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8 Steps for School Uniform Wardrobe Refresh

Warmer temperatures means its time to dig out those Spring clothes and put away the heavy Winter sweaters and coats. Save yourself from any unnecessary morning craziness by reorganizing the kids wardrobe this weekend.

Here are 8 Steps for a Spring Wardrobe Refresh:

1. Do laundry first. It doesn't make sense to do this task twice, so get the laundry done so all clothes are ready to be sorted.
2. Dig out any seasonal items that you may have put away from last year or if you received a bag of hand me down items from a friend. Sort through those items and pull out any Spring items in your child's size. Launder them, if needed.
3. Take everything out of the dresser drawers. Pile the clothes on the bed. This will keep you from overlooking items by forcing you to touch everything. Dust out the dresser drawers while they are empty.
4. Pack away the winter items like heavy sweaters and outerwear like coats, hats gloves, and scarves if they meet these two criteria.
   

   a) Does that item have some useful like left in it? And
   b) Will your child be able to fit in it again next season.

   
   If the answer is "no" for either question, put it aside in the donation pile.
5. Sort the clothes organizing like items. Phys Ed clothes, long sleeve t-shirts, short sleeve t-shirts, shorts and bottoms, pajamas, accessories, and activity/sports uniform items. Pull out items that your child has outgrown. Fold items neatly and put them back in the dresser.
6. Next, open the closet and pull out outgrown items. Reorganize by putting like items together. Sort uniform items from non-uniform clothing. Tops, Sweaters, Skirts, Dresses, Pants, and coats.
7. The only items remaining item should be in your donation pile. Pack up uniform items with useful life left in them for the school uniform exchange program. Pack up the remaining items in a large trash bag and take them out to the car so you can drop them in the local Goodwill bin when you are out doing regular errands.
8. Review your progress and spot check against the Uniform Mom Printable Shopping Lists. Make a list of key uniform items that need replacing to get through the next season.

Image Source (Public Domain).

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.

Do your Back to School Shopping during the Tax Free Holiday in your State

Mark you Calendars!

Shopping during the Tax Free Holiday weekend in your state is a smart way to create a sale for yourself and get an extra discount. Its a perfect time to stock up on back to school items such as clothing, shoes, backpacks, lunchboxes, and school supplies.  Stores will tend to be more crowded during these days, so go early for the best selection and pack you patience.



Below is a list of the states that have scheduled a tax free holiday during the fall back to school shopping season (Source):

State	Items Included	Dates	Information Links
Mississippi	clothing & footwear - $100	July 25-26	http://www.dor.ms.gov/
Georgia	school supplies	August 1-2	https://etax.dor.ga.gov/
	clothing - $100
	supplies - $20
	computers - $1,000
Iowa	clothing - $100	August 1-2	http://www.iowaccess.org/tax/
Louisiana	all TPP - $2,500	August 1-2	http://www.revenue.louisiana.gov/
Alabama	clothing - $100	August 1-3	http://www.revenue.alabama.gov/
	computers - $750
	school supplies - $50
	books - $30
Florida	school suppies	August 1-3	http://dor.myflorida.com/dor/
	clothing - $100
	supplies - $15
	computers - $750
Missouri	clothing - $100	August 1-3	http://dor.mo.gov/
	computers - $3,500
	school supplies - $50
New Mexico	clothing - $100	August 1-3	http://www.tax.newmexico.gov
	computers - $1,000
	computer equip. - $500
	school supplies - $30
Oklahoma	clothing - $100	August 1-3	http://www.tax.ok.gov/
South Carolina	clothing	August 1-3	http://www.sctax.org/
	school supplies
	computers
	other
Tennessee	clothing - $100	August 1-3	http://tn.gov/revenue/
	school supplies - $100
	computers - $1,500
Virginia	clothing - $100	August 1-3	http://www.tax.virginia.gov/
	school supplies - $20
Arkansas	clothing - $100	August 2-3	http://www.dfa.arkansas.gov/
	school supplies
Texas	clothing, backpacks and school supplies- $100	August 8-10	http://www.window.state.tx.us/
Maryland	clothing & footwear-$100	August 10-16	http://www.marylandtaxes.com/
Connecticut	clothing and footwear - $300	August 17-23	http://www.ct.gov/drs/

(photo used with permission from Microsoft)

My Favorite School Uniform items from Lands' End

Disclosure - I'm working with Lands' End as a Brand Ambassador during the 2014 Back to School season. 

Below are some of my favorite school uniform items for girls and boys at schools with a standard or uniform dress code. These are classic wardrobe items that always make a popular choice for Back to School.  A few of these items will be reviewed here at Uniform Mom in the next few weeks.

Follow Uniform Mom's board Uniform Mom Favorites at Lands' End on Pinterest.

