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Funding the Schools You Love While Outfitting the Kids You Love: Schoola

March 31, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Special thanks to Schoola for partnering with me on today’s post. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

News flash: keeping your kids smartly outfitted is EXPENSIVE. They keep wearing out and ruining their clothes with all their arts, crafts and backyard ninja shenanigans. and even if they manage to keep an outfit from being ruined, they’ve outgrown it before wearing it very much. Either way, you find yourself right back at the store (or in my case, online) to buy more.

And you know what else is expensive? SCHOOL! My kids are in Montessori school, so that’s a tuition check we have to write every month. But even if your kids are in public school, you likely are experiencing near constant fundraisers and requests for help to provide money to the schools that really need some extra financial support in order to provide children with quality programming, especially in the arts and in physical education (two areas that seem to get cut first when the budgets get too tight).

Schoola is an online shop that has brought these two pain points, paying for clothes and paying for a quality education, together in a way that helps parents make progress on both fronts. At Schoola you will find gently used children’s clothes for sale, and 40% of each and every sale goes to fund school programs. And the schools that benefit are all over the country! In fact, the person who donates the clothing gets to choose exactly which school will benefit from the donation.

One of the things I really loved about shopping at Schoola was that I, as the shopper, got to see exactly which school was going to get a donation thanks to my purchase, and exactly how much money that school was going to receive. I was invited to see what I could snag for $50 on the site, and I got quite a haul! Additionally, my purchases helped eleven different schools! Also? The prices were totally reasonable!

Want to hear the rundown on the entire haul I got? Of course you do! Shopping with others is SO fun! So here ya go! I’d love to hear what you think about my purchases!

Here’s more information (via a heartstrings-tugging video) on how Schoola works and why it is so badly needed:

How Schools Get Clothing to Schoola

Schoola makes it EASY to donate clothing. Unlike consignment sales you don’t have to do any tagging yourself (that’s a HUGE timesaver!). And unlike donating to a thrift store, you don’t have to itemize everything. You don’t even have to travel to the post office or pay the shipping charge! All you have to do is collect the clothes you want to send, put them in a bag with a pre-paid shipping label and let Schoola handle the sorting, the pricing, the listing, and the shipping to the people who buy the clothes. It couldn’t be easier!

Schoola Flyer 2 Reduced Individual parents can request bags and send in their items, but one of the best ways to get a large amount of inventory on the Schoola site that will benefit your school is to hold a clothing drive. You can advertise the opportunity through your PTA and have select drop off dates. Bringing everyone together at once to gather donations will increase the amount of merchandise on the website that benefits your school, and that will increase the chances that your school will get a check in the near future from Schoola!

How Schools Get Money from Schoola

Schoola issues checks once a quarter to schools who have met the minimum payout threshold, which is just $20! If a school has earned money but it is less than the minimum payout amount, that money simply rolls over to the following quarter. I absolutely LOVE that the payout is very reasonable. I’m sure we have all experienced how far savvy teachers and administrators can stretch money. Even $20 can get more paintbrushes, or be put toward securing new sports equipment or musical instruments. Additionally, all registered participants who have a particular school registered as the school they want their proceeds to go to will get a notification when a check is on the way to that school. Parents and other friends of the school can get the good news directly from Schoola that their donations made a difference!

Extra Credit Week!

It’s Extra Credit Week at Schoola, and that means GREAT things for the school you’d like to support! Even if you haven’t yet donated clothing to help out your school, this week you can start helping your school earn money just by shopping. For every purchase, the donor’s school receive 40% of the proceeds, just like always, but during Extra Credit Week, an additional 10% will go to the shopper’s school, too! That makes this the perfect week to stock up on the clothes your kids might need for spring and summer. If you have space to store out of season clothes, you might as well even look for some fall and winter pieces, too! Everyone wins when you shop at Schoola…especially during Extra Credit Week! Hop to it, friends! If your school isn’t yet registered, be sure to get them registered before you go on your shopping spree so that they can earn that extra credit!

The Search for Fab Kids Shoes Starts at FabKids

March 22, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Shoes provided for review purposes. We are happy FabKids.com members!

There’s a rule at my girls’ school that I have always appreciated: the kids must wear slippers inside the classroom. This helps keep the floors in much better condition (which helps keep the costs down). A bonus for the parents is that it also tends to help keep the shoes that the kids wear to and from school in much better condition. So really, everybody wins!

But I just learned that the rules change in the lower elementary building. Starting in the fall, Darah will get to wear the shoes she came to school in all day long. I’m sort of bummed about this changed, but Darah is PUMPED. I guess to her, wearing your shoes all day long is oh so very BIG KID AWESOME.

