If your kids have to wear uniforms to school.....

[lmcdo02]

If you do buy the Lands End or French Toast uniforms from Sears, remeber to keep the receipt to get the Kidvantage exchange for worn out clothes. If it is not one of their own brands, they may not exchange it without a receipt.

 

[tinytink]

My kids wear uniforms and we have to order from Flynn and O'Hara. I start with 3 pair of long pants, 2 pairs of shorts, 3 short sleeve polos, 2 long sleeve polos, 2 turtlenecks, 1 sweater vest, 1 sweater, 1 summer gym suit, 1 winter gym suits. All our shirts and gym uniforms have the school insignia on them. For my girls I start with 2 uniforms (jumpers), 5 short sleeve blouses, 4 turtlenecksk 1 summer gym suit, 1 winter gym suit and 1 sweater.

we have three of everything, pants, shorts, l/s shirt, s/s shirt, sweater vest, gym shorts, gym sweat pants, gym sweat shirts, except socks and ties we have at lest 20 pairs of socks, 6 ties, and 3 belts, 2 pairs of uniform shoes, 3 pairs of gym shoes, then mulitply by 2(DSx2) at private school.

WE also get ours from Flynn and OHare, they have really nice clothes but it's a bit pricey.

 

[mjantz]

Since you have boys, I'll focus on DS. We have to have Parker Uniforms. They wear like iron & are easy to take care of IMO. DS has:
-4 pairs pants (khaki)
-4 pairs shorts (3 khaki & 1 navy)
-3 navy blue polos (short sleeve)
-3 green polos (2 short sleeve & 1 long sleeve)
-1 sweater vest
-1 short sleeve white oxford
-1 spirit shirt (They can wear them on Fridays)
-1 sweatshirt

A few tips I've picked up along the way:

-A sweater vest is a great choice if they can wear them because if they have shirts that get a bit stained because kids will be kids, you can put the sweater vest on over the polo & still look nice.
-Get some a-tanks (unfortunately also known as wife-beaters). My kids school has a rule that no shirt can be seen under the uniform shirt. A-tanks add a small extra layer without being seen which is nice when its a little chilly but not cold enough for extra heavy layers.
-If the school has a sweatshirt that can be worn every day, buy it! You won't need as many long-sleeve shirts if you can layer the sweatshirt over the short sleeve polos. We have decided to buy DS an extra long sleeve polo for next fall just for a bit more depth.
-Hit eBay, Goodwill, thrift stores & the schools uniform sale, if they have one. 75% of what my kids wear is 2nd hand. I'm also sneaky & buy uniforms that are too small/big for my kids & sell them at the schools uniform resale for a profit.
-If they need a belt, buy several woven belts. The woven ones they can wear longer because you're not limited by the holes. I'm constantly looking for belts on clearance at GAP, Target, Old Navy, etc.

Hope this helps!!

 

[samandryanmom]

My kids are also uniform veterans. They spent several years in Catholic school and are now in public school where uniforms are also required. I love them! My 5th grade DS is just too hard on white shirts, even using bleach, so I stick with the navy ones. Around Christmas the white ones just start looking dingy. The navy we don't seem to have too many problems with. They also have to wear khaki bottoms and I love A+ Brand. I don't know if that's a regional brand or not, we live in Louisiana. They have reinforced knees and even if you leave them in the dryer for a day or two, you can just shake them out and they look just fine. Not that I've ever done that but...

The Land's End shirts are awesome and if you can get them on sale, even better. I bought my DD's tops for $10 each. Also, check if your school is a preferred school with Land's End, they may have your school's logo on file for embroidery.

Good Luck

 

[crazelion]

When I had the my foster son. I would just go t the goodwill and buy his uniforms clothes because they is so cheap. Plus I get name brands for a cheap price.

I also go buy my uniforms pants and shirts at the goodwill becasue I teach at daycare.

 

[DawnM]

Yes, we are regular thrift store and garage sale shoppers here.

I thought since school doesn't start until early August I would get as many nearly new ones as I could between now and then before I order any.

Very good idea.

Dawn

When I had the my foster son. I would just go t the goodwill and buy his uniforms clothes because they is so cheap. Plus I get name brands for a cheap price.

I also go buy my uniforms pants and shirts at the goodwill becasue I teach at daycare.

