Problems with school clothes shopping?

[hdecker]

Is anyone here having this problem. Today DD14, DD16 and I go to pick up some shorts for school - starts this Thurs, temps aren't going down anytime soon, DD's need a few more pairs of shorts.
Can't find any that meet the schools "decency" rules. Heck, most of them I wouldn't even where to sleep in.
Is this just in the midwest or is it all over - we went to 6 major dept stores and nothing, even softees are shorter this year. The school says shorts have to be fingertip length or longer when your arms are straight down. We were lucky to find one pair at wrist lenght but that was it - and no - DD's do not have abnormally short or long arms.
What's the deal?

 

[monarchsfan16]

Nope, it's not just the midwest. My shorts are all too baggy on me and I only have a few pairs, because I bought all that I could find that I felt comfortable in over a year ago, and I've lost weight since then. But now all the shorts in juniors are shorter, and I'm not ready for the mom shorts look that is in the other departments of stores (I'm 19...). Shorts really are getting shorter all the time. It's really disgusting. Basically the deal is that everyone wants to look like a hooker right now
My advice? Rewear the shorts. Capris also work well. Or skirts...if you can find any of those that are long enough (or she has some that are long enough)

 

[MoniqueU]

They still have alot of bermudas in stock at LTD2 which carry larger girls sizes. I just did some shopping there myself and had no problem finding decent things.

 

[WDWAurora]

I had TONS of trouble buying shorts for myself this year! (mid 20s, so not for school, for leisure) First of all, by the time I went shopping for them, it seemed as though there were like 2 pairs on the shelves! It was crazy. Does no one buy shorts after early June? It didn't get HOT HOT here until July. Then there was the length and the fact that all denim shorts were cutoffs. Hello, don't want to buy shorts that are going to fall apart. I found ONE decent pair at Old Navy. That's it.

 

[Ready to go in Ok]

We not only have trouble with shorts, but skirts too. DD does have long arms, she is in that weird growth phase. Even her cheer skirt is too short by school standards, but it would be too long otherwise. We just hope for the best.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

No as a matter of fact this year the fall shorts are longer... Last couple of years have been tough.
Lot's of bermuda shorts out there, grab them will you can, as they are all on clearance.
For 9yodd we found a ton of shorts on clearance at LTD2 9.99, I had a 20% off coupon and I got the 2-25$
"buck back" deal on top of 2-10 dollar something coupons.

Children's place HAD LONG corduroy shorts. Also had coupons there too. Right now it is 15% off your order till Sept 4th, I think, with their coupon.

If you get desperate you can go to an athletic store and get the classic gym shorts. My 15yodd has them in every color for band practice.

I haven't been to Justice for Girls yet...but it also has the 20% off deal. We are going to get some shirts there.

 

[daisyduck123]

My DD12 & I have experienced the same thing. None of her shorts go down to her fingertips (which they are supposed to, according to middle school policy).

Well, I think the school overlooks it unless they are REALLY short because this will be her 3rd year at the school, she wears these shorts all the time, & no one has ever said anything to her about them.

8th grade starts in 2 weeks for her...hopefully the school hasn't decided to enforce the fingertip rule this year!!

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I just saw you said your dd's were 14 & 16. My 15yodd got some longer shorts at Foley's (aka Macy's/Famous/Lord& Taylor).

Bermuda cargo's are for sale, dd bought Khaki Bermuda cargos for band. She wears Shorts/Polo until the weather cools off for football games.
Have you tried Old Navy? My dd doesn't care for ON.

I would just go hunting and try and find the bermuda's.

 

[Grumpy's Wife]

Same problems here.

 

[kellyg403]

I have to totally agree...we spent 5 hours yesterday in about 6 different stores including Old Navy looking. DSD goes to a Magnet school and they wear uniforms, khaki shorts or pants and white tops. Can't look like jean material, with the fingertip length. What we could find was so short or nothing in khaki. It was crazy. She isn't allowed to wear capris but I found 25 pair of them. I was thinking about buying 3/4 and taking them to a sewing shop and having them shortenend. What else can I do?

kelly

 

[TheDisneyTraveler06]

We have the same problems... DD's high school won't allow "cut off" shorts and skirts. I totally agree and understand that! Okay, well, they also won't allow holes in shorts/capris/jeans. Well, that's the style right now. You go to Abercrombie, Hollister, American Eagle, etc, and that's about all you can find. Ugghh. . .

