Schoolwear from Primary.com

Primary.com gifted me several clothing items to evaluate so I could share my opinion of the items with you. All opinions are my own.

(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

I recently read about a new children's clothing retailer that was created by Moms.  The idea is to keep things simple and stick with what works.  From what I have seen so far, Primary.com is doing just that in a very cheerful way.

The idea behind Primary.com is that kids tend to favor a few key pieces of clothing in their wardrobe that they wear over and over.  The moms at Primary.com make sure you can find that item again in the next size up when your little one outgrows it.  All of their items are basics in solid colors.  For girls, think of quality tees, shorts, sundresses, tunics and leggings, hoodies, and cardigans in solid colors.  For boys, think basic shorts, pants, hoodies, tshirts, and polos.  The styles are classic and they are only offered online only.  The prices are kept simple too. Everything under $25 bucks!

Intrigued?  I was too.  I contacted Primary.com and asked to check out their school wear items.  I received a cheerfully decorated jiffy-bag package.  Each items was individually wrapped.  I unpacked everything to take a look.

First, I fell in love with the simplicity.  Everything tagless and kid friendly, even the laundry instructions are simple.  The stamped label in each item has a different cute critter representing each size.

I also love the sizing options because they carry more options than most children's retailers. I recall the big difference in the length between a size 6x and a 7 on girls pants.  Now I'm again noticing a big difference in tops and shirts that jump from a 7-8 to a 10-12.  At Primary.com, most basic items are offered in all sizes giving more options when your child is between sizes. When you click to select a size, the image updates to show the item on a model that age.  It provides the height and weight of the model so you can compare with your child.  My daughter is the same height and weight as the model wearing the size 8 and 9 items.  I love that the site gives that extra visual to help you decide what size to order.

(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

They offer a basic polo for $16. The cotton is 100% super soft pima cotton jersey and the weight of the fabric is just right, not thin or chintzy. For girls it is offered in white, navy, lilac and sky (blue). The boys polo is offered in four additional colors. We tried a basic white one that works for many school dress codes. It is not a traditional interlock polo because it has a relaxed soft collar made from the same cotton as the shirt itself. At my daughter's school, the uniform dress code is basic and broadly defined. It calls for a "white collar long or short sleeve shirt".  The Primary brand polo will work just fine for us, but might not make the cut at schools with a stricter interpretation of what makes a polo shirt a polo.

They also sent girls basics of leggings and undershorts (like bike shorts).  While either could be worn by themselves as bottoms, they pair nicely in a uniform wardrobe under skirts and jumpers. Reviews on the site indicate the shorts and leggings are running small and we agree with the recommendation to order them a size up.  These leggings are made from a blend with 7% spandex, which is higher percentage than other brands at major retailers.  This makes them fit snuggly and would be great for girls with very thin legs.  My daughter, with her athletic legs, would recommend two sizes up since she hates tight fitting leggings.

(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

The girls cardi, or cardigan sweater, is offered in three colors, white, pink and heather gray. The fabric is a blend of 70% cotton and 30% bamboo (note the heather gray version is different; it is a poly blend). I haven't given it too many turns through the washing machine yet, but so far, it is holding up beautifully.  This sweater is unique in that it is the first cardigan that I've come across that contains bamboo. It is very soft.  It costs $24.  I am a big fan of this sweater!  I would order one for myself if it came  in my size.

Based on the selection of items I've seen, I'm a big fan of Primary.com.  I wish the site would have been around when my daughter was a toddler.  If your kids do not have a uniform dress code, you will be sure to find many great items to assemble an entire wardrobe for the school year.  The site offers quality basics for a reasonable price.  Works for me!

5 Ways to Use Name Labels for Back to School

Have you completed your back to school shopping yet? After we get the kids outfitted with new clothes and shoes, we then stock up on the school supplies and sports accessories the kids need for the year.  When all is said and done, how much have you spent on all that stuff?

According to the National Retail Federation's Back-to-School Spending Survey, the average family with children in grades K-12 plans to spend $630.36 on electronics, apparel and other school needs.

Yikes $630!  And here's a another dose of reality - Kids loose stuff!

The best thing you can do to help ensure the stuff you just bought will make it through the school year is to label it.  Spend another few bucks on some quality name labels and label the stuff most likely to get misplaced.

1. Add stickers to the school supplies.  The pencils and pens, notebooks, pencil case, pencil sharpener, scissors, and the planner. 
2. Shoe Tags - I pull then right on the insole of the shoes. The stickers coated with a protective coating work much better than a plain paper label.  Any shoes that kids will tote in their backpack for an after school activity gets a tag.  Then, don't forget about the shoe they will changing out of too.  Tag the school shoes, sports shoes, dance shoes, rain boots, etc.
3. While I don't tag all pf my daughter's clothes, I always tag the ones she will take on and off during the day. Sweaters and jackets are most likely to get left behind at recess, on the soccer field, wherever.  I prefer stickers that include both her name and our phone number.  I believe folks are inherently good, meaning that, if they are the one that finds your kid's jacket and you give them a way to identify who it belongs to, they will make an effort to contact you.  Jackets and coats are often the most expensive item on the back to school shopping list, so it well worth the effort to label it.
4. Definitely tag the lunchbox, the water bottles, and the thermos.  Again these are the items that sometimes get left behind.  So again, I recommend a label with both the name and phone number.
5. Finally the backpack.  The kids carry it around everyday and it holds all that stuff.  If it goes missing so does everything in it.

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Tinyprints is currently having a sale where you can Save 40% off address label, gift tag and name label orders using the code 0808DEAL at checkout.  Get your order in now before the kids start loosing stuff!

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.

Fun Find: Fringe Slip On Sneakers at Crazy 8

 

While browsing the uniform items, I came across these fun Fringe Slip-On Sneakers at Crazy 8's. They feature fringe across the toe with a bow.   They are navy blue and are canvas/man made mate They are available in toddler sizes 9 through girls size 5.  Regularly they retail for $19.88, today you can snag them for $9.94.

I think these shoes would be a super cute alternative to basic Mary Jane's with school uniform. Through Wednesday 7/22/15, you can get 50% off all regular price items at Crazy 8.

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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

Featured Basic: Classroom Matchstick Narrow Leg Shorts for Girls Uniform

CLASSROOM Big Girls'
 Matchstick Narrow Leg Short

I was reading a post on Facebook last week where a group of Moms were complaining that they cannot find girls shorts that weren't too short.  Here at Uniform Mom, we can recommend many brands and styles that would also be great for summer camp.  Shh, they would even for non uniform kids. I recently reviewed a pair of Girls Narrow Leg Pants by Classroom. I was impressed with their quality. These girls shorts, from the same manufacture, are similar in style with a narrow leg.

They are made from a stretch twill that is a comfortable blend of cotton, poly and spandex. Amazon has them in navy, black and khaki for a reasonable price.  They are machine washable.

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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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