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Related Information |
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Uniform Tips
Unfortunately, some uniform companies offer trendy or embellished styles, so
shopping isn't as straightforward as we would like.
Avoid uniform mistakes!! These are not approved.
- cargo pants/ shorts
- low rise pants
- trendy clothing styles
- clothing embellishments: contrasting trim, buckles, extra pockets,
ruffles
- shirts not long enough to stay tucked in
- layering shirts
- hoodie jackets worn during school
- large, dangling earrings
Here are a few rules of thumb for successful uniform
shopping that complies with our policy.
1. Look for simple, basic & conservative.
2. Embellishments are strongly discouraged.
3. Keep in mind plain collars; no logos, cargos or low rise.
4. Check hemline requirements for shorts, skirts and skorts.
5. Be careful to buy the darker
khaki, not stone (most items
specifically designated as uniform clothes use the darker color, but not
all).
Click here to view and print the
Uniform Overview
Uniform clothing that looks similar may have varying success surviving the
daily stress of being worn and washed often. Though not required by the OCS
policy, here are some features to look for that will affect the wear of your
uniform clothing:
1. Cotton/poly blends hold their shape, keep their color, and resist tearing
better than 100% cotton.
2. Look for uniforms that are treated for easy stain removal (and keep a spray
bottle of spot remover in your laundry room!).
3. Double-knees are offered by many uniform manufacturers.
4. Find dress shirts in the thicker oxford cloth.
Following are tips from some OCS families who have previously bought school
uniforms:
"I have had both daughters and a son wearing school uniforms and have
been on a fairly tight budget. The two mistakes I have made are buying too
much clothes and buying the wrong quality. The following has worked well for
me: I only do laundry once a week, so I have bought 5 shirts for each of my
kids. I buy one or two dress shirts and three or four polos all in short
sleeves. They get a navy sweater or vest for the cold months. My older
daughter only needs 3 bottoms, but my son is tougher on clothes so 4 is
really better (this includes at least one, maybe two, pairs of shorts). My
kindergartner (half-day) only needed 2 bottoms. For quality, I think buying
100% cotton pants costs more in money and effort; it fades quickly and has
to be replaced much sooner (the knees disintegrated in 3 months). Now, I won't
buy pants unless they are cotton/poly blend, have double-knees, and have
Teflon/stain guard. All this leaves me right at about $100 for each child
for uniform clothes that last the whole school year."
"You can get
by with very little output if you plan right. First determine (girls)
whether your daughter will want dresses or pants. My daughter is a
dress/skirt/ skort girl. Our first year at Timp Academy, I bought a skirt,
a jumper (both from Dennis), two short sleeved blouses, sweater, and a tie.
The tie was required for full dress as was something with a logo (sweater or
vest). I chose the short sleeved blouses so that they could be worn all
year. During cold months, she wore the sweater over the short sleeved
blouse rather than needing to buy another item with long sleeves. She also
wore tights during winter. The Dennis clothes are so durable. She actually
wore all that stuff for two years (K and 1st) because I bought it
a bit big. That’s really all you need. You wash it all over the weekend
and it is sufficient for the week. We bought more stuff later for fun, but
if you are on a tight budget or don’t want a ton of school clothes, the list
above is truly enough."
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