MOLLY MALOU Girls School Skirt Review: cheap, simple, and mostly does the job

I bought this MOLLY MALOU grey pleated school skirt for my teenager, size 15-16 years, mainly because I needed something fast for the new term and didn’t want to spend a fortune. The listing looked straightforward: box pleats, elasticated waist, pull-on style, knee length, nothing fancy. Exactly the kind of thing you just want to work without thinking too much about it. I’d say that’s more or less what you get here: a pretty standard school skirt that does the job, with a few things to watch out for.

From day one, what stood out was how simple it is. No zips, no buttons, just pull it on and done. For a teenager who is half asleep on school mornings, that’s not a bad thing at all. The length for the 15–16 years (53 cm drop according to the chart) is roughly knee length on an average-height teen, which is what most schools want. It doesn’t ride up or look too short, but it’s not one of those super long, old-fashioned skirts either.

On the flip side, you can feel it’s not a premium item when you take it out of the bag. The fabric is 100% polyester and feels quite lightweight, almost a bit cheap if I’m honest. Not unwearable, just clearly budget. Compared to some supermarket school skirts I’ve tried, it sits somewhere in the middle: not the worst I’ve seen, but not the best either. When you look closely at the stitching, you can see why some people mentioned hems coming loose after a couple of washes.

Overall, my first impression is: basic, functional, and decent for the price, as long as you accept that you might have to do a bit of DIY repair on the hem at some point. If you want a long-lasting, heavy-duty skirt for several years, this probably isn’t it. If you just need something that looks tidy and gets through the school week without drama, it’s not a bad option.

On the value side, this skirt sits in that “decent but not amazing” zone. It’s not the cheapest school skirt you can find, especially considering it’s just one skirt per pack and not a multi-pack. Some reviewers even said it felt a bit expensive for the quality, and I get where they’re coming from. The fabric is clearly budget polyester and the stitching could be better, so you’re not exactly getting premium construction for your money.

That said, it does tick a few boxes that help justify the price a bit. The fit seems to be pretty true to size according to the reviews and my own experience: the 15–16 years size fit my 13-year-old well with room to grow, without looking baggy. The size chart with drop lengths is actually helpful, which saves you from guessing and sending things back. And functionally, it does what it’s supposed to do: looks like a standard school skirt, easy to pull on, and works for everyday wear.

Compared to some supermarket brands, I’d say the value is similar. You might find cheaper skirts in-store, but you’ll also find ones that feel just as cheap or worse. The difference here is mainly the convenience of ordering online and having a clear size guide. If you’re already on Amazon and want something quick that other parents seem mostly happy with (4.2/5 rating), this skirt is a safe middle-of-the-road choice.

Overall, I’d call the value fair but not outstanding. If you’re tight on budget and need multiple skirts, you might be better off hunting for multi-packs or sales elsewhere. If you just need one serviceable skirt that looks smart enough and you don’t mind possibly doing a bit of stitching down the line, this one is fine for the price.

The design is as straightforward as it gets: box pleats all around, elasticated waistband, knee-length cut, no pockets, no zips, no buttons, no belt loops. From a school point of view, that’s ideal because there’s nothing for teachers to complain about. It ticks the usual uniform boxes: plain grey, solid colour, regular rise, and a modest length. If your school is picky about styles, this one is about as safe as you can go.

The pleats themselves are decent. They sit fairly well when the skirt is on, and they don’t flare out awkwardly. Because the fabric is lightweight, the skirt has a bit of movement when walking, which my daughter liked. It doesn’t feel stiff or boxy. That said, the pleats don’t hold a really sharp crease for long, especially after a few washes. If you want that really crisp, perfect pleat look, you’ll be spending some time with the iron on a Sunday night.

The elasticated waist is fully round, so there’s no flat front panel. On a younger child that’s fine, but on a teenager it can look a bit basic compared to skirts with a proper waistband and zip. From the front under a school jumper or blazer, you don’t really see it, so it’s not a big deal visually. But if your teen is fussy about style, they might say it looks a bit childish compared to more structured skirts.

Design-wise, my take is: functional and boring, but that’s kind of the point. It’s not trying to be stylish, it’s just a plain school skirt that passes uniform checks and doesn’t cause arguments in the morning. If you want something with more shape or smarter details, you’d have to look at more expensive brands or ones with proper waistbands and maybe pockets. Here you’re trading style for simplicity and ease of use.

From a comfort point of view, the elasticated waist is the main positive. My daughter can pull it on in seconds, no fiddling with zips or buttons. The elastic has a decent stretch without digging in. On the 15–16 size, the waistband wasn’t too tight or too loose; it stayed in place all day without her constantly adjusting it. That’s a big plus, especially for younger kids who hate anything fiddly in the morning.

The skirt is fairly lightweight, so it doesn’t feel heavy or restrictive. The pleats give enough room for movement, so walking, running for the bus, or going up stairs is no problem. She said she could sit cross-legged on the floor comfortably without feeling like the skirt was pulling or riding up too much. For everyday school wear, that’s pretty much what you want: no drama, no discomfort.

