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

I'm working with Lands' End as a Brand Ambassador during the 2014 Back to School season. They gifted me school uniforms for me to evaluate so I could share my opinion of the items with you. All opinions are my own.

Affiliate Links in Use

Thanks for Supporting Uniform Mom

(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

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



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



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



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



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

Girls' Perfect Fit
Plain Front Blend Chino Pants

Features

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

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

(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

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



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

Girls' Short Sleeve Feminine Fit

Interlock Polo Shirt

Features

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

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



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

Related Posts:

• Girls School Uniform Double Knit Blazer from Lands End, a Review

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

 

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.

Lands' End Phys Ed Performance T-shirt and Yoga Pants, Reviews

(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

I'm working with Lands' End as a Brand Ambassador during the 2014 Back to School season. They gifted me school uniforms for me to evaluate so I could share my opinion of the items with you. All opinions are my own.

Affiliate Links in Use

Thanks for Supporting Uniform Mom

My daughter is a Daddy's girl. So she loved the new School Uniform Girls' Performance V-neck T-shirt from Lands End, because it is just like Daddy's shirts. She was referring to the feel of the polyester moisture wicking fabric. She tends to sweat just like a Daddy when running around in PE class or just playing on the playground at recess, so this shirt will serve her well on PE days for school. This v-neck style is a nice change of pace from the run of the mill crew neck t-shirt. The fit has a feminine shape, and the v-neck is sporty with the lower point of the V hitting higher on the chest.

(c) Rene Shonerd. All Rights Reserved.

At my daughter's school, the kids do not change clothes for Phys Ed class; instead they wear a PE uniform all day. So the antimicrobial feature to fight odor will be especially appreciated during the second half of the school day. The shirt is machine-washable making it easy to get it clean and refreshed for the next PE day.  It is available in white, classic navy and evergreen in little girl sizes 4-7, big girl sizes 7-16, and adult sizes S-XL. 


The shirt pairs well with active bottoms. And since my daughter is not a fan of typical sweatpants, she mainly wears yoga style pants to school on PE days. She was happy to try the School Uniform Girls' Yoga Pants. The pant legs are made with a simple elastic waist and a slight flare at the bottom of the leg which is flattering for both little girls and big girls. After trying them on, my daughter liked the way they fit her and, more importantly, how comfortable they felt to wear. I love the quality of the bottoms. They are thick enough that you can't see through them when she bends to touch her toes. I also like that they wash up easily in the laundry and that they will hold their shape due to the 7% Lycra blend. Uniform kids colors include black, navy, khaki, and gray heather.  For non-uniform kids or to add to your weekend wardrobe, they also come light fuchsia and purple. They are available in little girl sizes 4-7 and big girl sizes 7-16. 


This outfit is perfect for PE days. It's comfortable for my daughter to wear and easy for me to launder. I will likely get my daughter a second set because she has PE two days a week and for some reason they always fall on back to back days. And although our school's uniform policy only allows navy and white, both the pants and tops are offered in additional color options.

School Uniform Girls'

Performance V-neck T-shirt 

Features of the School Uniform Girls' Performance V-neck T-shirt:

• Antimicrobial to fight odor
• 100% polyester fabric wicks moisture away
• Slightly shorter sleeves and a shaped waist for a feminine fit
• Fast-drying so she stays comfortable

School Uniform Girls'

Yoga Pants

 

Features of the School Uniform Girls' Yoga Pant :

• Super stretchy 93% cotton/7% Lycra® spandex blend
• Stays true to size wash after wash
• Wider elastic waistband goes easy on her middle
• Shaped at sides for a boxy-free fit

The Lands’ End School Uniform Phys Ed Collection sets them apart from other retailers by offering one-stop shopping convenience to fulfill all the clothing requirements of the entire school uniform wardrobe. And also check out their great selection on footwear, backpacks, lunch bags, and accessories like neck ties and headbands.

 

 

 

Related Posts:

• Lands' End Uniform Girls Solid A-line Skirt, a review
• Girls School Uniform Double Knit Blazer from Lands End, a Review
• Lands' End new Ponte School Uniform items- knit skort and blouse, a Review
• Lands' End School Uniform Perfect Fit Pants and Interlock Polo, a Review
• Review of the Lands End Knit Ruffle Front Dress
• Lands' End Backpacks for School

 

Adventures of Ai, a new e-book and app

Adventures of Ai  is an children's eBook written by New York Times bestselling author, Craig Bouchard. The story is a part non-fiction and part fiction fantasy targeted at girls and boys ages 9-12 for the pressures they will encounter as they grow up, and incorporates subjects like art, history, poetry, music and mathematics.


