Buying School Uniforms a Size Up: Smart or Wasteful?
It sounds like a reasonable strategy: buy a size bigger now so the uniform lasts longer. Your child will grow into it, you will save money by not replacing it as soon as next semester, and you have bought yourself some extra time.
But is it actually a good idea? The answer, like most things in parenting, is that it depends. Here is how to think through it so you make the right call for your child and your budget.
When Buying a Size Up Makes Sense
There are specific situations where sizing up is a genuinely smart move:
End of a growth spurt
If your child has recently grown significantly and you are buying at the start of a school year, sizing up makes sense because the current size may not last through to June. A slightly roomy uniform at the start of the year often fits well by the middle of it.
Younger children in higher-growth years
Children in kindergarten through around grade 4 tend to grow faster than older students. For this age group, sizing up by one size at the start of the year is often a reasonable strategy, especially for pants with adjustable waistbands that can be cinched in temporarily.
For items with adjustable features
Pants and skirts with adjustable internal waistbands or hem allowances are made for exactly this situation. If the uniform piece has built-in adjustment options, sizing up works well because you can tailor the fit temporarily and let it out as the child grows.
Buying outerwear and sweaters
Outerwear, zip-up sweatshirts, and sweaters are more forgiving of extra room than fitted shirts or pants. A slightly larger jacket or cardigan does not look wrong the way an oversized polo does, and these pieces are worn less frequently so they last longer anyway.
When Buying a Size Up Is a Mistake
Sizing up does not always pay off. Here is when it tends to backfire:
Polo shirts and dress shirts
Polo collars, shoulder seams, and sleeve lengths look noticeably wrong when a shirt is too big. An oversized polo shirt does not just look sloppy. It can also be uncomfortable for a child to move and sit in all day. Shirts should fit close to correctly from the start.
Fitted skirts and jumpers
Skirts that are too large drop lower than intended and can look significantly off. Jumpers with shoulder seams falling too low lose their shape entirely. These pieces need to fit well to look right, and sizing up by more than one size usually does not work.
Older students (grade 5 and up)
Older students grow more slowly and are also more aware of how their clothes look and fit. An oversized uniform at this age is more likely to cause discomfort, both socially and physically, than it is to be a practical investment.
When the size jump is too big
Sizing up by one is usually manageable. Sizing up by two is almost always too much. The
uniform will not fit correctly at any point during the year, and you will likely end up replacing it anyway.
The Right Way to Size School Uniforms
Rather than guessing, take accurate measurements before buying, especially when shopping online:
- Chest: measure around the fullest part of the chest, keeping the tape parallel to the ground.
- Waist: measure around the natural waistline, not where pants typically sit.
- Hips: for pants, shorts, and skirts, measure around the fullest part of the hips.
- Inseam: from the crotch seam to the desired hem length.
- Height: many uniform size charts are height-based for children.
Compare these measurements to the specific size chart for the uniform brand you are buying. Size charts vary between manufacturers, so do not assume a size 10 in one brand is the same as a size 10 in another.
A Practical Uniform Buying Strategy
- Buy the correct size for fitted pieces like shirts, polos, and jumpers. These need to fit well from day one.
- Size up by one for pants and skirts with adjustable waistbands. The adjustment feature exists for exactly this purpose.
- Size up by one for outerwear and sweaters. The extra room is less noticeable and these pieces last longer.
- If your child is between sizes, size up for bottoms and true-to-size for tops.
- Buy multiple sets in the same size rather than one in each size. This reduces per-piece cost and ensures consistent fit throughout the year.
The goal is not to buy uniforms that fit perfectly on day one and are retired by January. It is to buy uniforms that fit well enough to look right, last through the year, and potentially serve a younger sibling the following fall.
Not sure about sizing? Metro School Uniforms offers size charts for every product and a helpful customer support team at info@metroschooluniforms.com. Shop with confidence at metroschooluniforms.com.