Back to School Shopping Tips with Lands' End

I had the pleasure of contributing Back to School Shopping Tips to Lands' End.  I will be working with them during this Back to School season as a Brand Ambassador.  The tips are featured on their Back to School Shopping page. 

The Uniform Mom Tip Sheet includes information on the following topics:

• Preparing for Back to School Shopping
  -including ideas on how to stretch your budget with advice on when to shop and how to give back to your school while you shop.
• Discover Back-to-School Wardrobe Essentials
  -classics like award-winning Iron Knee® Chinos, School Uniform Polos and items from the
  Lands’ End Phys Ed collection.
• Answers to some Uniform Dress Code challenges
  -such as helping your uniform kid find ways to display his or her individualism, finding uniforms to fit kids that are tough to fit, and how to prepare for the non-uniform day.

Back to School Uniform Best Bets for Boys

Best Bets are lists of carefully selected suggestions for your Back to School shopping list. I've done all the homework for you. I've reviewed the school uniform collection from all the major retailers, compared features, sizes and color selection. Then compared the prices for these uniform staples and identified the target price range for each item. Even the highest priced and best quality items can be had for a price in the target range by a savvy shopper at some point through the season.

Browse the following articles to help plan your shopping priorities. Although originally published in 2013, each of these posts have been reviewed for accuracy and updated for 2014 due to selection and pricing changes at the retailers.

• Kids Polo Shirts
• Boys Oxford Shirts
• Boys Pants
• Boys Shorts
• Boys Sweaters
• Boys Blazers
• Kids Accessories

(photo used with permission from Microsoft)

Related Posts:

Back to School Uniform Best Bets for Girls

Back to School Uniform Best Bets for Girls

Best Bets are lists of carefully selected suggestions for your Back to School shopping list. I've done all the homework for you. I've reviewed the school uniform collection from all the major retailers, compared features, sizes and color selection. Then compared the prices for these uniform staples and identified the target price range for each item. Even the highest priced and best quality items can be had for a price in the target range by a savvy shopper at some point through the season.

 

Browse the following articles to help plan your shopping priorities. Although originally published in 2013, each of these posts have been reviewed for accuracy and updated for 2014 due to selection and pricing changes at the retailers.

• Kids Polo Shirts
• Girls Pants
• Girls Shorts
• Girls Scooters and Skirts
• Girls Knit Polo Dresses
• Girls Jumpers
• Girls Blouses
• Girls Sweaters
• Kids Accessories

(photo used with permission from Microsoft)

　

Related Posts:
Reviews of Girls Cardigan Uniform Sweaters
Cherokee School Uniform Pants, a Review
Children's Place Uniform Shorts, a Review
Children's Place School Uniform Cotton Sweater, a Review
Cherokee School Uniform Scooter, a Review
French Toast brand Skinny Stretch Twill Pant
Izod Flat Front Uniform Skirt, a Review
Review of the Girls Izod Short-Sleeve Woven
Lands End Knit Ruffle Front Knit Dress

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

Saucony Radar LT LTT Sneakers, a Review

Kids Crocs for Summertime

Crocs Inc. was born in Boulder, Colo. in 2002 as the maker of a simple, comfortable boat shoe.  The crocs clogs shoes we've all seen is made of material called Croslite™, which is a "a proprietary closed-cell resin that gives each pair of shoes its soft, comfortable, lightweight, non-marking and odor-resistant qualities."  Today, you can now “Get Crocs Inside” in newer styles, including canvas sneakers, leather boots, heels and sandals.  They have also expanded into new lines such as the Ocean Minded™ by Crocs which is a line of men’s, women’s and kids’ sandals and apparel inspired by and perfect for the beach and warm-weather wearing occasions. Golfers can check out their new Crocs™ Golf collection that features a number of men’s and women’s styles that can be worn both on and off the course.

As an affiliate partner, I recently visited their website looking for children's shoes for summertime.  Many summer camp's require a closed toe shoe, no  flip flips or sandals are allowed.  Kids want simple, comfortable shoes that will take from from the playground to the pool. We , s parents, want them to last through summer vacation without turning into little stink bombs. Below are a few cute, summertime selections:

Affiliate Links in Use

Thanks for Supporting Uniform Mom

Crocs Iris / Neon Purple Girls' Duet Busy Day Mary Jane (Children's) Shoes $34.99







Crocs Ice Blue / Iris Girls' Crocband Airy Hearts Flat (Children's) Heart Flat




Crocs Navy / White Kids' Beach Line Lace Boat Shoe Shoes available in both Children's $39.99 and Juniors $44.99





Crocs Black / Black Kids' Swiftwater Sandal (Juniors') Shoes $34.99





Crocs Ultraviolet / Black Kids' Hover Sneak Metallic Kids' Comfortable Sneakers also available in Fuchsia $39.99

10 Tips for Shopping at School Uniform Consignment Events

At the beginning of the school year, many schools have some type of exchange program or uniform locker where you can purchase second hand items.  These can be a great opportunity to save a bundle and cut some expenses from your Back to School Budget.  You can look for items in your child's favorite brands and styles in the next size up to have on hand for the next growth spurt.  If you have a younger child that is still mastering the potty, you can pick up some inexpensive items to leave at school or in your child's backpack for emergencies.

