School Uniforms: Week Three

 Be sure to check our week 1 and 2 of my uniform series.

Building up a school uniform wardrobe can very overwhelming, what to buy, what to skip, how many of each item.  My biggest piece of advice, start small.  Spend the first few weeks of school seeing what you child gravitates to.  Wait for the weather to change before purchasing too many pairs of pants and sweaters/jackets. 

 

For girls there are more options, isn't that true with all clothes!  Try to keep it basic and add in a few extra pieces after you have set your base wardrobe.

1.  Polos - This is going to be standard for boys or girls.  For a girl I think I would search and order the feminine fit.  They just look more clean on a girl, especially with a skirt.  I would start with 2 colored polos (our colors are red/black) and also add 2 white polos.  I would also have 1 long sleeve just to have if you get a cold day.

2. Undershirts.  This is standard, and something a boy or girl will need.

3.  Shorts/Pants/Skirts/Jumpers - This is where I would start small and add later.  Here is VA it doesn't cool off until October.  I would start with 1 skirt, 1 jumper, 1 pair of pants.  For girls I am not a fan of the shorts so I would skip it.  That is just a personal preference.

4.  Sweaters.  Depending on your school rules (ours have a lot of wording on how/where these can be worn.  I would only have 1 of these to start, than maybe add in another if I notice it gets worn frequently.

5.  Sweatshirts/Outerwear.  Again this depends on the rules of your school.  I would not buy a uniform jacket if it is not required.  I would buy a regular winter jacket so that there is no need to buy two.  I also suggest having a sweatshirt or two for day when it is very cold.

6.  Shoes.  Black Mary Jane's are a must, I think!  Also a pair of brown for days where they wear khaki.  Also a pair of athletic shoes, which may be hard to find a pair that matches.

7.  Backpacks/Lunchboxes. In our school there are no real rules for this.  I LOVE Pottery Barn Kids for this type of thing.  Lilly actually has this exact bookbag for preschool this year.  

 

For boys, it is really simple.   This is pretty much what I have prepared for the upcoming year.

1.  Polos - This is going to be standard for boys or girls.  I would start with 2 colored polos (our colors are red/black) and also add 2 white polos.  I would also have 1 long sleeve just to have if you get a cold day.

2. Undershirts.  This is standard, and something a boy or girl will need.

3.  Shorts/Pants - This is where I would start small and add later.  Here is VA it doesn't cool off until October.  I would start with 2 shorts, 2 pair of pants. 

4.  Sweaters.  Depending on your school rules (ours have a lot of wording on how/where these can be worn.  I would only have 1 of these to start, than maybe add in another if I notice it gets worn frequently.  Also with boys they may be picky with wearing sweaters.

5.  Sweatshirts/Outerwear.  Again this depends on the rules of your school.  I would not buy a uniform jacket if it is not required.  I would buy a regular winter jacket so that there is no need to buy two.  I also suggest having a sweatshirt or two for day when it is very cold.

6.  Shoes.  Our school has no restrictions on shoes.  Other than they must be closed toed, and athletic on PE days.  I picked a pair that are red and black and white so he will match, but any pair will work.  I also have a pair of brown dress shoes as a second option.

7.  Backpacks/Lunchboxes. In our school there are no real rules for this.  Matthew's bag from last year is still in great shape, but I LOVE this Under Armor one.  He also has this lunch box which is from PBK.  We used it in Kindergarten and is still in great shape!

Phew, I am tired just going through everything.  I have heard that once you get used to it, having a uniform is great.  So we will see!  I only have a few weeks to finish up before school starts.  Next week will be week four, which is just some final thoughts.