Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



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nissag
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Posted: July 24 2008 at 11:17am | IP Logged Quote nissag

I've been wanting to do this for a long time. I just can't seem to find anything that suits us. Most days we're in jeans/overalls to take care of the critters. I really want something nice for when we go out as a group for an outing.

Besides looking like a "regular" school group, I really feel like it fosters a little "team spirit". The biggest challenge is that I have two adult-sized kids. I'd really like to go for the traditional Catholic school plaid... Alas, I may have to opt for khakis and white shirts, or navy chinos and white shirts.

And has anyone noticed the hemlines? Good heavens, they're *short*! I've seen a couple of more modest ones along the way, but I can't seem to find everything in one spot without a "school account".

I'd sew them myself, but life is entirely too busy this time 'round.

Anyone interested in ordering anything if I set something up with Dennis Uniforms? You can download a pdf catalog to browse through... They have teeny sizes right up through adult in plaids and solids, and they even have the long skirts I love so much (in navy and khaki).

Blessings,

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nissag
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Posted: July 24 2008 at 12:13pm | IP Logged Quote nissag

Eww, blehky. I couldn't find prices on the Dennis Uniforms before... $40 for a skirt is a little spendy for me.

Looks like we'll be trying to order from here, instead. No plaids, but I'll live. Maybe we can find some plaid accessories somewhere else...

Now to search for matchy outerwear...

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amyable
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Posted: July 24 2008 at 1:09pm | IP Logged Quote amyable

nissag wrote:

And has anyone noticed the hemlines? Good heavens, they're *short*! I've seen a couple of more modest ones along the way, but I can't seem to find everything in one spot without a "school account".



ITA! We've thought about uniforms but didn't think the miniskirt look was what we wanted!

We did get some things through French Toast for a co-op we used to be in, but I don't remember if they have plaids.

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Posted: July 24 2008 at 1:13pm | IP Logged Quote DianaC

Lands End sells the school uniforms (including the plaid!) up to adult sizes. They are pricey - but excellent quality. Landsend

Also, JCpenney has uniforms with lower prices:JCPenney
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ElizLeone
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Posted: July 24 2008 at 1:18pm | IP Logged Quote ElizLeone

French Toast is the place my homeschooling friend who gets uniforms for her kids uses. She seems very happy with their prices and service.

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Posted: July 24 2008 at 1:28pm | IP Logged Quote folklaur

I have used french toast lots of times. My older dd really liked the plaid skorts, and my younger dd wanted to wear her jumper all the time. It was really inexpensive, and I like that online they had all the plaid choices.


ETA: The plaid skirts/skorts are about $12, and the plaid jumpers are about $15.
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nissag
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Posted: July 24 2008 at 2:30pm | IP Logged Quote nissag

The French Toast ones are cute, but they were out of stock on a few of the things I wanted.   

Now, if I can get some little badges done up - THAT would be cool.

Blessings,

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Posted: July 24 2008 at 4:56pm | IP Logged Quote JodieLyn

landsend is great.. I haven't tried to match plaids and such.. but I did get my daughter a lovely pleated plaid skirt there and it's truly knee length (down to the knee.. not just sorta close but on the short side)

Check their clearance/overstock whatever they call it area too.. you'd have to buy a season ahead.. like you can get summer things clearanced now though there's still a few fall/winter things.

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Posted: July 24 2008 at 6:40pm | IP Logged Quote LeeAnn

We did uniforms this past year! I bought ours from Lands End, however, I have three girls in a row, so I figured I'd get my money's worth out of them. :) By the end of the school year, my oldest had grown so much she couldn't wear her jumper--it had become a mini! I will probably get her a pair of slacks and skirt for the fall, she's outgrowing the jumper age (almost 11).

You can see our uniforms here:
Uniforms

I also got them matching sweaters with our last name embroidered on them in suitably gender-neutral colors (red with blue embroidery) so they can be passed down to their one little brother. You could do a school name if you had one, but we can never decide.

We chose plain navy jumpers, white knit shirts and red sweaters. They LOVED them at first and wore them every day...by the end of the year they were content to wear them only for field trips or on chapel days for our hs co-op.

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nissag
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Posted: July 24 2008 at 7:14pm | IP Logged Quote nissag

Oh, those are cute! I'm loving the LE unis. I know that the quality is good, but I don't know if we can justify the expense this year... Brian and I will be chatting about it at length over the next couple of weeks.

OTOH, we'll have lots more wear out of them as they can easily be handed down with 7 kids. I love that you had something embroidered on the sweaters. It would be fun to do that for our kids, too. Decisions, decisions.

Blessings,

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Posted: July 24 2008 at 10:55pm | IP Logged Quote Eleanor

It's funny, this subject has just been going through my mind as well. My eldest has been asking on and off if she can go to kindergarten at one of the local parish schools, and I think the plaid jumpers are part of the attraction for her. I'm all for practical, durable, and simple clothes, so no objections from my end! I think I'll buy her one outfit, just so we can see how well it works out.

