Sewing Patterns & Supplies

bag sewing equipment

Matalan School Uniforms – Back to School Checklist

When it comes to kitting out new school uniforms there are two different trains of thought; parents are primarily concerned with buying affordable and hard-wearing clothes, whereas kids want to be trendy and stylish. Until recently it was difficult to find school uniform that fulfilled both parents’ and pupils’ expectations but thankfully, not anymore.

Forget being forced to dig deep into your finances to buy the mountain of accessories and footwear, for your child’s return to school as that is a thing of the past. Superb quality girls’ and boys’ school uniforms are now available in all the latest styles from major supermarkets and leading clothes retailers such as Matalan – voted number 1 for school uniforms by mums who read The Sun newspaper.

Indeed, most of today’s staple school uniform items such as t-shirts, polo shirts, trousers and skirts are available from high street outlets at extremely affordable prices. Unfortunately, it’s not all good news as mandatory school logo uniform items still have to be bought from the school’s appointed school wear shop at a significantly higher cost.

But, for day-to-day items choice has never been so great when it comes to school uniform; girls have a great choice of trousers for chillier weather or comfort, and on-trend skirts for spring and summer. Instead of a skirt and top combination, younger girls can opt for practical hard-wearing pinafores.

The boys don’t get left out either when it comes to high street uniforms, there is a fantastic choice of latest style crew neck jumpers, polo shirts, sweatshirts and trousers; plus the choice of footwear for both sexes is huge.

Little ones need to be wrapped up in coats that are weather-proof and warm when the weather turns nasty, and Wellington boots also come in very handy for those rainy days.

In addition to clothing don’t forget to kit out their schoolbag with all the necessary equipment and stationery items including pens and pencils. Another essential accessory is a back-pack in which the kids carry their school books, lunch boxes and drinks containers as well as the essential school books!

Remember to order name tags well in advance, and buy a permanent ink pen for marking items such as coats. Sewing the name tags are always tricky, so like everything else to do with going back to school don’t leave it too late.

To help with your back to school planning here is a suggested checklist of the most needed items and likely quantities required of each. It’s not a definitive list as children of different ages will require different things, but it is a good starting point. In addition to this list you will also need to find out from the school whether mandatory items such as blazers, school ties and sports shirts are required.

Back to school checklist:

• Pair of shoes

• Pair of Wellington boots

• Bag for school books / equipment

• Bag for PE kit

• Warm and preferably waterproof coat

• Sweaters, sweatshirts or cardigans

• Shirts or blouses

• Polo tops

• Shorts, skirts or trousers

• Pairs of socks or tights

• Pairs of sports socks

• Pair of plimsolls

• Pair of trainers

• Pair football/ rugby boots

• T-shirts

• Tracksuit

• Relevant sports equipment such as shin pads, tennis racquet, hockey stick etc.

• Lunch box and drinks container

• Stationery set including: paper, pens, pencils, rubber, maths set and calculator

It’s a long list but unless your child is starting school you won’t necessarily need to buy all the items listed. Instead examine your child’s current uniform for signs of excessive wear and ask them to try everything on for size before deciding what you need to buy.

Although it’s never too early to start preparations for the new school term don’t be overly keen to get everything too far in advance. Aim to get the balance right, as you won’t want to spend money on clothes that no longer fit when the term starts. But on the other hand, leave it too late and you’ll find the shelves are cleared of the most popular sizes.

About the Author

Matalan is one of the UK’s leading retailers of quality clothing products. At Matalan you’ll find a wide variety of products for the whole family, ranging from women’s clothing to school uniforms and accessories. Visit:http://www.matalan.co.uk/pages/backtoschool

Heading to the CHP academy, any advice?

I need advice on stuff to bring. Here is what I've got so far.

A lint roller and a small pair of scissors or nail clippers to clip of little renegade strings on your uniform. These will come in handy during inspections. Get a little cheater vehicle code and penal code from the uniform store because I'm sure a D.I. will ask you some codes while you're standing in formation.

Gerber 31-000701 Bear Grylls Survival Series Ultimate Kit $30.17 The product of collaboration between Gerber and survival expert Bear Grylls, the Ultimate Kit is a 15-piece survival kit built for hostile environments. It fits in your pack and has everything you need--including Gerber's miniature multi-tool, a fire starter, a survival blanket, and a wire cutter--to survive even in the toughest spots.Survival Series Ultimate KitAt a Glance:15-piece survival kit b...

Escape & Evade Tactical Military Survival Kit $129.95 See our YouTube Channel for Product Videos (SurvivalMetrics) Designed for U.S. Forces: Fits in thigh pocket: SHELTER: Tactical Survival Sleeping Bag (Bivvy): Olive Drab Reversible :Reflects 90% body heat. Wind & waterproof. WATER PURIFICATION/COLLECTION: Aquamira Water Purification Tablets, CL02, Military Edition: 1 Pk of 10 tabs. 1 L Stand Up Water Collection & Purification Bags: Sterile. Qty: 2 ...

JET DC-650CK Dust Collector with 1-Micron Canister Filter Kit $549.99 708642CK Features: -Dust collector.-With 1 micron canister filter. Specifications: -1HP, 650 CFM. Assembly Instructions: -Assembly required. Dimensions: -Dimensions: 18'' H x 15.5'' W x 32'' D....

Carson Optical Hands Free Tabletop Mounted Magnifier $25.70 FULLY-ADJUSTABLE FLEXIBLE ARMATTACHES TO TABLE TOP FOR CONVENIENT HANDS-FREE USELARGE 2X POWER LENS WITH 4X SPOT LENS GIVES A SHARP DISTORTION-FREE VIEW3 SUPER-BRIGHT LED LIGHTSREQUIRES 3 AAA BATTERIESCAN ALSO BE POWERED BY INCLUDED 4.5V DC ADAPTERUPC : 750668006141Shipping Dimensions : 12.10in X 10.00in X 2.50inEstimated Shipping Weight : 1.8223...

Fellowes Shredder Oil, 12 oz. Bottle with Extension Nozzle (35250) $19.95 FELLOWES INC. ESSENTIAL FOR PEAK SHREDDER PERFORMANCE...

BBP DSLR Camera Insert, Make Your Own Camera Bag - Orange (Also comes in Blue or Olive) $29.99 Do you occasionally need a DSLR camera bag, but don't want to spend $100 on a dedicated one? The DSLR Camera Paddy is for you. We designed this padded camera compartment to slip right into the main compartments of the Hauler Hybrid, Hamptons Hybrid or Industries High-Back Messenger. It easily converts one of our laptop bags into a full blown DSLR camera bag without spending a small fortune. Sorry,...

Metro Vacuum MDV-1BA DataVac Pro 4.5-AMP Computer Vac/Blower $59.99 Stop having to fret over the cleanliness of your computer and let this vacuum cleaner/blower do all the work. Powered by a .5 HP motor this electronic vacuum cleaner removes hair dust debris and paper from intricate and tight crevices in a wide range of office equipment. Features a disposable bag for quick and easy cleaning. Lightweight design (3 lbs.) shoulder strap and sturdy steel design make i...

Girls Lacrosse Stick Bag Indi-Go-Go (Denim Pattern) $40.00 Size: 5in.-8in.(W) x 43in.(H) x 3in.(D)...

Seamless Sewing Bag Equipment