How many school uniforms should I buy?

[Anonymous]

DC starting private this fall. I know they need the required blazer for special occasions but how many complete uniforms should I buy? How much is enough? A week’s worth? Two weeks? Also, what pros and cons of buying used / gently used uniforms from the school?

[Anonymous]

If a boy buy used whenever possible and get more than a week. They will lose uniform clothes in ways you never thought possible.

[Anonymous]

The answer to this really depends on how often you do laundry. Gently used uniforms from the school are great, but admittedly I have never done that.

[Anonymous]

Five full uniforms. Two special occasion blazers, used.

[Anonymous]

How often are you doing laundry? I go with 5, but I probably could do 4 since I do wash on Wednesday and Sunday.

[Anonymous]

My kid has 2 short sleeve shirts 2 long sleeve shirts and the PE uniform she wears once a week. That has been enough for us, she wears a shirt for one or two days. I buy those new because they have to have the school logo.
I but khaki pants and shorts from the thrift store. I have found Lands End, Gap, etc there for $4-6 in great condition.

[Anonymous]

How old is your child?
My daughter has 3 fall skirts / 3 winter skirts
5 fall tops and 5 winter tops

She comes home from school and hangs up her uniform skirt and puts her top in a designated wash bag. Her uniforms are washed by themselves in delicate cycle in woolite in order to extend the life.

[Anonymous]

For a boy, I've gotten away with 2-3 navy slacks (or 2 shorts for fall/spring) and 3-5 shirts. he wears the bottoms twice before washing but he wears a clean shirt daily (because he's slobby and stains the shirts often). One PE set for winter and another for fall/spring.

But I have to do laundry midweek.

Find out if your school has used uniform sales.

[Anonymous]

I try to have a week’s worth of both warm and cold weather pieces— so, 5 short sleeve and 5 long sleeve polos, 5 shorts, 5 pants, and for my daughter 5 skirts/jumpers. Our school has one formal day per week, so I have one slept sleeve/one long sleeve formal top.

Extra ties and belts are good to have on hand because boys especially lose them or ruin them in bizarre ways.

I honestly see no cons to getting secondhand items from other families at school. Kids grow so fast and it’s great to have backups. Our school does a uniform swap twice a year, and also keeps a closet that parents can check year-round to drop off outgrown items or pick up new ones.

[Anonymous]

Used skirts/jumpers are the way to go. They are indestructible; there will be landfills of polyester plaid skirts decades from now.

[Anonymous]

Most schools have uniform exchanges or sales. Go there and get as much stuff as you can. Then supplement.

[Anonymous]

Depends on how often you want to do laundry. 🙃
One full week’s worth works for us. Also depends on the age, when they’re younger they usually need fresh pants every day, once they’re older they can wear again.

[Anonymous]

I buy a week’s worth and ensure those clothes get washed every weekend.

[Anonymous]

DD graduating this year. She has had the same two awful polyester skirts for 3 years (bought used). Shirts, 3 navy polos, 2 white (which she never wears). A couple of sweatshirts.

Don't over do it - you can always buy more, you can't return the used stuff.

DEFINITELY buy used if you can - there is no need to buy new, especially if young and still growing

[Anonymous]

i would say a week's worth. you could get by with less, but why do that?