All this is to say that we are likely going to be going through shoes at a faster pace, so I need to keep my eyes open for cute finds that are reasonable in price. This month, I finally got to try out the awesome shoes that FabKids.com offers. I looked through the offerings and saw quite a few different options that I knew Darah would love, but there was one pair, in particular, that had her name all over them.

I present to you, the pink leopard sneaker.

These shoes are positively gaudy. I can’t even lie about it, people. But this is EXACTLY what seems to be in style now (and I can’t really judge…I was a kid in the ’80s so whatever kids these days are wearing, it can’t possibly be any more strange than the stuff I was rockin’ back in the day…). Darah loves animal prints and she loves pink and she loves sparkles. So this is pretty much her dream shoe.

It’s also her first pair of lacing shoes. Since she’ll be headed to first grade in a handful of months, it’s time for her to start learning how to tie her shoes. Having a super cute pair to practice on will help her stay motivated. If she wants to wear these to her first grade classroom, she has to know how to tie and untie them!

She absolutely loves them, friends. They were a major hit. They are priced at $19.95 for anyone with a VIP membership to FabKids, and I think that’s a fair price to pay for something that is going to be so well received by my child. And I’m guessing I’m not the only parent out there with a kid who would rock these in a hot second if given the chance!

How to Buy These Shoes

Ok, so there is definitely a way to buy shoes the right way on FabKids. First, you need to be a VIP member. This means that you are signed up to get a special email from FabKids on the first of every month, at which point you will have 5 days to either select an outfit you’d like to purchase for $29.95 or to skip the month. There is no penalty for skipping the month, no charge if you notify them that you are skipping, and no hassle. It’s a simple button you press online and it isn’t hard to find! 🙂

So you’ll want to be in VIP so you can get a better price to start. Then when you see a pair of shoes that you really want to get, go ahead and pair it with an outfit so that you can buy enough stuff in one shot to score free shipping ($50+ gets you there). And before you check out, head over to their sale section to see if there are any great buys that you want to snag for now or even for the next size up for you kiddo. These are the strategies I use to get the very most bang for my buck on FabKids.com! AND…if you are new to the site and sign up through my referral link, you can get your first outfit for just $15 and snag free shipping…but you might want to check out the shoes, all the same, before checking out!

If you order something let me know what you get! 🙂

Girls Fashion Trend Alert: Sparkly Jeans

February 12, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

I received a complimentary outfit for review purposes. Affiliate links included. I am a very satisfied FabKids.com customer and love spreading the word about this great company with convenient service for busy parents!

I’ve got a super cute trend alert for you today: sparkly jeans!

fabkids pink sparkly jeans 1

FabKids.com has just released the only, and I do mean ONLY pair of denim that I have been able to convince my oldest to wear in her life. The kid just doesn’t like jeans! She and I are so much alike in every way, but not when it comes to jeans. I LOVE jeans. What is wrong with this kid?!

Turns out if you present her with pink jeans and then throw in some shimmer, she’s willing to try them out. If you make them comfortable to really jump around in, then she’s sold! Really, kid? That’s what it took? Well, good thing Mama shopped at FabKids.com this month and decided to take a risk on that glittery denim for her little sparkler.

FabKids.com, if you are unfamiliar, is a site where members are presented with an adorable selection of clothing for girls (and boys!) at the start of the month. You have 5 days to decide if you want to get an outfit (outfits are $29.95, which is quite reasonable!) or if you want to skip the month. If you skip by the 5th there is no charge to your card. So there’s really nothing to lose. I have had months where I have purchased multiple outfits, and I have had a few months in a row where I have skipped due to simply not seeing anything that I couldn’t live without for my girls.

It’s EASY to skip. No hidden buttons or need to call in like you’ll find at lots of monthly subscription type places. I have always especially loved that about FabKids. They aren’t trying to pull a fast one on you. They just want to offer you awesome clothes for your awesome kids and at an awesome price.

Have you tried them, yet? If not, let me be the first to encourage you to do so. And actually, I’ve got more than a word of encouragement for you. I’ve got a DEAL! You can snag your first outfit for $15 with free shipping. Why are you still reading this? Scoot!!! Those awesome pink sparkly jeans aren’t going to wait, friends!

The Perfect Girl’s Valentine’s Day Dress for Maximum Comfort (It’s from FabKids, Of Course!)

January 11, 2015 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Outfit provided for review purposes. We love shopping at FabKids!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner (I believe it’s 34 days away!) and you may be looking for something special for the occasion for your kids.

