FarFaria Membership Giveaway #BloggerOp

Family friendly blogs are encouraged to signup to help promote the Avoid the Summer Slide FarFaria Giveaway.  This giveaway is sponsored by FarFaria. The FarFaria app offers more than 600 children’s books for the iPad and Android devices targeting kids ages 2 - 9.

Free Facebook or Twitter Link on Rafflecopter Form for posting this giveaway on your blog.

Prize: 
2 Winners. Each will get a 3-month memberships. (ARV $11.97)

Giveaway Details:
It will run from May 18 - June 1, 2014.
Giveaway will be Open to US Residents 18+.

Your Responsibilities:
Schedule the giveaway post to go live on May 18
Promote the giveaway on your social media at least 6 times during the course of this giveaway.

Sign Up Form

Questions: please contact me at navyplaid@comcast.net

Mother's Day Jewelry Giveaway (AVR $75) #BloggerOp

Thank you for your interest to help promote the Mother's Day Jewelry Giveaway.  This giveaway is sponsored by Watermelan Designs.

Free Facebook or Twitter Link on Rafflecopter Form for posting this giveaway on your blog.

Prize:
1 Winner will get a double strand turquoise necklace with a rhinestone clasp and yellow accents. (AVR $75)

Giveaway Details:
It will run from April 28-May 11, 2014.
Giveaway will be Open to US Residents 18+.
HTML will be sent out on April 26, 2014.

Your Responsibilities:
Schedule the giveaway post to go live on April 28
Promote the giveaway on your social media at least 6 times during the course of this giveaway.

Sign Up Form

Questions: 
Please contact me.

Celebrate Earth Day with eco-friendly products

Earth Day is an annual event, celebrated on April 22, on which events are held worldwide to demonstrate support for environmental protection.  Below are a few products from Uniform Mom affiliates that make it easy for our families make smart choices with products for home and school:

Affiliate Links in Use

Thanks for Supporting Uniform Mom

ECOlunchbox is delighted to announce the launch of our Blue Water Bento collection for release in Spring 2014! The first product to market in our colorful Blue Water Bento collection is our Splash Box™ featuring our classic stainless steel lunchbox bottom plus a novel silicone lid. Since ECOlunchbox first introduced to market its line of plastic-free, eco-friendly lunchware in 2009, its mission has been to help families reduce their dependence on plastics by providing high-quality, plastic-free lunchware alternatives.

To learn more about the benefits of reducing dependence on plastics, check out educational information on their website.



The Maggie Bags Small Backpack is wholly made from recycled seatbelts. These bags are available in a diverse spectrum of colors from neutral tans to vivacious lime-greens. The exterior of the bag features Maggie Bags’ patented diamond seatbelt weaving and logo emblem, in addition to two adjustable shoulder straps and a loop for hanging. The top of the bag has a zipper that closes shut. The inside contains a purple satin lining with a zippered pocket, cell phone pocket, pen pockets, and key pocket. The bottom of the bag has four metal studs to protect the fabric from wear.

Maggie Bags Small Recycled Seatbelt Eco-friendly Backpack - $54.00 from: The Ultimate Green Store.

Small and lightweight, the 12oz Klean Kanteen is great when space is limited. The 12oz Kid Kanteen is made from high quality, 18/8, food-grade stainless steel that's totally free of BPA, lead and other toxins. Because stainless steel itself is safe, there is no need to coat the inside of the bottle with a plastic or epoxy lining, which is one of the main differences between a stainless steel Klean Kanteen and aluminum bottles. Rounded corners are easy to clean with no hard angles where dirt, germs or bacteria can stick.

Shop MightyNest.com for non-toxic products and create a healthy home.



Mead.com wants you to celebrate Earth Day with 15% off Recycled Products.
Enter promo code AFMD4ED at checkout.  Offer valid 4/20-4/30/14.

Schoolbelles Side Pleat Skort, a Review

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd All Rights Reserved.

The folks at Schoolbelles asked me to take a look one of the items from their regular uniform line of clothing. They sent me a gift of a skort as the basis for this review. No additional compensation was received.

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd
All Rights Reserved.

This skirt is a winner. The Side Pleat Skort with Knit Shorts from Schoolbelles has slight a-line shape which is flattering to most body types. It has two side pleats on the front  and 2 on the back. It has an elastic-back waistband to grow with your daughter and knit shorts built in for comfort and discretion. It has a side zip closure on the left side and a pocket on the right side.

