Free Embroidery on all Styles at French Toast!

This never happens!

French Toast is having a special promotion for free embroidery. Yes, it's early, but hurry and stock up on all the embroidery items that you need for back to school this fall. Order now for delivery by July 15th, 2019. Its a savings of over $5 per item! That adds up quick.

When I read the back to school articles on school uniforms from our friends across the pond, most schools seem to require uniforms to include the school crest. Here in the US, we don’t call them “crested” uniforms, but instead, simply talk about the option to add the school logo to shirts or sweaters. US private schools are more likely to require that logos be added certain uniform items, but most public schools, that have adopted the standard student attire model of khakis and polos, typically offer logos as an option.

Wearing the school logo on the uniform can be a show of support for school pride. This also carries over into the wider community when those students are out around town wearing school colors with the logo. Every year, I see a comment from a British mom talking about how her kids “look smart” in their new uniforms.

When choosing to add a logo to a school uniform item, adding it to all polo tops is a natural choice. If you live in a colder climate, adding a logo to a sweater, sweatshirt or a fleece jacket is also a smart spend since students wear them over the polo tops. If your school uniform includes a blazer, it is the perfect item for the school logo.

Uniform Mom is an affiliate partner with French Toast.
If you use these links and decide to make a purchase, I receive a small commission. 

Here are a few items that would be great to order during this sale:

• BasicPolos (Short Sleeve Pique Polo / Long Sleeve Interlock Polo)
• Long Sleeve Interlock Knit Polo with Picot Collar (Feminine Fit)
• Short Sleeve Peter Pan Polo
• Fleece Hooded Sweatshirt
• Pom-Pom Zip-Up Sweater
• Anti-Pill V-Neck Cardigan Sweater
• Fine-Gauge Knit Cardigan Sweater
• Blazers (School Blazer/Girls Dress Blazer)
• Hooded Windbreaker
• Hidden Hood Jacket

When in elementary school, my daughter had a favorite Zip Front Sweater (like the one shown above).  She kept in her backpack and wore in the classroom nearly every day. It became a ritual to dig it out of her backpack on Friday evenings and wash it every weekend.  Does your child have a favorite sweater?

Be sure to order soon, this sale ends June 23rd.  The discount applies at checkout. No Code Required.

And feel free to share this article to your school's message board so others might also take advantage of this sale.

Elderwear Long Sleeve Polo, a Review

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Elderwear Girls "Ribbed Cuff"
Long Sleeve Knit Polo
$9.99 at CookieKids

Recently Cookies Kids offered me the chance to review a few products.  I jumped on the opportunity to check out an Elderwear brand polo.  They sent me an Elderwear Girls "Ribbed Cuff" Long Sleeve Knit Polo to use as the basis of this review. 

When it comes to kids polos for school, many of the mast market brands are similar in price and quality. But there are a few outliers.  One of those outliers is Elderwear.  It is a brand that I have only come across a handful of times.  I've seen their uniform items only at a local boutique that specializes in school uniforms for the private schools in my area.  The price of their items is noticeably higher than mass market brands.

This Elderwear knit polo features long sleeves, a narrow button placket, slit sides, and ribbed cuffs.  It is 60% cotton and 40% polyester.  This long sleeve polo is a much heavier fabric than lower priced polos from other brands.  This is a nice feature in a long sleeve polo that is more likely to worn alone during the colder months of the year, as opposed to a lightweight polo worn under a jumper or sweater.

In our area, the weather just turned cool this week.  My daughter had a chance to try out the new polo and said it was comfortable to wear.  This weekend, it took a trip through the laundry cycle.  I wash her whites on warm and tumble dry low.  I might iron the polo for picture day or the annual holiday assembly, but for everyday, it looked fine right out of the dryer.

It is regularly priced at $28.99, but Cookie Kids offers this quality polo at the everyday price of only $9.99. I would definitely recommend this polo.  The Elderwear quality at a CookieKids price is a great combination. CookieKids also carries the Elderwear Girls Short Sleeve Pique Polo, but not the boys versions.