 

[storzo]

If your local store runs out of French Toast, you can get them at frenchtoast.com. They ship pretty quick.

 

[luvsgrumpy]

We have the same colors here. If your DS is allowed and likes them, I get cargo pants for my two almost always at Kohls. They are in 4th and 7th grades so the double knees aren't quite as important now but the pants are really sturdy. Just checked, the brand is urban pipeline. They DETEST pants that are dress pants as well as the button down shirts but maybe since we are a city school with a very diversified population, the "style" is a bit more relaxed as long as the colors are proper and the shirt tucked in. I have found that 4 pants and 4-5 shirts and a logo sweatshirt (can be worn anyday) work pretty well. DD6 has about 6 or more different pants/jumpers/capris/skirts, etc. but most were all hand-me-downs from a neighbor and 4-5 shirts.

 

[left210]

If you do buy the Lands End or French Toast uniforms from Sears, remeber to keep the receipt to get the Kidvantage exchange for worn out clothes. If it is not one of their own brands, they may not exchange it without a receipt.

How does this work? Is there a time limit on how long they can be exchanged or should last?

Also, for those of you who recommended khaki over navy, from my experience the navy pants show more wear on the knees quicker than the tan and fade much quicker. I do not put my DS pants in the dryer and they still seem to show more wear than the tan ones. Also, if you buy from Target, last year they had two different kinds of French toast pants. For boys, one was flat front with a thinner material and the other was pleated with a heavier material. I bought both because I like the flat front but wanted to try the heavier material and of course the heavier ones with pleats have held up better. You can get them on clearance at the end of season for 75% off which was $3.74 per pant. I bought lots of extras for next year at that price along with short sleeve polos for $1.74 per shirt. Keep an eye out for that sale. I like to have 5 pants - one for each day of the week and wash on the weekend. Also, when the knees wear out dont forget you can cut them off and make shorts for spring and fall.

 

[mjbaby]

We're locked into Flynn and O'Hara, too, and everything has to have the F&O tag in the back and the school logo on the shirts. So we can't just buy, say, any old khaki's - although I'd love to.

This is our first year with the uniform thing and I'm having a bit of sticker shock! I dress my kids mostly in hand-me-downs and thrift store finds so the other day when I checked the F&O website for selection and pricing I was like

I wonder if I can get away with two pairs of pants to start.

 

[lmcdo02]

How does this work? Is there a time limit on how long they can be exchanged or should last?

You join the Kidvantage club when you buy the uniforms. If the product wears out before they outgrow it, you bring your receipt in and get an even exchange. If you buy more than $100 worth of kids clothes, you get a coupon for 15% off your next total purchase. It's a great deal, and as long as you save your receipts, you have no problems with the exchanges.

As far as I know, there is no time limit. But, it must be the same size.

This is the plan for all clothes, not just uniforms!!

 

[DawnM]

No cargos! Darn.

Dawn

We have the same colors here. If your DS is allowed and likes them, I get cargo pants for my two almost always at Kohls. They are in 4th and 7th grades so the double knees aren't quite as important now but the pants are really sturdy. Just checked, the brand is urban pipeline. They DETEST pants that are dress pants as well as the button down shirts but maybe since we are a city school with a very diversified population, the "style" is a bit more relaxed as long as the colors are proper and the shirt tucked in. I have found that 4 pants and 4-5 shirts and a logo sweatshirt (can be worn anyday) work pretty well. DD6 has about 6 or more different pants/jumpers/capris/skirts, etc. but most were all hand-me-downs from a neighbor and 4-5 shirts.

 

[DawnM]

I hit the goodwill today. I found 3 navy polo shirts. One was brand new and the other 2 looked like they hadn't been worn more than a couple of times! I also found that I have 2 here at home.

So, I will keep stocking up. If they are this cheap, even if my kids don't go to that school I won't be too upset.

I am sure glad they don't make us get a particular brand. There is a little school (private) that does that here and I couldn't believe how much things were!

Dawn

 

[nuke]

My son is in Catholic school. They require you to buy the uniforms from a specific place and while expensive they have lasted a long time. The pants last two years and even the white polo shirts have lasted two years.
I bought 3 pairs of pants and 4 shirts. He has gym one day and has to wear school sweats that day.