And maybe you are also hoping to avoid something that is entirely pink and red. And itchy/uncomfortable in any way, too. I feel you…my youngest LOVES to wear dresses but you can just forget it if they aren’t super comfy. It can be hard to find dresses that are as comfortable as a shirt and pants, friends!

fabkids january 4

But FabKids has done it this month. They just launched the Pink Be Mine Outfit (though it is hardly head-to-toe pink). It is a simple silhouette in 100% cotton and there are not zippers or buttons, which Layah loves!

She wore it for the first time yesterday and she stayed in it the entire day. I’m sure some of you out there also have kids who love to change outfits multiple times a day, as mine do, so you can understand that staying in just one outfit from start to finish is actually a really big deal.

As you can see by the pose she chose to strike for me here, the dress is super comfy. I love the bright, bold colors; frankly it reminds me of the neon trend that happened around 1987 (remember that?) only much cuter.

If you haven’t tried FabKids yet, I have to tell you that I have had nothing but great experiences being a member. When you sign up, you are agreeing to receive a personalized shop to check out at the beginning of the month. You have 5 days to either select the outfit you want for the month OR you can skip the month. Skipping is as simple as pushing a button (no phone calls required!) and you can skip as often as you want without any sort of issue. If you skip within the first 5 days, you aren’t charged for that month. You are sent an email to remind you to shop; they aren’t trying to pull a fast one on you. And should you forget and your card is charged, you simply have a credit to use in the shop, and you can use it that month, the following month, or any time you like. It’s there waiting for you when you are ready! All outfits are $29.95 and FabKids always has something on sale, too! I’ve scored some seriously good buys there, personally!

Obviously my experience with FabKids is with their line for girls, but they also have cute stuff for boys, so don’t forget to check that out, boy mamas!

FabKids is such a great resource for busy moms and dads. What’s not to love about it? Even our cat, Rose, is feeling the love. 😉

Sparkle and Shine (in Two Different Colors!): Why We Still Love FabKids

November 7, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Complimentary pink sparkle dress received for review. Blue sparkle outfit was my own purchase. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

I’ve been a member of the FabKids VIP Network since August, and I have really and truly had an excellent experience with the brand, as well as with the membership.

Membership programs, or subscription services, are really trendy right now, but also make A LOT of people uncomfortable. Nobody likes to feel as though they are roped into spending money that they don’t want or need to spend. I can tell you from experience that FabKids makes is VERY easy to skip a month of their service, and if you want to skip it most every month, that’s honestly fine! You aren’t committing to a minimum number of purchases over a set amount of time. But you ARE getting access to a really fun variety of outfits for a very reasonable price, as well as access to great sales. If you don’t need or want anything that month, you just have to click a button in the first 5 days of the month letting them know. They email you to remind you so that the burden isn’t even on you to remember!

Here’s what my girls are rockin’ from this month’s collection:

The sequin & tulle dress comes in pink or blue, and if you go with the outfit, it comes with stockings (I think you have a few different choices for colors). You guys, do I even need to articulate how cute they are? Just look!

I can’t help but start singing the tune from White Christmas: “Lord help the mister, who comes between me and my sister!”

I’ve put both dresses through the wash with ZERO problems.

Speaking of problems, I wanted to share with you my customer service experience with FabKids. I ordered a dress last month for Layah that was adorable (naturally) but when I washed it, the outfit did not hold up well. It had a silver star print on it, and that silver start faded quite a bit. I was very surprised and disappointed. I called FabKids customer service, and it was not a problem at all; they accepted it for a return without question and even provided a postage-paid label for me. As soon as they got word from the post office that my return was on its way, they put a new dress that I selected in the mail. I was VERY pleased with how they handled that situation, and it did not shake my confidence in the company one bit! I can tell you from experience that they clothes are great, and on the rare instance where they might not be, exchanging them is a piece of cake.

If you want to give FabKids a try, I really highly recommend them. Go through my link and your first outfit will be just $15, including free shipping. And if you have a boy, they do have boy outfits, I promise! They are super cute, too! At the start of every month, you will be presented with a curated collection of awesome outfits. If you like one, pick one, and it ships to you for $29.95. If you don’t like or need anything, just skip the month; easy peasy!

FabKids October Find (Your $15 Outfit Awaits!)

October 6, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Outfit provided for consideration. We are FabKids members and love shopping there and sharing our experiences! Referral links included (once you join, you can get a referral link, too!).

