Frugal Finds: School Uniforms on Clearance at Children's Place

This girl's Uniform Jumper is on sale at the Children's Place.  It retails for 24.95 but is on sale for $8. Hello, that is more than 65% off!  If you have a little girl that likes the jumper option for school wear, scoop this up now.  Order in multiples, getting her current size and then one size up too.  It is available in khaki and navy in almost all sizes. It is 98% cotton ad 2% spandex.  We haven't tried this jumper, but our other navy items from Children's Place have held their color very well.

In fact, just about all uniform items are on clearance at Children's place right now. You can pick up some girls Uniform Shorts for $6. The boy's Chino Shorts also a couple of bucks off at $15.00.

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Fun Find: George Girls' Skegging

I'm a fan of how Walmart bundles their George brand uniform items. I am an even bigger fan of how they allow you to mix and match colors and sizes in the bundle. The George Girls' Skeggingis a new twist on the bundle.  It pairs the George skirt with the George leggings which is a popular outfit pairing for older girls. The skirt is a cotton/poly blend with an elastic waistband which has a cute bow detail.  The leggings are 95% cotton and 5% spandex with an elastic waist.  The set is offered in girls size 4-16 in navy only. It retails for 11.88.

Do you, or your daughter, have this product? Please share your opinion about it in the comments below.

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zulily Private Event - Up to 70% off Kids Spring/Summer Shoes

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Stock up on spring and summer footwear for your kids with the zulily 'Fun in the Sun Kids Shoes' event! Starting today, zulily is featuring a huge selection of footwear for both boys and girls, up to 70% off! This is a private zulily event that can ONLY be accessed through the shopping links below:

Girls Private Event - Up to 70% off Girls Spring/Summer Shoes - Shop Now!
Boys Private Event - Up to 70% off Boys Spring/Summer Shoes - Shop Now!

Make sure to head on over to zulily right away and take advantage of the amazing savings... because this sale ends on 4/30 at 6AM PST. Take a look at some of the featured items on sale:

Pink Metallic Flower Sandal $33.00 $14.99

Light Pink & Green Polka Dot Boat Shoe $20.00 $6.99

Purple Mesh Water Shoe $12.00 $6.99

Blue & Black Water Shoe $12.00 $5.99

Camo Green Marble Clog $10.00 $5.99

Black & Gray Double-Strap Sandal $20.00 $11.99

Update on Student Standard Attire- Florida CS/HB 7043

Back in March, I told you about HB 7043, a bill making it's way through the Florida State Legislature that could make school uniforms the norm across the entire state.  The bill creates the "Students Attired for Education (SAFE) Act" which appropriates 10 million dollars from the General Appropriations for the 2015-16 school year to be allocated at up to $10 per student to Florida schools that enact a student standard attire policy in kindergarten through eighth grade. It quickly moved through the process and passed the Florida House in March with a vote of 108 to 8. 

On April 1st, it was delivered to the Florida Senate.  It was assigned to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Education for review.  And this is where it sits.

The Florida State Legislators are in the home stretch of their legislative session. It remains to be seen if this bill will get picked up again for consideration.  Many bills die this way.  And this one may be no different.  However, it is a candidate to get added into another piece of legislation as they try to wrap up work for the session which adjourns May 1. 

Image Source:

"Gavel" by walknboston is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0.

Featured Basic: Cotton Jersey Uniform Pleated Skort

The Featured Basic Series shares basic uniform pieces for boys and girls that comply with uniform dress codes at many public, private, charter and parochial schools.

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If your daughter doesn't care for the cotton twill fabrics used in many skirts and pants, she could try this Uniform Pleated Skort from Crazy 8. It is available only in gray. It is a pull on skort made with 100 cotton jersey but has the button tab details and side pleats like traditional uniform skorts. The length is the above the knee which most young girls prefer with the built in shorts underneath that most Mom's prefer. It is machine washable. It currently retails for $14.99.  Now through 4/23/15, you can get it 30% off.

Has your daughter tried this skort? Share your opinion of it in the comments section below.

