New School Uniform Items at Lands' End for Back to School in 2016-17

This year, it was Lands End that was first in my mailbox, the School Outfitters catalog arrived in early June when my daughter, and many other kids here in Virginia, had 2 more weeks of school. Now that we've finally fished the school year and our first week of the summer camp schedule, I sat down to study the catalog for the 2016 Back to School season.

Here is a list of the new items featured in this year's school uniform catalog:

No Gape Stretch Perfect Shirt

Girls in middle school and high school that must wear a button-up blouse will appreciate the thought and engineering that went into this new shirt.  Lands End is introducing the patented No Gape TM button technology in a girls shirt with a straight dressy collar made from 97% cotton and 3% spandex stain resistant fabric in a feminine fit. The picture shows a hidden button placed between 2 buttons at the bust offering complete coverage.  It is offered in a shirt sleeve, a 3/4 sleeve and a long sleeve style in either white or light blue. It girls version retails for $32-$38 and the women's between $38-$48.

Stay Tucked Perfect Chinos

If I had a son, I would definitely get him a pair of these pants.  In my Best Bets series, I have a list of features to look for when shopping for pants for school.  These are 100% cotton and treated to resist stains and wrinkles.  They also have the Iron Knees (r) interior patch for durability and the inside adjustable waist to grow with him. The new feature is a waistband gripper to help keep his shirt tucked in.  Smart!  They retail for $35 for little boys and boys and $45 in men's sizes.

Tailored Fit Plain Front Chinos

All the great features in Lands End chinos, but these are cut "slimmer through the body but not tight."  These are a great choice for slim boys. They are available in navy and khaki and retail for $30 - $40.

Performance Poly Polo

Uniform kids in warmer climates may want to try the new performance poly polo made from 100% polyester with moisture-wicking and antimicrobial finish. They would also work as a nice alternative   on PE day. It is available in 7 basic uniform colors and it retails for $25 - $32.

Digital ClassMate Backpack

New this year in Lands End Backpack lineup is an update to the classic ClassMate backpack.  They added a padded laptop sleeve. It is available the medium and large size in great patterns and colors.  It retails for $44 - $54.

Roll Top Lunch Bag

If you are in the market for a new lunch bag, check out the new roll top bag. Like other Lands End lunch bags, this soft-side bag is designed to keep food cool for up to 5 hours then roll up small to be stored in the backpack after lunch. It retails for $15.50 and is available in several fun colors.  I have a feeling that this particular style will be especially popular in Steeler Nation.

3M Scotchlite Reflective Performance Apparel

Lands End partnered with 3M to encorporate the Scotchlite Reflective material into the piping and trim on the items in the active performance collection. This is a nice safety feature that is great for kids that may be staying after school for sports activities.  It makes even more sense after we change the clocks back in the fall and it begins to get dark earlier.

Interlock Moc Turtleneck

The unisex moc turtleneck is great under sweaters or jumpers in the colder months of the year.  This one is made from interlock cotton fabric like the uniform polo shirts.  It is available in white and navy and is priced between $18-$24.

Celebrate Earth Day 2016 with EcoLunchbox #ad

April 22nd is Earth Day. Join in the annual celebration by ordering some eco-friendly lunch gear.

For families that are going green and seeking to reduce their exposure to toxins in plastics as well as waste, stainless steel ECOlunchbox bentos are a great option. The eco-mom company's stainless steel ECOlunchboxes and artisan cotton ECOlunchbags are waste-free, plastic-free, lead-free, BPA-free, PVC-free, sweatshop-free, and vinyl-free. To learn more about the benefits of reducing dependence on plastics, check out educational information on their Website.

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Back to School Lunch Box Hop #BloggerOp (Ends 9/9/14)

<a href="URL" target="blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj25u3cuFcM_UCEfwNOVa3B_tYPgx8ZLs_P0D8Pxyam5I1f5s1szfeAJoM59PjQR6LwylYwMlfsy-Oq7WGv0fXLmU2l2MPvIv0X1aoATaR_qxzKUPET05UZ5522PpbjIgcy0c9p9u7Xzik/s1600/BTSLuncBoxHop.jpg" alt="2014 BTSLunchBoxHop"></a>

Giveaway Hop Details:

• This is a themed event to celebrate the Back to School season.
• All linked posts must relate to school lunches. Unrelated and off topic posts will be removed.
• The event runs from August 26 through September 9, 2014.
• Each blogger may add up to 3 related links.
• While not required, we'd love it if you'd display the Linky button (from above) on your site.
• Again, not required, but it benefits all of us if you could help promote the linkup via social media.
  Grab this sample promotion:
  I just shared a great idea for school lunches on the #BTSLunchBoxHop  (ends 9/9/14) ow.ly/AJTLZ #BloggerOp

Ready to Link up?

You may link up using the button below or from the featured post.





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2014 Back to School Lunch Box Hop

Do you end up packing the kids the same old boring, unhealthy lunches day after day? 