My daughter is just growing into a size 7. Parents of girls her age know that there is a big jump in length between 6/6x and 7 sizing with most retailers; 2 and a half inches difference for this particular item. This size 7 skort is hitting her just at the knee now and it will sit just above the knee as she grows into it. The classic length is a welcome change from the mid-thigh skorts that are currently popular at national retailers.

This skirt is available in navy in girls' sizes 4 - 20. They also offer it in X sizes 6x - 20x which is similar to plus sizing. And they offer PT, or PreTeen sizing, which is recommended for tall girls with a narrow waist that need a longer skort length.

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd All Rights Reserved.

We took this skort to play in a local park.  Because of the built in knit shorts, it is "playground friendly". As you can see, my daughter had total freedom of movement to climb all over the equipment.

One of the features I admire about the Schoolbelles brand is their "180 School Days - Durability Guarantee". Because they are one of the few uniform suppliers that operates its own sewing factory in Cleveland, OH, they can better control quality and inventory levels year round. For families and schools looking for "Made in America" school uniforms, Schoolbelles is a great choice with a full line of school uniforms in plaids and basic solids.

The fabric in this skirt is a blend of 65% polyester and 35% cotton twill. The fabric is durable and the quality of the workmanship is noticeable in the details. The pleats are stitched down, so they will stay crisp wash after wash.  It also has a 2 inch hem which could be adjusted, if needed.

(c) 2014 Rene Shonerd All Rights Reserved.

To launder the skirt, they recommend a machine wash and you simply hang it up to dry.  It retails for $39.95 in regular sizes and $43.95 in preteen sizes. While the price point is higher than you'll see at national retailers for similar style items, the quality makes this brand of uniform clothing a solid value that will stand up to the 180 school days guarantee. I bet that this skort will become a staple in my daughter's wardrobe that will last her through the next 2 years. Schoolbelle's also offers a value line of uniform items at a lower price point that works well with most standard dress codes and includes most uniform basics.

Schoolbelles is based in Cleveland with store locations across the mid-west. They were recently featured in the Retail Round Up Series.  Those living near one of their store locations should definitely visit to check out the additional quality items in their inventory. The rest of us can visit their website and order online.  Their website is currently being redesigned and will launch with a new look and feel later this year.  If you're ready to browse their offering online today, I recommend clicking on General Catalog (the navy bar) from the left hand sidebar or to browse items from their list of Full Line catalogs.

Schoolbelles is having a sale beginning today, Wednesday, April 16th through Saturday, April 26th. You can shop online, in-store or by phone at 1-888-637-3037.  To keep in touch and learn about their future sale notifications, Like their Facebook page and join their mailing list.

Winning Moves Games Giveaway (Ends 4/30)

Welcome to the Family Fun Night Giveaway!

Sponsored by: Winning Moves USA

Hosted by: Gloriously Green Gal & Savory Savings

Co-hosted by: Uniform Mom

Games nights in are a great way to get to know your family on a personal level.  Kids will talk, parents will laugh and memories are made!  In our house, we try to have game night on a regular basis.  Winning Moves USA is the leading maker in board games from the top game makers and sent several games to Krista from Savory Savings to review.  Check out her thoughts on this fun mix of board games that bring out the best in your family nights!

How would you like to win a collection of Winning Moves USA board games?  If you would like a chance to win, enter with the Giveaway Tool below.  If you have won a Winning Moves USA giveaway anytime from another blog in the last 12 months, you are not eligible to win this giveaway.  The giveaway will run from April 16, 2013 through April 30, 2014 at 11 PM CST and is open to US residents, ages 18 and older.  Entries will be verified.  Winner will be notified via email (consider adding gloriouslygreengal@gmail.com to your safe list) – winner will have 48 hours to respond and claim prize or another winner will be selected.

Good Luck!

Winning Moves Games Secret Word

Find the Winning Moves
Game of the day
to earn additional entries!

Sunday: 5ive Straight

Monday: Pay Day

Tuesday:  Monopoly

Wednesday:  Pass the Pigs

Thursday:  Trouble

Friday:  Sorry

Saturday: BUNCO

 

Olly Shoes in the Retail Round Up Series

Olly's has locations across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, and Ontario. If you are withing driving distance of a store, take the kids to check out their OllyScan. An OllyScan is a patented, computerized measurement system that takes a picture of your child’s foot and measures it at 6 points to determine their size.I also love that they have a link for School shoes right in the top of the website.

