I don't know why this school's no uniform policy seems so unusual to me - it's more common that I thought. And thinking back, my primary school didn't have a uniform either. Perhaps school uniform is a relatively modern, typically British thing?
After initial reservations about this, I'm rapidly and happily coming around to the idea. No more tricky school items to hunt down, no more overpriced and under-stocked single-distributor to deal with, no more
However, Rhiannon's wardrobe didn't really hold enough suitable clothes so we had to have a sort through and a shopping trip.
On our visit to the school, I made a point of checking out what the other girls were wearing so Rhiannon could fit in, if she so wished. Outfits were basically jeans, boots and jumpers. For most kids this would be fine, but Rhiannon doesn't really wear jeans, preferring the comfort and ease of leggings. She also, like so many other children, refuses to wear jumpers. She doesn't seem to feel the cold but she does feel the scratchy wool.
She'd obviously spotted some fashionable girls whom she wanted to emulate because when asked what she wanted to wear to school she promptly announced, "jeans and Converse."
When I was her age I wasn't on the ball with fashion at all. We were very poor so Mum made all my clothes. I vividly recall with utter horror the two bilious yellow trouser suits she made out of hideous 70's floral curtain material. My clothes were patched when needed - not with a piece of matching material but with something bright and contrasting. Mind you, it was the 70's, so I guess that was fairly trendy. Even worse was Mum's solution to my growth spurts; she'd insert a wide band of contrasting material into the hems of my trousers.
I wasn't allowed to wear jeans either (Mum's rule) and didn't get my first pair until I was 14 years old and bought them with saved pocket money. Mind you, school rules didn't allow girls to wear trousers to school, let alone jeans.
Anyway, on Saturday we went to the Stern Centre in Potsdam to restock Rhiannon's wardrobe with clothes suitablele for her new school life. Jeans were the hardest things to buy for her, just because she's not used to the style. I spent far too long and far too many arguments in changing rooms with her and her newly discovered pre-teen attitude. But she's pretty cool with great style and I didn't need to veto any of her choices apart from short sleeved tops.
I'm shocked at the price of Converse hi-tops now though. They appear to be a lot more expensive here than in the US or UK. Personally, I find them very uncomfortable and I did try to warn her how hard they are to put on and take off but she wasn't having it so Tim gave in and bought her a pair.
When she returned home from school yesterday I asked her if they were comfortable.
"Oh yes, but they take AGES to take off and put on."
I did say "I told you so". After the hassle of the jean-buying excursion I felt justified.