Whats your excuse?

[Jenn]

I do remember at school how on non-uniform days there were always a few kids in uniform and they were so embarrassed. I always felt sorry for them.

me too! at Scouts we sometimes have a non-uniform uniform evening (we don't charge for it - we just do it to be nice or because it is practical not to get our uniforms dirty e.g before a big competition) anyway - we always get one (or 2) who have forgotton and they get picked on and laughed at. (Not horribly, but jokingly and nicely like but they are still embarrassed!)

[Clairebear]

Im with artyfarty on this one! We had pj day at nursery a few weeks ago, donation of 50p if you could, I know some people didn't donate but still put kids in pjs, others didn't even bother with the pjs. I felt sorry for these kids they missed out all b'cos parents forgot or didn't bother to put them in pjs even tho we got reminded the day before and there was a big note on the entrance door!

I actually managed to remember this one! And we sent in a £1

[lemonie17]

not noticed this before!
I have always made the kids stuff to wear...even made charlie a wolverine costume when he waw about 6, the original yellow and blue one, not the sexy hugh jackman one!
I didnt and dont know how to use a sewing machine properly, so it was handsewn, and as i had not got a pattern i just made it!
He loved it, and his friends loved it!
Made him a furry white rabbit costume by cutting around him and sewing it up!
Made Courtney a pearly queen outfit, handsewn buttons on it!
Lots of bits have been requested and made over the years.

[artyfartymack]

Good for you mel. Sadly with the invent of asda and tesco there is no need to make costumes anymore so it is becoming a dying art. it makes me sad. Those sewing machine lessons are on for whenever we can get 5 minutes peace as promised.

[weezypops]

On the other side of it though, those sorts of costumes are good for those of us who cannot sew to save our lives! I wish I could, and have tried, but needlework skills skip a generation in our family (isn't that right Mum) and my children would probably get bullied if I tried to put something together for them. We used to have a lot of fancy dress parties in London and my costumes were always rubbish! Not saying I won't try, just that it's good to have a back-up if/when it goes horribly wrong!

[artyfartymack]

My Mum couldn't sew, but would manage to russle up something from nothing for me, even if she made me wear a swimming hat covered in tin foil as a helmet! If the companies didn;t produce cheap costumes then all kids would be in home made stuff good or bad and there would be no need to bully each other.

[weezypops]

That is true, though I can see why as those costumes are available, people don't want their kid to look bad.

[Jenn]

I remember at school - 2nd year juniors - we had a book day and we all had to go in dressed as characters - I was so proud of my costume - made from some half slips of my nans, and an old top of my mums, and hand made tissue flowers - really really bad but I actually won the costume competition (for my year group) as I had one of the only hand made costumes in the whole of the school. I looked a right mess but it was so much fun!

[artyfartymack]

I think it's more about effort. If your child has been seen to make an effort they are more likely to win a prize than an off the peg costume.

[Kelly1983]

Oh i cant wait now charlie's at school to do things like this, b4 i had kids and was working i was dressing up or having my face painted or hair dyed for competitions/fundrasiers but no1 really makes an effort nowadays

[Gillybean]

lol I know this was posted awhile ago but thought i would add

has anyone ever thought that some kids just don't want to dress up in fancy dress for school and aren't bothered if they go in uniform.

also I don't have a dress up box or lots of material or bits and bobs to make a costume and begrudge going out to find something to make/wear just for one day of the year. my kids do go in non-uniform but we do have weeks where we literally have 20p in the pot and nothing more and can't afford to get them something pacific they need to wear again just for one day and it would have to be 2 of everything. Also I tend to give away toys and books etc to charity shops or in the past to the homeless shelter so then there is nothing left to take in for fund raising. Obviously next week it's children in need and they need things with spots on etc and will endeavor to find something with spots on and perhaps put some make up on them lol but I'm not very creative

[BrandonsMum08]

Gill - I remember when it was children in need a couple of years ago when i worked in the nursery and it was a spotty theme. You dont need to go and buy anything new. Just get an old tshirt of theirs each that still fits (to wear), then 2 or 3 other old items of clothing, yours or theirs that is tatty or doesnt fit anymore. Then cut out some circles, and sew them onto their tshirts. Doesnt havent to be perfect sewing, just enough to keep them on. Put that tshirt on with a pair of jeans or trackys, and then decorate their faces with different coloured spots with face paint or make up.

You dont have to spend loads, just make do with what you have and each time they grow out of clothes, hold some back to use for these dress up days.

[twinklepaws]

Or use a plain tshirt and colour in spots with felt pens? My friend did this and it looked great. You could even use an old top and colour over any stains lol x

[Jenn]

I agree about some children not wanting to join in. William was very upset earlier this year when I told him he couldn't wear his uniform to nursery because it was a non uniform day!

[BrandonsMum08]

Jennie - I just came back on here to say that lol... It is something the kids could do for themselves, colouring in spots on a tshirt.