French Toast changes to alpha sizing on Polo Shirts

I complained last year when the Children's Place changed the sizing of their yoga pants from numeric to alpha.  My daughter couldn't wear their yoga pants leggings because she was between sizes.  So I am sad to see that French Toast is also changing the sizing of their polo shirts in both boys and girls styles from numeric sizing to alpha sizing.

I found the following message on  product detail pages for the polo tops:

"If your numeric size is out of stock, get the new alpha size! French Toast has simplified shopping with our new alpha sizes XS, S, M, L, XL. See our size conversion chart below to find your best fit."

The numeric sizing scale includes 7 size options in the elementary school size range while the alpha sizing reduces that to 5 sizes.  I understand how this helps a manufacture with inventory management, but it is a bummer for the kids waiting for the next growth spurt while they are between sizes. I expect alpha sizing from the box stores where the uniforms are just one collection in their seasonal offering, but I have come to expect more from retailers like French Toast that specialize in school uniforms.

If you have a child that is between sizes, act quick before they sell out of all the numeric sizes and stock up on a few polos now.

French Toast Two Tab Scooter and Polo from Rainbow Shops

Recently I introduced Rainbow Shops as a re-seller of French Toast and Lee brand school uniform items. They gifted me some items to try for purposes of this review. I selected several French Toast brand items for my daughter that we haven't reviewed here previously.

Copyright 2016 Rene Shonerd All Rights Reserved

The first item is the French Toast girls two-tab scooter. This item is a uniform staple offered by many brands. The French Toast scooter is made of 100% machine washable polyester so no ironing is not needed. Yeah, score one for Mom. It has an adjustable waist. I've learned the hard way that an adjustable waist is much preferred to an elastic waist. It had pleats on the front side of the skirt and solid fabric on the back. The details is the 2 silver buckles on the left hip. The closure is on the side with knit shorts built in. The side zipper might be too much for the youngest girls, but works fine for those well beyond the potty training years with strong manual dexterity skills. Th length of the skirt hits above the knee. French Toast offers this skirt in 6 colors and Rainbow Shops offers the most popular options black, navy and khaki in girls sizes 2T all the way through girls size 14. It retails for $12.99 and can be found 25% off via Rainbow Shops.

Copyright 2016 Rene Shonerd
All Rights Reserved.

The next item we tried is the girls long sleeve interlock knit polo shirt. This is a classic uniform wardrobe staple.  The temperatures are warm now during back to school season, but temperatures will drop soon enough.  You'll want to snag at least one or two long sleeve polos early in the season while they are easy to find.  The French Toast interlock polo is available in 6 colors at Rainbow Shops and in sizes ranging from toddler through girls plus size 18-20.  The sleeves on this polo are hemmed but not banded.  Right now the sleeves are too long on my daughter, and you might be able to notice in this picture, we simply folded up the sleeve.  The collar and placket are standard, but the subtle flower shaped buttons offer a cute feminine detail.  I've found that the French Toast polos wash up easily and hold their shape.  My daughter is required to wear white tops so I bleach out any stains to keep it looking fresh through the school year.  It retails for $11.99 but is currently on sale for 25% off, or $8.99 which is right in the Uniform Mom target price range sweet spot for polo shirts. Got boys? Here's the link to the boys long sleeve French Toast polo instead.

Shop 25% Off Kid's Uniforms Sale!

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The Gap's School Uniform Polo Shirt, a review

During a post holiday sale about 2 years ago, I picked up two
Girls Solid Pique Uniform Polos from the Gap for my daughter that were on end of the season clearance. Normally, Gap polos are at the higher end of the price range. But I snagged them for 5 bucks each.   This time of year is a great time to keep an eye out for winter clearance sales.

