school clothes how much?

[octobermom]

I just dropped $149.56 on my DD school uniforms (plus about another $40 yesterday for shoes socks ect).. there are still 3 items that haven't come in yet including parts of her her PE uniform so I've still be adding another $50ish to this. What are you all spending for school clothes I actually like the uniforms and OVER ALL I think they come out to a good buy this got us
4 shirts (she can still use a few from last year)
2 jumpers
2 skirts
2 shorts
2 capri pants
her PE shirt
but it is soo hard dropping $200 in one swoop especially with DH paychecks still comming in wrong and about $350 short!


Deanna

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

I am dreading this next month. Luckily we get my daughter's uniform dresses as handmedowns because they are $100 each! But even so, she will need sports clothes, shoes, socks. The boys stuff never works to hand down so DS will need 2 polo shirts, 2 prs. shorts, 1 blazer, 1 dress pants, 1 dress shirt, new tennis shoes. Luckily last year's dress shoes still fit. They both need new backpacks and lunch bags. All told I expect it to be about a $500 afternoon.

I'm with you -- I love the uniforms but it does take a big bite all at once.

[octobermom]

yea when DD was in preschool and not in uniform I sthink I still put down $200-$300 in clothing once accounting for some good quality jeans shoes ect but I could kinda does a bit here and there so I doubt I even put down more that $30-$40 at once it was a lot of $5 here $15 there type buys. So the $148 was a HUGE sticker shock even though I knew the prices individually.. (around $7-18 each)

Deanna

[umsami]

I wish we had uniforms. I grew up wearing uniforms and it made life so much easier for both me and my parents. They were wicked expensive, though. 30 years ago, blazers were $50-75, dress shirts were $20, kilts were $35, etc. We didn't need a lot, but it sure added up.

In the beginning of the year, I don't have much to buy for clothes... 'cause they can wear "normal" clothes from the summer. I'll need to buy more clothes for DS1 as it gets cooler...he's outgrown all of his pants and long-sleeves... so that'll probably be $150 or so. DS2 lives in DS1's hand-me-downs... but I'll still probably spend $50 on him as well as some new shoes.

I'm just happy I don't have to buy winter coats and boots anymore.

[The Hidden Life]

DD 11yo will need a couple pair of jeans and maybe a new pair of tennies and some underwear. Jeans: $12 for 2? Shoes: $40 Underwear: $30?

DD 9yo will need long sleeve shirts for cool fall weather and a new jacket. $40? She got new shoes ($30) earlier this month that *had better last* til Spring at least.

DD 6yo needs nothing. I just spent $5 at a yard sale down the street and got her two pairs of jeans, three long-sleeve shirts and one nice sweater. [That lady had enough clothing for 50 kids--she only has three herself! All of it practically new looking!] I did buy her new shoes earlier this month--$8 on clearance at Target for Hello Kitty tennies.

DS 3yo needs nothing yet; shoes still fit, plenty of hand-me-down jackets and pants and shirts. Eventually he'll need shoes but that's probably it.

I love the look of uniforms but I'm glad we don't have them for my wallet's sake! We haven't hit the age of required gym wear for PE yet either. We get most of our clothes at thrift stores, yard sales or free (underwear excepted). Very rarely I will hit the clearance racks for hard-to-find items. Shoes I always buy new once they are school-age--my older daughters are both in women's size 8 now. Yikes!

[BCFD]

My dd will be starting kindy this year in a Montessori charter school where they have a "loose uniform" code. No character clothes, shoes, lunchboxes, etc., no blinking shoes. They have to wear dark blue or khaki bottoms with a few different color shirts, but they have to have collars or button up. I have picked up some things at a local thrift store, but I haven't been really happy with what I've seen out there from the usual uniform companies.

I was in Children's Place last week and dropped $350 for multiple pieces of these items (I was in shock, honestly). I decided to open a credit account to save $75! Unfortunately none of these items were on sale yet :

http://www.childrensplace.com/webapp...0girl|uniforms

We got the jumpers in each color (I think they are MUCH cuter than the French Toast or other uniform jumpers out there), a few shirts and blouses, skirts, hair accessories, tights, socks, polo dress (SO CUTE!), sweater cardigan, sweater coat, and bermuda shorts. We're lucky that they can still wear shorts into late October and then we will start layering.