There is also an Ai game available on Google Play or in iTunes store.  Here is a brief description:

"Downloading and playing Ai’s Adventure places you in the driver’s seat of an addictive fast paced game to run, fly, duck and jump with Ai through a cool maze of challenging obstacles. Her journey across an incredible 3D Japanese landscape is mind-bending. Ai rides her stallion (who slides under obstacles even better than she does!), flies on her crane and runs farther and faster than the monsters that chase her. Collect points and coins along the way to her and your ultimate goal: the treasure chest her father has protected. Ai will never give up – will you?"

Scoring in this game is different in that you have the option to play for your country.  Your score is contributed to the country’s total in the World Charity Cup. The charities in country with the highest average player scores at the end of the competition will receive a cash contribution from the worldwide earnings of the game!  Check out the trailer below:

 The Adventures of AI Book and Game Trailer

Download the eBook

The Adventures of Ai is available in ebook on iTunes, Google Books, Google Play, and Amazon platforms and has been translated from the original English version to Japanese, Mandarin (Chinese and Taiwanese), Spanish, and Arabic.

Enter to Win the eBook

2 winners, each will receive a copy of the eBook.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The event is open from 7/16/14 through 8/1/14 12:00 AM ET. OpenWorldwide. The winner will be chosen at random and will be notified via the email they used to enter the contest. If after 48 hours, there is no response, another winner will be chosen. Uniform Mom is not responsible for fulfillment of the prize. Open to US residents, 18+ only.


Disclosure: Uniform Mom, the giveaway host, was provided a complementary copy of the e-book to evaluate and review. No other compensation was received for the review or for coordinating this giveaway. Uniform Mom is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact navyplaid@comcast.net with questions or to see your business or product featured on the next event! This giveaway is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

July 2014 Back to School Giveaway - $100 Lands' End Gift Card (Ends 7/31)

Win a $100 Lands' End Gift Card

Hosted by Uniform Mom

Sponsored by Lands' End

2014 Back-to-School Trends

From the playground to math class, phys-ed to afterschool activities, here’s a look at some of the style trends for the 2014 back-to-school season:

• Among the key trends for 2014 is jeanswear. Jeans are everywhere – from tops to bottoms and dresses. All jeanswear looks sharp when paired with bold colors such as saturated hues of orange, pink and yellow. It’s a great backdrop for all the layering pieces this fall.
• Playing right into a child’s need for comfort, back-to-school shoppers will see “dressed-up comfort” with items such as sweatshirts, hoodies, sweatpants and track pants paired with dressier items such as poplin shirts.
• Flora- and Fauna-Inspired Prints, Designs - Much of kids’ fall fashion is taking its cue from nature. Woodland creatures including owls and foxes debut on intarsia sweaters for girls. More exotic animal prints can be seen on hoodies, cardigans and graphic tees.
• Tops Designed for Intentional Layering - Layering is a great way to build upon a back-to-school wardrobe. The good news is that the layered look is big this back-to-school season. So start with the basics like a tee and jeans, then add a button-up shirt and hoodie as the temps dip. Roll sleeves under
  cardigans and sweatshirts.

Prize : One lucky reader will win a $100 Lands' End Gift Card from Lands' End.

The event dates are July 16 - August 1 at 12:00 AM ET. Open to US residents only. The winner will be chosen at random and will be notified via the email they used to enter the contest. If after 48 hours, there is no response, another winner will be chosen.

Use the form below to enter for a chance to win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Uniform Mom, the giveaway host, is a Lands' End Brand Ambassador and was provided compensation to organize this giveaway. Uniform Mom is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact navyplaid@comcast.net with questions or to see your business or product featured on the next event! This giveaway is no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, or 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 Giveaway Hop 2014

Attn Bloggers: Looking to link up?
Check out the details. Getting ready to send  the kids Back to School?  
Check out these great giveaways and enter to win to stuff you'll need  as you get ready to put the kids back on the bus to school in the Fall.

An InLinkz Link-up

Lands End GiftCard Giveaway #BloggerOp

Thank you for your interest to help promote the Back to School Giveaways.  The giveaways are hosted by Uniform Mom and sponsored by Lands' End.

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

Prize:

$100 Lands End Gift Card
Giveaway will be Open to US Residents only.

July Giveaway Details:

It will run from July 16 - August 1 at midnight, 2014.

August Giveaway Details:

It will run from August 1 - August 16 at midnight, 2014.

