dress codes / where to shop

[kristin0713]

My kids are going to a school this year with a dress code. I just realized that they require shorts and skirts to be at least 3 inches above the knee. Of course, I just bought DD a bunch of shorts on sale that are shorter than this. She was so excited about all her new clothes 🤦‍♀️  and really there was not much out there with a longer length. So now, where can I get shorts and skirts that are this long? Basically bermuda shorts and knee length skirts, right? 

Edited August 2, 2022 by kristin0713

[Grace Hopper]

Well it varies by year but often times we were able to find items reasonably priced at Old Navy, both tops and bottoms. If you don’t mind spending a bit more, look at Land’s End. I never minded spending extra on Land’s End school uniforms because they lasted forever and I could resell or hand them them down when outgrown. Their school uniform shop does (or at least did at one time) carry shorts long enough to satisfy dress codes. 
 

If you can find one brand/style you like somewhere, search online and get a few more pairs in other colors. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Target has historically carried Bermuda length shorts in the popular school uniform colors (khaki, navy, black). For harder to find sizes and colors, and for knee length skirts, look to Lands End’s uniform section of their website. The Lands End uniform trousers wear remarkably well, fwiw.

[Beth S]

I bought women's bermuda shorts at Academy Sports, Magellan brand.
Another option is to shop in the boys dept....
Thumbs up on Lands End . . . as well as shopping used on Ebay, or the facebook group of the school.

[carriede]

Childrens Place has longer shorts

[Forget-Me-Not]

If they can wear denim bottoms (mine could as long as they weren't ripped), both Costco and Target have bermuda-length shorts for girls.  My Costco had long Union Bay shorts for boys but they're cargo shorts (which violated our dress code).   Target usually has some elastic-waist/drawstring type cotton shorts in a variety of colors that are pretty close to knee length for boys.  

Lands End, Target, Walmart all have uniform basics in terms of cotton pants/shorts/skirts.  

Edited August 2, 2022 by Forget-Me-Not

[Library Momma]

You might want to see what other kids are wearing before you go too crazy buying new things.  Some schools aren't as strict as their dress code makes them sound.  They often  understand that some types are clothing are hard to find and that different body types make clothing fit differently on different people.

 

 

[teachermom2834]

My dd’s school uniforms came from Tommy Hilfiger online. I think the name it goes by for uniforms is Global Schoolwear. On the home page you enter your school code for your specific school but you can just shop the catalog for generic shorts,skirts that are probably the correct length. They have a lot of sizes. When I tried to buy long skorts and shorts for my dd for another program last year it was hard to find them in women’s sizes and she was an adult size by junior high. 

Www.globalschoolwear.com 

Old Navy and Target would be cheaper but if you strike out there you could try this. 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2022 by teachermom2834

[stephanier.1765]

I saw school uniform style clothing at TJMaxx today.

[Katy]

Buy a couple from children’s place then sign up for land’s end emails and stock up when everything is at least 40% off. 

And consider complaining to the school board about the sexist dress code. I read a story in the last year or three about one being changed when a man in charge was forced to take his daughter shopping and finally realized that the clothes he wanted her to wear not only didn’t exist, there was no excuse for sexualizing a pre-teen or making her feel insecure about her body only because she was female. 

Edited August 2, 2022 by Katy
Stock up not stick up!

[kristin0713]

I forgot to mention that she’s 16 and outgrew CP long ago 😆 

Thanks, I’ll check out some of these. We don’t need uniform attire, denim is fine. 
 

I’m not going to complain or debate the dress code. I’m thrilled with the school. There is a rule of no athletic pants or shorts too which affects DS. They are just trying to establish some boundaries IMO and I think it’s fine…although a tad annoying with the length because most stylish clothes are at least a little shorter than that. Even mid-thigh shorts are above 3 in. above the knee. Maybe in practice that would he find though. 

[Grace Hopper]

11 minutes ago, kristin0713 said:

I forgot to mention that she’s 16 and outgrew CP long ago 😆 

Thanks, I’ll check out some of these. We don’t need uniform attire, denim is fine. 
 

I’m not going to complain or debate the dress code. I’m thrilled with the school. There is a rule of no athletic pants or shorts too which affects DS. They are just trying to establish some boundaries IMO and I think it’s fine…although a tad annoying with the length because most stylish clothes are at least a little shorter than that. Even mid-thigh shorts are above 3 in. above the knee. Maybe in practice that would he find though. 

Even if you don’t need uniform attire, don’t rule out Land’s End without a look. They make quality shorts, skirts and skorts in basic styles and many colors that don’t look like uniforms at all, but many schools choose to use them as such. Dress a solid bottom up with a colorful print top and no one would scream uniform shorts. 

[Soror]

2 hours ago, Library Momma said:

You might want to see what other kids are wearing before you go too crazy buying new things.  Some schools aren't as strict as their dress code makes them sound.  They often  understand that some types are clothing are hard to find and that different body types make clothing fit differently on different people.

 

 

I was going to say this. At the school here they only enforce part of the dress code. And as you said most of the in style clothes dont fit those parameters. We had the same thing with DD. I td her she couldn't wear anything out of code the first week until she confirmed what others wore. We didn't have to buy new clothes after all.

[skimomma]

A quick and cheap option would be to find some jeans at a thrift store (length won't matter) and cut them off at the correct length (leaving length for folding up).  I have super long thighs and those dress codes were in effect when I was a teen.  There were literally NO shorts that fit the rules available for purchase making my only option wearing long pants on very hot days in a school with no AC.  This option also gives her time to see if the rules are actually enforced....which I have to guess is no.  I know a lot of 16yo girls and none would be willing to wear shorts that long.

[vonfirmath]

1 hour ago, skimomma said:

A quick and cheap option would be to find some jeans at a thrift store (length won't matter) and cut them off at the correct length (leaving length for folding up).  I have super long thighs and those dress codes were in effect when I was a teen.  There were literally NO shorts that fit the rules available for purchase making my only option wearing long pants on very hot days in a school with no AC.  This option also gives her time to see if the rules are actually enforced....which I have to guess is no.  I know a lot of 16yo girls and none would be willing to wear shorts that long.

I was one of those rare 16 yo girls that would have been mortified to have to wear shorts that short. I wore something called culottes Back In The Day. And still manage to find shorts that are knee length for going to camp in the summer (I avoid shorts otherwise because I prefer length. Yes even wearing pants in the summer). Though yes it is getting more and more difficult as they want to put less fabric into everything 😞

 

Edited August 3, 2022 by vonfirmath

[itsheresomewhere]

If you are a member of Costco-  they have some really nice jean shorts in the women section.  They are longer in length but very comfortable according to my DD. They were not expensive either.  These would fit any dress code and still be cute. 

[saraha]

My dd17 needed longer shorts so we bought mens shorts at Sam’s at the beginning of summer. They fit her just fine (although not all girls could pull that off) don’t look overly mens and have way better pockets!

[mum]

I feel for you. My girls school had the same rule about length of shorts. My girls are both tall. It is nightmare-ish to find shorts long enough for tall girls. Funnily enough we found most of them at Kohls.