Archives of the Mayor's Press Office

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: Thursday, August 26, 1999

Release #334-99

Contact: Sunny Mindel/ Edward Skyler (212) 788-2958
Michael Haberman, DCA (212) 487-4407


MAYOR GIULIANI ANNOUNCES RESULTS OF SCHOOL UNIFORM PRICE SURVEY

As New York City public school students prepare to return to school, Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jules Polonetsky today released the Department of Consumer Affairs' Back-To-School Uniform Price Survey which shows that uniforms can be a convenient and affordable alternative to brand-name clothing. The announcement was made at Bunnie's Children's Store, the store with the lowest priced wardrobe in Manhattan.

"With more and more schools requiring their students to wear uniforms, it is important to help parents by providing tips for shopping for affordable wardrobes for their children," Mayor Giuliani said. "School uniforms instill a sense of pride in students who wear them and create a more orderly and respectful atmosphere in the classrooms, hallways and cafeterias. With the next Tax-Free Week about to begin on September 1, parents will be able to take advantage of these bargains citywide."

"We hope that parents will take advantage of both Tax Free Week and this helpful Back-To-School Uniform Survey so they can get the best possible prices for their kids' uniforms," Commissioner Polonetsky said. "This will serve as an excellent guide to parents at the increasing amount of schools that are adopting uniform policies."

The survey shows that outfitting your child for school with five shirts, two pairs of pants or two pleated skirts, a cardigan and a tie will cost an average of $57 to $85 for girls and $68 to $98 for boys. The survey also includes the prices of uniforms at 26 stores throughout the five boroughs. At each store, the prices of the most expensive and least expensive options of each item were collected. Prices were also collected from three catalogue distributors and although those prices were not used to calculate city averages, the survey concludes that it much cheaper to shop in person rather than order through one of these cata- logues. For example, one catalogue's prices were double the City's average.

Last year,135,000 elementary public school children wore school uniforms, --about 25%-- up from 75,000 the year before. In addition, almost all of the 250,000 parochial school children are required to wear uniforms to school.

The current New York City Board of Education policy requires elementary school students to wear uniforms to school unless their parents and school administrators decide to "opt-out" of the uniform program. However, the schools must notify the Board of Education that they are opting out by November of this year.

The citywide averages for the lowest priced option of each item are:



Girls Price
Boys Price
Long Sleeve Blouse $5.53
Long Sleeve Shirt $6.47
Short Sleeve Polo $5.24
Short Sleeve Shirt $5.57
Cardigan Sweater $12.59
Cardigan Sweater $12.16
Skirt $7.25
Double Knee Pants $10.68
Pleated Skirt $7.30
Tie $2.39

Stores with the lowest priced wardrobe, which includes five shirts, two pairs of pants for boys or two pleated skirts for girls, a cardigan and a tie are:


Borough Store
Girls' Price
Boys' Price
Bronx-Youngland Kiddie
2922 Third Avenue
$36.91
$45.91

Brooklyn
S&M Children's Center
60 Graham Avenue

$48.91

Brooklyn
S&D Children's Center
1480 Rockaway Pkwy.


$57.91
Manhattan
Bunnie's Youth Center
100 Delancey Street
$42.9
$56.91
Queens
Bunnie's Dept. Store
30-33 Steinway Street
$42.91
$56.91
Staten Island*
Charlie's Clothing
760 Manor Road
$54.92
$64.91
*Only one store on Staten Island participated in the survey.


Parents can save some extra money by shopping for uniforms during Tax Free Week, when the 8.25% sales tax on clothing and shoes priced under $500 will be waived. The week runs from September 1 until September 7. There will be one more Tax Free Week in January and next March, sales tax on clothing or shoes that cost less than $110 will be eliminated.

To obtain a copy of the DCA Back-To-School Uniform survey, visit the DCA website at www.ci.nyc.ny.us/consumers.

www.ci.nyc.ny.us


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