Your Responsibilities:

• Schedule the HTML post to go live on the giveaway start date.
• Promote the giveaway on your social media at least 6 times during the course of the giveaway.

Family Friendly Blogs only.  Questions: please contact me at navyplaid@comcast.net

SignUps

Name Labels from Bright Star Kids, a Review

The folks at Bright Star Kids contacted me to ask if I would take a look at their name labels and share my thoughts with you.  They provided me a complementary sample of a school value label kit as the basis for my review. All opinions are my own.

I had never heard of Bright Star Kids so I spent some time familiarizing myself with the brand by spending time on their website. I loved the site and enjoyed looking at the seriously cute, kid friendly products that they offer.  In addition to name labels, which I'll get to in a second, they carry cute wall art, personalized clothing, backpacks and kids accessories. I also figured out why I hadn't heard of them before; they are an Australian company which isn't normally on my radar because I'm in the US.  They offer worldwide shipping in a reasonable time frame for a reasonable shipping fee.  In fact name labels ship to the US, UK, the EU and Singapore and most arrive in 7-15 business days.

Many Uses for Name Labels

I'm a huge fan of using name labels for kids stuff.  When my daughter was in preschool, I made homemade labels for her bottles and food containers by writing her name on blank shipping labels or simply using masking tape.  They never held up, so I was replacing the labels on each week's supplies.  The personalized name labels hold up SO much better.  The stick-on labels actually stay on through the dishwasher cycle.  The clothing labels last wash after wash. 

I used the labels from the kit to label my daughter's summer camp supplies such as her sunscreen, her insect repellent spray, her sandwich container, and her flip flops. I even put a thin pencil tag on her favorite pair of goggles.  When school starts up in the fall again, we'll tag her pencil box, pencils, colored pencils, markers, highlighters, her composition books and her folders. I'll put the clothing tags on all layering items such as coats, sweaters, and winter hats.  The round tags with covers are great for rain and snow boots which she has to change out of after arriving at school.  It is also great to tag stuff for her activities such as her ballet slippers, tap shoes, and her soccer cleats.

Sounds like a lot of tags, right?  We'll it is, but there are over 175 labels in the School Value Label Kit:

• 10 Large Labels - these stick on labels are great for larger school items such as lunchboxes, water bottles, and food storage containers, pencil boxes, workbooks, or electronic devices. They are safe to use in the dishwasher, microwave or freezer.
• 30 Small Labels - these stick on labels are great for smaller school items such as glue sticks, rulers, staplers,  notebooks, hair brushes, eye glasses case, calculator, and small toys.
• 10 Subject Labels - these stick on labels are made from vinyl which are perfect to put on all your kids school books or notebooks. You can write their subject and class with a permanent marker or pen. 
• 80 Tiny Pencil Labels - these stick on labels are great for thin school items such as pencils, pens, markers, highlighters, or even, lunch utensils. 
• 16 Large Round Labels and 16 Clear Covers - this combination is perfect for shoes.  Use these in sneakers, flip flops, dance shoes, soccer cleats, or rain boots. 
• 30 Iron on Labels - these labels are designed be used on clothing items.  They are safe to use and stay on through the washer and the dryer.

Using the Iron on Labels

I had never used iron on labels previously, so I tested it out.  I gathered up a few new sweaters and hoodies that hadn't yet been tagged. For first things first, I had to identify the iron-on labels in the package. All of the stickers in the package have a color background and white lettering, except, the iron on labels which have a white background and the lettering is in the color we had selected.  They were otherwise indistinguishable to my untrained eye.

Being a newbie, I then read the directions:

1. First, I emptied my iron of any water and turned it on the highest, non-steam setting.  
2. Once it was hot, I placed  the sticker on the clothing, topped it with the parchment paper provided and gently moved the iron around it for approximately 10-15 seconds.
3. In the last step, I peeled the parchment paper off and checked the edges to make sure it had merged with the fabric.

It wasn't hard at all.  And I'm NOT a crafty person.  I did five items in just a few minutes.  Since I like to pass along my daughter's clothes when she outgrows them, I placed the iron on label onto the manufacturers sewn-in tag on most of her sweaters.  That way, we can simply cut out the tag before passing it along for another go in another child's closet.  For some square tags, I cut the iron on tag into two pieces stacking them on top of each other. On another shorter tag, I simply cut off the extra space from the ends of the label to make it fit. Both variations seemed to work just fine.