I also invested in the laptop lunchbox and sigg water bottle. I got her a pair of Converse sneakers, but need something a little more dressy for her uniform-ish clothes.

I probably would have spent the same amount on back to school clothes and I appreciate the uniform code the school has because it will make things SO much easier in the morning getting ready.

[crl]

DS will be starting K this fall, no uniforms.

So far I've spent $37 on 3 pairs of pants, $30 on 3 long-sleeve t-shirts and about $40 on a new backpack and new lunch bag, plus another $20 or so on reusuable containers for lunch. I expect he'll need another 2 to 3 pairs of pants and two pairs of shoes. I anticipate spending about $25 on the pants and probably close to a hundred on the shoes. He probably also needs some more socks--say $20.

So I guess our clothing total will be around $172 with another $60 on backpack/lunch stuff. He has a bunch of shirts that are still just fine, a couple of pairs of pants that are still okay and he has jackets for at least the first few months of school so I'm not having to buy all new.

Catherine

[AndrewsMother]

Actually I won't have to purchase clothing for school until November or December. It is so hot here that DS can wear his summer clothing until then. I might purchase a few print/striped polo shirts and new underwear.

I am able to buy Polo shirts for about $12 a piece in October so I might wait until then and I can pick up play pants fron target for $5 a pair.

Shoes are the only item of clothing that DS needs and the only school items that I will pay full price. His he needs two pair of casual shoes that will cost about $65 a piece.

[Evan&Anna's_Mom]

Originally Posted by BCFD

MThey have to wear dark blue or khaki bottoms with a few different color shirts, but they have to have collars or button up. I have picked up some things at a local thrift store, but I haven't been really happy with what I've seen out there from the usual uniform companies.

I was in Children's Place last week and dropped $350 for multiple pieces of these items (I was in shock, honestly). I decided to open a credit account to save $75! Unfortunately none of these items were on sale yet :

Sounds like its too late for this year, but I always like Lands End stuff for these sorts of items and they are currently having a uniform sale with 30-50% off of their uniform items. Unfortunately, all of our stuff has to have the logo embroidered so I can't take advantage of it.

[Peony]

No uniforms here thank goodness. I don't have to buy much, some shoes and one pair of jeans, I think that is it. I always stock up on next years clothing at the end of a season when everything is on the final clearance price, so I got long sleeved shirts, dresses, and a new jacket last weekend. Jeans I have to pay full price for because DD1 is so skinny that only one brand fits her well. Shoes are the cheap ones either, she hates shoes so we end up trying on 50 pairs to find one that she *might* wear and half the time she refuses to wear them after we've bought them.

[Ceili]

I spent close to $300 on ds's uniforms.
3 pairs of shorts
1 pair of long pants (dress uniform)
4 polo style shirts w/logo
1 oxford button down shirt w/logo (dress uniform
1 belt (dress uniform)
9 pairs of logo socks

That should get us to Nov, when we'll need some long sleeve shirts, sweaters, a jacket, and more long pants.

ds got converse low-tops for his uniform shoes. His school has a very relaxed shoe policy, they have to be "athletic shoes with rubber soles" in school colors.

[EFmom]

We don't have uniforms (which I'm very glad about). I don't spend anything special for school clothes, and really don't spend anything above what I'd have to spend anyway to keep their little selves covered.

We don't do a big "back to school" shopping. I'm queen of the clearance rack, so I'm always on the lookout for stuff the kids can use. I go through their closets in late summer to see if they are in need of jeans or tops. Usually the weather is warm enough that they wear summer clothes for a month or so. By that time, a lot of the fall stuff is on clearance.

