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Tracksuits To Become Standard School Uniform?

(244 Posts)
mae13 Mon 09-Feb-26 12:16:01

So - parents have been consulted and have given the 'Thumbs Up' for their offspring to attend school looking like Chavs?

Talk about dumbing down!

I attended a convent school and the uniform rules were fiercely imposed. God help any girl who didn't knot their tie correctly or was caught turning their skirt over at the waistband to make it shorter.

Wonderful discipline!

theworriedwell Tue 10-Feb-26 08:34:34

So trackiedaks is just a modern made up word? Wouldn't have been acceptable at my grammar school with a strict anti slang pro uniform policy.

Oreo Tue 10-Feb-26 08:02:31

theworriedwell

nanna8

I don’t think trackiedaks look good at all. You wear them for gardening or for sport, ugly.

No idea what trackiedaks are. Some modern word we didn't have back in the day?

Daks are another word for trousers ( Daks was a trouser make)

Calendargirl Tue 10-Feb-26 08:02:30

I would prefer a pair of smart tailored black trousers to a track suit

But even if they wear trousers, they might not be the ‘smart tailored type’.

I see many girls going to school in skin tight, skinny black jean-type trousers, I suppose in theory they meet the criteria…

Oreo Tue 10-Feb-26 07:56:19

Sarnia

When I collect my 13 year old GD from school later her skirt and those on most of the girls will be barely visible beneath her blazer. It's a school rule not to roll over the waistband but nobody seems to either obey or enforce it. During the colder months black tights lend a bit of false modesty but come the summer, nothing is left to the imagination. Imho, the girls look cheap and do not represent their school in a good light.
I have long wondered why trousers have not been introduced for the girls. I would prefer a pair of smart tailored black trousers to a track suit. It must be hard enough having 2000 hormonal teenagers under one roof. Tracksuits may make life easier.

I agree that the skirts are ridiculous, barely covering the arse!
In a school full of boys with raging hormones.
I haven’t ever worn a tracksuit but suppose it’s comfy if a bit of a sloppy look, and all will be the same.Too warm in Summer tho?

MartavTaurus Tue 10-Feb-26 07:53:33

Asda school tracksuitbottoms start at £8 a pair!

MartavTaurus Tue 10-Feb-26 07:40:18

theworriedwell

MartavTaurus

At the moment parents can get shirts , trousers,skirts etc from supermarkets at lot less
And also school tracksuit bottoms in Marks for £14 - £20 a pair depending on size. I don't consider that expensive. They come in 3 different colours.

Not all schools accept supermarket uniforms. Our local grammar school as an example insist on a specific white blouse, open neck, three quarter sleeves. You can buy six white king sleeve blouses from a supermarket for the price of one of these blouses. Then there are logos on most other things.

To be fair, I prefer to see a logo. It identifies a particular school, and in addition is supposed to create a sense of belonging to a community. As we know, the extra price is in the designing, print setting equipment and the small quantity being ordered. I'm not sure how that can be avoided. Unless we do as in France, and give means-tested grants to over 3 million families to purchase the clothes?

MartavTaurus Tue 10-Feb-26 07:34:39

Astitchintime

MartavTaurus

At the moment parents can get shirts , trousers,skirts etc from supermarkets at lot less
And also school tracksuit bottoms in Marks for £14 - £20 a pair depending on size. I don't consider that expensive. They come in 3 different colours.

£14 - £20 for kids tracksuit bottoms?! That’s IS expensive, particularly when they’d need more than one pair and had siblings needing them too! Get real MartavTaurus!

Did you read a pair? That's £7 each. The price of M & S trousers are exactly that too, so no difference. I expect the likes of Asda are even cheaper.

