Girls Chino Skort from Lands End, a review

This Girls Chino Skort from Lands End looks like a classic skirt. It has hidden built in knit shorts underneath making it a perfect choice to allow girls to play freely on the playground with modesty. Like classic skirts, it has a back vent for easy movement.

We bought this skort late this fall on a weeknight shopping outing to our local Sears store when we realized our daughter outgrew all of uniform bottoms during the summer.

The little girls style is pull on while the big girl version has a side zipper. Both styles have the hidden adjustable waist in the back, leaving the front of the skirt a smooth clean look. The length is designed to hit the top of the knee.  We noticed a difference of a about four inches in the length on the girls size 10 to the 12.  The size 10 fit my daughter perfectly. Since she prefers a just below or an at-the-knee length, we bought the 12 and adjusted the waist to fit her better. My daughter has worn it many times already.  I've found that it washes up easy.  It looks fine right out of the dryer.

It is available in navy, black and khaki.  The machine washable fabric is 40% polyester/60% cotton blend. It is available in little girl and big girl sizing in slim, regular and plus.  There is also a juniors and a women's version.

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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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Skater Skirt Trend Arrives in School Uniform Collections

I have been loving the skater skirts and dresses for girls. It is nice to see this trend making its way to the school uniform collections of major retailers.  Because the skirts are full and loose at the bottom, check if they include built in shorts.  If not, you will want to have a comfortable garment to wear underneath that offers modesty without bulk.  If you need some ideas, check out one of our most popular posts on modesty on the playground.

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Here are some examples of new girls skater skirts in school uniform collections:

Cat & Jack Girls' Ponte Knit Skater Skirt 

This skirt has an elastic, but not an adjustable waist, so check the size chart to get a good fit.  It has shorts built in underneath. It is made from a shrink resistant ponte knit fabric and offered in navy and khaki. It retails for $12.99.

Children's Place Girls Ruffled Skater Skirt
This pull on skirt is made of 73% polyester/23% rayon/4% spandex. Note - no built in shorts underneath. It retails for $16.95.  It is offered in navy or gray.

Lands' End School Uniform Girls Solid Side Button Skirt

This button skirt has the cut of a skater skirt with the cute button detail on the side.  This skirt is different from those above because it features an adjustable inner waistband in girls sizes. The toddler style has an elastic back waistband. It is 65% polyester/ 35% rayon Easy-care fabric resists stains, wrinkles & fading. It has a single pocket on the right hand side.  It retails for $35 and is available in gray, navy and khaki.

Izod Skater Scooter Skirt
This option has shorts built in! It is available in toddler and girls regular and plus sizes at JCPenney. It retails for $24.  It has an elastic waist, but not the adjustable waist, so check the sizing chart before ordering.

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.

School Uniform Wardrobe Review for a 3rd Grade Girl

What's in our School Wardrobe?

It's been a while since I looked in my daughter's closet, took inventory of what's in her school wardrobe and shared a full school wardrobe review. My last full review was 3 years ago when I shared our Kindergarten School Uniform Wardrobe. This year, I really didn't do much back to school shopping. She hadn't grown much, so many items from last school year were still in good shape and still fit. But we have added a few new items that I picked up on sale.

Since the year started, we've transitioned all of her shirts rotating out all of her girls size medium shirts (7-8) to girls size large (10-12). The list below shows the types of wardrobe items in the school wardrobe including which brand. I think it is a good example of how diverse her wardrobe is by brand. A handful of these items were received complementary for evaluation in a review, however, most were purchased from the family budget. Disclosures are included in the full review posts, when relevant.

Girls School Uniform Wardrobe Inventory

• 3 short sleeve polos (Dockers, Classroom, French Toast Waist Tuck)
  
• 3 long sleeve polos (Lands' End Peter Pan, Cherokee, Children's Place Ruffle-Placket)
  
• 3 pair of Cherokee Flat Front Uniform Pants (While we've tried other brands that I liked, my daughter prefers these bootcut basics from Target.)
  
• 6 scooters (Cherokee Pleated Scooter, Cherokee Uniform Scooter, Lands' End Ponte Button Front, Schoolbelles Side Pleat Skort, Lands' End Solid A line Skirt and a Dockers Scooter)
  
  Before you ask - Yes, its a fair question. Why do we have 6 scooters? If you're building a school wardrobe for the first time, I would only recommend purchasing one or two. We've acquired these over time. My daughter seems to get the most value from scooters as some of these skirts have been in the rotation for 3 years already.
  
  The Docker's one has been hanging in the closet with tags on it for since Kindergarten waiting for her to grow into it. It has an elastic waist, but it is not adjustable. The skirt may be too short once her waist grows into it. Lesson learned; adjustable waistbands are key.
  
