My girl’s £100 designer shoes got her banned from class – next term I’m spending £4k on uniform, she won’t wear Primark

CHECKING her back-to-school shopping list, Whitney Ainscough, 30, starts online shopping. At the top is a school coat for her daughter Cora, 12.

But instead of checking out the latest offerings from Asda, Tesco or even M&S, the mum-of-three, from Rotherham, South Yorks., opts for a very different solution.

And it’s an option that will shock many hard-working mums and dads who are already forced to cut corners and rely on bargains to get their children ready for the new school year – despite a new school uniform grant being announced.

“I bought my daughter a designer coat for the new school year and it costs £240 by Rab, a cool designer,” says Whitney, also mum to Addison, six, and Adley, two. “Cora says she needs it, so I am buying it.

“The designer coat will only fit her for a term. I don’t care. I only buy the designer labels for my kids to wear to school. I may live in a council house but that does not mean my kids have to look cheap.

“I will spend more than £4k on a back-to-school kit for my eldest two kids. It’s not much when you consider they’re all designer labels.

I may live in a council house but that does not mean my kids have to look cheap.

Whitney

“I refuse to buy supermarket bargain ‘three for two’ school shirt packs. My kids refuse to use cheap backpacks. They are not spoiled, they just have good taste.”

It’s a controversial move especially considering just last year Cora was BANNED from class for wearing designer shoes. 

Her mum bought her patent Vivienne Westwood ballet pumps – but the school said they breached policy and told the mum to put her in something which adhered to their rules, giving her just a month to do so.

Still, Whitney, an influencer with over 500k followers, who lives with her partner Joel Christopher, 32, isn’t put off. 

This year she’ll stick to the policy… just. 

“I was spitting chips when Cora was sent home wearing designer flats. I thought that was outrageous,” she says.

“I will find a way to stick to uniform policy but make it designer.

“Cora starts year eight in September and Addison will start year three. 

“They are very picky. That’s why I have started buying their kit already.”

Despite her daughter’s school shoe controversy Whitney says she will spend up to £150 on black school shoes for Cora.

“Cora’s looking for black leather lace ups which the school will find acceptable,” she says. “I won’t let her look at anything under £80 because they won’t look expensive or smart.”

I was spitting chips when Cora was sent home wearing designer flats. I thought that was outrageous.

Whitney

Whitney is also buying her daughter another pair of £170 Adidas Pro trainers for her PE lessons. 

She has given Cora a budget of £300 for a new designer label school bag, the designer as yet undecided. 

“I have bought her a new iPhone 17 worth around £1.2k so she can access her homework apps at school,” she says. 

Why designer school uniform is a total waste of money

Fabulous’ Digital Editor and mum-of-two Lydia Major has spent three years trialling different school uniforms and there’s ‘no way’ she’d spend £4K on her kids uniform. Here’s why:

‘When my son joined reception in 2021 I wanted the best of the best for him,’ Lydia says. ‘I forked out £80 on logoed polo shirts alone and what a waste of money it was. They went grey after about three washes and worst of all, the poor boy had a terrible case of nipple chafing from the stupid, embroidered miniature picture of his school. So, when he slipped on a M&S pure cotton one – which cost £2.56 (£12.80 for a 5 pack) it was a game changer. And shock horror, they’ve actually stayed white! 

‘The truth of it is, no matter what you spend or what your kid wants to ‘look cool’, all uniforms are ultimately going to get trashed. If it’s not gravy stains from the soggy school dinners, it’ll be totally torn shoes from footie or gymnastics at break time. I’ve forked out £50 for Sketchers ‘all his mates had’ and they’ve lasted as long as the random sale trainers I found in Mountain Warehouse for £15. And did my son give a hoot about them as long as he could run around? Nope. 

‘Also, more importantly, school regulations on uniforms are there for good  reason. It puts all the kids on a level playing field no matter whether they live in the local manor house or the nearest council estate. There’s no pressure for them to conform to the latest fashion fad and studies even show a uniform can be a great source of pride for children and help with confidence issues too. If all kids (and parents) just stuck to guidelines on uniforms during this era where children’s anxiety and self-doubt is at its highest, maybe it could give them all the smallest boost in feeling like they belong.’  

Addison will get a £600 iPhone 13 and has a budget of £200 for a school bag and a coat will cost £150.

Whitney says: “Cora is starting year eight and she is a makeup queen. She is image conscious and loves to look her best in the school playground.

“She has a pierced belly button. I let her get acrylic nails for school, she always has false eyelashes, and I will buy her new makeup.

“The kids will also get pen and pencil sets personalised with their names. I have budgeted £100 for water bottles and food containers. 

“Cora will need a new £500 laptop. She has also asked for a new iPad, so she has flexibility doing her homework.

I just don’t want her being teased for having a Primark bag. If a designer label backpack and coat help her study more and do better in school then I will pay for it.

Whitney

“I only buy quality school shirts and tights for Cora. Three designer white collared shirts and her favourite designer black tights will cost £200.

“She will also have her school skirt and blazer tailored so they fit better.”

Growing up Whitney, who was on benefits until August 2023, says she had to do without at school.

“I envied the other kids’ trendy Rockport shoes, while I was stuck in £6 versions,” she says.

“I never had designer uniforms, posh school bags and phones. I refuse to let my kids be bullied because they do not have the best.

But not everyone agrees with Whitney’s back to school designer splurging.

“I’ve been torn apart on my TikTok channel for buying designer school gear for Cora,” she says. “People claim I am spoiling my kids. It’s my money and I will spend it how I want to. She knows education is so important. She knows she has to study hard and she does.

“I just don’t want her being teased for having a Primark bag. If a designer label backpack and coat help her study more and do better in school then I will pay for it.

“People who criticise me are the ones who have problem kids. They are the parents who actually don’t give their kids any boundaries and spoil them. 

“I am just living within my means. I can’t help it. I am a council house entrepreneur who wants her kids to look and be the best they can at school.”

Paul Tonge