The Value of Using Name Labels

In my opinion, the value of personalized tags is two-fold.  First you save time by only tagging items once.  These labels stay on throughout the school year.  No more tagging with homemade tags every Sunday night.  Second is the value of the kids stuff.  We parents spend a pretty penny on back to school clothing and supplies.  It is a pity when it ends up unclaimed in a bin at the lost and found.  And then there is the sentimental value attached to a favorite sweater or super duper 4-color pen or sparkle gel pen.  When those things disappear, sometimes, tears are shed.  Prevent the tears and increase the chance that kids won't loose the stuff you buy them, but placing a label on it.  It's like insurance for kids stuff.

Adventrure of Ai, eBook Giveaway Signups #BloggerOp

Bloggers are invited to help promote the Adventrure of Ai, eBook Giveaway.  The giveaway is sponsored by Adventures of Ai, a children's eBook written by New York Times bestselling author, Craig Bouchard. The story is a part non-fiction and part fiction fantasy targeted at girls and boys ages 9-12 for the pressures they will encounter as they grow up, and incorporates subjects like art, history, poetry, music and mathematics.

Giveaway Details:

• Free Facebook or Twitter Link on Rafflecopter Form for posting this giveaway on your blog.
• Prize: 2 Winners. Each will get a copy of the eBook.
• It will run from July 16 - August 1 at midnight, 2014. 
• Giveaway will be Open Worldwide 

SignUp

Family Friendly Blogs only.  Questions: please contact me at navyplaid@comcast.net

Pin These Budget Friendly School Uniforms for Girls

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

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

Pin these Budget Friendly School Uniforms for Boys

If you have a tight Back to School Budget, check out these school uniform options for boys:

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

The Kickoff of the 2014 Back to School Shopping Season

Have you seen the Back to School ads popping up in the weekly circulars and in your inbox?

I am now more attuned to the retail cycle that I was before I started this blog, but it still seems really early. My daughter just got out of school 2 weeks ago, and the neighboring school district, that had even more snow days to make up this year, got out last week.  But here we are kicking off the Back to School shopping season.

According to National Retail Federation’s 2013 Back-to-School survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, families are paying attention to these deals earlier than ever before: 24 percent of consumers with children in grades K-12 last year said they began shopping for school items at least two months before school started, a significant increase from 15 percent in 2007.

"In places like New York City where school ended just a few days ago, preparing for “back to school” can be hard to believe for some parents. But for families who wish to avoid the long lines typically associated with late August school and college shopping, spread out their spending and ensure they get their hands on the hottest products at a reasonable price – some retailers have them covered."

AN EARLY PULSE ON THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL SHOPPER

By Kathy Grannis The National Retail Federation 

The research from the NRF's Retail Insight Center shows that over 76% of adults in households with school aged children say that the economy will impact their Back to School Shopping.  The chart below shows how:

Economy's Impact On BTS Plans

Information Among households with a school age child

Charts from the NRF Foundation’s Retail Insight Center.  To access this data and more research please visit the Retail Insight Center.

Steps to Throw a Green Summer Party

As summertime begins and families head to the beach, the park, the mountains and other favorite spots in the great outdoors, it’s a good time to remember there are easy ways to celebrate our love of Mother Nature by throwing a green party. This post was submitted by Sandra Ann Harris Founder at ECOlunchbox, our affiliate partner.

Affiliate Links in Use

Thank you for Supporting Uniform Mom

Step 1: Location, Location, Location

Pick a picnic spot you can walk, bike or boat to or arrive by public transit. If that's not possible, carpool with friends.

Step 2: Choose an Eco-friendly Invitations

Whether throwing a baby shower, a beach party, birthday picnic or backyard BBQ, you’ve got to let your guests know about the green fun you're planning in eco-friendly style! If it's a neighborhood party, print invites on recycled paper and personally hand them to guests. Or use electronic invitations, which are convenient and don't waste paper.

Step 3: Green Menu Planning

Great produce makes the chef's job super easy. Think simple. Finger foods like cut fruit, nuts, local honey and peanut butter sandwiches are simple and nourishing for all ages. Also, some cheeses, like brie and camembert, are lovely softened in the sun over fresh-baked bread.

Farmer's markets have the freshest and tastiest fruits and vegetables available from the area. Organic products are hormone and pesticide-free, making them safe to eat.

Make your own beverage and serve it in a plastic-free pitcher. That way you don't have to deal with all the cans and bottles.

Step 4: Waste-Free Dinnerware

Say goodbye to throw-aways and plastics. Ask picnickers to BYO dishes, water bottles, utensils, etc. This can be done tastefully if you explain you're hosting a zero-waste party and need some help to accomplish this.

