Why is school uniform so expensive?

[Azhria Lilu]

Just been shopping to pick up the kids school uniform. Decided to get it out of the way early in the holidays because towards the end it's a nightmare finding the right sizes. Some of the uniform has to be bought direct from the school, so here's the costs:-

For the four younger ones who are in Junior school (ages 4 through to 9) I had to buy 4 sweaters, 4 PE kits, 4 Reading Folders from the school totalling £90.

For the eldest who starts secondary school in September, I had to buy a sweater, blazer, PE kit, and tie from school totalling £100.

On top of that, I've had to pay out for 5 new coats, 5 pairs of trousers, 4 skirts/pinafores, 4 kagools (since the youngest four have to walk to and from school in all weather) 4 pairs of plimsoles, 5 pairs of trainers, 5 pairs of school shoes, 5 packs of black school socks and 1 pack of white sports socks, 5 pairs of Wellington Boots and two school bags coming to a total of almost £500.

As well as that, I still have to pick up all stationery items for Shannon, 4 lunchboxes and 5 waterbottles.

So, to date, £690 with an additional £30 or so to still pay out.

#school #uniform #expensive

 

[Martin]

Wow.. that's insane.. One of the major issues is certainly the fact that you have to buy it from the school. Being the sole provider they can jack the prices up. Never had that issue in Sweden as school uniforms was removed here a very long time ago but I feel your pain. Having to put out so much money just for school clothes. Not every family have that money to front like that.. It's a lot of money.

#monopoly #provider #supplydemand

 

[Azhria Lilu]

Heh.. we don't really have the money either.. we have to reduce outgoing in other areas to swallow the cost.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Luckily in my parts, kids just wear whatever they want so you can easily pick up a good outfit at waly world!

 

[Martin]

Heh.. we don't really have the money either.. we have to reduce outgoing in other areas to swallow the cost.

Yeah but at least you can do that.. I just can't believe they'd use a system like that. If you're going to have school uniforms the school should provide said uniforms. Or at least make it so that they're not the only providers and such the cost would significantly be lowered.

I hate monopoly...

 

[Brad]

Yeah but at least you can do that.. I just can't believe they'd use a system like that. If you're going to have school uniforms the school should provide said uniforms. Or at least make it so that they're not the only providers and such the cost would significantly be lowered.

I hate monopoly...

Usually when they implement uniforms they're supposed to be multiple vendors but what ends up happening is eventually the school gets a monopoly and drives up the cost.

They never made us wear them but they got close to pushing it through multiple times when I was going to middle/high school. The argument they always used was it keeps the richer kids from bullying the poor kids based on clothing. Personally never bought that argument because kids will haze each other for any reason.

They also argued that it prevented the girls from skirting the dress codes.

 

[Judge Dredd]

My schools forces us to wear uniforms, but luckily, you can buy or bootleg the patches, purchase some red collared and lower garments and sew them on yourself. If you're good at it they won't suspect a thing.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I need to visit the UK and see all these different systems.

 

[Azhria Lilu]

I need to visit the UK and see all these different systems.

What different systems?

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I dunno, yall do things differently over there than we do here. Its just interesting