Frugal Find: Cherokee Girls Knit Blazer

The Frugal Find Series shares uniform pieces for boys and girls that comply with uniform dress codes at many public, private, charter and parochial schools. Because many of these items are on clearance, they may not be available in all colors and sizes. You'll have to act quickly to snag the deal.

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I love this Cherokee® Girls' School Uniform Knit Blazer which is sold at Target as an online exclusive. Knit blazers are comfortable, like a sweater, but look smarter. They work well as an extra layer most of the year, but are perfect during the season transitions as a light jacket. This version has a more feminine shape and features the less formal, three button style with the shawl collar. It also has cute detailing on the front pockets. It is on clearance and still available in navy small and x-large.  It normally retails for $24.99 and is on clearance for just $8.74.

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).

Fun Find: Boys Rock Paper Scissors Graphic T-shirt

I saw this Boys' Graphic T-shirt  while walking through the Lands' End department in my local Sears store.  The Rock, Paper Scissors graphics are so adorable.  The base t-shirt is a bright and cheery "Reef Blue".  It is available in toddler, little boy and big boy sizes.

It is 100% cotton, the same durable fabric as Lands' End amazing Super-T™.  It is regularly priced at $14.50.

Frugal Finds - Uniform Shorts at the Gap

As Spring temperatures rise, you'll find yourself digging through the dresser to find a pair of shorts soon enough.  If you suspect your child has outgrown the ones from last fall, you can't beat the price on these uniform basics, ON SALE, at the Gap. Hurry, some sizes are already sold out.




These Gap Girls Stretch Bermuda Shorts are 97% cotton and 3% stretch.  They are available in navy and khaki in regular, slim and plus. This style has been modified to a cleaner, more modern silhouette.  They have a concealed adjustable waist that Mom's love and the slim fit through the hips and thigh that girls prefer.  The 8 inch inseam is long enough to comply with most dress codes.  The regular retail price is $24.99.  Currently, they are on sale for $9.99.

 

 

 

 

 

The Gap Boys Gapshield Pleated Shorts are available in navy and Khaki.  They are treated with Gapshield to repel stains and spills.  These pleated shorts have been updated in "a more modern silhouette—straight fit with slimmer pleat detailing." The inseam is 8.25".  They are 100% cotton and machine washable. The regular retail price is $24.99.  Currently, they are on sale for $6.99.

While you're there, refresh the wardrobe:

• Stock up on the Gap Girls Pique Polo which is regularly $16.95 , currently on sale for $5.99.
• Here's the Gap Boys Pique Polo regularly $16.95 , now on sale for $4.99.
• And many other uniform staples on sale.  These prices are definitely worth a look to see what's left in your child's size.

Classroom Girls Narrow Leg Pants from Schoolbelles

The folks at Schoolbelles asked me to take a look one of the items from their value uniform line of clothing. They sent me a pair of Classroom brand narrow leg pants as the basis for this review. No additional compensation was received for this review.



Image from Schoolbelles
Used with permission.

Schoolbelles' offers a value line of uniform items at a lower price point. These uniform line includes most basics like solid navy pants and basic white polos and tops that work well with most standard dress codes. They state the value line products are created to be fashionable, durable school uniforms tested in real world situations with real kids. The value line is made up of Classroom brand items.

We tried the girls’ value stretch narrow leg pants. I guess I was expecting the value line pants to be of average quality. However, the first thing I noticed when I opened the package is that the quality of these pants would rival the higher end competitors in the US uniform market. The material is a soft yet durable blend of 53% Cotton, 44% Polyester, 3% Spandex. Have you ever noticed loose seams and threads on clothing at certain retailers?  Not these, on this pair of pants, the seams are tight using a finishing zigzag seam showing better quality in the workmanship.

(c) 2015 Rene Shonerd
All Rights Reserved.

My daughter has a slim, athletic build. These narrow pants flatter her girlish figure so she looks trendy without looking inappropriately dressed for school. These were a little long on her, but because they have a narrow leg, we simply rolled them up one turn, While I've found other Schoolbelles items from their brand to run larger than many national retailers, these Classroom brand pant were true to size. The cut of the pants have a contemporary look with a short fly and button closure. They have a mid-rise, pockets on the behind and a narrow leg. The description says the youth sizes (4-6XR) have a center back elastic waist, while the youth sizes (7-16) feature an adjustable interior waist. They are machine washable. They are available in navy and khaki and retail for $17.75 in youth sizes.