Have you joined FabKids, yet? Friends, if not, then I beseech you to get signed up! You get your first outfit for $15 and free shipping! This is a subscription service that comes with absolutely NO risk. You can skip getting an outfit any month you like, for any reason you like. As long as you skip the month (which you can do with a few clicks online…no need to call in or go through a cumbersome process) by the 5th, you won’t be charged. And if you forget, you’ll have a credit in your account for an outfit which you can redeem at any time.

But there are GREAT reasons to buy an outfit each month, like the fact that you get a complete ensemble for just $29.95! There are also pretty much always tempting sales going on. I just bought clothes for the girls that will be here any day now because they were buy 1 get 1 half off. Couldn’t resist that deal! And if you spend $50, your shipping is free. I always take a look around at their sale section. By the time I get my $29.95 outfit and a few sale pieces, I’ve hit my free shipping threshold and I’ve gotten great buys in the process. And bonus? I don’t have to go to the mall to buy clothes. That is worth FAR more than what I’m paying for these outfits, I promise you.

Here’s the October outfit of choice for Miss Darah:

This is the Autumn dress, and while I could see it being a tricky choice for folks who live in parts of the country where it is already starting to get really cold, it’s absolutely perfect for fall in Tennessee. The sleeves are sheer, which is why it might be a tough sell for places with snow coming soon. But I really think it’s a great piece for fall and for spring, too.

The color is a pinky-purple. It’s deep enough that it looks great in the fall, paired with orange leg warmers or black leggings. And yet the color is light enough that it will look beautiful all by itself in late March and throughout April.

Darah especially liked the jeweled button in the back. I liked that feature, too, because it gave me the opportunity to convince her to try braids in her hair. She doesn’t like me to mess with her hair too much, but she wanted to show off that button!

FabKids has a great selection of outfits, no matter your child’s style. And yes, they have stuff for boys, too! They’ve also got 15 items on sale right now, so be sure to check that out!

I would LOVE to hear if you have tried FabKids and if you love it as much as we do! It’s such a time-saver!

If You Haven’t Tried FabKids, You Need To!

September 14, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · Leave a Comment

Thanks to FabKids for sending along the shirt and pants outfit for review. We purchased the dress on our own. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always. Referral links included.

Lots of people were excited to read my first post about FabKids (if you missed it, you can find the FabKids review here). FabKids is an affordable fashion site for boys and girls in sizes 2t-12, and joining their VIP club is, without hesitation, THE way to go.

How It Works

At the start of the month, you will get your own boutique to shop in, styled based on your child’s preferences (though the entire collection is available to you if you want to browse outside of their recommendations). You can select 1 outfit (shirt and pants, top and skirt, dress and leggings, for example) for $29.95.

You have until the 5th of the month to either make your selection or to simply pass for the month. Passing is hassle-free. You don’t have to call in or anything; just click a button and you will not be charged for an outfit.

If, however, you forget to deal with it between the 1st and the 5th (and they DO send you emails to remind you!), then you will be charged and since you didn’t pick out an outfit, you will have a credit on your account for an outfit to buy in the future. No biggie.

fabkids september outfit 3

The Deals are AWESOME

This is the really incredible thing about the site, though: while $30 is already a reasonable price for brand new, in-season clothing, they also have SWEET deals. See the dress pictured above? I bought it for $7.50 (shipped!). A friend of mine snagged an outfit for her daughter for $4.98. They have B1G1 sales frequently, and they have shoes on sale quite a bit, too. The deals are SO awesome!

If you are new to the site, then you can go through my link to get your very first outfit for just $15, and that includes shipping!

They have such a fun variety of pieces. For our September pick, we decided to go a little wild, and went for this sparkle kitty top (the star over the eye reminds me of Jem and the Holograms!) and these wild pink heart pants. Darah adores them both, and I am pleased with how well they are holding up to wear from an active 5-year-old. Also? It’s fun to have something a little different from everyone else! 🙂

I think you’ll be really impressed with the great selection at FabKids, as well as the really awesome sales. Get yourself signed up and get ready to fall in love with hassle-free, awesome clothes for kids!

FabKids: Affordable, Trendy Fashion Delivered Straight to Your Front Door (I’m in Love…)

August 2, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Thanks to FabKids for sending along an outfit for review. All thoughts and opinions are my own, as always.

Have you got the first day of school outfit selected, yet? Is that a big deal in your family? It was always a HUGE deal when I was young (I grew up in Alabama, y’all, and nailing that first day outfit was a total mark of pride for all the mamas out there). And I do find myself lingering over the question of what my kids will wear on that first day quite a bit, which, to be perfectly honest, almost forgetting entirely to make sure that they have what they need for all the other days!

