Anonymous wrote:Actually its the black shoes that annoys me. They aren't the same size from winter concert to spring concert. I'm thinking of starting a black dress shoe exchange at school.

When I was in high school, I was sort of on my own with this stuff. I found a pair of black Nikes and sharpied over the swoosh.

Anonymous wrote:Everyone is missing the point that for some families buying black shoes and pants for a single event is not affordable. Maybe not for OP who seems more annoyed than anything, but I'm certain it is an issue for plenty of others.

It was for me. I bought second hand. Some kids wore what they had or could borrow. One school... maybe the teacher... had pants and shirts you could rent, basically. They were donated by parents whose kids had outgrown them.

Poorer students tend to go to schools where they have a dress code anyway. My Title One school just has the kids wear their uniforms- khakis and red pants. Any shoes are fine.

Everyone is missing the point that for some families buying black shoes and pants for a single event is not affordable. Maybe not for OP who seems more annoyed than anything, but I'm certain it is an issue for plenty of others.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do your boys really wear black pants instead of khakis? Really?

All the boys I know wear khakis (which work well for Christmas, Easter, thanksgiving, church, etc.).

Ditto for black shoes. All the boys I know wear Sperrys/docksiders (which (again) can be worn for both Christmas and Easter).

re: girls - why not simply have them wear a dress of their choice? Boys in khakis, white dress shirts and a tie (of their choice), and girls in the dress of their choice. The winter holiday concert presents a perfect opportunity for kids to wear their holiday outfit.

For the same reason the eockettes don’t just wear what each of the individually wants to wear - it’s about the aesthetic.

+1 because sometimes you are "inconvenienced" in life

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do your boys really wear black pants instead of khakis? Really?

All the boys I know wear khakis (which work well for Christmas, Easter, thanksgiving, church, etc.).

Ditto for black shoes. All the boys I know wear Sperrys/docksiders (which (again) can be worn for both Christmas and Easter).

re: girls - why not simply have them wear a dress of their choice? Boys in khakis, white dress shirts and a tie (of their choice), and girls in the dress of their choice. The winter holiday concert presents a perfect opportunity for kids to wear their holiday outfit.

My kid wouldn't be caught dead in khakis and Sperrys. Also why do you assume everyone is Christian?

+1

What holiday outfit?

Anonymous wrote:Do your boys really wear black pants instead of khakis? Really?

All the boys I know wear khakis (which work well for Christmas, Easter, thanksgiving, church, etc.).

Ditto for black shoes. All the boys I know wear Sperrys/docksiders (which (again) can be worn for both Christmas and Easter).

re: girls - why not simply have them wear a dress of their choice? Boys in khakis, white dress shirts and a tie (of their choice), and girls in the dress of their choice. The winter holiday concert presents a perfect opportunity for kids to wear their holiday outfit.

Black pants and white shirt is standard. They are there to present their music not their holiday outfits.

Maybe Don't put them in band if something so simple is an issue.

When my kid was outgrowing everything we went to a thrift store. His school referred to it as their uniform.

OP must not have been in band or chorus or orchestra when she was in school. Black pants (and black dresses!) have been required forever.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is standard concert attire for every school band and chorus concert since the beginning of time.

+1

Do u live under a rock Op?

Maybe OP can't afford it. Think of all the high FARMS schools. Forgo something something else they need for a one night event or tell kid they can't participate?

Oh so the poor kids should wear khakis, a tie and Sperrys instead?

Ours says you can wear dark pants which is great for us since we don't have black pants for our son.

My school always asks for something like this the day before the concert (the kicker for me is the plain white shirt - who buys those for messy boys and Target is always out of them in the larger sizes) and the still sticks a school t-shirt over the top. If we have black pants (and again, I can always find them in 5t, but not 10 or 12) then he wears them but if not, dark navy or dark wash jeans. My kid is doing that "grow a size every four months" thing, so we don't always have the one-time-use things available.

Anonymous wrote:Do your boys really wear black pants instead of khakis? Really?

All the boys I know wear khakis (which work well for Christmas, Easter, thanksgiving, church, etc.).

Ditto for black shoes. All the boys I know wear Sperrys/docksiders (which (again) can be worn for both Christmas and Easter).

re: girls - why not simply have them wear a dress of their choice? Boys in khakis, white dress shirts and a tie (of their choice), and girls in the dress of their choice. The winter holiday concert presents a perfect opportunity for kids to wear their holiday outfit.

My kid wouldn't be caught dead in khakis and Sperrys. Also why do you assume everyone is Christian?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is standard concert attire for every school band and chorus concert since the beginning of time.

+1

Do u live under a rock Op?

Maybe OP can't afford it. Think of all the high FARMS schools. Forgo something something else they need for a one night event or tell kid they can't participate?

I was surprised by this at firet, too, OP- and nor does my son typically own black pants or black shoes. But after attending 5 years of these concerts, I can see why the tradition is there - it does look very professional and cohesive up on the stage to have the whole band dressed similarly and the black and white is a sharp look. I still feel it is a bruden for some families, in particular the black shoe requirement since shoes are more expensive than pants- although that is obv not your point OP since you had to mention that all the kids wear VV in your area (I live in lowly Bethesda and that is not the case here where there is a variety of dress).

I bought them at Old Navy for like $12. Not a big deal. As for shoes, he just wear some brown Bucks he already has. I'm not buying black shoes he will wear once. They are definitely more expensive than pants.