Beyond, gender and size, here's a list of things to keep in mind when shopping at a uniform exchange program or consignment.

1. Check the tag and look for brands known for quality items.  Better made items have reinforced seams, while seams tend to loosen and may fray on inexpensive items.  
2. Check for excessive wear which is likely to show first on the hem or cuffs.
3. Check for stains.  If you find a stain, leave it behind.  Even on a white polo or t-shirt, some stains are so set in they don't come out even with the handy bleach pen.
4. But don't just look at the outside of the item.  Look for signs of yellowing under the arms. Ick factor!  
5. Check the color(s) for excessive fading.
6. Check the zipper and the buttons.  Make sure the zipper is functional.  Check that all buttons are in tact.  Loose buttons can be tightened if you're proficient with a needle and thread. 
7. Check for signs of wear or dry rot on elastics.  Remember to check the elastics in the waistband on items with an adjustable waist.
8. Check for signs of alterations.  With pants, check for indications that may have been hemmed.  I found a smart tip from Fruggalissa who recommends that you measure the inseam on your kids current pants beforehand and take a tape measure with you so you can check the length. This tip can also works for girls skirts and scooters.  If your daughter has to pass the fingertip test, measure the length from her waists to her fingertips and note her number for reference as you shop. 
9. Many retailers sell certain items as unisex.  Basic polos and t-shirts are a great examples. So don't be afraid to check out items from both racks when items are separated by gender.
10. Even if the sales rep or volunteer tells you that items have been laundered, it's common sense to launder all items when you get them home in your preferred detergent.

Meijer: Retail Round Up Series

Miejer is a hypermarket chain with both groceries and department store merchandise headquartered in Walker, Michigan.  They have over 200 locations mostly in Michigan and Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky. They carry French Toast brand items, Classroom Uniforms brand items, a handful of Dickies brand items and boys shoes by Deer Stag. For purposes of this review, I'll highlight mostly the Classroom Uniforms brand, as French Toast items will be covered in their own post.

To browse the uniform items on their website, navigate under Clothing & Jewlery, then Kids Clothing & Shoes, where you'll then find a category for School Uniforms.

The Classroom Uniform items for girls includes four different styles of skorts, four different styles of pants, two styles of shorts, and two styles of jumpers.   They carry girls polos in both short and long sleeve in a wide variety of colors.  The boys items include two styles of pants and shorts.  The brand then includes unisex tops including short and long sleeve polos, cardigan sweaters, a sweater vest, fleece zip up jacket.

The Dickies brand items include several styles of boys shorts and pants, as well as polos in a wide variety of colors.  The girls items are limited to a faux wrap skort, shorts and flare pants in girls and junior sizes.

There is a nice selection of Deer Stag brand shoes for boys that would be appropriate with a school uniform.

Meijer offers two free shipping options..  It is free to ship to a store and pick up your items.  Also many items (as noted on the site) will ship to your free standard delivery.  Items purchased in the store can be returned to a store within 30 days.  Items purchased online can be returned free within 30 days from within the lower 48 states by using their special return label.

Back to School Shopping Finds from Our Closet

Following my own advice in the A Strategic Plan for your Back to School Shopping post, I got out all of my daughter's school clothes mid summer as the Back to School shopping season started and sorted through them. To start off a new donation pile, I pulled out a few T-shirts that are now too small and dug out the scooter that shrunk earlier last year.  And then I made her try on everything that was left over from last school year.  It took a good 30 minutes of on and off, but it sure was time well spent.  We found a few more items that were too small, but most still fit fine.  Here's a list of items we found that still fit and are in decent enough condition to begin the school year:

2 pair of Pants
2 pair of Shorts
2 Skirts
4 T-Shirts for PE days
4 Short Sleeve Polos
2 Long Sleeve Polos
2 Sweaters
2 Bike Shorts
3 Blouses
A long sleeve and a short sleeve Polo Dress.
A bunch of Scooters we acquired last year that are still too big.

Feeling pretty fortunate that we already have a decent school wardrobe, I then made a list of additional items to pick up:

• A new sweater realizing that she lost a navy one at some point last year. 
• New pants in the same size as the ones she already has simply because the existing ones are showing  wear and won't last the year.  
• New shoes; she'll need both new sneakers and Mary Janes. 

I packed up a small bag of items for the uniform exchange program and one bag for the local clothing donation bin.