My daughter is now outgrowing these Gap polos, but we got 2 good years of use from them. They held up very well. This polo is a traditional pique polo in soft stretch materials that is 94% cotton and 4% spandex. It has side vents at the hem and has satin trim inside the collar in a contrasting color. The tag inside the collar bothered by daughter, so we cut it out. The fabric is not as soft as some of her interlock polos in other brands, but it is not a traditional mesh feel either.

The girls version of the polo has feminine details such as a slim fit and longer front button placket. It is offered in 6 common uniform colors in sizes XS through XXL. It also comes in a plus size option or a long sleeve version. As an alternative, I really like this Girls Peter Pan Jersey Polo.

The Boys Solid Pique Polo is described as having a modern fit with a slimmer profile.  The  trim in the collar is in the same color fabric, and the placket is wider and shorter than the girls. The boys polo is offered in 10 different colors in sizes from XS through XXL. There is also a long sleeve version and a husky version.

Classroom Brand Polo from Schoolbelles

(c) 2015 Rene Shonerd
All Rights Reserved.

This is a sponsored post.  Schoolbelles provided me a sample polo to use as a basis of this review. No additional compensation was provided for this post.



(c) 2015 Rene Shonerd
All Rights Reserved.

The folks at Schoolbelles sent a Classroom Fitted Jersey Polo for me to review. This is a classic polo with the following features:

• 3 button placket front and matching banded sleeve
• The colorfast poly/cotton blend is made for easy care wash and wear.
• 60% Cotton/40% Polyester textured pique.
• It is available in eight different colors and is available in all sizes from extra small youth through triple extra large adult.
• At Schoolbelles, the youth sizes are priced at $13.75 and the most adult sizes are priced at $16.75.

Schoolbelles carries this product in their value line of products. They tout that these items are carefully created to be fashionable, durable school uniform tested in real world situations with real kids. Assuming your child doesn't have a crazy growth spurt, I have no doubt this item will last a full school year or longer. My daughter is just outgrowing size 7-8 shirts.  While they still fit across the shoulders, they are too short when she lifts her hands over her head.  The shirt she is wearing in this photo is a size 10-12 which is a big jump that is running a bit big on her in the shoulder.



(c) 2015 Rene Shonerd
All Rights Reserved.

We've tried quite a few brands of polos over the past 3 school years while my daughter has been wearing uniform and I have been reviewing schoolwear. Based on my past comparisons of pricing between vendors, I have found most retailers price polos between $5.50 and $18. Based on the weight of the fabric and feel of the texture of this Classroom brand polo, it is above average in quality and fits nicely at a competitive price just outside my target pricing range. At their full list price, it is as labeled - a great value. If you pick up a few of these polos when Schoolbelle's is having a sale, you can feel confident you are getting a great deal.

You can find this on Schoolbelles's site by using the green General Catalog tab on the left hand side.  Select Girl from the gender drop down, then click the "Shop" button.  Click to browse the Polo Shirts where you'll see this polo listed as style number 8730.

It comes in a variety of colors.  You can get it in white (as shown here),  light blue, navy, royal blue, maroon, red, dark green, and black.  It is also available in a range of sizes to sit everyone - from Youth Extra Small through Adult Triple Extra Large.

Schoolbelles was recently featured in the Retail Round Up Series. Please use the school code S7001 when shopping online, when placing an order over the phone with customer service at 1-888-637-3037, or when shopping in one of their 13 retail locations across the mid-west..

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. To keep in touch and learn about their future sale notifications, Like their Facebook page and join their mailing list.

Lands' End School Uniform Perfect Fit Pants and Interlock Polo, 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.

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(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

Today we'll take a look at two classic wardrobe staples: the Girls' Perfect Fit Pants from the Iron Knee collection and the Girls' Feminine Fit Interlock Polo Shirt from Lands' End.