I'm a fan of these Classroom brand pants in Schoolbelles value line. I would agree that they are great quality for the price. The Girls Schoolbelles value line also includes the Classroom Stretch Fashion pants with a straight leg and the Classroom Flair Leg Pant with a boot suit leg. 

For the boys, they carry the Classroom Flat Front Pant and the Classroom Narrow Leg Pant.  I bet the narrow leg style would work well for a slim boy.

  

Spring School Fundraising Opportunity with Little Passports

The links in this post are affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on my link.

Quick, pass this along to the fundraising coordinator in your school's PTA. Believe me, they will thank you!

The fundraising program:

Their Spring Fundraising period is April 1 - 8, 2015 They donate 15% of sales proceeds back to participating schools from any purchases made by their school's community.

They do the work!

The process will be easy, and orders can be placed directly on the Little Passports website. They handle the orders, processing, and shipping, and then report back to you on how much was raised. All that's left on your plate is promoting the program at your school.

About the Product:

Great fundraising program include a great product. Little Passports develops fun and exciting children’s subscriptions that deliver the world to your child's doorstep. Imaginary penpals Sam and Sofia travel the world on their scooter, visiting a new country each month and send a package in the mail to your child. Packages arrive full of goodies including a letter, souvenirs, activities and online games! Award-winning Little Passports has been featured in Parenting Magazine, Real Simple’s Holiday Gift Guide, the Wall Street Journal and many more! Children and their parents absolutely love Little Passports! Our expanding line now includes a USA Edition in which Sam and Sofia visit two states each month.

Want to participate?

Get more information here: www.littlepassports.com/schools. The deadline to sign-up is March 25th 2015 so check it out today!

Uniform Mom participates in the Little Passports affiliate program. 

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American Girl Sale at zulily - Save up to 30%!

**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.Attention American Girl fans! 

zulily.com has American Girl dolls, clothes and accessories on sale today, up to 30% off! American Girl items always go fast at zulily, check out the sale now >> American Girl Sale - Up to 30% Off

American Girl School Stripe Dress - Girls
$44.00
$39.99

 

 


American Girl Starry Doll Holder
$24.00
$20.99





 

American Girl Light Skin, Layered Caramel Hair, Blue Eye 18'' Doll & Outfit Set
$153.00
$104.99





About American Girl - Centered on celebrating girls and all that they can be, American Girl® is all about products that spark the imagination and teach the importance of friends and family. Made to educate, entertain and inspire, this indispensable book collection features fun crafts, brain-building exercises and problem-solving strategies that will stick with a girl every step of the way.

Florida HB 7043 - Standard Student Attire

Many students in Florida already wear uniform or student standard attire to schools.  According to articles, cities like Miami and  Jacksonville have the some highest percentages of students wearing uniforms in the US. A new bill filed in Florida yesterday could increase those numbers statewide.

Last week, the K-12 subcommittee filed a bill in the Florida House of Representatives for consideration after its first reading.  The bill was assigned number 7043 and titled, Student Standard Attire.  The bill states the following details:

"The purpose of a standard student attire policy is to provide a safe environment that fosters learning and improves school safety and discipline by:

1. Encouraging students to express their individuality through personality and academic achievements, rather than outward appearance. 
2. Enabling students to focus on academics, rather than fashion, because they are able to project a neat, serious, and studious image. 
3. Minimizing disciplinary problems because students are not distracted by clothing. 
4. Reducing the time needed to correct dress code violations through a readily available inventory of compliant"

And according to the bill's summary, here's how it aims to accomplish the stated purpose:

• authorizes school boards to adopt standard student attire policy; 
• limits liability for districts that implement attire policy; 
• creates safe schools allocation to provide funding for certain safe schools activities; 
• provides for withholding of funds from districts that do not comply with certain school safety & student discipline reporting
• authorizes additional funds for districts that implement standard student attire policy (up to $10 per K-8 student in qualified schools);
• provides appropriation.