 

[Blondiex46]

mY kids are 13 and wear uniforms and get uniform violations all the time. They won't wear anything but Dickies and I don't have the money for them 22.00 a pair they will only wear mens. The shirts they have not the pants. I feel really bad for them cause I can't afford the pants and I don't want them to get made fun of. They only have 2 pair of pants and 1 pair of shorts. I have to get them more I know but I am on a fixed income. I have tried e-bay.

All I know is that having uniforms causes so many problems with the schools. They are adding just something else to have to worried about when they should just be worrying about them learning. The uniforms do nothing and they don't even look nice . No flaming cause this is just my opinion. I have talked to principals of schools that don't have them and they are happy for the reasons I said above. It is just something else that takes away from the learning....added behavior problems and added discipline problems. Actually my son was suspended today for to many uniform violations.

 

[MrsPete]

You join the Kidvantage club when you buy the uniforms. If the product wears out before they outgrow it, you bring your receipt in and get an even exchange. If you buy more than $100 worth of kids clothes, you get a coupon for 15% off your next total purchase. It's a great deal, and as long as you save your receipts, you have no problems with the exchanges.

As far as I know, there is no time limit. But, it must be the same size.

This is the plan for all clothes, not just uniforms!!

Yep, I've traded in worn items MANY times. I've bought shoes or jeans for my oldest daughter, then traded them in for new things for my younger daughter. They're always really nice about it, though I am careful to keep all the original tags and receipts.

 

[MrsPete]

I don't have the money for them 22.00 a pair . . . They only have 2 pair of pants and 1 pair of shorts . . . All I know is that having uniforms causes so many problems with the schools.

We all have our priorities. You've been to Disney EVERY year -- if that's more important than your kids having enough pants for school, that's fine -- that's your choice.

I disagree that uniforms cause problems. My daughters NEVER had a problem with uniforms (they whined a little, but were never in trouble at school because of them), and I'm not aware of any of her classmates having problems either. I teach in public schools, and we do have LOTS of issues with kids wearing inappropriate items to school: too-short skirts, low-cut blouses, etc.; those issues waste teachers' time and wear on their last nerve, which isn't good for students either. Uniforms eliminate those issues.

 

[amytheobald]

We live in the south as well. Kids can wear shorts until mid Oct usually. So I only buy 5 shirts 3 pair of shorts per kid, and make sure at least one of their pairs of pants fit from last year. Then when the uniforms go on sale after the back to school shopping season I pick up pants, and it gives me an extra month or two to see if they grow any. I usually end up picking up a few new pair of shorts in spring, but often they can be used the next year.

I love uniforms, I watch for sales and stock up when I find cheap things...it's the same every year..so it's nice!

 

[JoyG]

Since Sears and Land's End are owned by the same company, has anyone had any luck making returns to Land's End if the clothes wear out before the kids grow out of the size?

I bought my twins 10 pairs of pants in late August for this school year. They are still wearing the same size, but we only have 3 usable pairs of pants left! All the rest of them got holes in the knees! The first three ripped ones I threw away, after that I started saving the ripped ones. I have 4 pairs of ripped pants I'm thinking about returning. Do you think Land's End would honor Sear's clothing guarantee?

 

[DawnM]

From a school counselor's perspective I can tell you that it is far more distracting to NOT wear uniforms. Having the kids tease each other for not having the "right" brand, the "hip" clothes, etc.....is horrible. A pair of jeans is often much more than $22, esp. if they are name brands.

I am not fully one way or the other, but it seems to me that buying 3 uniforms for each child that they can wear for at least a full year is much cheaper in the long run.

Dawn

mY kids are 13 and wear uniforms and get uniform violations all the time. They won't wear anything but Dickies and I don't have the money for them 22.00 a pair they will only wear mens. The shirts they have not the pants. I feel really bad for them cause I can't afford the pants and I don't want them to get made fun of. They only have 2 pair of pants and 1 pair of shorts. I have to get them more I know but I am on a fixed income. I have tried e-bay.

All I know is that having uniforms causes so many problems with the schools. They are adding just something else to have to worried about when they should just be worrying about them learning. The uniforms do nothing and they don't even look nice . No flaming cause this is just my opinion. I have talked to principals of schools that don't have them and they are happy for the reasons I said above. It is just something else that takes away from the learning....added behavior problems and added discipline problems. Actually my son was suspended today for to many uniform violations.