Schoolbelles Side Pleat Skort, a Review

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd All Rights Reserved.

The folks at Schoolbelles asked me to take a look one of the items from their regular uniform line of clothing. They sent me a gift of a skort as the basis for this review. No additional compensation was received.

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd
All Rights Reserved.

This skirt is a winner. The Side Pleat Skort with Knit Shorts from Schoolbelles has slight a-line shape which is flattering to most body types. It has two side pleats on the front  and 2 on the back. It has an elastic-back waistband to grow with your daughter and knit shorts built in for comfort and discretion. It has a side zip closure on the left side and a pocket on the right side.

My daughter is just growing into a size 7. Parents of girls her age know that there is a big jump in length between 6/6x and 7 sizing with most retailers; 2 and a half inches difference for this particular item. This size 7 skort is hitting her just at the knee now and it will sit just above the knee as she grows into it. The classic length is a welcome change from the mid-thigh skorts that are currently popular at national retailers.

This skirt is available in navy in girls' sizes 4 - 20. They also offer it in X sizes 6x - 20x which is similar to plus sizing. And they offer PT, or PreTeen sizing, which is recommended for tall girls with a narrow waist that need a longer skort length.

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd All Rights Reserved.

We took this skort to play in a local park.  Because of the built in knit shorts, it is "playground friendly". As you can see, my daughter had total freedom of movement to climb all over the equipment.

One of the features I admire about the Schoolbelles brand is their "180 School Days - Durability Guarantee". Because they are one of the few uniform suppliers that operates its own sewing factory in Cleveland, OH, they can better control quality and inventory levels year round. For families and schools looking for "Made in America" school uniforms, Schoolbelles is a great choice with a full line of school uniforms in plaids and basic solids.

The fabric in this skirt is a blend of 65% polyester and 35% cotton twill. The fabric is durable and the quality of the workmanship is noticeable in the details. The pleats are stitched down, so they will stay crisp wash after wash.  It also has a 2 inch hem which could be adjusted, if needed.

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd All Rights Reserved.

To launder the skirt, they recommend a machine wash and you simply hang it up to dry.  It retails for $39.95 in regular sizes and $43.95 in preteen sizes. While the price point is higher than you'll see at national retailers for similar style items, the quality makes this brand of uniform clothing a solid value that will stand up to the 180 school days guarantee. I bet that this skort will become a staple in my daughter's wardrobe that will last her through the next 2 years. Schoolbelle's also offers a value line of uniform items at a lower price point that works well with most standard dress codes and includes most uniform basics.

Schoolbelles is based in Cleveland with store locations across the mid-west. They were recently featured in the Retail Round Up Series.  Those living near one of their store locations should definitely visit to check out the additional quality items in their inventory. The rest of us can visit their website and order online.  Their website is currently being redesigned and will launch with a new look and feel later this year.  If you're ready to browse their offering online today, I recommend clicking on General Catalog (the navy bar) from the left hand sidebar or to browse items from their list of Full Line catalogs.

Schoolbelles is having a sale beginning today, Wednesday, April 16th through Saturday, April 26th. You can shop online, in-store or by phone at 1-888-637-3037.  To keep in touch and learn about their future sale notifications, Like their Facebook page and join their mailing list.