School Uniform Knit Skort from Lands' End, a Review

I recently purchased a Lands' End school uniform knit skort for my daughter.  It was a weeknight emergency trip to our local Sears store.

At the end of last school year, I washed and sorted all my daughter's school uniforms. Most items were still in good condition and still fit fine, so I hung them in the closet for use again this fall.  With the exception of some school supplies and new shoes, we didn't do any back to school shopping for clothing.  During the first week of school, we quickly realized that she had outgrown almost everything over the summer. A few polo tops still fit, but all of her school uniform skorts, shorts and pants were too tight. I guess we didn't notice because she hasn't grown in height. Instead, she filled out - gaining inches in her waist and hips.

My daughter has worn it to school a few times already and I've washed it a few times.  It has a simple pull-on elastic waist, not the hidden adjustable elastic feature that I love so much. Normally, she needs the adjustable waist, but this skirt fits just fine. The length hits just above the knee.  The knit is soft and comfortable.  It has hidden cotton shorts built-in so its is great for the playground at recess.  It is available in navy, charcoal gray and khaki. In comes in little girl sizes and big girl regular and plus sizes. There is also a version of this skort for women for $25.

Luck for us, Lands's End was having a 30% off sale in early September and we got this new skort at a great price. The regular retail price is $20. Uniform Mom research on scooters recommends you look for skorts and skirts priced between 10 to 15 US dollars. You can snag this skirts at a great price if you catch a sale at 30% off or greater. Uniform Mom recommends this classic knit scooter as a wardrobe staple of great quality at a fair price.

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Cherokee Girls Pleated Scooter, a Review

One of our favorite scooters is this Girls Pleated Scooter by Cherokee.  I was reviewing old posts over the holiday break and I couldn't believe I hadn't written about it yet.  I think we got ours from the uniform exchange program second-hand several years ago.  But it is such a classic that you can still find it at Target online.

The reasons we love it-

The box pleats are classic without being too traditional.  

It is a scooter with shorts built in for modesty.  It has a side zipper closure. They can be a bit tricky for the youngest students, but my daughter doesn't mind it.

The fabric has held up very well over time. it comes in both navy or khaki.  As I mentioned above, I think we got this scooter second hand and my daughter has been wearing it for 3 years.  It still looks great.  The material is listed as a 60/40 cotton poly twill blend with a peached fabric treatment.  The label says to machine wash in cold water and tumble dry on low heat.  I throw this skirt in a load with all of our workout wear then hang it on a hanger to dry. No ironing needed. 

Did I mention the adjustable waist? This is why my daughter has been able to wear it for so long. While she's gotten taller and stronger, she hasn't grown more than an inch or so in the waist since Kindergarten. We adjust the waist a button or two each season. 

This scooter has an above the knee length which is another reason it has stayed in the active wardrobe rotation for so long. Many skorts that would otherwise still fit became too short as my daughter has grown taller.  Those were taken out of rotation and passed along to the uniform exchange program. Because this one was designed to hit above the knee, it is still long enough for her to wear and pass the fingertip test.

The classic styling, the longer length, and the quality fabric make this scooter a winner. When my daughter does finally outgrow this one, I'm sure we'll order another one.

Featured Basic: Cotton Jersey Uniform Pleated Skort

The Featured Basic Series shares basic uniform pieces for boys and girls that comply with uniform dress codes at many public, private, charter and parochial schools.

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If your daughter doesn't care for the cotton twill fabrics used in many skirts and pants, she could try this Uniform Pleated Skort from Crazy 8. It is available only in gray. It is a pull on skort made with 100 cotton jersey but has the button tab details and side pleats like traditional uniform skorts. The length is the above the knee which most young girls prefer with the built in shorts underneath that most Mom's prefer. It is machine washable. It currently retails for $14.99.  Now through 4/23/15, you can get it 30% off.

Has your daughter tried this skort? Share your opinion of it in the comments section below.

Lands' End new Ponte School Uniform items- knit skort and blouse, a Review #Sponsored

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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Girls' Button-front Ponté Skort

Loyal readers of this blog know that I'm a huge fan of skorts  for young ladies. I am also a huge fan of Lands' end ponté. So when I learned that they had a new ponté skort this fall, I was excited for my daughter to try the School Uniform Girls' Button-front Ponté Skort.