If that’s not your style, pack a sturdy cardboard box with reusable items to share with your invitees, such as non breakable stainless steel picnic plates, reusable bamboo utensils, reusable straws, washable cotton napkins and sturdy mason jars for use as cups.

Sure you may have to do some washing, but much of this stuff will naturally decompose. Plus, you're saving money by going waste free.

Step 5: Showcase Mother Nature

Nature’s beauty is inspiring when it comes to setting the table in eco-style. Leaves, flowers, pinecones, twigs, seashells and other natural treasures can be showcased on your eco-friendly BBQ or green a beach party blanket.

Step 6: Clean up!

Clearly mark bins for recycling, compost and waste for your guests. Since most public parks don't separate waste and your efforts will end up in the trash, toss your separated bags into the trunk to put out with your recycling/trash pickup at home.

ECOlunchbox is offering several summer specials:

$10 Off Ecolunchbox BBQ Party Kit

$10 Off Ecolunchbox Beach Kit

Buy 1, Get $10 off Solo Cube Lunchbox

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

Helpful Technology for Parents

There are so many ways I use technology everyday to help with parenting and everyday household tasks.

• Use the reminders on my phone to jot down key to-dos with deadlines.
• I use maps to navigate to play dates and birthday parties.
• The phone camera - I used to carry a separate camera in my purse and take it with me everywhere so you can always capture that cute shot at the park or at the playground.  Then one day I realized that the camera on my phone was better quality then the camera in my purse. No reason to carry the camera anymore.
• Book and Game Apps - to entertain our daughter in waiting rooms.
• Calendar - All activities go on the calendar with invites to Dad so we both have it on our radar and can coordinate schedules.

The folks at Vanaia LLC offered to let me to take a look at their new productivity app, ScanWritr.  It is another tool that fits right in a Mom's toolkit.  The description of the new app is below:

ScanWritr is a fast-growing, easy-to-use professional document scanner and PDF converter. Simply scan that sheet of paper, watch as app’s Real-Time Edge Detection does its trick, fill out the blanks, sign it, convert to PDF and send it to the receiver via e-mail, fax, social media etc. – all within the comfort of your own mobile device!

 They created this video as a Tribute to the Modern Mom:

 

 

There are many useful reasons to get this app, but the first one to come to mind is to use it as a tool to deal with all of the cute stuff that comes home from school in the book bag. My daughter brings home a ton of art projects and homework assignment that are so sweet that you want to save them all. The problem is that if you did, you'd end each school year with a big box full of mementos. Don't know about you, but we don't have enough space to hold on to those items. This app gives you a way to scan and save the precious artwork in electronic format. You can then backup those documents with all of the photos and videos that we take and keep for sentimental reasons. 

You can check out the new ScanWritr app on iTunes, GooglePlay, Windows Phone, or on the Blackberry. There is a free and a pay version of the app. 
The tokens can be redeemed within the app – no purchase of any kind is required, since we also offer the free version of ScanWritr app. Vanaia LLC is giving away free promotional codes for the premium version of the app.  The details are below:
About the giveaway:

For Andorid, Windows Phone & Blackberry users: the code for a free fax token is: “SCANWRITRFREEFAXTOKEN”. There are 1000 codes in the total value of $990, which can be redeemed until 15th of July or until the 1000th was claimed.

For iOS users: there are 100 promo codes for ScanWritr Pro on iOS (premium version of the app, which otherwise costs $3.99)  A list of iOS giveaway codes can be found in this shared file. Each code can be redeemed only once.  Please note which code you redeem by placing a strikethrough that specific code, so others can move on to the next code in the list. Instructions on how to redeem iOS promo codes.

Chores and Allowance: Teaching Kids about Money

My daughter wanted to get another new Barbie set. At the time, we had just celebrated the Christmas and her birthday, so I refused - thinking to myself that one more toy was the last thing that she needed. Later when she was counting up the money in her piggy bank, I saw an opportunity that educators call "a teachable moment". I suggested that she had enough money to buy herself that Barbie toy. She considered the idea and agreed to spend her money on the toy.

Later that week, we visited the local Target store. She picked out her toy and carried it proudly around the store as I picked up the items from my regular shopping list. At the checkout, I told her to get in line in front of me. When it was her turn, she handed the cashier the Barbie set and then handed her a twenty dollar bill. The cashier gave her a few coins in change with her toy in a bag. She was so happy to get the new toy, she stood beaming with pride while I checked out with my items.