I love the updated fit of the School Uniform Girls' Perfect Fit Plain Front Blend Chino Pants. They aren't a skinny pant, but the cut of the leg is just a bit narrower than a straight cut style. I think this will be a popular choice for fashion forward young ladies that wear uniforms to school. My daughter is used to wearing boot cut pants because she really doesn't like the feel of skinny jeans or pants.  After putting them on, she pulled at the pant leg once noticing the difference in the style, but not being able to vocalize the difference at how they fit her closer in the leg.  I then paid close attention to see if she continued to tug at them, but she quickly got used to them not giving it another thought.



As a Mom, I also love the features and quality of these pants.  Because she is just growing into a new size, we had to take advantage of the adjustable waist and make it smaller.  This is her first pair of reinforced knee pants.  Back in preschool, she quickly blew out the knees on all her jeans and I had to resort to using iron on patches.  So, I know she's going to put these Iron Knee Pants to the test this year.  But the best part is the hem. 



Lands' End does the hemming for you! Yeah, it seems so old school for a retailer to hem your pants, but it makes so much sense.  I've never understood why women's pants are made all the same length while men's are sized both by waist and inseam.  With these quickly growing kids, it seems the standard pant sizes are either too long or too short.  With a custom inseam sized just to fit, it makes things simple.  Because beyond a simple button repair, I'm no good at sewing and I don't even have a sewing machine or have access to one. This is so awesome for me because most standard pants in my daughter's new size are a good four or five or more inches too long for her.



When you place your online order, you enter your child's inseam.  Now here's what's really important to know, there is no need to size up.  They make the adjustment for us to allow some wiggle room for the fabric to shrink under recommended laundering instructions and to allow some growing room. I measured my daughter's inseam at 20 inches and, as advised, entered her actual measurements when ordering.  The pants that arrived measure almost 22 inches.  And as promised they will give her room to grow, but they don't look noticeably long and are totally wearable at this length.

Girls' Perfect Fit
Plain Front Blend Chino Pants

Features

• Improved fit for comfort and flexibility
• Little Girl & Big Girl sizes: New! reinforce patched Iron Knees for longer lasting wear
• Wrinkle-resistant 60% cotton/40% polyester blend
• Front & rear pockets
• Little Girl & Big Girl sizes: adjustable inner waistband to fine-tune her fit
• Little Girl sizes: easy-on elastic back & snap button close
• Big Girl sizes: no-gap contoured waistband & FREE hemming available!
• Women’s sizes: Contoured waistband prevents gaping at back

These pants are available in classic navy, khaki and black.  They are available in sizes to fit everyone: Toddler 2T - 4T,  Little Girls 4-7 (regular and slim), Big Girls 7 - 16 (regular, slim and plus), Junior and Adult (regular and tall). The regular retail price is $40.00.

(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

The pants pair well with the School Uniform Girls' Short Sleeve Feminine Fit Interlock Polo Shirt. Personally, I prefer the feel of the interlock polos to mesh polos.  And this polo is SO super soft, made from 100% cotton.  It is by far the nicest kids' polo I've seen.  If your child is fussy about the texture or feel of fabrics, you should definitely check this one out.



I always advocate that you look for brands and items with the word "resistant" in its product claims.  This polo is said to resist stains, resists shrinkage and resists piling. No boxy fit either; the fit is distinctly all girl and shaped to be flattering to a young girls figure. It is machine washable for easy care. The other feature worth noting for uniform kids is that this polo hits the top of the hip, allowing the right amount of fabric to properly tuck in your uniform polo. 

Girls' Short Sleeve Feminine Fit

Interlock Polo Shirt

Features

• She-shaped, plush 100% cotton
• Enhanced fabric keeps colors true
• Resists stains and shrinkage
• Top-of-hip length with side vents
• Shaped: Not too slim or too loose
• Sized to allow for shrinkage, please wash before wear

This polo is offered in a dozen different colors, so you're sure to find your school's colors.  It comes in sizes for Little Girls 4-7, Big Girls 7 - 16, Junior and Adult (regular and tall). The regular retail price is $18.00. And when required or desired, you can get your school logo added to this polo. 



