Comments on: The standard school attire dilemma

By: mom, again

mom, again — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 19:08:21 +0000

In my mom’s town (Jacksonville, FL) there are a number of private schools, and a number of public schools with SSA. I, who don’t even live there, can tell you of at least 2 consignment/thrift stores that sell nothing but uniforms! If your town doesn’t have one of these yet, you could make a killing.

(My vote for your kid, now that it’s really late in the year, so long as you can make a full load of it, wash. Put off buying anything til the fall after all that summer growth!)

By: Not-so-retro Saturday: What can be used more than once

Not-so-retro Saturday: What can be used more than once — Sat, 24 May 2008 14:39:18 +0000

[...] Comments Lisa- Domestic Accident on The standard school attire dilemmaHeidi @ Carolina Dreamz on Chicken Bog, Chicken Bog, Chicken Bog TimeJasi on Who Feels Like Chicken [...]

By: Lisa- Domestic Accident

Lisa- Domestic Accident — Sat, 24 May 2008 11:13:00 +0000

I vote for doing more wash. Reducing your consumption is generally best environmentally.

By: cindy

cindy — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:28:00 +0000

I just faced this problem with my rapidly growing kindergartner and 3rd grader. I went by hte thrift store, got him two more polo shirts that are actually too big for him, but he likes the roomy. They’ll last well into 1st grade. I also got him a pair of shorts that are a wee bit too big, but he’s gone ahead and worn them even though he has to hitch them up every once in a while. My daughter still has lots of shirts that fit, which is good since I didn’t find any polos in her size, but she did get another pair of shorts too. I also forked out for a brand new pair of nice long khakis for chorus. The pants she got for the Christmas concert were fine then, but very snug at the spring concert. They had one more concert to do that was going to be on the news… so I splurged and got her a new pair of nice khakis that are the next size up. She looked great for that last concert, and she’s one pair of pants ahead for next school year. That was an issue of her self esteem/embarrassment, so it was worth the splurge.

By: Mom of three

Mom of three — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:22:46 +0000

I do not buy clothes for school (we can wear whatever we want here-within limits) this late in the school year. Our principal will overlook a pair of shorts that are a little too short this time of year. Thank God for a man with common sense. I have lesser standards than the school system believe it or not, so their shorts look fine to me, while the school wants them at the tips of the fingers (and I have long armed kids). That means what they are wearing now, they will wear all summer.
I would only buy clothes IF she were going to wear them all summer and get some use out of them come next fall. We wear a lot of capris because they don’t really have a length, so you can grow and they still fit.
If we had to buy uniforms, I would say do the extra laundry. I do three loads a day around here, so throwing them in with someone else’s wouldn’t be that big a deal.
If you have to do uniforms, have you thought of asking some of the mom’s in the next grade up if they have any hand me downs they want to get rid of? They might have some they have out grown too that would get you through the year.

This is why I stand firm against school uniforms. Let them wear what they wear everywhere else. Remember moms and dads, they can only wear what we purchase. If you don’t buy it (or allow them too) they can not wear inappropriate clothing.

Now I am off to wash another load of clothes. Why did I take last week off from housework. ;(

By: AA

AA — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:04:08 +0000

Freecycle!! Put a wanted out there for other’s outgrown items that may fit then offer up the outgrown items to someone who may be in a similar situation (to keep the cycle going).

I hear freecycle varies by area, but so far people have been pretty good in my group to always offer and not take only.

Otherwise, I would try to wing it as much as possible with what you have. Maybe wash 2 items in your sink instead of doing a laundry load?

By: Badbadivy

Badbadivy — Fri, 23 May 2008 19:00:42 +0000

Alright, Jay, what’s your brand of laundry detergent? Seriously, I miss Tide in the worst way.

By: Tammy

Tammy — Fri, 23 May 2008 18:40:54 +0000

Garage sales are a mom’s best friend this time of year, IMHO. A lot of times you can score barely worn clothing for pennies on the dollar. And, if you go to a neighboring town, you’re much less likely to run into daughter’s bff’s clothing.

I agree with the not washing as often, depending on how old the children are. I can tell you from experience that boys dont hit that “does not need to be washed after every wear” stage until about age 12. And then it’s still a cr@p shoot on any given day.

By: JayMonster

JayMonster — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:58:03 +0000

I would (and do) wash. School clothing gets pretty beat up pretty quickly (not like they are top quality clothing to begin with), and while I am not a Goodwill snob… I’ve seen (and smelled) these kids in these clothes and well… ewwwww.

Of course I use environmentally safe detergent (with my brand I don’t miss Tide in the least) and eco-friendly softener so I have no qualms environmentally (and with my “women” there is ALWAYS laundry to do anyway)

By: chocolatechic

chocolatechic — Fri, 23 May 2008 17:45:19 +0000

We do Good Will.

Also my daughter (almost 16) gets by on 2 pair of jeans and 5 shirts, one or 2 church outfits.

I have 2 pair of jeans and 4 tee-shirts. We all wear our pants/shorts at least twice before it is washed. In the winter it is the same for shirts.

In the summer, we only wear our shirts once….due to it is so stinkin’ hot.