When shopping online, unused purchase can be returned by mail within 30 days.  Olly has a reward program called Olly's VIP members where members get an additional 10% off.

Here is the Olly Story from Founder, Katherine Chapman:

"OLLY Shoes began as a result of my own challenging shopping experiences with my family. As a mother of three kids that ranged in age from newborn to seven, I found it extremely difficult to find shoes that fit my kids properly. My goal was to create a shoe store that made footwear shopping fun for kids - and easy for their parents. OLLY Shoes was born in 2001 and has received an overwhelmingly positive response. We offer a wide variety of athletic, casual, seasonal and specialty footwear, as well as unique accessories and gifts. Come see why parents who shop us consider OLLY the best one-stop kid’s shoe store in the business. We look forward to serving you at OLLY!"

Affiliate Links in Use

Thank you for Supporting Uniform Mom

Here are a selection of great looking school shoes I found while browsing their site:

School Issue Semester
Who doesn't want to rock these blue suede shoes?  These are great looking saddle shoes for boys. They are available in navy suede, brown oil and dirty buck.

Price: 44.95

School Issue Scholar

Basic boys's school oxford shoe.
Price: 54.95

Jumping Jacks Tutor

Perfect Mary Janes's for girls.  Available in navy and black.
Price: 59.95

Puma GV Spedial Jr

Basic girl's sneaker in white; perfect for PE.
Price: 49.95

New Balance KX624

Basic boy's sneaker in white, perfect for PE.
Price: 39.95

Lands' End Swimwear for Kids

As an affiliate with Lands' End, I recently had the opportunity to participate in an event to learn more about their swimwear. The Lands' End kids swimwear is rated as excellent using a relatively new rating designation for sun protective textiles and clothing, called UPF or Ultraviolet Protection Factor. This means it blocks 98% of harmful UV rays.  The fabric is quick drying so it is comfortable in and out of the water. And even better, the color is fade resistant so it will look good all summer long.  They carry the kids swimwear in extended sizes including toddler, plus and husky for most items.

"Have you ever tried to wrestle a toddler back into a wet one piece tank style swim suit? Skip the drama and opt for the tankini suits for young girls. Having separate pull on bottoms make trips to the rest room much easier."        Uniform Mom

For girls, you will find a wide variety of styles including tankini tops and bottoms, bikini tops and bottoms, swim mini's, skirted one pieces and basic tank suits.  Suits are featured in four different collections:

• ShoreSide collection feature red, white and blue colors with a nod to a nautical theme.
• Saltwater Taffy collection features bright colors, ruffles and fun prints.
• Coconut Cove collection features floral appliques and sequin details in summer colors.
• Smart Swim features the best value suits.

I bought my daughter Lands' End swimwear last summer. She swam almost everyday, sometimes twice a day at summer camp.  It held up all summer long through our beach vacation at the end of the summer. Here's the swim outfit she picked out (this turquoise blue is her favorite color) and I ordered for her for this summer:

The boys swim trunks are offered in solids colors, color block styles and prints.  They feature cargo pockets and a comfortable elastic waistband for pull on simplicity.  Boys swim Ts come in solid colors and color block styles, as well as some in fun graphic prints.

"Have you ever burned your toes on the hot sand?Yea, me too. I wish we had water shoes when we were kids."   Uniform Mom

I also loved learning about the kids new water shoes and sandals.  Water shoes are quick drying and lightweight.  They are made for kids to wear playing in and out of the water.  They have styles with and without toe protection. They are great for summer camp.  These water shoes are easy to slip on and off because of the "rip grip and bungee adjustability".   They are also are perfect for beach play. The traction sole and cushioned foot bed would making walking over broken seashells a breeze.

Affiliate Links in Use

Thanks for Supporting Uniform Mom

Everybody in! Take 25% off Regularly Priced Kids' Swim merchandise at Lands' End now through April 15. Plus, Free Shipping on orders over $50!