The thing is, I don’t really go shopping much for clothes. I get hand-me-downs from my sister-in-law, and they are wonderful in every way. So I have about 75% of what I need right from the start with each clothing size. But there are some holes in the wardrobes, and more importantly, some spaces for my girls to let their own clothing preferences come to light. Certain items that have been passed down to us just hang in the closet, untouched (or perhaps worn only once) while others get worn every single week. That’s because my girls know what they like, same as me (and same as anyone!).

FabKids

fabkids review 3

Enter FabKids. This is a WONDERFUL way that I can help fill in those gaps in the wardrobe with pieces that suit their preferences, at a price point I can handle, and all without having to trek it over to the mall (Hallelujah!). FabKids is a the brainchild of a team of parents including mom and actress Christina Applegate. It is an outfit club, and it is SO easy and fun!

To get started, fill out a brief style quiz (you can let you child do it, or you can select for them based on what you know they do and don’t like). Based on your selections a customized selection of outfits is presented in your own shop (though you are also welcome to shop the entire collection if you like). Each outfit includes 2 pieces (for example, a dress and leggings), and is just $29.95. At the start of every month you will receive a new personalized selection. You have until the 5th of the month to decide if you want to skip that month (there’s no penalty or charge for skipping!). On the 6th you will be charged and will either receive the outfit you selected, or you will have an outfit credit added to your account to use whenever you like.

I think $30 for a new cute outfit is reasonable as is, but it gets better! I’ve been signed up with them for close to a month now, and they have GREAT sales happening all the time. I’ve gotten emails about Buy One Get One Free Offers, $10 dresses, and even free shoes with purchase offerings. And they seem to always have a sale section, too! It is such a great way to shop for clothes for kids. I’m pretty bonkers about it, myself. And I really appreciate that you aren’t committing yourself to spending $30 each month. In my case, my kids don’t need a new outfit every single month…I’ll probably get them something once a season or so.

Cute Packaging

Even the package that arrives on your doorstep is really cute. I’ve heard that the box is blue for boy outfits, and it’s pink for the girls. We actually turned ours into a play house for our My Little Pony friends!

Smokin’ Hot Deal

I love when businesses reward their happy customers by offering referrals. If you’d like to sign up for FabKids, you’ll get your first outfit for just $15 AND free shipping by going through my link. I’ll get credit in my account, too! Then you can go tell your friends, and when they sign up you can earn credit for more new outfits. Win/Win! I’m currently scoping out the B1G1 sale because it means I can buy matching dresses for the girls for a GREAT price (gotta jump on that while they can, as the oldest will start complaining about it in a few short years!).

Let me know what you get, friends (because it’s pretty much impossible to NOT get something!).

My Top Back-to-School Fashion Picks for Preschool Girls

August 14, 2013 · by Tiffany Merritt · 2 Comments

Affiliate links included. Thank you for supporting Vanessa, who we sponsor through Compassion, International with the help of your purchases!

Preschool Fashion for Girls

Have you got the first day of school outfit picked out yet? Are you already back in school (some of you are!!!). Darah heads back to school in just over a week, and we’ve got her day 1 outfit all picked out! But to be completely honest with you, I don’t have anything picked out beyond that! Since I need to get it together and finish up my shopping, I thought I’d share with you what I’m loving the most from my favorite shops! Just click on the pictures to be taken straight to the page on the company websites!

Gymboree

You’ll get to see this ADORABLE outfit on Darah in about a week and a half (and there will be a sweet giveaway! Can’t wait!!!). The knee high socks that go with it are a must. CUTEST. THING. EVER.

Tea Collection

One of the things I love the very most about Tea is that their pieces play well together. You can buy a few key pieces and create several different outfit combinations. The fantastic flight set captured my heart this season.

Update! Get it while it’s discounted! From Thursday, August 15th through Sunday, August 18th, Tea Collection is rewarding you with more savings when you buy more during the Back to School Savings event. Save 10% off your purchase of 3 items with promo code BACKPACK3. Get 15% off if you buy 4 pieces with promo code PENCIL4. Keep a whopping 20% from your purchase of 5 items with promo code RULER5! Get your kids ready with shirts, pants, dresses, or entire outfits. The sale only applies to full-priced items, and excludes Patagonia. When it comes to Back-to-School shopping, this is your chance to get a lot for a little! Happy shopping =) !

Crazy 8

For the budding artist (and what preschooler isn’t one?) we have this delightful Love 2 Paint dress. Lovin’ all the great accessories that you can get with it, too. And the price (just click to see…you’ll be glad you did!).

P.S. Crazy 8 is having a killer sale this weekend. I’ll be there, and you should be, too!

What did you buy for your child’s first day back at school this year? Or are you in uniforms?