I really love both of these school uniform items.  These are high quality wardrobe staples that will last through the school year.

Related Posts:

• 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 Phys Ed Performance T-shirt and Yoga Pants, Reviews
• Lands' End Uniform Girls Solid A-line Skirt, a review
• Review of the Lands End Knit Ruffle Front Dress
• Lands' End Backpacks for School

 

Pin These Budget Friendly School Uniforms for Girls

If you have a tight Back to School Budget, check out these school uniform options for girls that were selected for the our Back to School Best Bets:

Follow Uniform Mom's board Best Bets on a Budget for 2014 Back to School Uniforms for Girls on Pinterest.

Best Bets for Kids Polo's for Back to School

Update: All New and Updated for the 2017 Back to School Season!
This post was originally published in 2013 and has been the most popular post in the Best Bests series on the Uniform Mom site over the years.  It is updated each summer to reflect changes is retailer pricing and availability. 

So you're ready to start your back to school shopping?  Hold your horses until you've read my Strategic Plan for Back to School Shopping. Then, when you're ready to begin your comparison shopping, we've got you covered. This post is the first in a series called, Best Bets, which will feature comparisons from all of the major retailers on all your back to school basics.

When it comes to Back to School Polos, you can find them everywhere. Regular retail prices for the basic school uniform polos range from $5.97 to $22. Based on my research, your target price is to buy uniform polos for under $10.When you are out shopping and you find one you like at or below that target price, make the purchase with confidence that you've found a good sale price.

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Best Bets for those on a Budget

If your on a tight budget, check out these options all regularly priced under $10.  Look for sales prices and coupons on these items to find a great deal.

Walmart (Girls / Boys)

The George brand polo (shown to the right) is regularly priced at $5.97. You can save can even more if you take advantage of the bundle offers of 2 packs, 3 packs or 4 packs. I agree with the positive reviews of these polos. The fabric and the quality of the shirts are great. They will hold up for the entire school year. Personally, we've only tried the white polo, but reviewers report that the color items will hold their color wash after wash.

Fabric: cotton blend & treated with Scotchgard for stain protection.

Girls Sizes: XS - XXL
Girls Colors: White, Navy, Green, Burgundy, Black, Bright Green, Pink, Royal Blue, Light Blue, Red, Bright Yellow, Purple, Tangerine, Lemon

Boys Sizes: XS - XXL, Husky M - XL (fewer colors)
Boys Colors: White, Navy, Green, Burgundy, Black, Bright Green, Gray, Royal Blue, Light Blue, & Red, Bright Yellow, Purple, Tangerine, Lemon

Cat & Jack Short Sleeve Polo (Girls / Boys)

In summer 2016, Target launched the Cat and Jack brand of children's clothing which includes a school uniform collection. My criticism of the new uniform line is that the "nightfall" color is not a true navy.  It is a lighter shade of blue that may not pass inspection at schools with rigid uniform enforcement policies and procedures. If navy is the required color at your school, you might shop elsewhere. However, good news with the launch of the items in 2017. Some of the items in the uniform collection have been updated to a new color, "Navy Voyage", to better comply with required school uniform colors.

We tested the girls short sleeve polo last school year and found the quality to be comparable to the Cherokee brand polos that they replaced.  They added additional colors this season.  The polos are competitively priced at $7, but are have been on sale for as low as $4.

Fabric: 100% piqued cotton
Girls Sizes: XS - XXL

Colors: White, Navy, Green, Light Blue, & Red 

Boys Sizes: XS - XXL

Colors: White, Black, Red, Navy, Light Blue, Yellow, Blue, Green, Burgundy (boys only), Pink (girls only), Gold (girls only), Purple (girls only)

CookiesKids Universal Short Sleeve Pique Polo

This unisex pique polo is offered in 16 colors and is priced at $9.99.  In the past, I've seen them feature these on sale for as low as $4.99.

Fabric: 60% cotton/ 40% Polyester.