• 5 sweaters (Lands' End Performance Zip Front Cardigan, Children's Place Uniform Cardigan, Primary Cardi, H&M, Gap)
  
  Again, you don't need 5 sweaters. My daughter now has a favorite which she now carries with her in her backpack daily. The rest hang in the closet and might be worn on the weekend. But it did take trying different brands and styles to find her favorite.
  
• 2 pair of Boot Cut Yoga Pants (Children's Place Bootcut Foldover Active Pants and Lands' End Yoga Pants)
  
• 4 short sleeve t-shirts (Children's Place t shirt, Primary Polo, French Toast v-neck T, French Toast crew.)
  
• 2 long sleeve t-shirts (Circo, Children's Place)
  
• 2 pair of shorts (Gap, Lands' End)
  
  Both of these were leftover from last year's wardrobe and will need replaced for Spring because she has finally outgrown them.
  
• 4 active skorts (Children's Place)
  
  Again, you surely wouldn't need 4 of these in a first year wardrobe. In fact, you might not need any. My daughter likes to wear the Children's Place active skort for PE days during warmer months. We have 4 of them because I kept buying them on clearance forgetting that I had already put one away in the next size up. Yep, that happened 3 times. Oops.
  
• Sneakers for PE (Striderite)
  
• Mary Jane style shoes (Striderite)
  
• Accessories : bike shorts for under the skirt (French Toast), cuff socks (Gold Toe), knee socks (Code Socks and French Toast) and tights (Circo and French Toast).

What's missing?

Jumpers or dresses. Simply because my daughter is not a fan. She has a strong aversion to jumpers, always has. Maybe it's hereditary since I'm not a fan either. I used to be able to get her to put on a cotton polo dress, but not since first grade. She simply prefers to wear separates. If your daughter likes dresses and jumpers, you'll need fewer separates.

The Hunt for Girls Boot Cut Yoga Pants

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We have been fans of the Bootcut Foldover Active Pants from Children's Place for several years. My daughter doesn't like tight fitting leggings, so she much prefers boot cut or flare yoga pants.  Both for weekend wear and for PE wear for school, she has worn and outgrown many pairs of these active pants. I shared thoughts about them in a previous post touting that they are great for PE days.

Over last summer, our daughter grew an inch or two, so her navy PE pants were getting too short.  I logged onto the Children's Place website to order a few new pair. Much to my disappointment, they changed them.  And these new active pants just aren't working for us.

In the past, the active pants came in numbered sizes (4 - 14) making it easy to move up a size with each growth spurt.  Now the active pants come only in sizes, XS thru XL.  This eliminated 3 sizing options for the girls from 8 sizes to only 5. My daughter wears a size 8 or 9 in most brands that offer numbered sizing. She is currently too tall for the medium size, but the large is too big in the waist and way too long for her.  The active pants in the size large seem as long as other brands pants in a kids 10-12 size.   I recall we had similar difficulty finding pants when she was between a 6X and a 7. There was a 4 inch difference in the inseam with most brands.


The Children's Place also changed the fit of the leg on the active pants. The bootcut pants had a "slightly flared leg opening for a flattering fit".  The leg of the Skinny Foldover Active Pant is a straight leg pant.

The Children's Place change in sizing of the active pants combined with the change in the leg style has us shopping other brands.  So, I then logged on to another of my favorite go-to sites, Lands' End. I was surprised to learn that the Girls Yoga Boot Cut Pants are now also only offered in XS - XL sizes. I reviewed them for the Back to School season in 2014 and at that time, they were offered in numbered sizes 4 - 16.

I am not liking this trend of eliminating the numbered sizing options.  I can understand that it is better for the retailer making inventory management easier, etc.  But as a Mom, this is frustrating.  Like most Mom's, I take care to provide appropriate clothing for my child to wear.  I don't like her wearing "floods", or pants that are too short, or shirts that are too snug with her belly hanging out the bottom.  On the other hand, I hate when the next larger size is so big it looks like she's drowning in it.

If I had the time and skill, I could alter the items to fit her properly.  But I'd much prefer to have the option to buy her a size that fits, with just a bit of wiggle room to grow.

As I end my rant and this hunt, I concluded the hunt after finding that the medium size Girls' Yoga Pants at Target were 2 inches longer than the size 7 Children's Place active pants.  I found one pair at our local store. Then, a friend gave us a pair of size 8 hand me downs from Lands' End.  This is getting her through her two back to back PE days each week, at least until the next growth spurt. Then while I was in a Children's Place Outlet store just last weekend, I found a few pair of the number sized boot cut active pants in navy that were left over from the previous season.  I bought 2 pair.  I would have bought them in the next size up, but sizes were limited. The boot cut style disappeared from the Children's Place website for a few months, but I see that they are offered again now.  I'm hoping this is a sign that they are coming back and not just a short lived, inventory clearance offering.