[StephandOwen]

DS is easy to shop for, in a way. I spent years buying tons of cute clothes for him.... that sit in his closet with the tags still on because he won't even wear them. My little brother eventually gets them all. LOL! I've figured out that the only clothes he'll wear are plain white t-shirts (undershirts, until it gets cold enough for me to insist on a thicker one) and athletic shorts/pants (much prefer blue over any other color). So if I buy him a dozen plain white shirts and half a dozen blue athletic shorts or pants, he'll be happy. Every once in awhile we can get a different shirt on him... that's maybe 6 times a year. We choose our battles wisely

So before Kindergarten starts I'll buy some more plain white shirts and a couple more pairs of blue athletic pants. I may try for a pair of sneakers too, but I think that'll be a losing battle.

[MsBirdie]

about 70 for shirts, shoes, and socks. DD can still wear her tennis shoes and skirts from last year. I LOVE uniforms!!!: Our school does not require going thru a certain provider so we get the uniforms from target/ old navy etc.

[Linda on the move]

I would prefer uniforms, but my kids attend schools without them.

It is still warm here so my kids will be wearing their summer clothes for a while. I'm going to double check next week and just make sure they they still have plenty of thing that look nice -- a few clothes bit the dust over the summer.

My kids tend to stay the same size for a months and then grow over night, so there's no way I'll go buy them things now that they can't wear for a few months but that I would like to still fit in February.

[RufusBeans]

DD's school requires Uniforms from specific places
I've only bought 1 polo shirt and one skort so far for the uniform, but I just calculated this (not including gym outfit or shoes) for my kindergartner's uniform:

from Lands End

Total $344.99

2 skorts
5 s/s polos
1 sweater
2 mock turtlenecks
3 l/s polos
1 pair chinos
3 pairs of tights
3 pairs of knee socks


from FAOH
total $36

1 jumper

grand total not including shoes or Gym outfit $380.99

I can buy the cooler weather l/s polos, turtlenecks, and tights later though

[EXOLAX]

We only have one store we can shop from for school uniforms, even the polos under the tunics must have the school logo. We could spend just under $200 for one complete new uniform (tunic, shirt, socks, cardigan) and that's not including shoes.

It's obviously ridiculous, so absurd actually that mother's got together years ago to start a drive for outgrown uniforms. They collect, size and sort donated uniforms and sell them at drives. Eventually they got a location at the school to keep all the donated items and now we can go there anytime during school and buy used uniforms (it's done on a trust basis, no one works there). I love it. A few weeks before school starts they setup a sale at the school but otherwise I pop in throughout the year and buy items for her to grow into. I would estimate that with buying outgrown uniforms I can get all her school clothes for a year for around $50, not including shoes.

The money made by the mother's association for the sale of these items goes back to the school.

[Graceoc]

We can buy our uniform outfits where ever (and I LOVE uniforms!) Both kids need pretty much all new stuff this year - they have GROWN!

I was able to get 18 shirts (both long and short sleeved), and a zip up cardigen for DD at Walmart for $150

Then I got 2 pants, a sweater, 1 pair of shorts at the GAP (LOVE their pants - they wear super well!) for $116

Shoes (ugh! these kill me) $100

DD is getting all of DS's hand me down pants, and had some hand me down skirts from a friend. So now I just need some socks, tights and a sweater maybe for DD.

Total so far (for 2 kids!) $366 - Not bad IMO!

[StephandOwen]

Originally Posted by EXOLAX

It's obviously ridiculous, so absurd actually that mother's got together years ago to start a drive for outgrown uniforms. They collect, size and sort donated uniforms and sell them at drives. Eventually they got a location at the school to keep all the donated items and now we can go there anytime during school and buy used uniforms (it's done on a trust basis, no one works there). I love it. A few weeks before school starts they setup a sale at the school but otherwise I pop in throughout the year and buy items for her to grow into. I would estimate that with buying outgrown uniforms I can get all her school clothes for a year for around $50, not including shoes.

This is exactly how the school I went to does it now. Of course, they didn't when I went there and we had to pay full price for everything But now my little sister goes there and they have "the closet" where you can buy used uniforms

[RufusBeans]

I just saw that Gap has their khaki uniform jumper on sale for $7.99! Online they have L and XL only, but they might have more sizes in store. Just thought I'd mention it incase it helps anyone out