your work uniform in many instances - it's handed out.

So why, when at school, can your parents spend upwards of £100 buying a uniform that's compulsory? I had two £35 blazers (they reccomended buying 2), two long sleeved shirts and two short sleeved £30 between them, two pairs of trousers £30 between them and a pair of school standard shoes £35. That alone is £130. Then Factor in every time I need new things because I've grown, or gone up a shoe size.

tbf though a pair of decent trainers is 80 quid these days and get your Mum buying you two blazers, mine got one big one, sleeves down around their ankles in year 7 and up to their elbows by Year 11

I took my son out the other day and the trainers were 110.00 quid I nearly died

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Livia

I'm for them. It'd reduce the risk of poor kids being ridiculed for cheap trainers and no designer labels. It gives everyone a kind of equality.

All of my schools had uniforms and my kids do too and to be honest I think it only partially addresses that problem, at best. The uniforms are very rarely provided in state schools, it's just a provided list (black trousers, black shoes etc.) and the quality and fit of the items, especially things like shoes and coats, vary so widely that it's still easy to tell who has ordered in quality items and who has been on a supermarket sweep at primark. I guess it's like any formal event. They have a dress code that will be like "black suit" for men but it's still pretty obvious who has had a quality suit tailored for them and who has bought a £100 one off the rack.

To be honest I find that in non-uniform environments it's actually easier to emphasise style choices over garment quality so the differences can be LESS obvious. For example for a t shirt with a design on it, if I see a cheapo one that I like the look of I'll wear it. But when it comes to PLAIN clothing I'll always choose more expensive, higher quality items because they're almost always a better fit, more comfortable, longer lasting, and because the materials / stitching etc. are just visibly far better.

I guess somewhat shamefully we play into it with my own kids too. We spend a small fortune on their uniforms every summer (and usually again in winter because the little bastards just keep on growing!), again especially on things like shoes, coats, cardigans... But even dresses / trousers and shirts too... When we COULD just buy a load from primark, but we've tried it and it just looks cheap. We live in a fairly affluent village and I'd say that less than 10% of the kids are low income, and the number who could be described as "deprived" is really only a handful in the whole school and calling a spade a spade - you can tell from their clothes. The fact that it's a uniform makes no difference. And again I suspect I would find it harder to tell if everyone was wearing their own stuff, because it does seem so much MORE obvious when you're comparing "like for like" kids stood right next to each other.

Its a horrible thing to have to buy into I guess. But uniforms don't change it. Unless it's an actual set uniform provided... But there's no way any state school can afford that, and if parents have to order through the school that can limit choice even further and ends up making it harder for less well off families. I don't know that there is a good solution

[Morgan.]

Originally Posted by Cherie

tbf though a pair of decent trainers is 80 quid these days and get your Mum buying you two blazers, mine got one big one, sleeves down around their ankles in year 7 and up to their elbows by Year 11

I took my son out the other day and the trainers were 110.00 quid I nearly died

Yeah I mean that's true - but I always wore my £20 Asda George trainers on non uniform day, and primark clothes, and no one ever mentioned anything about it? I just think the ideology that kids care about brands others are wearing in 2019 is wrong, if anything kids these days care more that they themselves have the designer brand - other than anyone else.

[Liam-]

Originally Posted by Blurryface

It's not about being a 'fashion show', it's about expression. We are growing up in a changing world where it's increasingly becoming normal to be different - and we are forcing kids to dress identically and by the book?

And 2/7 days to wear their own clothes is hardly enough time to develop their individual identity

They can express themselves through their work, you have your whole life to develop an identity, you need to be able to wear joggers and a tank top to develop yourself.

7 days a week if you consider after school!

It gets them prepared for the real world where there are still rules and regulation about what you can and can’t wear in the workplace.

[Matthew.]

I’m for them but I don’t think it should be things like blazers or kilts etc, just the jumper with a school badge and trousers is fine imo. Like a few posts in here have said, it stops the “I’m better than you because I wear X brand” mentality that goes on

[Twosugars]

I'm for them for the reasons others mentioned already.
And for discipline in schools.

[Morgan.]

Originally Posted by Liam-

They can express themselves through their work, you have your whole life to develop an identity, you need to be able to wear joggers and a tank top to develop yourself.

7 days a week if you consider after school!

It gets them prepared for the real world where there are still rules and regulation about what you can and can’t wear in the workplace.

Yeah I mean that ones a grey area anyway. We finished at 3pm but I attended a club that went until 5 and my bus didn't get me back until 5, and by time I've had dinner, played on my phone a bit and bathed/showered, there's really not much time left in the day.

And I get there's still rules in the workplace - but they're not as strict in terms of hair, piercings, tattoos, colour of socks, length of ties etc that schools are.

[TomC]

Originally Posted by Blurryface

Yeah I mean that's true - but I always wore my £20 Asda George trainers on non uniform day, and primark clothes, and no one ever mentioned anything about it? I just think the ideology that kids care about brands others are wearing in 2019 is wrong, if anything kids these days care more that they themselves have the designer brand - other than anyone else.

I mean I literally feel like there’s label pressure at my uni. Sad but true

[LukeB]

Originally Posted by Blurryface

Yeah I mean that's true - but I always wore my £20 Asda George trainers on non uniform day, and primark clothes, and no one ever mentioned anything about it? I just think the ideology that kids care about brands others are wearing in 2019 is wrong, if anything kids these days care more that they themselves have the designer brand - other than anyone else.

That's your school though, you can't speak about other schools..It happened at my school. I got complimented because i wore my nike trainers and this other person was wearing non brand trainers and got taken the piss out of.

[bots]

Originally Posted by Cherie

don't make me leave

i vote for a no deal chexit

[Morgan.]

Originally Posted by Matthew.