Sizes: Kids 4-16, Toddler, Juniors, & Mens

Colors: White, Black, Red, Navy, Light Blue, Yellow, Royal Blue, Green, Burgundy, Pink, Gold, Purple, Jade, Gray, Orange, & Kelly Green.

Old Navy (Girls / Boys)

We've tried this brand of polo and found the quality comparable to others featured here. The polo is regularly priced at $9.94. Look for them to be featured on sale as low as $6.

Girls Sizes: XS - XXL, L - XXL Plus

Girls Colors: White, Navy, Hunter Green, Burgundy, Black, Pink, Royal Blue, Light Blue, Red, Purple, and Gray. Yellow, Bright Green and Bright Pink are no longer offered.

Boys Sizes: XS - XXL, L - XXL Husky

Boys Colors: White, Navy, Black, Purple, Hunter Green, Burgundy, Royal Blue, Light Blue, Red, Gold, Yellow (long sleeve only), Orange. Brown is no longer offered.

Best Bets for Color Selection

If the uniform dress code at your school allows for a variety in colors, there are a few retailers that carry a wide selection of color choices to brighten your wardrobe. The Best on a Budget option of the Walmart George Polos shown above offers 14 color options.  Below are some additional options:

French Toast Unisex Pique Polo

French Toast Unisex Short Sleeve Pique Polo (featured right) 

This is a great brand for school uniform items.  Fair prices and good quality.  Available in 17 colors regularly priced at $10.98, and look for them to be featured on sale.

Sizes: Toddler, Kids 4-20, Husky 10-20, &Teen

Fabric: Cotton Polyester Blend

Colors: Black, Light Blue, Burgundy, Navy, Royal Blue, Teal, Purple, Green, Kelly Green, Gray, Pink, Yellow, Orange  Red, and White.

Land End School Uniform Short Sleeve Solid Performance Interlock Polo Shirt

This polo retails for $18.00.  You can add a monogram or a school logo. You can read our full review of the Lands End interlock polo and we find these to be the softest of all the brands we've tried.  The quality is outstanding.

Sizes: Little Kids 4 -7, Big Kids 7 - 20 and Adult

Fabric: 100% cotton interlock

Colors: Cobalt, Black, Light Blue, Burgundy, Navy, Purple, Green, Teal, Gold, Gray, Pink, Yellow, Orange  Red, and White.

Lands' End Active Polo

Best Bets in Active Polos

Lands' End Active Polo (Girls / Boys)

This polo retails for $30 and it is description states that it "draws moisture away from the skin for quick-drying comfort. The fabric also blocks out harmful UV rays and has an antimicrobial finish to help fight odors."

Boys Sizes: 8-20; Little Boy Sizes 4 - 7
Girls Sizes: 7-16; Little Girl Sizes: 4-7
Fabric: 100% Polyester
Colors: Red, Black, Classic Navy, and White

French Toast Active/Sport Polo (Girls / Boys)

This cheerfully priced option is only $11.98 for the girls Active Polo and $10.98 for the boys Sport Polo.

Boys and Girls Sizes: 4 - 16
Fabric: 100% Polyester Interlock
Colors: White, Light Blue, Navy, and Red (boys only)

Best Bets to Find Plus/Husky Fits

If you're looking for husky fit polos for boys or plus size fit for girls, these retailers might be your best bet:

• French Toast Short Sleeve Pique Polo (Girls Plus Size )
• George School Uniform Short Sleeve Polo (Husky/Girls Plus Size

Related Posts:

Best Bets for Girls Sweaters for School

Best Bets in Girls Blouses for School

Best Bet in Girls Scooters for School

Best Bet for Girls Jumpers - Solids and Plaids

Best Bets in Girls Shorts for School

Best Bets on Girls Pants for Back to School

Best Bets for Boys Oxford Shirts

Best Bets on Boys Sweaters for School

Best Bets in Boys School Blazers

Best Bets in Boys Shorts for School

Best Bets for Boys Pants for Back to School