By the way, I am very real thank you, so keep your shirt on, or your hoodie on!

madeleine45 Tue 10-Feb-26 07:31:34

I have looked at this from many angles, as a girl at grammar school, having to wear skirts and their very expensive blazer in the summer, That was a great expense and hardly got worn, the skirt rule meaning that you froze in the winter time, and cold legs did not help you to concentrate on your work. As a parent of a child that grew very quickly and having a set uniform , meant a lot of expense, as nothing was worn out but grown out of very quickly and these set uniforms never had the kinds of hems that you would put on yourself.
As a teacher , being expected to police the uniform rule, when quite often I had every sympathy with the children having to wear something that would be too warm or too cold, and was something that was just a distraction from learning. Clothes also might be meant to make children look the same, but it would be clear to see who had new clothes and whose were hand me downs etc.

My youngest sisters school had the best idea, which both worked and was simple. The children had to wear white shirts, no tie, and grey trousers, or skirts, and jumpers. So all the school were wearing the correct colour and then there was a badge that could be sown onto the jumper or whatever. That way meant that a child could wear whatever was comfortable and suitable for that days lessons. The colour meant that the clothes were easily available at large stores, orcould be hand made etc. It worked well, cost less, and of course, did not become a way to show rebellion , just your own choice to be comfortable doing your work.

If school governers were made to wear skirts with ankle sox and shoes in the middle of a cold winter for a week, they would quickly come to their senses and at the very least these days allow tights or leggings. To have children concentrating on their lesson, rather than thinking about being too hot or too cold , is more important than clothes.

theworriedwell Tue 10-Feb-26 07:21:04

Long sleeve not king sleeve.

theworriedwell Tue 10-Feb-26 07:20:33

MartavTaurus

^At the moment parents can get shirts , trousers,skirts etc from supermarkets at lot less^
And also school tracksuit bottoms in Marks for £14 - £20 a pair depending on size. I don't consider that expensive. They come in 3 different colours.

Not all schools accept supermarket uniforms. Our local grammar school as an example insist on a specific white blouse, open neck, three quarter sleeves. You can buy six white king sleeve blouses from a supermarket for the price of one of these blouses. Then there are logos on most other things.

Astitchintime Tue 10-Feb-26 07:19:15

MartavTaurus

^At the moment parents can get shirts , trousers,skirts etc from supermarkets at lot less^
And also school tracksuit bottoms in Marks for £14 - £20 a pair depending on size. I don't consider that expensive. They come in 3 different colours.

£14 - £20 for kids tracksuit bottoms?! That’s IS expensive, particularly when they’d need more than one pair and had siblings needing them too! Get real MartavTaurus!

MartavTaurus Tue 10-Feb-26 07:09:55

At the moment parents can get shirts , trousers,skirts etc from supermarkets at lot less
And also school tracksuit bottoms in Marks for £14 - £20 a pair depending on size. I don't consider that expensive. They come in 3 different colours.

theworriedwell Tue 10-Feb-26 07:03:25

nanna8

I don’t think trackiedaks look good at all. You wear them for gardening or for sport, ugly.

No idea what trackiedaks are. Some modern word we didn't have back in the day?

theworriedwell Tue 10-Feb-26 07:02:09

M0nica

It is wonderful how somethings never change. There will always be older people who consider any change they do not approve of as 'letting standards slip', 'dumbing down' or whatever.

I wa one of the 1960s generation as are a a number of the complainers, I think. Oh, how the older generation used to complain about ue, society going to hell in a hand basket etc etc. Did they let the 60s pass them by, only wear below the knee skirts? Never go to a pop concert and scream? never have a father who said 'you are not going out dressed like that'

Given the circumstances, we haven't turned out too bad and the modern things they are complaining about are trivial compared with ours and their(?) excesses.

So true.

Wool blazers were horrible and were frequently unhygienic as not washable and no fast drycleaners back then (well not where I lived) so only done in the holidays.

Uniforms have changed, when my husband joined the police in the sixties he wore a cape, woollen tunic, shirts with removable collars that you needed collar studs for. I'm sure young police officers would laugh at them now. Nurses uniforms are also very different. No reason we can't have practical comfortable uniforms.

nanna8 Tue 10-Feb-26 06:33:08

I don’t think trackiedaks look good at all. You wear them for gardening or for sport, ugly.