APMA Launches New Children's Foot Health Campaign

(c) APMA

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) launched a new online educational resource for medical professionals and parents. The "First Steps: Keeping Kids' Feet Healthy and Happy" campaign aims to educate the general public about the importance of maintaining children's foot health at all ages, and the role today's podiatrist plays in promoting positive foot health. Pain-free feet are the first step in making sure children stay active and healthy.

"The most critical stage of the foot's development is during a child's first year, when feet grow rapidly. It's important that parents pay close attention to children's feet even before they start to walk, beginning at birth and continuing as they take their first steps, go to school, and participate in sports."

APMA President Frank Spinosa, DPM  

Don't let a child's foot pain stop them in their tracks. Today's podiatrists are uniquely qualified among medical professionals to treat the complex structure of the foot and ankle, based on their level of education, training, and experience. They can provide guidance for keeping children's feet healthy at all developmental stages and treat any injuries or abnormalities.

The American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) is the nation's leading professional organization for today's podiatrists. They have created a suite of education materials as part of the First Steps campaign, including an online resource page, poster, brochure, videos, and a Pinterest board of children's products that have earned the APMA Seal of Acceptance.

Examples of School Uniform Policies

As a reader of this blog, your child likely attends a school with a uniform policy or a uniform dress code. Most school's now post their policy online on the school's website or the PTA website.  Please take a minute and add a link to your school's written policy.

In the comments below, share with us:

1. What type of school? Public, Private, Charter, Parochial, etc.
2. Where is the school located? City and State & Country if you are outside the US.
3. URL Link to the school's written policy:

(image used with permission from Microsoft)

Celebrating National Foot Care Month

Does your kid need new kicks for school?

The American Podiatric Medical Associations promotes April as National Foot Care Month.  They conducted a national study conducted in 2012 that investigated teenagers' attitudes toward their overall foot health.  Here are a few key findings:

• Only about half of teenagers see feet as important to overall health; few recognize their complexity and the need for expert care.
• Teenagers are just as diligent as adults (or in some cases, more so) in caring for their bodies, except their feet.
• Most teens participate in some type of sport, and of them, almost 4 in 10 say they have injured their feet doing so.
• Two in 10 suffer from foot pain from uncomfortable shoes – girls more so than boys. High heels are the most painful shoe choice. A third of girls say they would rather go barefoot than wear shoes!

Throughout the month, we will be celebrating shoes, socks, and foot care. Upcoming posts will highlight several affiliate vendors that carry school shoes and socks in the Retail Round Up Series.  We are participating in several shoe giveaways (Hotter Shoes and Mozo Shoes) this month.  You gotta enter to win and fans of Uniform Mom will find easy entries available.

Schoolbelles - Retail Round Up Series

Schoolbelles is a family owned business. They state that their “passion for uniforms is a legacy handed down since 1956 by our founder, Mary Carroll. Today, three generations have continued her tradition of manufacturing and providing high quality uniforms with great service for reasonable prices.” 

They work with over 1000 schools and organizations and have a team of representatives to assist with creating a uniform program. They are one of few uniform suppliers that operates their own sewing factory in Cleveland, OH to maintain quality and inventory levels. They offer a guarantee on their premium line of uniforms that items will hold up to 180 days of wear.  They are based in Cleveland with store locations across the mid-west.

Ohio Cleveland Cincinnati  Fairlawn South Euclid Toledo

Illinois Bridgeview Chicago North Michigan Madison Heights Westland

Indianapolis, Indiana Taylor Mill, Kentucky Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

They offer a full catalog of premium uniforms for all sizes (preschool through adult). They also carry value line items that work well with most dress codes. They are currently undergoing a redesign to evolve with the changing market. I will update this post after they launch their new website later this year.

Video Pick: School Kids Around the World

This video pick from charmichanify shows clips of "Public school children across the globe in their uniforms and dress codes".

Snow Days and Make Up Days

Because of the unusually harsh winter, many schools had a record number of snow closing and days with delayed openings this year.  In states where laws mandate a minimum number of instructional days, most schools have contingency plans in place to deal with snow make up days.  But this year, many schools have exceeded those options and local school boards are scrambling to adjust the school calendars.  So how is your school planning to make up the days?  I'm hearing rumors of schools talking about different options, such as:

• Converting the remaining teacher work days to snow make up days
• Shortening Spring Break to use those days as snow makeup days
• Scheduling select Saturdays to hold make up days
• Extending the length of the school day for remaining days for a few additional minutes
• Extending the school year into the summer

Has your school board decided how to schedule additional snow make up days?  Which option are they choosing at your school?  What other options are being considered?  Which option do you prefer?