Are you noticing this trend too?  Have you had trouble finding leggings for school that fit properly? Tell us what your noticing and add your opinion in the comments below.

Featured Basic: Youth Casual Sneakers

Youth Casual Sneakers

In many uniform schools, kids are required to wear basic sneakers in simple colors like white or black or another color that match the school uniform colors. At my daughter's school, the kids are required to wear sneakers on days when they have PE class that are "mostly" navy, white or black. It is my interpretation that the term "mostly" is used because the policy makers recognize how hard it is to find a basic sneaker in just one solid color.

I have commented before, that solid white or black sneakers are hard to find.  Sneaker colors today are anything but basic.  They are colorful in bright, fun shades. So I was pleasantly surprised to come across these basic sneakers in plain white.  They are also offered in a cute Dark Denim color.

They feature a leather upper, which is easy to keep looking clean. I also love the antimicrobial finish which helps prevent shoe odor. They retail for $39 at Lands' End.  Right now they are on sale for $19.99.

School Uniform Girls' Performance Zip-front Cardigan, a review

School Uniform Girls 
Performance Zip-front Cardigan-Classic

Last year, we reviewed the Girls' Zip-front Drifter Cardigan. It became my daughter's favorite go-to sweater all year long. New for the 2015-2016 school year, Lands' End began offering a similar zip-front sweater. So when my daughter's favorite zip front drifter began to get snug on her, we ordered this updated version. Here's a list of features listed in the product description:

• Resists fading and pilling for long-lasting color and comfort 
• Easy-care blend feels soft as cotton 
• Fully-fashioned construction for a great fit 
• Full-zip front 
• Easy-moving raglan sleeves 
• 60% cotton/40% rayon-modal 
• Machine wash/Imported

Compared to last year's version, the collar on this new one is smaller, more like a traditional cardigan and the fabric is a softer cotton blend.  I agree with the claim that it resists fading. We've washed the product numerous times so far and it is holding it's color well.  Also, no pilling so far.  The feel of the cotton is soft to the touch while the weight of the sweater feels substantial and warm. My daughter quickly adopted this as her new favorite sweater.  She demanded I put it in her book bag in the early fall when a lighter weight sweater may have been more appropriate.  I understood why when I visited the classroom for our first parent teacher conference of the year.  It is freezing in her classroom.  The teacher said the room is the coldest in the school and she encourages the kids to always have a sweater on hand.

I was surprised when I went to wash it for the first time.  I read the tags that recommended 'block flat to dry".  Huh?  I honestly had no idea what that meant. So, I did what any normal person would do, I Googled it. It outlined a method that made sense laundering hand knitted clothing and fragile fine fabric sweaters. I quickly decided that the process was too complicated for me, as a busy working Mom.  I don't have time to find butcher paper and trace the outline of the sweater, etc.  It all seemed like too much effort for a simple school sweater that I wash every weekend.  Instead, I tested my own simpler method.  I made sure the zipper was fastened and washed the sweater in cold water in the delicate cycle with other items that seem suited for that cycle.  Normally, I then would have thrown it in the dryer on low.  Instead, I "blocked" it, not to fit its traced outline on paper, but instead I simply shaped it resemble its original shape and size and then carefully laid it across my drying rack to air dry.

After repeating this process each week for a several months now, the sweater has held its original shape and looks just fine.  If you've devised your own simple strategy for blocking sweaters, please feel free to share your feedback in the comments below.  Also if you also have this sweater, tell us how you launder it.

My overall opinion is that this sweater is worth the money.  It retails for $50, so try to catch it on sale. At 30% off, it will definitely earn it's keep in the school wardrobe rotation.  I would guess that my daughter will end up getting at least 2 years of wear from this sweater before she outgrows it.

Fun Find: Girls Glow in the Dark Graphic Tee

A supermoon eclipse is set to occur on September 27. What's a supermoon eclipse?

A supermoon occurs when the moon appears to be abnormally large and bright in the sky. This happens when the moons reaches its full phase while on it's closest path to Earth. And a lunar eclipse happens when the moon passes in the shadow of the Earth resulting in the sun's light being blocked by the Earth. The supermoon eclipse is a special event because it is rare that a supermoon and an eclipse happen simultaneously. The last one occurred in 1982 and the next one is scheduled in 2033.

Here is a super cute, girls glow in the dark t-shirt to mark the occasion. Here is a similar style for boys.

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What's New at Lands End for Back to School 2015

The Lands' End Back to School catalog arrived in my mailbox this year in June when my daughter had 3 days left on the school year.  Kids in Virginia get out of school later than kids in most other states, but the back to school shopping season also seems to start earlier each year. 