That week she played with her new toy and decided that she wanted yet another one. Again we visited the local Target store and repeated the shopping experience for another $20. The following week, when she wanted a third new toy, we recounted the money in her piggy bank. To her disappointment, she didn't have enough money for it.

This presented part two of the teachable moment - earning money.

Later that evening, her Dad and I talked about starting an allowance plan. Like many families, we debated the pros and cons of weekly allowance verses a plan to allow her to earn money for performing household chores. While there are benefits that having a weekly allowance can teach the kids the value of saving money over time. However, we didn't like the idea of giving her money for money's sake.

I spent the evening reading a bunch of parenting articles online trying to figure out-

1. How much allowance is appropriate for her age? 
2. What chores are age appropriate? 

The best advice I found is that the amount of the allowance should be appropriate to how you expect them to spend the allowance. For example, a teenager might get a higher allowance and be expected to use the money to buy their lunch at school each day and have a little extra to save up for a special item.

The other consensus from my reading seemed to indicate that a dollar a week for each year of their age is an appropriate dollar value. Seven bucks a week for my seven year old? While I wanted her to be able to save up in a reasonable amount of time to get herself that new toy as a reward for disciplined savings, it seemed like too much money for no effort.

So, I kept reading and researched age appropriate chores. I found a list of chores that I thought she was capable of performing regularly. I then devised a system which, at least to me, seemed like a nice compromise.

Chores for our seven year old:

• Cleaning the Playroom
• Assisting with unloading the dishwasher
• Set the table for dinner
• Clear the table after dinner
• Swiffering the upstairs bathrooms
• Swiffering the downstairs (bathrooms and kitchen)
• Water the plants
• Sort the laundry
• Fold and put away own laundry
• Gather trash from the wastebaskets

We agreed to give her an allowance of $3 a week. The catch was that this amount could be reduced for bad behavior such as the occasional 7yr old tantrum, not cooperating with a reasonable request from Mom or Dad, etc. The upside, is that she could earn additional money (around $3-4 a week) for doing chores around the house. A "big" chore like cleaning the playroom would earn her a dollar, while small chores like swiffering the floors or watering the plants earned her a quarter. Chores were divided into categories of things she could do daily, a few times a week, or weekly. I created a flyer that could hang on the refrigerator and be used to keep track. If she missed her opportunity to help sort the laundry on laundry day, then she missed that opportunity to earn money for that chore for the week.

We explained to her they new system at dinner one evening and hung the new chart on on fridge. She set a goal to buy herself an American Girl doll. In another post, I'll share with you how this system has been working for us so far.

(image used with permission from Microsoft)

2014 Back to School Giveaway Hop #BloggerOpp

<a href="http://www.uniformmom.com/2014/07/2014-back-to-school-giveaway-hop.html" target="blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFlnhlZtO6O1t24CVRfWdiJR3Z48_Gqnx88wNXw4yE5NlYJt7TOu1kGo0XmGDYXZW_PddK9q_3sd-EBYFpvetHFfZCRJbI2QpC64wtQqWvayY6EmChWftuPMri0R3ZjjqefuB5CY0BIJQ/w218-h213-p-no/" alt="2014 Back to School Giveaway Hop"></a>

Giveaway Hop Details:

• This is a themed event to celebrate the Back to School season. All giveaway prize items must relate to children's clothing, shoes, accessories, school supplies, sports equipment, educational games or products. Any unrelated submissions will be deleted.
• This event will run from July 14 {12:01 am EST} through August 18th {11:59 pm EST}.
• Each blog in this event will have at least 1 prize of $25, per winner. You may have more than 1 Prize, but please make sure they have a combined value of at least $25.
• The dates of your giveaway must active during the date range of the hop: July 14, 2014 through August 18, 2014. They do not need to match exactly.
• Closed giveaways will be removed to keep the links relevant.

Blogger Requirements:

• While not required, we'd love it if you'd display the Linky button (from above) on your site.
• Your giveaway should have at least 1 easy entries. There is no limit on extra entries.
• You must include proper disclosures and follow guidelines from social media sites (no FB comments, no Google + entries, no Pinterest follows as entries.)

Ready to Link up?

An InLinkz Link-up

If you are a store or company looking to promote your product or brand in this Giveaway Hop Event, contact me to discuss sponsorship opportunities.

A Mom's Guide to Surviving Dance Rehearsal and Recitals

(c) Rene Shonerd All rights reserved.

If you are new to dance recitals, you are probably wondering what to expect and how best to prepare. Having been through the recital routine for many years as a student and now as a dance mom, I thought I'd share my approach.