(photo used with permission from Microsoft)

Vintage School Uniforms

I recently submitted a post over at Vintage Shopper.  It explores the British origins and history of school uniforms, how they came to be popular in the US, and how to wear and how not to wear a retro school uniform look today. 

• Did you know the origin of school uniforms originated in the U.K.during the reign of King Henry VIII?
• Did you know that Bill Clinton suggested that schools adopt uniforms in his 1996 state of the union speech?
• Did you know that a 2013 study conducted by Lands' End and the National Association of Elementary School Principals found that 49% of U.S. public schools have a school uniform policy in place or plan to implement one.

I invite you to check out my post over at Vintage School Uniforms.

Gap Inc - Retail Roundup Series

The Gap, Inc. is an American multinational clothing and accessories retailer. It was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California. It is the largest specialty retailer in the United States with over 2550 stores in the US. In additional to the Gap stores, the company operates 4 other brands: Banana Republic, Old Navy, Piperlime, and Athleta. The Gap offers free shipping on orders over $50 and free returns on all orders.

GapKids carries a line of school uniform items.  If you've read a few of the posts from last summer's Best Bets series, you may have noticed that the regular retail price of the GAP uniform items tend to fall at the top the charts. However, if you're a smart shopper, you can score these items for deep discounts.  Last fall, I bought a few basic polos for may daughter for 5 bucks each off the clearance rack. 

Girls Bottoms

Girls uniform pants are offered in 5 styles: trouser pants, boot cut, skinny and capri and ponte styles. The shorts are offered in two styles, the traditional bermuda short as well as a shorter flat front style.  They also carry fold over yoga pants which would work for PE class and leggings.

Girls Tops

They carry short and long sleeve polos in several colors (white, blue and navy).  They carry a no-iron long sleeve button down, long sleeve oxfords, short sleeve peter pan blouses, and a ruffle shirt. The cable knit cardigans are offered in navy and white and the v neck cardigan in gray and navy.

Girls Dresses

The polo dress is a classic drop waist pleated style and offered in gray, navy, pink and red. The pleated skirt is offered in two styles: a GapShield and a more casual ponte knit. They offer two jumpers: one in Gapshield fabric with a shirred empire waist style and another straighter style in ponte knit. They sell  three packs of knit shorts that a can be worn under the jumpers, skirts or dresses.

Girls Outerwear

They also offer several jackets. A ponte navy blazer, a hooded fleece coat, a peplum coat and a rain coat.

Boys Bottoms

Boys uniform pants are offered in 3 styles: flat front, straight, and pleated pants. They carry a dress pant, as well as a wide-wale cords. The shorts are offered in three styles, the flat front, pleated and cargo.  

Boys Tops

They carry short and long sleeve polos in a nice variety of colors.  They carry a no-iron long sleeve and a short sleeve button down, as well as long sleeve and short sleeve oxfords. The v-neck cardigans is offered in several colors and mock zip cardigan.

Boys Outerwear

They also offer several jackets. A knit blazer, a knit peacoat, and a rain coat.

Video Pick: 5 Uniform Outfit Ideas for School

For my video pick, I'm sharing a video from thebeautyguru4u, a 16 year old beauty and fashion video blogger.  In this recent video she shares 5 school uniform ideas to help individualize your uniform look. These ideas work best for a girl at a school with a uniform dress code, aka the khakis and polos look.

February Poll - What's your favorite place to shop for school uniforms?

I want to hear from you. Please take a minute to chime in on this month's poll and tell me your favorite retailers for school uniforms.

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

French Toast's Mobile Website

This month I received a copy of the Spring 2014 French Toast catalog in the mail.  I browsed through it to see if any new items were featured.  The clothing items featured included the same classic items that parents count on.  Instead, I noticed several features promoting their mobile website for "on the go shopping".

I spend a good amount of time on my iPad, so I picked it up to see if I noticed anything different on their site. I didn't; I was still browsing the full, regular site.  However, when I browsed the French Toast site from my iPhone, I was redirected to a mobile version with simple text menus for navigation.  The menus are consistent with the choices available on the full site, so they were familiar and easy to use.

