A mum has says she spent £2,000 on back-to-school clothes for her ten-year-old son because he only wears designer labels.
Doris Russell, a foster carer and mum-of-two from Dorset, says image-conscious Charlie loves the likes of high-end brands like Nike and Adidas.
Her most expensive purchases include a Tommy Hilfiger coat for £120 and Nike Airforce 1 black school shoes, costing another £120.
Doris says she also forked out £80 on Calvin Klein underwear for the youngster, as well as Nike Phantom football boots which cost £60.
Meanwhile, white school shirts for Charlie cost £60 and his black trousers were another £60.
It's a stark contrast to cheap supermarket uniform, which can cost £4.50 for a bundle consisting of a sweatshirt, polo shirts and trousers from the likes of Aldi and Lidl.
Meanwhile, Poundland is selling single polo shirts for just £1.
Doris told The Sun : “During lockdown, Charlie spent every day wearing designer gear and getting him out of it has been harder than ever.
“He won’t wear approved shorts for PE and only likes Adidas ones that are £34.99 each. And he wears £20 Nike T-shirts instead of cheaper ones the other kids wear.
“He wanted specialist Nike trainers for PE costing £70, as well as Nike football boots. We go through a few pairs a year.“
How much do you spend on school uniform? Let us know in the comments.
Doris insists son Charlie, who has modelled for the likes of Adidas, Tommy Hilfiger and Zara, isn't spoilt and says the expensive clothing is "a reward for his hard work" in school.
She explained how she saves up to buy him what he asks for, rather than spending on herself.
Doris, who earns £25,000 a year, says she "can’t remember the last time I bought a new outfit for myself" and hasn't gone to the hairdressers in 12 months.
But she joked how she is lucky her other son, Freddie, aged six, hasn't inherited the same expensive taste as his older brother.
Doris added: “I’m lucky my other son likes Primark and doesn’t care what he wears. It’s a huge relief.”
School kids across the country are currently on their summer break and are due back to school next week.
The Schoolwear Association estimates parents and guardians pay £101.19 for school uniform for each of their children in secondary school.
To help with soaring costs, a new law has been passed which will tell schools to keep branded items to a minimum - meaning hard-up families can buy cheaper supermarket kit instead.
But the new The Education (Guidance about Costs of School Uniforms) Bill guidance won’t be published until autumn, meaning parents won’t benefit from lower prices for the upcoming school year.
If you've yet to purchase school uniform for your youngster, there is still time to bag a deal.
We've rounded up the cheapest school uniform deals including Tesco, Aldi and Lidl.