Pack snacks and activities to keep kids busy backstage.

Give this some thought beforehand.  If you wait until last minute, you are likely to forget or to make less than ideal choices.  The anxiety of performing on stage puts many young dancers on edge and rehearsal day can be one of the longest days of the year.   Since most young girls do not do the whole "waiting quietly" thing very well, many things can go wrong backstage.  Food or drink can get spilled on the costume.  The costume can get rumpled while sitting down.  Boredom takes hold quickly and stomachs begin to growl. All of these things can lead to backstage tantrums by children or by the grown ups.  

To keep the peace, pack activities that can entertain and that can be shared.  Coloring books or Mad Lib books are a great idea. Take only colored pencils which are less likely to make a mark on a costume.  Markers and crayons are a no-no. Reading books are good for those of reading age. Playing cards and travel games are also a good choice.  Toys that make noise are a very bad choice.

For snacks, avoid things that could leave stains or make a bunch of crumbs.  While fresh fruit such as apple slices or grapes are good, messy fruit like watermelon is not. Carrot sticks and celery work well, but I wouldn't advise giving the little ones any dip while in costume.   Avoid potato chips and Doritos that lead to orange fingers.  And avoid chocolate anything. For drinks, stick to water or clear juices such as apple juice.  If you allow soda, stick to a lemon lime variety.

Packing Costumes

• Hang each costume on its own hanger.
• Tights - you probably purchased new ones just for the recital. If you haven't, you probably should.
• Take an pair of extra tights in each color used with each costume. If you get a run in the tights backstage, it is better to change into the tights you've been wearing to class all year than wear tights with a run onstage.  So pack your old tights as backup. 
• Ensure you have all accessories for each costume such as hair pieces, gloves, etc.  Even with one costume, you may have some accessories for tap and different accessories for ballet.  Pack items for each in a clear plastic bag and label them with the dancer's name and the class name.
• Then pack the jewelry that will be used with costumes suc h as earrings, necklace chokers, ribbon chokers, etc. Again, plastic bags labeled.
• Before you pack your dance shoes, clean them.  Wipe tap shoes with a damp cloth and rub off any scuff marks.  Clean leather ballet slippers with a damp cloth and a touch, just a touch, of hand or dish soap. You'll be surprised how well they clean up.

Getting Ready

Most studios encourage you to NOT to travel to the rehearsal or recital in costume.  If you've every tried to get a seat belt around a tutu, you understand why. Besides the undesired wrinkles, by getting dressed backstage you simply avoid opportunities for something to get spilled or smudged on the costume.  You can do much of the stage preparation at home before you leave for the recital venue.

If your dancer wears "everyday" jewelry, take it off.  Put baby powder on her legs to make it easier to get tights on during hot and humid weather.  Baby powder also helps make itchy costumes feel less itchy.  If your child is in multiple numbers, they might be wearing different colors tights for each dance, such as pink for ballet and tan for tap.   Go ahead and put on tights for the dance that will be performed first.

If she has a quick costume change, then put one pair of tights over the other, with the color that match the costume for the 1st number to be performed on top. Once backstage for a quick chance, she can take off the top pair, but then not have to fuss with getting into fresh tights when already sweaty.

Since you don't want to wear the costume in the car, give her a pair of shorts or a skirt to wear over the tights. Maxi skirts are perfect as they cover and protect the tights from any snags in route. On top, opt for a button-up shirt for traveling to the recital location, so you don't have to pull a t-shirt over her finished bun.

For girls with longer hair, you've likely been instructed by the studio to style your daughter's hair in a high bun.  Do her hair at home while it is still wet, or at least damp.  It will give you the clean, slick look with no wisps or strays.  It is also easier to work with and pin. There are some great tools out there these days to help create the perfect ballerina bun, but each of them takes practice to learn to use them with ease.  Watching videos on You Tube can be very helpful.  After the hair is tied back in a perfect bun, then do the stage make up.  For tips and how to's, you can check out my recent post on stage makeup.

"Just in Case" Supplies for Backstage

Even when you've done hair and makeup at home ahead of time, you might need touch ups.  You also want to be prepared with a few tools to handle any mishaps backstage.

