Uniform buying unfortunately co-incides with a time of year when, for many people, cash is scarce having just got through the Festive season.
Uniform buying unfortunately co-incides with a time of year when, for many people, cash is scarce having just got through the Festive season.
To try and help your rand go further, we have compared the prices and qualities of primary school uniforms at Birch’s, Pep and Fashion World.
Many parents are sending their children to Grade 1, so we used a Victoria Primary School uniform as a template. T Birch & Co, at 45 High Street, stocks full school uniforms for St Andrews College, St Andrews Prep, Diocesan School for Girls, Kingswood College, Graeme College, Victoria Pre-primary and Victoria Girls, PJ Olivier, Mary Waters and Nombulelo.
The price of some uniform items range according to the size, so the smallest size has been used as a template. The short white collared shirt is R95, the long white collared shirt R120, the Victoria Primary skirt R263, the blazer R759 for all sizes, the navy jersey R225, the sleeveless jersey R227, and white socks cost R24.
For the sporting uniform, the shirt is R195, and the Puma shorts R211. The tracksuit top is R219, and the bottoms R180. A Second Skins costume is R215, and a swimming cap R50. For school shoes you have two options. The cheaper choice is Toughees, which for a small size will cost between R266 and R318.
The more expensive but arguably more durable and better quality shoes are Bronx, which are R673 for the same size. The total (using the Toughees price) comes to a whopping R3 049.
Before your eyes bulge out of your skull, remember that these are top quality materials and are generally excellent brands which are durable. Some school items are unique to the school and can only be bought at T Birch & Co, but other generic items can be bought for cheaper prices at stores such as Pep and Fashion World. Woolworths (also on High Street close to Clicks) also has a wide school range.
Their 3-packs of shirts often work out cheaper than other places and the quality is, on the whole, better. While at Birch’s you will spend R406 on a sports uniform, at Fashion World you will pay only R109.90, and at Pep only R91.98.
At Fashion World, simple white collared school shirts will cost you between R39.95 and R49.95 depending on the size. White socks can be bought for only R14.95. Similarly, at Pep white collared school shirts will cost between R34.99 and R64.99. Black school shoes can also be bought at Pep for only R149.99, as well as black jerseys for R59.99.
The quality of these materials is poorer. Many shirts and shorts are made from polyester rather than cotton. Some items, such as shoes, may not be as durable. But your toss-up between quality and price can depend on the circumstances.
For example, if your child is still growing, perhaps buy cheaper shoes until high school and fork out for a durable pair of Bronx for later when kids aren't growing so fast.
Furthermore, most schools have second-hand uniform shops on site, so before you empty your wallet buying new, search around and see what you can find.
When it comes to convenience, T Birch & Co seems the preferable option as they stock all uniform items. You can also order uniform packages for specific grades and specific schools. Contact them on 046 622 7010.
