When I was at primary school, we didn’t have a school uniform and so your everyday clothes for home were also your clothes for school. These days, you’d be hard pushed to find a school which doesn’t have a uniform requirement, and so finding the best quality and also affordable school uniform items which will last is really important.
Disclosure: Paid partnership
In this blog post, I will be showcasing some back to school uniform options from Very, BUT I will also be showing you how to utilise these pieces outside of school, mixing and matching them with everyday wear to make the most of your child’s wardrobe and maximise use of clothing so that your budget goes further and your washing pile gets smaller…
Back to school - choosing versatile uniform pieces
Charlotte models back to school uniform:
Girl's school shoes: Lelli Kelly size 11.5
Grey cardigan: 6-7yr
Grey jersey pinafore age 6-7yr
White polo top - 6-7yr
Arthur models back to school uniform:
Boy's school Shoes - size 2G
Grey jumper: 8-9yr
White polo top 8-9yr
Grey school shorts 8-9 yr
The star of the show here has to be the Lelli Kelly girl’s school shoes...
We chose the parent bow as we thought this would look great outside of school too - but we got a fabulous surprise when they arrived….not only do the shoes come with an alternative plain strap ( for more strict uniform rules) there are other interchangeable straps including one with a Velcro on/off heart option, which can also be coloured in and decorated with special colour changing pens which come with the shoes! Now, if you follow me on social media you’ll know that we’ve had a bit of a journey this last year with “Charlotte’s shoe designs” as she has attempted to make and wear many of her own shoes, so IMAGINE the joy at discovering she could actually decorate and change these shoes herself too…AMAZING! If course, you aren’t limited by the Velcro hearts provided either, you can make and add your own Velcro attachments too. She is overjoyed with these shoes and they will work with a number of skirts, dresses and trousers outside of school too.
Arthur chose these footballer inspires school shoes - which come in both lace up or Velcro options. Lacing up shoes is still a work in progress here, so Velcro and go was the preference! I am hoping that these will last the distance with the playground football matches at break times … they certainly look sturdy enough!
The cotton airtex shirts are perfect for keeping cool in summer and can be used as part of a normal school uniform, as a PE top or as a plain top for outside of school too - alongside joggers, jeans or shorts. They are 100% cotton and can easily be colour dyed to match a uniform in a hard to find colour if needed.
The grey jersey pinafore is lovely and soft, and works well as both a smart uniform dress, or a more casual pinafore dress outside of school. You can pair this with a long sleeved top or shirt for a smart/casual day look at home.
School cardigans and jumpers without a logo are great for layering in changeable weather and also work well for a smart/casual look alongside jeans or a dress at home or out for dinner. Adding a shirt underneath the V neck can completely change the look.
If you have a child who prefers to wear shorts in all weathers (like Arthur) then school shorts are just a colour variation on all other options of shorts…it just depends what you wear them with! These ones can be dressed up or down and are not limited to school only.
If your school allows backpacks, or even if they are required for school trips only, these CK bags are versatile enough for so many different uses and with care, they will last through Primary into High School too. Big enough for a PE kit, change of clothes, lunch bag or even to carry school books.
Have you got your school uniforms sorted yet?
We were really surprised by the choice, quality and speed of delivery with Very.co.uk and will definitely be looking for future pieces from here.
Is your child starting school for the first time? Have a read of my starting school poem here (tissues ready!) or my post on preparing your child for Reception class here.