I love that the ponté knit is machine washable, and holds its color. It is made from 74% polyester/22% rayon/4% spandex. It is offered in classic navy or khaki and has hidden knit shorts for coverage underneath.  It has a simple elastic waistband and the length of the skirt hits "above the knee".  It comes in little girls sizes 4-7 and big girl sizes 7-16 and retails for $32.

If you prefer a pleated skirt, check out the other new ponté item, the School Uniform Girls' Pleated Ponté Skirt or the School Uniform Girls' Ponté Pleated Jumper.




(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.



The skirt pairs nicely with a classic, crisp blouse. This Girls' Short Sleeve Peter Pan Broadcloth Blouse contains a bit of shaping so it's not boxy, and it has the more feminine peter pan style collar. This blouses can work alone or under a jumper. Layer a sweater over top to get the most use from a short sleeve blouse year round. Add a coordinating crisscross tie, even if it is not required as part of the uniform dress code.  It adds a finished look. 

The blouse is machine washable.  Because it resists wrinkles, you can get away without ironing if you grab it straight from the dryer, otherwise, it needs only a light touch up with the iron. The other feature important to uniform kids is that it is long enough in length to tuck in, and stay tucked in.

 

Girls' Short Sleeve Peter Pan
Broadcloth Blouse

FEATURES

• Broadcloth provides a smooth look all day.
• Fabric wicks moisture, resists wrinkles.
• 55% cotton/45% polyester blend
• Pretty, rounded collar
• Gentle shaping
• Available in white or light sea blue (shown to the right).
• Offered  in Little Girl (4-7), Big Girls (7-16) and Adult sizes.

(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

These two school uniform wardrobe pieces make a great outfit together.  They also mix and match nicely with other uniform items. The quality of Lands' End brand is evident wash after wash.  It is more likely that your child will outgrow these items before they wear them out.  You can then pass them along to a younger child or the school's uniform exchange program.

Related Posts:

• Lands' End Uniform Girls Solid A-line Skirt, a review
• Girls School Uniform Double Knit Blazer from Lands End, a Review
• Lands' End new Ponte School Uniform items- knit skort and blouse, a Review
• Lands' End School Uniform Perfect Fit Pants and Interlock Polo, a Review
• Lands’ End Phys Ed Performance T-shirt and Yoga Pants, Reviews
• Review of the Lands End Knit Ruffle Front Dress
• Lands' End Backpacks for School

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.

Pass the Fingertip Test

During the development of a schools uniform dress code, there is typically some back and forth that leads to an common understanding of the policy between the school board and the larger community of parents and students.  Once the policy is adopted, enforcement can be a constant battle for school administrators everywhere.  Recent articles included in the "in the news" series show many examples of battles between administrators and students, and in some cases, a larger group in the community.

A policy with clearly stated expectations and guidelines makes it easier for parents to understand so they can guide the student's choices when shopping.  Consistent enforcement by different teachers make clear examples of what's acceptable and what's not acceptable.

The length of a girls hemline for shorts, scooters, and dresses is a huge area for consternation.  Many schools have tried to set a simple easy to understand rule of thumb which is commonly referred to as "the fingertip test".   A young lady passes the fingertip test when the length of the skirt is below the fingertips of the student while standing with her arms extended straight down.  The same test works for jumpers, scooters and shorts. Maybe its a backlash to the mid-thigh trend we've been seeing for the past few seasons, but this fall, I noticed a trend of several retailers offering new longer lengths. Lands End's fall school uniform catalog features girls skirts in 3 lengths: above the knee, top of the knee and below the knee.  The French Toast fall catalog page on girls skirts feature both "the long and short of it" featuring two knee length skirts and one long skirt.  This can make shopping easier if your school has adopted the fingertip test as a rule of thumb to guide enforcement.

Below are some examples of new longer skirts:

Lands' End
 Girls' Plus Solid Pleated Skirt (Below The Knee)

French Toast
Kick Pleat Skirt

Lands' End
Little Girls' Solid A-line Skirt (Below The Knee)

French Toast
Knee Length Straight Skirt

Lands' End
Little Girls' Box Pleat Skirt (Below The Knee)

What do you think of these knee length and longer styles?