Where it loses points is the breathability. Because it’s 100% polyester, it doesn’t handle heat very well. On cooler days, she didn’t mention anything. But on a warmer day, she did say it felt a bit sweaty around the waist and legs, especially after PE when she had to put it back on. It’s not unbearable, but compared to a cotton-rich skirt we tried before, this one definitely feels warmer and less comfortable in hot weather.

Overall, comfort is okay but not perfect. The easy pull-on design and light weight are good for everyday use and younger kids. For teens who are more sensitive to fabric feel and temperature, it’s fine for most of the year but not the nicest thing to wear on a hot day. If your priority is pure comfort and breathability, I’d look for a cotton blend. If your priority is simplicity and quick dressing, this skirt does that well enough.

The skirt is made from 100% polyester, and you can tell as soon as you touch it. It’s lightweight, slightly shiny up close, and has that typical synthetic feel. If you’re used to cotton-blend school skirts that feel a bit thicker and more substantial, this one will feel a bit on the thin and cheap side. It’s not see-through, which is important, but it definitely doesn’t feel heavy-duty.

The upside of polyester is the easy care. You can throw it in the washing machine without worrying. I washed it at 30–40°C with the rest of the school clothes, and it came out fine. It dries quickly on a clothes airer, which is handy when you’ve only got one skirt in rotation and need it ready for the next morning. It doesn’t come out totally wrinkle-free, but it’s not a crumpled disaster either. A quick iron on a medium setting sorts it out, especially around the pleats.

On the downside, this kind of polyester doesn’t feel very breathable. On cooler days it’s fine, but on hot days my daughter said it felt a bit sticky and warm, especially when sitting for long periods in class. Compared to some cotton-rich skirts we’ve tried, this one traps heat more. For a UK climate most of the year it’s acceptable, but if your kid runs hot or your classrooms are like ovens, they might complain.

Another small issue is the stitching quality. The fabric itself seems okay for the price, but the stitching at the hem and seams is where they’ve clearly saved money. One of the Amazon reviews mentioned the hem coming undone after the second wash, and I can believe that. I checked ours and the hem stitching looks a bit light and not very reinforced. It hasn’t fallen apart yet, but I wouldn’t be shocked if I have to re-stitch part of it after a while. So, material-wise: easy to wash and dry, but feels budget, and the sewing could be better.

Durability is where this skirt feels very “you get what you pay for”. After a few washes, the fabric itself has held up okay: no holes, no major pilling, and the colour hasn’t faded noticeably. The grey still looks like proper school grey, not washed-out. So on the fabric side, it’s doing alright for a budget polyester skirt.

The weak spot is clearly the stitching and hem. One of the reviews mentioned the hem coming undone after the second wash and having to re-stitch and reinforce it. When I checked ours after a couple of washes, the hem stitching looked slightly loose in one area at the back, like it might start to come away if it catches on something or gets tugged. It hasn’t fully come apart yet, but it doesn’t fill me with confidence. This is the kind of skirt where you keep an eye on the seams and have a needle and thread ready, just in case.

The pleats also soften quite quickly. They don’t disappear completely, but they lose that crisp, fresh-out-of-the-bag look. If you don’t mind doing a bit of ironing and reshaping now and then, you can keep it looking tidy. But if you’re the type who wants a low-maintenance skirt that looks sharp without effort, this one will annoy you after a while. It’s more of a “good enough for school photos from a distance” than a “perfectly pressed every day” type of skirt unless you put the work in.

In practice, I’d say this skirt is fine for at least one school term, maybe two, especially if your kid is still growing and you’ll need a bigger size soon anyway. If you’re hoping to hand it down to a younger sibling in perfect condition, that might be optimistic. For the price, I think the durability is average: not terrible, but you can tell why it’s cheaper than some supermarket or branded options with stronger stitching and thicker fabric.

Out of the packaging, the skirt is exactly what the listing says: a grey, box-pleated, knee-length school skirt with a fully elasticated round waist. No hidden surprises, no extra details, no lining. It’s just one layer of polyester with stitched box pleats all the way around. The colour is a standard school grey, not too dark, not too light. It matches the usual school uniform greys you see in supermarkets and high street shops, so it blends in fine with the rest of the uniform.

The size chart on the listing is actually useful, which is rare. It gives drop lengths from 28 cm for 2–3 years up to 53 cm for 15–16 years. For the 15–16 years size I got, the length is pretty much as described. On my teen (average height for that age), it hits around the knee, maybe slightly below depending on how high she pulls it up on the waist. So if you’re worried about it being too short for strict school rules, this one is on the safe side of acceptable.

Presentation-wise, it comes in a simple plastic bag, folded. Nothing fancy, no branding extras, no tags that make you feel like you bought something premium. But that’s fine for a school skirt. What matters more is that it comes out of the bag looking reasonably neat. The pleats are there, but they’re not super sharp. You still need to run an iron over it the first time if you want it to look really tidy. After washing, it doesn’t come out completely flat, but it’s not a total crumpled mess either.

In short, the presentation is very basic but acceptable. You’re not paying for unboxing vibes here, you’re paying for a skirt that looks like a school skirt. And on that front, it does exactly that: it looks plain, uniform-friendly, and doesn’t draw attention, which is usually what schools want.