 

[golfgal]

This was the first summer in years that we were able to find shorts for DD that were appropriate. We got her some Bermuda shorts at Target, some mid-thigh shorts at Kohl's. All of the shorts she got this year meet the fingertip dress code. I was thrilled.

Now, if I could find pants that had a small enough waist with long enough pants for DS14 my life would be easy!

 

[hdecker]

We did try the Bermuda shorts - DD16 really can't wear them or capri's - she is only 5ft so when she wears capris they are ankle length and bermudas are capri length but that puts a certain part of the shorts (don't think I can say that word here) about mid thigh and that just looks ridiculous. I do agree about the ripped up look - there was a special insert in our back to school packet this year outlining what they think is appropriate - and although I agree wholeheartedly with their guidelines, I wish they had a shopper to take my dd's out and find them something that fits their guidelines cause shopping with 2 teenage girls is so much fun these days - I'm sure the school administrator would jump at the chance to spend a day with them! I do appreciate everyones responses though - I don't feel so alone anymore.

 

[DVC Jen]

We have the same problem here. Not only with my DDs shorts (although they refuse to wear shorts to school "not cool mom" ). The neckline of most of the shirts they will actually wear is way below what the school district allows. So we have to go from store to store making sure they have enough cami's that are not extremely low cut to go underneath the shirts they are wearing to school.

OK.. now a gripe about the jeans. They can no be so low rise that if they bend over thier underclothes are seen. Well that is all they make anymore that a teenaged girl wants to wear.

Giving birth to my two DDs was less painful than school clothes shopping with them is.

 

[bambii]

department. maybe you can find something there.. sometimes they look the same and cheeper..

 

[geetey]

As another MO mom, I completely agree. I have spent the last several weeks shopping for shorts for my dd. Old Navy doesn't have any bermuda shorts left - only the short shorts that are frayed. The mens/boys dept didn't have anything she could use either. I had the same idea about buying the capris and just getting them hemmed. I finally gave in on 1 pair of demin capris that were on clearance.

Have you tried Dick's Sporting Goods? They have some Adidas shorts that are soccer style and longer. Too bad DD's school doesn't allow those on out of uniform days. We couldn't find the longer styles at Sports Authority. Good luck with your search!

 

[golfgal]

Another idea is to check the petite department at the store. They might fit better.

 

[Christine]

Shorts have always been a problem for my DD in the public schools. They haven't been "long" enough for about 7 years. So, we just don't do shorts. It's either jeans or capris. I mean, your school does have air conditioning I assume so the heat isn't really going to affect them except to and from school.

 

[dizagain]

We have the same problem...that plus the fact that DD doesn't like her shirts glued to her so she buys L-XL so they are loose and then she feels "fat". Anyway, DD is a tall 12 who wears a juniors 3-5. We discovered JC Penney's children's dept. plus sizes this summer. We got her some 12 1/2 and 14 1/2 shorts that actually fit and are fingertip length. Now, she wasn't thrilled, but they are stylish and don't have a label. Worth a shot...now she's freaking out about the new skinny jeans - gross.

 

[barneythebassett]

Tomorrow starts the second school year of uniforms for my kids. What a wonderful plan!!! We do not have to try on 10 pairs of jeans to find one that fits. The uniform company comes to the school to have a fitting and allow parents to order the uniforms. At the end of last year we had a uniform swap where we could trade outgrown uniforms with other families. If you were lucky and someone else was outgrowing what you were growing into, you would not even need to buy more uniforms this year.

The students were in culture shock and complained a bit at first but it is so much easier to get ready in the morning. and the clothing styles at the department stores are truly not suitable for school wear.