🎓 Ask Art: Have I Left It Too Late to Buy School Uniform?
Real advice from Grays Schoolwear
“Art, it’s August and I still haven’t bought the school uniform. Have I left it too late?”
First of all: don’t panic.
You’re certainly not the only parent asking that question.
Every summer, families suddenly look at the calendar and realise the first day back isn’t very far away. Perhaps you’ve been waiting for payday, your child has had a growth spurt, you’ve been away on holiday, or life has simply been busy.
Whatever the reason, you haven’t necessarily left it too late — but now is definitely the time to get organised.
Start With What You Already Have
Before buying anything, get last year’s uniform out of the wardrobe and ask your child to try it on.
Check the:
- Blazer
- Jumper or cardigan
- Shirts or blouses
- Trousers or skirts
- PE kit
- School shoes
- Coat
You might be pleasantly surprised.
Some items may still have another term in them, while others will make you wonder how your child managed to grow quite so much over the summer!
Buy the School-Specific Items First
If time is getting short, prioritise the items that are specific to your child’s school.
That might include:
- School blazer
- Badged jumper or cardigan
- School tie
- Branded PE shirt
- PE shorts
- School tracksuit or ¼ zip
- Other compulsory branded items
Generic items such as plain shirts, socks and trousers can often be easier to replace.
The school-specific pieces are the ones I’d get sorted first.
Don’t Guess the Size
When parents are in a hurry, there’s a temptation to think:
“He was a 30-inch last year, so I’ll just order a 32.”
Children don’t always grow quite as predictably as we’d like!
If possible, measure your child or bring them in for fitting advice.
A few minutes spent getting the size right can save you the hassle of exchanging items later.
Check the School Shoes
This is one that’s easily forgotten.
Your child’s uniform might still fit, but their feet may have grown considerably over the summer.
Ask them to try their school shoes on with the socks they’ll actually wear to school.
If they’re uncomfortable now, they’re certainly not going to feel any better after a full day back in the classroom.
Don’t Forget the PE Kit
We’ve seen this one many times.
Blazer? Sorted.
Shirts? Sorted.
Trousers? Sorted.
Then the evening before the first PE lesson…
“Mum, where’s my PE kit?”
Check the school’s requirements now and make sure everything still fits.
Don’t forget trainers and sports socks too.
What If My Size Is Out of Stock?
Don’t immediately buy something far too big just because it’s available.
Ask us.
There may be another option, stock may be arriving, or we may be able to suggest the best alternative.
That’s what we’re here for.
Should I Buy Everything at Once?
Not necessarily.
If you’re working to a budget or simply running out of time, concentrate on the essentials your child needs for their first week.
You can always add spare shirts, another jumper or additional PE kit afterwards.
The priority is getting your child comfortable, correctly fitted and ready for their first day.
⭐ Art’s Top Tip
Don’t try to do everything at once.
Start with the compulsory school-specific items, then shoes and PE kit, followed by everyday essentials such as shirts, trousers, skirts, socks and tights.
Work through the list one item at a time.
You’ll probably discover you’re much more organised than you thought.
And Please Don’t Panic!
Back-to-school shopping can feel stressful, particularly when September suddenly seems very close.
But remember: we’ve been doing this for a very long time.
At Grays Schoolwear, we’ve been helping families get ready for school since 1920.
We’ve seen growth spurts.
We’ve seen forgotten PE kits.
We’ve seen children who apparently grew out of everything they owned during a two-week holiday.
And we’ve helped plenty of parents who walked through the door convinced they’d left everything too late.
We’ll help you get sorted.
💬 Ask Art
Got a school uniform question?
Perhaps you’re unsure about sizing. Maybe you don’t know exactly what your child’s school requires. Or perhaps you’ve opened the wardrobe and discovered that absolutely nothing fits anymore!
Whatever it is, Ask Art.
Pop into our Blackburn or Clitheroe stores, get in touch with the Grays team or send us your question.
It might even become the subject of our next Ask Art guide.
“No question is too small. If it matters to your family, it matters to us.”
— Art & the Grays Schoolwear Team