I’m for them but I don’t think it should be things like blazers or kilts etc, just the jumper with a school badge and trousers is fine imo. Like a few posts in here have said, it stops the “I’m better than you because I wear X brand” mentality that goes on

Oh yeah, this works too.

My school actually changed uniform policy after I'd finished Year 8. Before we were wore polo shirts, jumpers, black trousers and black shoes of any sort (smart, trainers, pumps etc) and there were rarely rule breaks.

As soon as they switched to shirts, ties, blazers, and smart shoes it was carnage - consistent rule breaks every day and more uproar.

It just needs to be more relaxed.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Cherie

tbf though a pair of decent trainers is 80 quid these days and get your Mum buying you two blazers, mine got one big one, sleeves down around their ankles in year 7 and up to their elbows by Year 11

I took my son out the other day and the trainers were 110.00 quid I nearly died

I actually think the clothing situation is worse for boys than girls you know. From my daughters friends (8 - 10 sort of age range) I've noticed that the girls will compliment each other on cute / novel items regardless of brand or cost etc and so a £30 pair of off brand trainers or a £7 top is fine if they're "cute!" but for boys, it's more about the label and something like off-brand trainers would be social suicide. Glad I have girls. For now.

Not so much in 5 years when they start looking at £50 foundation

[Liam-]

Originally Posted by Blurryface

Yeah I mean that ones a grey area anyway. We finished at 3pm but I attended a club that went until 5 and my bus didn't get me back until 5, and by time I've had dinner, played on my phone a bit and bathed/showered, there's really not much time left in the day.

And I get there's still rules in the workplace - but they're not as strict in terms of hair, piercings, tattoos, colour of socks, length of ties etc that schools are.

In that sense I agree with you, socks and stuff isn’t a major issue, the headmistress of my high school used to hand out black socks to those wearing coloured ones

Hair I don’t have an issue with people experimenting with, that’s fair game, as well as peircings if you’re of the age to get them, but uniform for me is a must.

[Morgan.]

Originally Posted by TomC

I mean I literally feel like there’s label pressure at my uni. Sad but true

Originally Posted by LukeB

That's your school though, you can't speak about other schools..It happened at my school. I got complimented because i wore my nike trainers and this other person was wearing non brand trainers and got taken the piss out of.

Oh ok, I get where you're coming from. I've got friends from other schools in the area, and most share similar experiences to me, but then that's my area. Idk.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Blurryface

Yeah I mean that's true - but I always wore my £20 Asda George trainers on non uniform day, and primark clothes, and no one ever mentioned anything about it? I just think the ideology that kids care about brands others are wearing in 2019 is wrong, if anything kids these days care more that they themselves have the designer brand - other than anyone else.

I think in that respect cheap clothes have become from outlets like Primark have become very acceptable which is great for everyone, that said times have moved on now in that people throw things away after a few wears which is not great for the environment so one problem is solved but another one is created

[Morgan.]

Originally Posted by Liam-

In that sense I agree with you, socks and stuff isn’t a major issue, the headmistress of my high school used to hand out black socks to those wearing coloured ones

Hair I don’t have an issue with people experimenting with, that’s fair game, as well as peircings if you’re of the age to get them, but uniform for me is a must.

For us if you had coloured socks, boys had hair lower than a 2 guard, you had the wrong tie length, you had piercings anywhere other than ears, no tucked in shirt, non-smart shoes it wasn't isolation automatically until it was fixed.

And even the poorer kids, one I remember was a boy who's shoes broke on his way in, was in isolation for about a week and a half until his parents could afford new smart shoes.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I actually think the clothing situation is worse for boys than girls you know. From my daughters friends (8 - 10 sort of age range) I've noticed that the girls will compliment each other on cute / novel items regardless of brand or cost etc and so a £30 pair of off brand trainers or a £7 top is fine if they're "cute!" but for boys, it's more about the label and something like off-brand trainers would be social suicide. Glad I have girls. For now.

Not so much in 5 years when they start looking at £50 foundation

Not really it depends on the kids, my eldest always wore primark stuff and still does, while my youngest does like a brand....not sure where he gets that from

[Twosugars]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I actually think the clothing situation is worse for boys than girls you know. From my daughters friends (8 - 10 sort of age range) I've noticed that the girls will compliment each other on cute / novel items regardless of brand or cost etc and so a £30 pair of off brand trainers or a £7 top is fine if they're "cute!" but for boys, it's more about the label and something like off-brand trainers would be social suicide. Glad I have girls. For now.

Not so much in 5 years when they start looking at £50 foundation

They won't if their skin is anywhere as good as their daddy's....soft yet firm, velvety smooth and clear

[montblanc]

for because it's easier for everyone even though i never had to wear strict uniforms and would hate it

[Redway]

Originally Posted by Livia

When you get to work you'll be told to do things and you'll have to do them. Pity school isn't instilling THAT into you.

^

That.

[montblanc]

oh but schools that forces girls to wear skirts and boys to wear pants is discriminatory and should be fixed so anyone has the choice between the two regardless of sex

[Morgan.]

We got reminded that workplaces wouldn't tolerate this standard of dress every time we broke uniform rules, but at the same time when was the last time your workplace got out a ruler to measure the length of your skirt or tie whilst wearing it? I know that's not the case for every school, I was just using the example from my own.

[Twosugars]

Originally Posted by montblanc

oh but schools that forces girls to wear skirts and boys to wear pants is discriminatory and should be fixed so anyone has the choice between the two regardless of sex

slag
only bc you fancy going knickerless in a skirt and flash your ballsack around

[Redway]

Originally Posted by montblanc

oh but schools that forces girls to wear skirts and boys to wear pants is discriminatory and should be fixed so anyone has the choice between the two regardless of sex

Agreed.