I’m not the only one who spends most of the summer holidays saying “oh it’s too early for school shopping” then ends up rushing around a week before school starts right? Don’t get me wrong, we bought the blazer and other school branded items for Princess about a month ago. But the everyday items? School shoes, a school bag, bus pass holder. That’s all about to go down this week. I’m all for last minute back to school shopping.
For Rainbow, the toddler, formally known as Baby Bob (we still call her Bob indoors!) she starts playgroup next week. I didn’t even really consider all the items she would need. Thankfully, Smiggle sent us some amazing back to school products including a rocket ship backpack. I felt it was probably too big for Rainbow, but she’s been carrying it around with her everywhere we go so I think she’s all set for using it for her playgroup bag.
When I was growing up, I remember back to school shopping consisted of a trip to W H Smith for all the pens and notebooks my heart could want. Then it would be Marks and Sparks for undies and school uniforms. Shoes were Tower Boots in Wood Green high street. You’d use the Tower Boots drawstring bag from your shoe shopping for months until it started to fall apart. Getting Princess ready for her first year of secondary school followed a similar vein, only we added in a trip to Cambridge and stopped in Smiggle and Tiger for stationery. Shoe shopping is yet to be done, but Tower Boots is too far away so it’ll probably be an online Kickers or Doc Martens shop. I’m all about good quality, heavy leather shoes for school.
Rainbow is set with her water bottle, lunch box and gorgeous rocket ship bag. I need to sort out some clothes for her. She’s in full summertime mode with her wardrobe and I need to hit the shops for some comfy, practical items. My shop of choice was always Outfit Kids in Dorothy Perkins, but they seem to be out of business, they’ve just dissapeared from the Dorothy Perkins website. So any tips on where to get stylish, hard wearing kids clothes at reasonable prices, do let me know in the comments.
Have you finished all of your school shopping? Are your kids already back in school? I noticed my friends in Scotland are all back to the school run grind! I’d love your tips on getting Bob settled in at playgroup. It feels like an eternity since Princess was this little and I have to admit, it’s not all flooding back to me in some kind of maternal muscle memory!