• Bobby pins
• Safety pins (various sizes)
• Hair brush/comb
• Makeup bag
• Hair spray
• Travel sewing kit 

The costumes used by most studios today are mass produced and low quality.  The last few years, I've experienced backstage mishaps when costume accessories or straps have failed in some manner.  For example, last year my daughter's costume had a fake buckle on the straps.  That buckle broke off two different costumes backstage while the girls were getting dressed.  With my handy sewing kit and despite by novice sewing skills, I was able to tack the buckle to the costumes so it wasn't noticeable to the audience. I ran out of time and fastened the second buckle with a bobby pin and a hairband. Both impromptu repairs lasted through the performance and until the next costume change, which is all that was needed. Moral of the story is to be prepared and be resourceful.

Once you arrive and get your dancer changed into her first costume, then you can take some pictures backstage. But please, DO NOT take any pictures in the dressing room itself. Even if your young dancer is photo ready, you must be mindful of mirrors and reflections that might capture other dancers in a state of undress. Instead, go into a hallway outside the dressing room.  You can take family pictures after the show when everyone is relaxed.

Good luck surviving dress rehearsal and the recital.

Have additional suggestions? Please share them in the comments below.

How to Apply Stage Makeup for the Annual Dance Recital

(c) Rene Shonerd All rights reserved.

It's dance recital season! Every year, dance studios all over the country hold the annual dance recital. The kids have been practicing their dance routines, costumes are purchased, and the kids are ready to get dressed up and show off their skills to friends and family. I've been through this process myself many times as a child.  I am dancing again as an adult and will be in this year's recital and my daughter will be performing in her 3rd. After having more than 20 of these under my belt, I thought I would take the opportunity to talk about stage make up and share some lessons learned.

Why use stage make up at all?

Some parents that are new to dance ask why a young child needs to wear any makeup at all. I agree that our young dancers are naturally beautiful as is, and that any makeup, yet alone heavy makeup, is inappropriate on a young child. However, I do understand the need to use stage makeup on the young dancers.

When you sit in the audience of a dance recital watching kids other than your own, you might 1) pick out the best dancer in the group or 2) be entertained watching a seriously cute young lady try to overcome stage fright and 3) you also notice the kids on stage with either too little or too much stage make up. When parents are afraid to put makeup on their child, the child sticks out looking like a pale ghost under the bright stage lights. On the other hand, when the makeup goes too far, the child can end up looking like a clown.

Striking the right balance is key! 

Some dance studios will provide you guidelines for how to apply stage makeup. The studio where my daughter and I attend even sells recommended products in carefully selected colors right in the studio. Other studios allow parents more flexibility with their selections.

Items from my stage makeup kit:

I think at a bare minimum, you need blush, mascara and lipstick on a young dancer.  With my daughter, I will be  combining some of my everyday products with studio's suggested products. Here are the products I plan to use this year.

• Bebe cream -  apply it just to cover any imperfections or to even out the skin tone.  It also makes blush easier to apply. We like this one.
• Blush - apply it heavier than your normal daily routine to compensate for the bright stage lights.
• Eye shadow - I recommend a natural color. Our studio recommends a gold shimmer (like this one).  Avoid blue which can easily look clownish on stage. 
• Eye liner, depending on your child's tolerance for it. Avoid pure black with young girls with light coloring. Instead opt for a brown or plum/raisin color. Skip it all together if putting it on causes tears and messes up the other makeup you've already applied.
• Mascara is a must to open up the eyes. I use the blink method with my daughter, where I hold the wand near her eye and let her blink slowly to apply the mascara.  Put it on the lower lids, only if it doesn't cause an upset. 
• Clear mascara (we use this one) on the eyebrows. When you comb the brow with the wand and it darkens them just a bit.  I recommend it instead of an eyebrow powder or pencil which can smear easy.
• Glue and Eye Glitter - This is new to me, but it is popular with many studios these days. This is where I think the stage makeup goes beyond enhancing natural beauty and adjusting for the stage lighting. If you do have to use it, it is important not to go overboard. I've seen some otherwise beautiful young ladies look utterly ridiculous under a heavy application of eye glitter. To apply it, use the specialty products designed to be used on the eyelid which will not irritate the eye.  You apply the clear glue using the built in applicator (like this one), then lightly dab the glitter (like this one) on the upper lid with your fingertip.  
• Lipstick - It is important to use a dark pinkish/red color which blends well with many costume colors. I've seen some really bad lipstick color choices make a child stand out in a bad way on stage. Avoid orangish or coral colors altogether. Browns don't give enough color under the stage lights . And gloss without color doesn't translate well on stage. In fact, I would avoid a glossy product altogether. Because your little one may be sitting backstage for long stretches waiting for her moment to shine. I recommend lip stains that do not easily kiss off and are less likely to end up as a smear on a costume from a backstage mishap.