Whiff Tue 10-Feb-26 05:39:20

Tracksuits as school uniform. No. They would work out more expensive,not wear as long as traditional school uniform and will not look smart at all. At the moment parents can get shirts , trousers,skirts etc from supermarkets at lot less they we paid when our children had school uniform from primary school. We brought our children 5 of each bit of school uniform for primary school apart from the tie. Highschool had 5 of everything apart from tie and blazer . Always Clarks shoes . Long term wear of trainers on growing feet will cause them problems as they get older . Plus the price of trainers they are not water proof and would be harder to clean .

I suppose it's some idiots idea who hasn't got children . Or was born with a silver spoon in their mouth . Where money is no object.🤬

What on earth is happening to this country.

fancyflowers Tue 10-Feb-26 05:25:58

Allira

^I agree that standards are dropping. Many of the comments have spelling and/or grammar errors.^

Yes, mine. Lid stockings 😁

Actually, I think plain trousers, blouse or open necked shirt with a V necked school jumper would be a good compromise.
No need for ties.

I wasn't meaning yours, Allira. I was referring to the comments on the article.

Esmay Tue 10-Feb-26 05:00:44

Do you remember gymslips ?
We always wore them .
I watched The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and thought of them for the first time for years .
I googled gymslips .They are still available in adult sizes for £100 upwards and not ,perhaps intended for school !

Wyllow3 Mon 09-Feb-26 23:25:52

Wearing skirts not shirts from 5.

Wyllow3 Mon 09-Feb-26 23:25:17

I think it's a great idea. There's a world of difference between different tracksuits! A smart tracksuit is genuinely smart!

And plain black trainers sound great to me. I'd have absolutely loved it I hated wearing shirts from age 5 at primary as we'd been tomboys in trousers expect for "Best"occasions. I also loved a uniform - less competition endnote having to worry what to put on every morning as the overheated puberty hormones bounce around.

I think it really really will help with the way boys and girls treat each other. Out of school all can wear what they want, I don't see a problem

Allira Mon 09-Feb-26 23:08:20

nanna8

They are pretty strict on uniforms here, always have been both state and private schools . When I went to school in SE London they were very,very strict and you would get a detention if you didn’t wear your hat and gloves. White gloves in Summer, navy in Winter. My great grandchildren even have to have uniforms in primary school ( state school) and they live in the country. Tracksuits just don’t cut it here unless it is a sports day. Hope we keep it that way, it is nice to see.

Some are quite formal but others are less so.
DGS's school uniform allowed some flexibility between shorts, skirts or trousers for girls and shorts or trousers for boys but length of skirts and shorts is strictly adhered to. Ties not compulsory but smart short sleeved uniform shirts or blouses must be worn. Plus a wide-brimmed hat.
It seems far stricter than some are allowed to get away with in the UK.

nanna8 Mon 09-Feb-26 22:55:20

They are pretty strict on uniforms here, always have been both state and private schools . When I went to school in SE London they were very,very strict and you would get a detention if you didn’t wear your hat and gloves. White gloves in Summer, navy in Winter. My great grandchildren even have to have uniforms in primary school ( state school) and they live in the country. Tracksuits just don’t cut it here unless it is a sports day. Hope we keep it that way, it is nice to see.

Allira Mon 09-Feb-26 22:45:08

a shirt of any colour

Some schools have polo shirts with the name of the school or badge embroidered on them.
The problem is they are usually far more expensive per shirt than a pack of two plain ones from one of the stores that sell plain uniforms.

Cumbrianmale56 Mon 09-Feb-26 22:39:10

I would sooner have a simpler uniform of a jumper with the school name, a shirt of any colour, dark pants and shoes. The traditional school uniform, unless you attend an independent school, is too expensive and tracksuits look too scruffy.
As an adult, I've only had two jobs where I had to wear formal dress and work in an environment where no one has to wear a shirt and tie, but wearing branded tracksuits, football shirts and hoodies isn't allowed.

Basgetti Mon 09-Feb-26 22:33:29

Good. Why on earth should 5 year olds have to wear ties when city directors go to work in shorts?
Our grandson has to wear shorts in 0 degrees. Ridiculous.