Holes! In everything! Holes in socks, holes in the knees of trousers, holes in shoes, holes in his book bag!
I don’t know about you, but I like to send my children to school looking fairly decent! Of course, Callum is a boy (in case you hadn’t noticed) and boys will be boys. Climbing, scuffing, skimming across the playground. Many girls too, I imagine! 
What started off on the first day of school as stark white shirt tucked in, neatly pressed collar out over slightly oversized school jumper, smart black shoes to finish it off (take a look at the picture) has turned into an off-white shirt with pen and food stains on, tatty trousers with holes in all the knees (3 out of 5 pairs – the 2 without were bought 2 weeks ago, then 2 pairs bought just before Christmas and the other 1 in September – one pair from September has been thrown away), shoes that now sport a sunroof to let the rain in and his bag has taken constant battering from being dragged along the floor!
Suspecting Callum might grow out of school clothes pretty quick, I didn’t splash out on anything expensive, I went to Asda! However, he hasn’t grown out of them size wise just worn through them. I, at least, thought the book bag would last until the end of the school year!
So maybe I should spend a bit more for quality and the clothes might last longer…is this true? If I apply this logic to the shoes we bought, we thought we’d invest in a decent pair of Clarks for his first pair of school shoes in the hope they’d last. Yet they look like they have been handed down through the generations. I certainly can’t afford to spend £45 on a pair of school shoes every 6 months!!! I desperately need work shoes myself but haven’t bought any because I can’t be spending that much on a pair of shoes but at least I’d know I was at least paying for material! In fact, I think my last pair of M&S shoes cost £25 – my last pair of shoes were £6!!
Is it all boys? Is it all children? How long do your children’s school clothes last? Do you splash out or buy bulk of cheap?
Samuel's stuff doesn't last long. He ruins the bottoms of his trousers but I only renew when they get really scraggy as I know within a week new ones will be the same. He's not too bad with shoes.
ReplyDeleteOlly and Issy are growing rapidly so they cost the most. I buy Clarks shoes every 2-3 months....for two so 8 pairs a year ish.
I haven't bought proper shoes for 2 years for myself, although my mum kindly bought me a nice pair of boots for Xmas and I bought some cheap sandals and flip flops last summer.
I just save each week ready to buy as and when the kids need stuff and have found with shoes it doesn't pay to buy cheap. Issy went through 4 pairs of cheap summer shoes last year and not because she grew out of them. Ive learned a good lesson there
I've had to send Callum to school for the last two weeks in holey shoes and trousers and feel so bad - I'm hoping that it is common place at their age and he isn't the only one. Its reassuring to hear that it is fairly normal.
DeleteYeah, my £6 shoes were in the summer - before that it was a pair of work shoes 2 years ago. Stuart has bought me 2 pairs of snow boots as Christmas presents in the last 4 years which I end up living in and they go so tatty so quick because they get worn so much.
We put money by each month but £30 a month doesn't really cover what the whole family needs.
Thank you so much for reading and commenting.