Basic White Sneakers for Back to School

The Back to School ads from the shoe stores feature brightly colored sneakers in a wide variety of trendy colors at prices that don't break the bank.  The uniform dress code at my daughter's school requires black or plain white sneakers.  Last year, I got her a pair of Saucony Radar Lt LTTs at my local Stride Rite outlet (read my review).

When I browsed the selection at the same outlet this year, I couldn't find any basic white sneakers at all.  I asked the sales staff and she brought me another pair of the Saucony Radar Lt LTTs from the back.  I bought them again for my daughter.  Please, if you know my daughter, don't tell her she's wearing a unisex shoe.  The box is labeled Boys and if she found out, we'll ..

This led me to 1) quickly dispose of  the shoe box when I got home and 2) begin to shop around to see if I could find other options or to confirm if the choices are in fact as limited as they seem to me.

I was pleasantly surprised at some options I found online.  I was also surprised to learn that most of these basic PE sneakers are also unisex shoes as you can see below from the "Children's" label.   I already know which ones I'll be ordering next time my daughter is ready for another pair.  I hope these links will help you out with your back to school shoe shopping.

If you found some other options that I don't have listed, please list them with the name of the retail store where you found them below in the comments.

Update - This post originally contained images,descriptions and links to basic white sneakers that I had found online.  The retailer links were no longer working, so I updated them with a simple list provided below. You are likely to find these shoes at national online retailers.

Affiliate Links in Use

Thanks for Supporting Uniform Mom

• Saucony Kids Radar LT LTT (Children's) - White Leather
• Reebok - Club (Children's) - White Sheer Grey
• File - Disruptor II (Children's) - Triple White
• K-Swiss - Class (Girls') - White/White
• Skechers - Fireflies Glintzy Girl (Girls') White/Silver
• Reebok - Classic Jogger (Children's) - White/White
• New Balance - KX624 (Boys') - White

Related Posts:

School Shoes with Man Made Materials

Stride Rite for School Uniform Shoes - Retail Round Up Series

School Shoes at Shoebuy.com - Retail Roundup Series

Payless Shoes for School Uniform

Stride Rite Carla, a quality shoe for school

Saucony Radar LT LTT Sneakers, a Review

Best Bets on Boys Sweaters for School

Updated: This post was reviewed and updated in Fall 2017 to update links and ensure pricing is accurate.

Regular retail prices for a boy's sweaters range from $14 to $30. While watching the Back to School ads, your target price for a boy's sweater is under $20. If you find this item at or below that price, make the purchase with confidence you found a good deal.

Disclosure – Affiliate Links in Use
Thanks for Supporting Uniform Mom 



George Boys'
 Zip Up Sweater

Walmart George Boys' Zip Up Sweater  $14.97
100% acrylic. Machine Wash Cold. Imported.

French Toast Anti-Pill V-Neck Cardigan Sweater $21.98
Acrylic. Imported. Machine wash.

Children's Place Boys Uniform Long Sleeve Mock Neck Zip Sweater $24.47
Made of 60% cotton/40% acrylic in a sweater knit.
Rib-knit mock neck, sleeve cuffs and banded hem.

Old Navy carries all three styles of boys sweaters in 100% cotton.

Machine wash. Imported.

• Boys V-Neck Sweaters $22.94
• Boys Button-Front V-Neck Cardigans $24.94
• Boys Zip-Front Sweaters $24.94

Related Posts:

Best Bets for Boys Oxford Shirts

Best Bets in Boys School Blazers

Best Bets in Boys Shorts for School

Best Bets for Boys Pants for Back to School

Best Bets for Girls Sweaters for School

The image below shows the regular retail price at each of the major retailers. Regular retail prices for a girls sweaters range from $12 to $30. While watching the Back to School ads, the target price for a girls sweater is under $15. If you find this item at or below that price, make the purchase with confidence you found a good deal.

 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 analyzed.

Disclosure – Affiliate Links in Use 

Thanks for supporting Uniform Mom

Updated: This post was reviewed and updated in Fall 2016 to update links and ensure pricing is accurate.

Best Bets on a Budget 

All of the choices at the low end of the price range are 100% acrylic. The 100% cotton sweaters are at the higher end of the price range. I found one mid-range Cotton/Poly blend option which is featured below.

George Girls'
Cardigan Sweater

Walmart George Girls' Cardigan Sweater $11.88
100% acrylic. Machine Wash Cold. Imported.

JCPenney Izod Long Sleeve Cardigan $12
100% Acrylic. Washable. Imported.

French Toast Fine Gauge Knit Cardigan Sweater $18.98
100% Acrylic. Machine Wash. Imported.

Related Posts:

Reviews of Girls Cardigan Uniform Sweaters

Best Bets for Kids Polo's for Back to School

Best Bets in Girls Blouses for School