(Even before this came up, I was in the process of designing HS t-shirts for field trips in the fall. My children are big for their ages, and we're already getting a constant stream of remarks along the lines of, "must be busy having them all at home -- bet you can't wait until school starts again!")

Just one question: we try to buy American-made whenever possible; can anyone tell me if the Land's End uniforms, or any other brand that you're familiar with, are made in the USA?
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Posted: July 25 2008 at 7:17am | IP Logged Quote SallyT

Our local Target carries French Toast uniform pieces -- khaki and navy-blue trousers, shorts, skirts, jumpers, plus polo-style shirts and oxford-cloth shirts -- and they're all on display at about this time of year. We don't really do uniforms, but I do get my sons' Sunday trousers and polos there, and other items as well. We live in an area where the public schools have uniforms, so inexpensive options are easy to find, especially in the summer and early fall. By mid-winter they disappear, though, so if somebody outgrows something, you're out of luck.

Wal-Mart carries uniform clothes as well, at least here where there's a large general demand for them. You might check out either Target.com or Walmart.com to see if you could access them. They aren't plaid, but they are inexpensive and remarkably well-made. Not quite Lands End, but not bad at all. We have handed ours down and worn them for years.

Sally

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Posted: July 25 2008 at 8:13am | IP Logged Quote Michaela

We tried a school uniform of sorts last year with some success.

The problem was that I had only purchased one set of shirts for each of my children. Wearing one shirt for five days doesn't really work with spills and such. That put the pressure to get things washed by the next morning....simple, but I really didn't want to wash one or two shirts when I was caught of on laundry.

Sally, thanks for the reminder to check Target. Last year, the uniform bug hit me late and every store, even Target, was sold out of what I wanted.

Our attempt with the last minute uniform -ity.

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Posted: July 25 2008 at 11:22am | IP Logged Quote LisaR

we've done navy blue polos for the boys and khakis or navy pants the past few years, I love it!! I get them all at Target or Walmart, we are down to the 3rd boy with some if the items and they hold up fine.
now to get the little navy polo uniform dress from Target for dd this year!!
I wear khakis and a button down type shirt/ sweater set most days too. also easy if we have to run out last minute/can squeeze noon daily mass in, etc!!

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Posted: July 25 2008 at 11:29am | IP Logged Quote domchurch3

Do you dress your kids in the uniforms everyday, or just when you're going out for an outing? I think our daughter would love this.
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Posted: July 25 2008 at 11:30am | IP Logged Quote LisaR

domchurch3 wrote:
Do you dress your kids in the uniforms everyday, or just when you're going out for an outing? I think our daughter would love this.

every weekday, Sept-end of May!!

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Posted: July 25 2008 at 11:33am | IP Logged Quote domchurch3

One more question. Do private schools have the children wear the same thing everyday or do they mix it up between jumpers, skirts, skorts, etc?

I'm really liking this whole uniform thing. I can just imagine hassle-free mornings as my daughter puts on the same thing everyday as opposed to some of the outlandish outfits she comes up with after 20 minutes. Let's just say, she's modest but really into layering.
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Posted: July 25 2008 at 11:48am | IP Logged Quote folklaur

domchurch3 wrote:
One more question. Do private schools have the children wear the same thing everyday or do they mix it up between jumpers, skirts, skorts, etc?


When I went to Catholic school, grades 1-6 had one choice - plaid jumper in one style with yellow shirt. 7-8th grade we wore plaid skirt with yellow shirt and a vest (we felt OH SO GROWNUP when we get to transition to the skirt!)

When my ds when to Catholic School a few years back - there was one color choice for pants/shorts for boys, girls could wear either pants/shorts or skirts, and a designated embroidered polo (color changed depending on grade.)

When my oldest dd went to a Charter School, they just designated colors for tops and bottoms (navy or khaki bottoms, solid tops in white, red, navy, buttoned up and/or collared.

So - really - there are all different way to do it.

I have a soft spot in my heart for "Catholic School Plaid" choices.   
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Posted: July 25 2008 at 12:04pm | IP Logged Quote LisaR

domchurch3 wrote:
   I can just imagine hassle-free mornings as my daughter puts on the same thing everyday as opposed to some of the outlandish outfits she comes up with after 20 minutes. Let's just say, she's modest but really into layering.

sounds like my 3 y/o dd, and I'm sure it will only get worse, hence we are going to start some sort of dress code with her too this year!!

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Posted: July 25 2008 at 12:39pm | IP Logged Quote LeeAnn

Eleanor wrote:
Just one question: we try to buy American-made whenever possible; can anyone tell me if the Land's End uniforms, or any other brand that you're familiar with, are made in the USA?


Eleanor, I just had my oldest run up to the closet and check. Regrettably, the Lands End jumpers are made in China, not the USA, but you might call to verify. I find their customer service very helpful and I know they are used to answering questions about country of origin. Suppliers and sources change from garment to garment and season to season.



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