Lands' End Uniform Girls Solid A-line Skirt, a review

I noticed this little skirt online during the clearance sales.  I was placing an order for something else and added this in as an add on to reach the $50 threshold for free shipping. I prefer to get scooters for my daughter with the built in knit shorts, so at $9.99- the price on this was too good to pass up.  

It is navy with an adjustable waist and a side zipper. It has a cute detail of the 2 button tabs and a pleat on one side. It also has a pocket only one one side.  The length on this skirt hits my daughter right above the knee.  I've washed it several times already and the polyester/rayon blend resists wrinkles and looks great right out of the dryer. She likes it; in fact, this is the skirt she choose to wear on the first day of school this year.

This solid a-line skirt I got is still available at that clearance price in slim and plus sizes (see details below).This season, Lands' End is offering quite a few styles of skirts in a longer length. This little girl's skirt is now also available in a below the knee length.

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Best Bet in Girls Scooters for School

Some brands call them scooters: while others call them skorts; I just call them convenient. I have stated here before, I prefer the convenience of skirts with the knit shorts built in underneath for my daughter.



The image below shows the regular retail price at each of the major retailers. Regular retail prices for the girls scooter range from $8 to $35. Based on my review, the target price is to find scooters for under $12-15. When you are watching the Back to School ads or out shopping and you find one at or below that target price, make the purchase with confidence that you've found a good sale price.

Regular Retail Price

Legend of Retailers

C8	Crazy 8’s	FT	French Toast	LE	Lands’ End
CP	Children’s Place	Gap	Gap	ON	Old Navy
CWO	Children’s Wear Outlet	Gym	Gymboree	T	Target
CK	Cookies Kids	JCP	JCPenney	WM	Walmart

This data is shared for informational purposes only. Please verify details directly with the retailers. Read more information on how the information was collected and analysed.

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Updated: This post was reviewed and updated in June 2014 to update links and ensure pricing is still accurate for the 2014 Back to School Season.

George Girls Wrap Scooter 

Best Bets on a Budget

• Walmart George Girls Wrap Scooter  $8.97 
Colors: Navy, Black or Khaki.
60% cotton/40% polyester. Machine wash cold. Imported.

• CookiesKids Genuine Tabbed Scooter $9.99
Shell: 60% Cotton, 40% Polyester.
Lining: 65% Polyester, 35% Cotton.
Machine Wash Cold. Made in China.

• JCPenney Izod Pleated Scooter Skirt $10

  

  French Toast
  Two Tab Scooter

  
  Colors: Navy or Khaki.
Machine Wash Cold. Imported.

• French Toast Two Tab Scooter $11.98
  Colors: Black, Burgundy, Green,  Navy, Heather Grey, or Khaki.
  100% polyester. Imported. Machine wash.

There are quiet a few additional options that retail just under the $15 price point:

• Crazy 8 Uniform Pleated Knit Skort $14.88
• Children's Place has a variety of skorts in regular, slim and plus fits that retail for $14.95.
• Target Cherokee Girls' School Uniform Knit Scooter $14.00
• Target Cherokee Girls' School Uniform Pleated Scooter $14.99

Best Bets for Plus Size

• Walmart George Girl's Pleated Scooter Plus $9.97 
  Colors: Navy or Khaki.
  100% polyester. Machine wash cold. Imported.

• JCPenney IZOD Pleated Scooter Skirt Plus $12
Colors: Navy or Khaki.
Machine Wash Cold. Imported.

• French Toast has a wide selection of  Plus size Scooters.  Regular prices range from $12.98 to 20.98.

• Lands' End has several styles of scooters in Plus size available, including plaids. Regular prices range from $20 - 45.

Best for those looking to stand out from Classmates

• JCPenney IZOD Corduroy Scooter Skirt - Girls $10

Related Posts:

Lands' End Uniform Girls Solid A-line Skirt, a review
Cherokee School Uniform Scooter, a Review

Lands End Girls Uniform Pleated Twill Skort

Izod Flat Front Uniform Skirt, a review

Best Bets for Kids Polo's for Back to School

Best Bets for Girls Sweaters for School

Best Bets in Girls Blouses for School