I work in technology so I am very familiar with the trends showing rapid growth of consumers using tablets and phones to connect with brands and shop online.  I applaud French Toast for making the effort to develop a mobile friendly version of their site.

So what does this mean for us?  Well, next time your out and about and your little one rips a hole in the knee of his school pants, you can go ahead and place a quick order to have a replacement pair sent to you. Instead of waiting until you get home, you can place an order during warm ups at soccer practice or in the waiting room of the pediatricians office or wherever you find a few spare minutes. As parents, we have a lot going on.  In my opinion, all efforts to simplify things and help us easily cross items off the family to-do list are greatly appreciated. Less time on family chores means more time for family fun.

So give it a try and chime in here to let us know what you think of the new mobile friendly site at FrenchToast.com.

Celebrating our First Year!

It's been one year since I started Uniform Mom. I set out with a goal to create a community for parents of kids that wear school uniform to share information about brands and products, sales and promotions, as well as advice to help us manage the uniform wardrobe for our school aged kids. Since then, I've shared quite a bit of information on school uniform retailers, advice on building and maintaining a school wardrobe, and numerous reviews of children's school clothing items. Over the past year, I've developed relationships with retailers to be able to bring you the most timely information.

The Retail Round Up Series is made up of posts on each of the major retailers that offer school uniforms year round. Most of those retailers have stores nationwide and a few are regionally located and also offer an online option. These posts provide a bit of background about the store, tell you what type of items you'll find there, what sizes they carry, the store's return policy and anything else that I found interesting. You can find all of them conveniently listed on the "Where To Shop" tab.

The  Back To School "Best Bets"  is a series of posts which provide useful information for building a school wardrobe.  Each post features one clothing item and provides a list of features you should look for when shopping, as well as the all important price comparison between all of the major retailers. These posts are easy to navigate from the "Best Bets by Clothing Type" tab.

Over the past year, I have reviewed over eighteen different school uniform clothing items from at least seven different retailers. I did not receive any compensation for these reviews. I just gave you my honest "Mom" opinion of how these items have worked out for my daughter and how they have held up during the school year.  I am actively seeking input from others to provide more guest reviews, especially on boys clothing items.  I also featured several sponsored reviews on a handful of other products that would be interesting to parents of school aged children.  

Each Friday, I share the "Weekend Shopping Guide" which includes information from the retailers to let you know what's on sale and provide coupon codes to help you save even more.  I also organized giveaway opportunities on uniform clothing and accessories and bought you opportunities to enter other giveaways that would be of interest to most parents.

So what can you expect from Uniform Mom in the next year? 

Definitely more reviews, more useful advice and more information from the retailers.  I am also planning more ways for you to let me know which information you find here on uniform Mom is most useful.  We'll be doing monthly polls so you can provide more input and I can focus on how to get you the information you need.  I'll be sharing more sale alerts and coupons on the Uniform Mom Facebook page.  If you haven't connected with me on Facebook, please head over and "Like" the page to stay in the loop.




Uniform Mom is PR Friendly - Brands looking to connect with parents of kids that wear uniform to school should feel free to contact me with opportunities such as sponsored reviews, participation in affiliate programs, exclusive coupon codes, and more.

Monthly Poll: Lunch boxes

One morning, we found our daughter's lunchbox next to her book bag near the front door with a wet spot on the outside.  We opened the lunchbox to find what had been a half eaten container of applesauce was now a gooey mess throughout the inside of the container and through the fabric. Yuck!

The inside of the lunchbox was pretty easy to clean with a little kitchen spray cleaner and a sponge.  Where the applesauce had leaked through the fabric, I ran it under cold water and then let it air dry.

My daughter has the insulated lunch bag from Lands' End that matches her backpack.  We bought them when she was starting Kindergarten.  I wrote about the book bag previously (read my review here), as it has held up very well to daily use for over a year and a half now.  The lunch bag doesn't get use as often because she buys school lunch a few days a week.  However, as the example above outlines, it gets exposed to spills, leaking goo and a never ending assortment of crumbs.  In my opinion, it can be a breeding ground for cooties and germs.  Since I use it regularly to pack food items that I intend for my daughter to eat, I take special care to clean and sanitize it best I can.  One of my girlfriends told me that she favors a lunch box with a hard surface that can be cleaned easily rather than the soft insulated bags made from fabric.