You can track this bill's progress or read the full bill for yourself. The bill awaits scheduling in the full education committee.  Here at Uniform Mom, we'll be following its progress and let you know of any updates.  Parents living in Florida can contact their state representative to share their opinion for or against this bill.

Image credit - Tallahassee FL Old Capitol rear01 by Ebyabe  CC-BY-SA 3.0

Stand with #UpForSchool for Girls Education

(C) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

I can't believe I'm sharing this photo! This was taken a few months after a catastrophic haircut when an inexperienced stylist attempted to layer my long, thick hair. The next day, the salon owner had to cut off my hair to a short pixie cut to try to make it livable while it grew out. I have not had my hair styled shorter than chin length at any time since.

So, why am I doing this? It's for a good cause. I'm joining with legions of women around the world sharing my childhood school photo in thanks for the simple opportunity to go to school.

I'm marking International Women’s Day by standing in solidarity with the 31 million girls around the world denied the right to go to school and fulfil their dreams. Join me and stand #UpForSchool by signing the petition to secure a future where every girl around the world is educated and empowered to reach their potential. #IWD2015

Frugal Finds: Uniform Deals at Crazy 8

Heads up for parents of the pint size (preschoolers and Kindergarteners) - Are you in need for a mid year refresh on a long sleeve polo for your little one? I found some great deals on uniform items that are only available in limited sizes.

Jump on this deal at Crazy 8.

For Boys, this Long Sleeve Pique Polo Shirt is available in white in extra small and small, so if that size works for your son, grab a few at $3.97!

The Girls version of this  Uniform Long Sleeve Polo Shirt is only available in white in an extra small.

Also check out the Final Sale Items (with sizes as of press time):

• Uniform Pleated Knit Skort - $2.78
  in navy (XS, S and M only)
• Uniform Pleated Skirt - $2.78
  (all sixes in khaki and only XS in navy)
• Uniform Sweater Vest - $3.48 in navy in XS only.

FeaturedBasic: Girls Uniform High-Low Hoodie

The Featured Basic Series shares basic uniform pieces for boys and girls that comply with uniform dress codes at many public, private, charter and parochial schools.

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My daughter is obsessed with the current Hi-Low trend in girls clothing. These items are cut to intentionally hang lower in the back than the front. We recently picked up a Hi-Low dress and a hi-low t-shirt for her weekend wardrobe. Children's Place has added a Uniform Hi-Low Hoodie to their girls school uniform collection. The hoodie is offered in basic navy and fuchsia.  Reviewers describe it as a thin extra layer that would be good indoors, but not warm enough to serve as a spring jacket. I think this item will be a hit with many school aged girls.

What do you think of the Hi-Low trend?

Fleece Lined Tights Paired with School Uniform

Jeez, it sure is cold outside.  The cold temps and the strong wind gusts we've been experiencing this year are brutal.  Especially if you're wearing a skirt, right?

I've mentioned before that our daughter's normal winter wardrobe routine consists of PE clothes on two days, khakis and polo on two days, then she alternates between a few skirts and a dress on the 5th day of the week. At morning drop off, the outside temperature today was 14 degrees! And that didn't even account for the wind chill.  It's just our luck that all her school pants were in the laundry this morning and it wasn't a PE day.  That meant, the only clean clothing option for her was to put on a skirt.  Brrrr.  Thankfully, she has a few pairs of fleece lined tights to match her school uniform.

She is happy to put on a skirt even when its so cold outside because she loves those tights.  She tells me that they keep her plenty warm. They can be a bit tough to find in navy, but we now have several pairs. One footless pair  in a smooth cotton, another footless pair in a cotton cable-knit pattern, and one footed pair in a smooth cotton.  I think I picked up all of them at Sears. And while the tag doesn't specify, I think they are Joe Boxer brand tights.  They run big.  The girls size 4-7 still fits my daughter comfortably when she's wearing a solid size 7 on most brands, sometimes an 8.  We also have the next size up, which is the 8-10.  They are still really big on her; bunching at the ankles.