When I browsed the catalog and found a few new or updated items that are definitely worth passing along. Below are a few of my favorites:

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Boy's Perfect Shirt

Boy's Perfect Shirt

Mom's of little boys will be happy to hear about the new Boys' Perfect shirt.  It sounds so awesome, my husband will want to try one.

Features:

• The armholes have been redesigned to give him more room to move.
• The easy care fabric resists wrinkles so he can wear it straight from the dryer.
• It has a comfort collar with an elastic tab button so it is never too tight.
• They added stain release to the cuffs and the collar to keep them looking great.
• The shirt wicks moisture, dries quickly and helps balance body temperature. 

Girls Performance
Zip-front Cardigan

School Uniform Girls' Performance Zip-front Cardigan

Last year, we reviewed the Girls' Zip-front Drifter Cardigan. It became her favorite go-to sweater all year long. New this year, Lands' End is offering a similar zip-front sweater. The collar on this one is smaller, more like a traditional cardigan and the fabric is a cotton blend. We're definitely going to have to try it out this year.

Features

• Resists fading and pilling for long-lasting color and comfort
• Easy-care blend feels soft as cotton
• Fully-fashioned construction for a great fit
• Full-zip front
• Easy-moving raglan sleeves
• 60% cotton/40% rayon-modal
• Machine wash/Imported

Girls' Button Front
Solid A-line Jumper

Girls' Button Front Solid A-line Jumper

We reviewed and loved the School Uniform Girls' Button-front Ponté Skort last season. The quality held up so well, my daughter will be able to wear it again for another season.  This year, Lands' End took the button look and put it on the classic jumper. 

Features:

• Easy-care convenience
• Functional front placket
• Top-of-knee length
• 65% polyester/35% rayon blend
• Polyester lining
• Machine wash/Imported

Boy's Performance Button
Front Cardigan Sweater

Boys' Performance Button Front Cardigan Sweater

This classic button front sweater is still available in the 100% cotton version, but now it is also available in a easy care cotton/rayon-modal blend.

Features:

• Easy-care fabric resists pilling, fading & shrinkage
• Rib-knit placket, cuff & pocket trim
• 60% cotton/40% rayon-modal
• Machine wash/Imported

(Photos used with permission from Lands' End)

Kids Swim Suits for Summer Camp from Lands' End

Will your child be attending day camp this summer?  Here in our area with many families with two working parents, all of school aged children attend the area day camps all summer long. For the past few years, our daughter has attended a summer camp program located on a nearby historic farm.  Everyday they get some time in the pool, weather permitting of course.  So everyday, we have to pack a bag with her swim suit, towel, sun screen and bug spray.

Girls' Anchors Away
Short Sleeve Cropped
Graphic Rash Guard Set

Have you ever tried to wiggle back into a wet one piece tank suit? Not fun!  So I am a huge fan of two piece tankini suits for little girls.  I knew I wanted to find a two piece tankini style suit for my daughter's first year at day camp. As I looked at the new styles online, so many of them had double straps or criss-cross straps that could easily trip up a little girl getting changed by herself.  

I settled on a tankini with simple spaghetti straps in my daughter's favorite colors. I also bought the matching rash guard T-shirt.  By mid summer, I realized she was choosing to wear the rash guard T-shirt with her swim bottoms, skipping the tankini top all together.  

The next summer, she picked out swim shorts and a rash guard T-shirt in her favorite color.  With swimming everyday, sometimes twice a day, then throw in a beach vacation -- well she wore out two rash guard t-shirts that season.  This year, she doesn't even want a traditional swim suit.  She only wants the rash guard swim shirt with bottoms. All her friends are sporting the swim tees also.

Lands End has a great selection of both short and long sleeve t-shirts for boys and girls. The girls styles are cute and practical for summer camp.  I love this bright blue color long sleeve options for boys, paired with basic swim trunks.

Boys' Long Sleeve
Solid Rash Guard

Boys' Solid
Swim Trunks

Frugal Find: Girls' Mary Jane Shoes

I spotted these Girls' Unit Bottom Mary Jane Shoes on clearance at Lands' End. They still have a most sizes available in navy, black and black patent in both wide and regular widths.

I love the basic navy Mary Jane with the school uniform, and the black patent are perfect for dress up occasions. These have an easy to use Velcro closure.  My favorite features are the rubber sole and the antimicrobial finish to reduce odor.

 They regularly retail for $39.00, and are now only $19.99.

If you act fast,you can pick them up for a steal with this special offer:

Limited time - 5/21-5/25 only! Start your summer right with Lands' End's Memorial Day Sale! Receive 30% off everything at Lands' End. Use code THRILL and pin 4110. Ends 5/25/15.

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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