So tell me how often you buy a new lunch bag or box for your child?

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

Clean Up those old School Shoes with Mink Oil

© Rene Shonerd 2014

My daughter's everyday school shoes had seen better days. They have navy leather uppers, but the toes were almost white with scuffs and wear.  They look like they needed replaced. I had been looking unsuccessfully for navy shoe polish as I was out shopping over the holidays.

While cleaning up after the holidays, I came across a very old container of mink oil. I had used it on odd occasion to clean up and shine up my leather shoes. I've had the same container when I was in school and somehow it's traveled with me for numerous moves yet spent years in the bottom of a box in the closet.

I figured I couldn't do anymore harm to those school shoes, so
I found an old cleaning rag and rubbed a small amount of the mink oil into her shoe.

It worked like magic.  I couldn't get over the difference.  I grabbed the camera before I did the other shoe, so I could show you the before and after shot. See how the show on the left is all discolored, but the one on the right looks like a new shoe again.

The directions read as follows:

Remove all excess dirt. Apply with a clean cloth, especially around seams and stitching. After five minutes wipe off excess and polish. Prevents drying, cracking and salt stains. Recommended for all smooth leather and vinyl. May darken certain leathers. Do not use on Suede of Nubuck.

It did actually work that easy. I rubbed it on paying special attention of the areas showing the most wear. The dry leather soaked in that oil bringing back it's color and shine. I plan to spend an evening this week sprucing up my shoes, my husband's shoes, and my handbags. Since its not a stinky spray that you need to use in the open air, you can do it indoors while watching a TV show. I am definitely going to keep that container handy and use it much more regularly with my daughter's shoes.

The brand I have is so old that I cannot find it listed online, but I found Kiwi Mink Oil Conditions & Waterproofs Leather 2.5/8 Oz. available on Amazon. It is inexpensive. I recommend you add it on to your next order.

Video Pick: Do School Uniforms Help Students Learn?

I enjoyed this video published by DNews in August of 2013.  This well done video references several studies frequently cited as schools and parents debate school uniforms and uniform dress codes.  The video description on YouTube provides links to many of the research studies on the topic of school uniforms.

Description for Do School Uniforms Help Students Learn?

"Parents, students, and school officials have been fighting for-and against- school uniforms for years now. So as the 2013 school year begins, Anthony seeks an answer once and for all: do school uniforms really help students learn?"

Mid-Year School Uniform Wardrobe Review

Many retailers are offering their annual sales on school uniform items, so its a great time to take a look at the state of your child's wardrobe and make needed updates. Here is your homework assignment for you to complete over the next few days:

• Has your child grown since the school year started?  If so, check if his/her pants might be looking a bit too short and his/her shirts just won't stay tucked in? 
• On laundry day, take a bit of extra time to inspect the uniform items.  Do you see any holes, loose threads or stains?  Are any items showing signs of wear on the cuffs or along the hemline?  
• Hold up the white shirts to a newer white shirt.  If it now appears yellow, it might need special attention in the laundry cycle or need replacing all together.
• Don't forget to sort through the socks and underwear drawer too.  Get rid of items that your child has outgrown and toss out any socks that with holes or ones that no longer have a mate. 
• Mend or alter any items that still have some wear left in them.
• Make a list of items that need replacing.

Before you rush out to the stores, be sure to check out Uniform Mom's latest Weekend Shopping Guide to check the latest sales and coupon codes.  

(photo used with permission from Microsoft)

French Toast brand Skinny Stretch Twill Pant and Peter Pan Blouse, a Review

I received complementary school uniform clothing items from Ideal Uniforms to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.

Ideal Uniforms offered me the opportunity to review their web site and several items of French Toast brand clothing. I had only recently learned of them, so I was happy to learn more about the company and the products they offer. They are based in New York with two retail locations in Brooklyn and Elmont. Those of us outside the NY area can visit their website. Below are a few quotes from the About Us page on IdealUniform.com.

"For over 83 years, Ideal Uniforms has been a family owned and operated business. We specialize in designing and distributing professionally styled apparel, work-wear and outerwear for men, women and children. Ideal Uniforms is your one stop shop for all your educational, medical, corporate and scouting needs. Ideal presently outfits hundreds of schools, hospitals, boy and girl scout troops, and businesses. Ideal Uniforms has been a family owned and operated business. We specialize in designing and distributing professionally styled apparel, work-wear and outerwear for men, women and children."