Fleece Lined Footless Extra Warm
Tights for Girls
by Leg Impressions via Amazon

The only thing I don't like about them is the shade of navy. They don't seem to match the same shade of navy in any of her skirts which include options from various brands.  The tights are a brighter hue of navy. While I wouldn't try to pull off the navy on navy matching with any of my outfits for work, I am willing to overlook this color mismatch on her with her school uniform.  Hey - It saves me from having to do the mid week load of laundry. And my daughter is still too young to understand the subtlety of this fashion faux pas.

Does your daughter wear the fleece lined tights with her school uniform? I found this pair on Amazon by Leg Impressions of Fleece Lined Footless Extra Warm Tights for Girls.  It looks like they have all the basic school uniform colors.

If your daughter has a pair, where did you get them? How does she like them?

Gazelle, a safe place to trade in your old devices #Ad

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Like many of you, I tend to upgrade my phone and tablet every 2 years. When I first learned of Gazelle, I had a few old ones collecting dust sitting in a basket at my house. I heard that they were a credible company where individuals can sell their old devices for a decent rate. After reading reviews from sources I found credible, I decided to give it a try.

I visited their website where they walked me through the process. I told them what type of phone I had and its condition. They made me a fair offer and provided me instructions on how to wipe my device and package it for mailing. They even shipped me a cleverly designed box to use for free. I followed the instructions and mailed it off. A few days letter, I got an email that they had receive my package. Within another day or so, I got another email confirming that they found my device to be in the condition I reported. Since I had opted to receive payment in the form of an Amazon gift card, the email contained instruction on how to redeem the payment. 

It was stupidly simple! After using their service successfully, I then sold them another old phone. Then again last year after my latest upgrade, I sold them two more devices. All were simple and fair transactions. I was able to turn those old devices that were useless to me into real money I could use towards stuff I actually wanted on Amazon. 

One of the other things I like about Gazelle is that they don't send me a bunch of marketing emails all the time. I get an occasional email when a new device hits the market to see if you are planning to upgrade again, but they don't flood your inbox with messages every week. Its refreshing. If you have an old device laying around, I'd recommend you check out their site to see what your device might be worth. 

And if you looking for a previously owned device to replace one that has been lost, stolen or destroyed, check out their resell site. Gazelle has you covered with 'like new' devices at an affordable price that are all put through an industry-leading 30-point inspection to make sure that all features are fully functional and offers you the peace of mind of a 30-day risk-free return period, all with no contracts or strings attached.

New Phys Ed Wear from Children's Place

I was browsing online at Children's Place when I noticed what I think are a few new uniform items in their uniform collection intended for PE class.

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For Boys, they have expanded their uniform collection to also include basic short sleeve tee shirts in 8 different colors, long sleeve basic tee shirts in 9 colors, a uniform pullover sweatshirt in navy and gray, and basic sweatpants (see left) in navy and gray.  They continue to offer the uniform hoodie zip up in 5 colors. And even though these basics are listed in the boys section of the site, These items could also work just fine for most girls.



For the girls, they added a few new items that also serve as PE basics.  The added a uniform gym pullover in navy and gray.  It has a cute front pocket. The uniform hi-low hoodie in navy is more feminine with a ruffle style bottom that is a bit longer in the back. The girls uniform gym sweatpants also come in navy and gray.



As I have mentioned before, my daughter and I are fans of the Children's Place active short from the Active collection.  My daughter has lives in them during the summer months and we have several in navy that she wears on PE days in early Fall and late Spring.  We even have 3 of them that I picked up on clearance tucked away in my daughter's next size.  So, I love the cute and comfy look of the uniform gym skort made in french terry and offered in gray.   I hope they add an option for this skort in navy.




I realize that I might be one of the only people that gets excited about new school uniform items, but I am excited about the new girls uniform gym shorts.  Like the skort, they are a 100% cotton french terry.  What makes them different is that they have a longer inseam that will pass the fingertip test and comply with most uniform dress codes.




I look forward to checking out these new items in person.  I will add an update when we do.  You should note that most of these items are offered online only and can only be returned via mail.

Related Posts:

Children's Place School Uniforms - Retail Roundup Series

Children's Place Girls Active Wear - Great for PE Class

Children's Place Uniform Shorts, a Review

Children's Place School Uniform Cotton Sweater, a Review

New Phys Ed Wear from Children's Place

Featured Basic: Girls Uniform High-Low Hoodie