3 Tips To Save On School Uniforms

 

french toast | navy tie: c/o french toast | pleated navy skirt: Lands End |red tights: c/o welovecolors |

 

As more schools embrace a school uniform policy, many parents are thrust into a whole new world of back to school shopping. I remember all too well the frustration I felt buying uniforms for the first time. I would find the same skirt in different fabrics for different prices and stew over which to buy. I would snatch up any sweater that would meet the dress code requirements only to find we had spent way too much on navy blue sweaters. Well, 6 years of buying experience has turned me into somewhat of a school uniform guru.Buying school uniforms can be quite complex if you want to go beyond the basic polo shirt and khakis. If you are new to uniform shopping, where to buy, how much to buy, and how to save money are some of the most basic questions you might be asking. Stop worrying already! Let me put your concerns at ease. I can turn you into a seasoned pro in no time.

1. Where to buy.

Consider your school’s uniform or dress code policy. Some schools may direct you to buy a very specific skirt and top where others may simply let you choose between a variety of fabrics and styles in specific colors. If your school asks you to buy a certain style of skirt, you will likely only find the skirt manufactured by 2 companies in the U.S.; Lands End and French Toast. Lands’ End uniforms are sold at higher prices, but those higher prices buy you fully lined jumpers and thick, stain resistant fabrics. French Toast is a large scale school uniform manufacturer whose clothing is sold from their website as well as many other department stores like JcPenny. French Toast has a much lower price point than Lands End and has a larger variety of uniform styles including the same styles sold at Lands End.

If your school uniform policy is less specific and allows a little more freedom in choosing clothing, there are many buying options. I think you will be surprised to find many of the brands you already love have a school uniform line. Wal-Mart, Target, Kohl’s, Old Navy, Gap, Justice, The Children’s Place, and Aeropostale are just a few of the other brands who offer uniform wear in addition to Lands End and French Toast.

Boys Tie: c/o French toast

2. How much to buy

As a general rule of thumb, I would suggest having at least 5 tops and 3 bottoms as the bare minimum for each child. This will ensure they have enough to get them through the school week without constantly washing laundry. If your child is particularly rough on their clothing, consider giving them just a few items at a time. I have a daughter who used to get holes in the knees of her pants at least every other week. I started only giving her 2 pants at a time until 1 got a hole too large to repair. Then I would pull out a new pair of pants to give to her.

3. Ways To Save

When buying school uniforms for multiple children in one family, the cost can add up pretty quickly. However, I have found there are many ways to save when buying school uniforms. One thing to consider is clearance deals. School uniforms never go on clearance unless the company is updating the style or getting rid of an old style to replace it with a more current one. The best time to find these clearance deals is in the spring and summer. If you don’t mind wearing the old style, you can save big buying clearance items. If you want the new or current style, your best bet is to watch for sales or coupons. Most companies will put their uniforms on sale around the last week of July and the sales will go through the middle to the end of August. Occasionally you might strike gold and have a coupon to use on top of the current sale price.

Another great way to save money is to buy used. You could even call your child’s school directly to ask if they know where to buy used uniforms. If you are in great need, your school may even have a few donated items they can give you. Something to consider when buying uniforms is how much wear they will go through. If you are buying a polo shirt you expect your child to wear for 2 years and pass it down through 2 other children, that polo will get a lot of wear! In this case, consider spending a little more money up front for a nicer polo shirt that will hold up longer.

A Different Thought…

One of my favorite unusual ways to save money is to shop for specific colors during specific times of the year. For example, my daughter can wear a white, light blue, navy blue, or red sweater as part of her uniform. I used to have great difficulty finding red sweaters until I realized I saw red sweaters everywhere during the Christmas season. I have even found that light blue is a popular winter color. If your uniforms colors include a seasonal color, consider waiting till just after the season ends, and you could hit the clearance jackpot!

Consider giving uniform items as gifts for birthdays and Holidays. Your child may not be super excited to open up a new uniform sweater on Christmas morning, and it likely won’t be her favorite gift. However, when returning to school after the winter break, she will love returning to school wearing something new that she can show to her friends. You can also politely ask family members to consider giving uniform items when buying gifts for your children. Just make sure they know your child’s school dress code requirements beforehand.

To further ease you into the school uniform transition, French Toast is giving away 2 tops and 1 bottom of the winner’s choice from their website! You can enter various ways, just use the form below.

French Toast

 

If your kids wear uniforms to school be sure to check out THIS post for some great ideas on how to style school uniforms.