Many of us do.  As evidence we can look across the pond at a recent UK study that concluded that school lunches are more healthy than packed lunches.  While this study compares brown bag lunches against nutritional standards in the UK, I think the message resonates with the lunches we, US moms, are packing for our kids too.  

The study found that only 1% of packed lunches meet the nutritional standards for school meals.  So, I ask all of the food bloggers to help us out and link up their posts for creative and nutritious meals we can pack at home.


Courtesy of: http://www.onlineschools.com



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Favorite Finds| Backpacks, Lunchbags and Accessories

Some of you are pinning you back to School shopping lists. Here are some of. My favorite finds for school backpacks, lunchboxes and other accessories.

 Follow Uniform Mom's board Backpacks, Lunchboxes & stuff for school on Pinterest.

Lands' End Featherlight Backpack and Neoprene Tote, a Review

I'm working with Lands' End as a Brand Ambassador during the 2014 Back to School season. They gifted me school uniforms for me to evaluate so I could share my opinion of the items with you. All opinions are my own.

(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

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Chevron is so IN right now.   The colors in this bag are kid friendly, fun and feminine.  The 

Print FeatherLight™ Medium Backpack, in Fuchsia Plum Chevron, was an easy choice from the new colors and patterns of the Lands' End backpacks this fall.

I bought my daughter a backpack from Lands' End when she started Kindergarten.  I liked that they are one of the few brands that offered backpacks in various sizes.  We shopped in our local Sears store which had a more limited selection than Lands' End online.  While a small Classmate backpack bag might have fit her frame better, she picked out a medium sized Classmate backpack that was in stock in the store that day. The medium was big, but not overwhelming for her size.  The medium size is recommended for kids 4 feet tall to 5 foot, 6 inches tall.   You can read my original review of that bag which she is still using two years later.  It is light in color so it shows some dirt, but structurally, it is still in great condition.  All of the zippers still work, the seams are still sewn tight, and the mesh pouch on the side is still intact.  It has served her well for year round use at both school and summer camps.  She used it in kindergarten and first grade.  During those years, she was required to carry two folders back and forth to school each day.  The bag is big enough to tote a stack of text books, so it sometimes seemed bigger than she really needed at that age.  Now that she has a new bag to use this year, we'll hold on to her original bag to use as a backup.

This new Featherlight Backpack has a new, trendy pattern, but it also has different features.  This bag has a padded laptop slot inside that you could use to tote a traditional laptop, a tablet, or another electronic device.  But even if you don't have any electronics to tote around, you can place folders or notebooks in it keeping them separated from gym clothes and other items.  The other noticeable difference is that this Featherlight bag seems thinner and looks less bulky on her frame than her Classmate style bag.  From the videos, it looks like both styles of bag can hold a fair amount, so it might be the adjustable side compression straps that make it appear thinner.  Most days, she totes around a few folders and papers. Occasionally it carries home an oddly shaped art project or we tuck a small umbrella in the side mesh pocket.  We expect the amount of homework will increase this year, so she might begin to have a workbook or two to tote around.  This bag is perfect size to hold everything she needs and fits her school aged frame perfectly. Here's a video from Lands' End showing what this bag can fit:

I "borrowed" the bag to bring home my work laptop this week.  I commute by walking about a half mile to the Metro station, ride Metro into the city, and then walk a few more blocks to the office. When I use a standard tote bag to carry my laptop, I really notice the weight of it and the strap digs into my shoulder.  My full size work laptop fit perfectly in the laptop slot of this backpack. The padding on the straps is wonderful. Combined with the padded back panel with the mesh lining, it made lugging the laptop on my half mile walk home a breeze. Thumbs up from me!  My co-workers noticed the bag and commented on the hip pattern and trendy colors too.

My daughter loves everything about it.  She can't stop playing with the bungee cord on the front of the bag. She tested it out this week packing it full of stuff needed for summer camp. It easily fit a large fluffy beach towel, her swim suit, goggles, sunscreen, bug spray and a poly folder for her arts and crafts projects. She loves the feel of the padded back and the mesh lining on her back.  That bungee is perfect for keeping a sweater or light jacket handy yet securely tied on.

Of course, she loves the cute pattern and colors. For the past two years, there is one other girl at her school that had the same pattern backpack as her.  Knowing this one will also be a popular style, we got it personalized with a monogram of her initials.  She loves that she'll always be able to find "her" bag from among the pile of bags at after school care even without all the decorative trinkets she hangs on the loop at the top of the bag. She is so excited to have a new backpack this year!

Based on a great experience with the quality of her first Lands' End backpack, I am confident this one will hold up well too.  I expect it will last her several years. We'll get another when she's grows taller and is ready for a large, or full size bag.  The Featherlight style backpack is available in medium and large sizes and various colors and patterns.  There is also a wheeled version and a messenger style. The regular retail price of the medium size bag is $44 and in my opinion, worth every penny.  It's even more worth it, if you can grab one when they are on sale.