When I began researching Ideal Uniforms, I found some negative online reviews. Comments centered around two types of issues, poor customer service and inventory management. Knowing that most companies pay attention to online feedback, I asked if they had made any efforts to address customer concerns in these areas. Jack Kassab, a Vice President at Ideal Uniform, told me that they made a large investment this year in both areas. He said, "We now have a system which helps us with inventory control as well as forecasting to avoid running out of merchandise prior to school opening. We also made some changes in our customer service department and we have been getting great feedback."

I had fun browsing the online store where school uniform items are organized together making it easy to view their selections. You can filter by gender and then type of clothing with logical groupings as "pants and shorts" and "blouses, knits and polos". You can also add additional filters by size and color. Because my daughter had recently outgrown her button up shirts, I selected both a French Toast brand short sleeve and a long sleeve peter pan blouses. I also selected the French Toast Girls Skinny Stretch Twill Pant. My final selection was a "Girl's American Doll Plaid Dress". I found these uniform dresses designed to fit the 18" dolls too cute to pass up. It is listed under Accessories and is available in many different plaid patterns. It made a perfect gift for my daughter since grandma planned to give her an American Girl doll as a Christmas gift this year. Personally, I had a positive experience shopping online with them. They contacted me via email to let me know the doll outfit was out of stock and requested feedback on how to fulfill the order giving me the option to wait until the items returned to stock or an alternate pattern. The correct items were shipped to me quickly as one complete order.

© 2014 Rene Shonerd

I had only previously seen the French Toast Girls Skinny Stretch Twill Pant online and in catalogs. They look skinnier in the photo than they really are. As you can see from my photo, they are thinner through the knee than a straight leg pants by about a 1/2 inch yet still have a boot cut bottom. These would be a nice option for girls that want to wear the currently fashionable skinny tight fitted pants if the school's dress code prohibit the fitted pants. They are made from cotton with 3% spandex which gives them the right amount of stretch. The do not have an adjustable waist. Instead they have several inches of sturdy elastic across the back to give them some wiggle room. Currently my daughter has been wearing a 6x in pants with any adjustable waist fully extended and no hem in the length. Her natural waist is a 22" while measuring the area where a waistband would hit her measures at 23". I ordered the French Toast girls size 7 pants which are labeled to fit a waist at 23 1/2" which seems about right since these are still just a bit too big for her. They fit nicely through the backside and the legs. They are labeled as machine wash cold, tumble dry low and iron when needed.

© 2014 Rene Shonerd

The peter pan blouses she'll be able to begin using right away. The fabric is 55% cotton and 45% poly. I ordered these in a size 7 also. Her similar blouses in a 6x are too short, showing her belly as she moves around and making it very difficult to keep her shirt tucked into her pants as her dress code requires. This short sleeve blouse fits her perfect. The long sleeve needs the sleeve turned up once which is expected as she is just growing into this size. The weight of the shirts are perfect for layering under a jumper or sweater; however, they are also thick enough to be worn alone or simply paired with a criss-cross tie. They are labeled as machine wash cold, tumble dry low and iron when needed. I put the "Wrinkle No More ™" fabric to the test. This photo shows the short sleeve blouse on the right straight from the dryer. The long sleeve blouse on the left I touched up with the iron. While I prefer the crisp look of the ironed blouse, I admit that I'd let my daughter wear it to school without ironing, especially if she would be wearing it under a jumper or sweater.

Overall, I had a positive retail experience with Ideal Uniforms. I am also pleased with the quality of the French Toast brand items I received. I like that they stock school uniform items year round so you can find the items you need in stock mid-year. You can connect with them online on Facebook or on Twitter to get a heads up when items go on sale and find useful coupons codes. To learn more about the items they carry, check out the details from the Ideal Uniforms post in the Retail Round up series.

Currently, Ideal Uniforms is sponsoring a giveaway that is being organized here on Uniform Mom. One lucky reader will win a prize pack which includes your choice of one top and one bottom of French Toast brand clothing for either a boy or girl! It ends on 1/13/14 at midnight ET. Enter now so you too can get a chance to pick out an school uniform outfit from Ideal Uniforms.

Related Posts:

Ideal Uniforms: Retail Round Up

Holiday Gift Ideas for Kids