Solid FeatherLight™
Medium Backpack

FEATHERLIGHT BACKPACK FEATURES

• no-tip design; water-repellent finish; plus an ergonomic design for comfort.
• Die-cut EVA foam padding in the shoulder straps for superior comfort; padded back panels with air mesh lining for breathability
• Tech savvy! Two internal chambers, one is padded for a laptop
• Light but tough! Solids are 210 ripstop and 420D nylon body
• Adjustable sternum strap keeps shoulder straps in the perfect position for comfort
• Extra! extra! Bungee strap gives them external carrying capacity — great for quick access to a jacket
• Side compression straps stabilize their load
• Reflective trim also helps keep kids visible
• Handy loop for clipping on a lunch box saves room inside the pack

Girls' Neoprene Lunch Tote -
Fuchsia Plum Chevron

Lands' End also offers coordinating lunch boxes in the EZ wipe style, the soft side style and the neoprene tote.  We have a soft side one that she's been using for 2 years already.  So, we opted to try the neoprene totes.  I wish I could say that I am one of those Moms that pack a creative and healthy lunch, but I'm not.  Like many other kids her age, she is a picky eater and sticks to known favorites.  But she has commented on some kids that bring a hot thermos of soup, stew, or mac and cheese.  This neoprene bag would easily carry her typical lunch fare, but it could also easily hold a small thermos of hot food, a juice box and a snack.  I intend to pick up a new hot food container to try this year, and I hope to find a new lunch options to change things up and add variety to her packed lunches.  

So, about the NEOPRENE LUNCH TOTE-

• It is completely collapsible, easily fitting in a kitchen cabinet when not in use.  
• It is very lightweight.  
• It is also comfortable to carry.    
• It zips closed across the top.
• It is made from 100 polyester with rubber backing.  
• It is tested to ensure safety from lead & phthalates.

Related Posts:

• Lands' End Backpacks for School
• Our Kindergarten Wardrobe
• Lands' End School Uniforms in the Retail Round Up Series

Monthly Poll: Lunch boxes

One morning, we found our daughter's lunchbox next to her book bag near the front door with a wet spot on the outside.  We opened the lunchbox to find what had been a half eaten container of applesauce was now a gooey mess throughout the inside of the container and through the fabric. Yuck!

The inside of the lunchbox was pretty easy to clean with a little kitchen spray cleaner and a sponge.  Where the applesauce had leaked through the fabric, I ran it under cold water and then let it air dry.

My daughter has the insulated lunch bag from Lands' End that matches her backpack.  We bought them when she was starting Kindergarten.  I wrote about the book bag previously (read my review here), as it has held up very well to daily use for over a year and a half now.  The lunch bag doesn't get use as often because she buys school lunch a few days a week.  However, as the example above outlines, it gets exposed to spills, leaking goo and a never ending assortment of crumbs.  In my opinion, it can be a breeding ground for cooties and germs.  Since I use it regularly to pack food items that I intend for my daughter to eat, I take special care to clean and sanitize it best I can.  One of my girlfriends told me that she favors a lunch box with a hard surface that can be cleaned easily rather than the soft insulated bags made from fabric.

So tell me how often you buy a new lunch bag or box for your child?

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Take the ECOlunchbox Challenge #Ad

How ECO is your lunchbox?

ECOlunchbox, an affiliate partner and advertiser on Uniform Mom, is challenging people everywhere to ask this important question.

Whether it’s driving an energy-efficient Prius, packing reusable water bottles instead of throw-away plastic ones, or using non-toxic household cleaners – the trends now are all about eco chic lifestyles and consumer products. Making changes in our lunchtime habits is an easy first step toward a more eco-friendly lifestyle, says Sandra Harris, president of ECOlunchboxes.com specializing in no-waste lunchboxes.

"I was so tired of our family's over-reliance on leaching plastics food containers, plastic baggies and other throw-aways," explains Harris, a Lafayette, Calif. resident. "I started ECOlunchboxes.com so people could choose to pack their lunches in a way that's healthy for people and the planet. I truly believe that lunch by lunch we can green the world a whole bunch."

Tips & Tricks to Going Green

• Did you know an average U.S. family spends about $400 extra on disposable lunchware and creates about 4,320 pieces of trash unnecessarily? These are two stunning facts from the Lunchbox Waste Study by ECOlunchboxes. 

• Harris suggests that families interested in greening their lunchtime habits start by paying close attention to how they’re packing their lunches. How many pieces of trash do you throw away each day at lunchtime? Counting the number of throw-aways used in each lunch can be a great way to inspire children and adults to start selecting reusable containers instead.

• Need more motivation to go green at lunchtime? Start paying attention to how much pre-packaged foods, like yogurt cups, energy bars, cheese sticks, chips bags and more cost per unit. Then calculate how much your family would save by buying in bulk and packing these foods in reusable containers.

 "There are multiple bottom lines," says Sandra Harris, whose company is certified through the Bay Area Green Business Program. "When we green our lunches, the environment and our pocketbooks are both winners."

Uniform Mom participates in the EcoLunchbox affiliate program. 

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