<p>I want to start thinking about what clothes my Daughter should bring to school in September in Boston (hopefully with me bringing her warmer clothes on parents weekend in October and then switching to the real winter stuff - sweaters, snow boots, parka, when she comes home for Thanksgiving.) So, should she bring the cute rain boots or wait? What weight jacket? How many dresses (for business or formal occasions)? Are capris OK - or will she need shorts (aside from gym shorts for working out)? How often do the girls do laundry - how many sets of underwear, shirts, socks etc?</p>
<p>We are driving - how best to pack clothes -suitcases, big black garbage bags, those big plastic boxes? What kind of suitcase to leave her to travel with (a small weekend bag or a bigger duffle bag?)</p>
<p>Any other advice - what did the your daughter never use which she brought - what did she wish she had?</p>
<p>I can only speak for Boston University, but for our daughter, she came from CA with two large suitcases full of clothes. She did bring one pair of boots, but we elected to give her a budget for purchasing clothes in Boston as the weather changed. I also took her shopping on parent’s weekend, and bought a wool coat that will take her through college and internships, a really cute raincoat that would fit warmer sweaters under it, and a more casual warm coat (sort of a peacoat style) that she wears most of the time. Based on what I have noticed, she has bought three or four new pairs of boots (rain, snow, etc) and several new warm scarves. She also really enjoys her lined leather gloves that were a gift before she left and the ones we bought her for Christmas with the touch pads for texting and answering the phone without removing her gloves. She (and the rest of the BU student body) wear nice jeans about 80% of the time. I have seen pictures of them also wearing casual dresses, but as freshman I have not seen a lot of dressy clothes. I am sure that as she starts doing off campus work she will need to dress up more, but the students at BU tend to look casual but well put together. She did bring home some summer clothes and take some warmer clothes back at Thanksgiving, but not really much, as she simply stores out of season clothes away under her bed or in her suitcases.</p>
<p>She used most of what she brought except the medicine kit and the second set of sheets (why pull out another set when you can simply wash the ones you have and put them back on the bed? She LOVED the Samsonite Tote-A-Ton bags that several readers raved about - they are about $40, but the duffle style comes in really handy for moving in and out and collapses completely into a little zippered bag. Very strong and heavy duty while being light. We bought two, and ended up buying two more. I think she packed almost her entire room in them for summer. I have a feeling that these duffles will last her many years - I’ll bet we get sick of them before they self destruct! The printer was a big debate - some people said forget it, and some people said they were great to have. She used hers all the time.</p>
<p>Definitely rain boots. They are very popular with girls on campuses in Boston. It is no fun sitting through class with wet feet. It rains a lot in Boston all year round and when it does, there are lots of puddles to step in on your way to class or while catching the T. Also, the snow can be very wet. When I came to college in Boston from Minnesota, I was amazed/amused that people used umbrellas when it snowed. Minnesotans don’t do that. (She will need to deal with sleet.)</p>
<p>It can still be pretty warm in September (so ‘yes’ to shorts and capris). For outer wear, she should start off the school year with a fleece and a rain coat or rainproof windbreaker. October is usually pretty comfortable, and not needing more warmth than a fleece. November can be really raw (damp and cold) and so can March. (Dec-Feb are the coldest/snowiest). April can be all over the place. It can be cool and rainy all April or there can be freaky 100 degree days. May is the best month, in my opinion, but she might be home by then.</p>
<p>I am so happy I apparently nailed it - ordered four of the Samsonite Tote-A-Ton bags!!! YAY for me - kiddo also going to school in Boston from down south and with many of the wonderful parents here - especially college_query’s advice, will give her a budget to shop for clothes with her friends at school (as the need arises).</p>
<p>Depends in part on the school and your daughter. BU, for example, while there’s a wide range of dress tends to be more fashion conscious than Tufts. Emerson tends to dress more artsy and edgy. BC is more traditional, more preppy. </p>
<p>Believe me, Boston has plenty of shopping. Kids see how others dress and adjust to fit with what they’re comfortable with. </p>
<p>My experience with my girls is they love to have shorts because in nice weather the girls wear shorts. They also like boots, but then girls seem to have a thing about shoes in general. </p>
<p>The weather generally starts hot and then cools slowly. Winter often doesn’t arrive until January, except for a cold snap or two, but it can sometimes snow in vast quantity in December. Fall is extremely beautiful and the weather is often perfect. Spring is the rainier time. Called “Mud Season” up north.</p>
<p>I judge by Facebook, and the vast majority of the time ou dd is wearing flip flops on the sunny days, her very colorful Betsy Johnson rain boots in the winter, and/or her fun leather boots. It was an extremely mild winter though. Be sure you read the threads labeled Tips on moving in…there was a great one last August. My favorite tip was to place your washed bedding in one or two garbage bags in reverse order ( e.g., pillows on bottom, egg crate on top) with nothing else in that bag. The bedding stuff is Really bulky, and if you/ she unloads that first, she has a great surface to pile the other stuff out of her roommates way. I also took to heart the advice of one mom, and said. " I will help you get your stuff upstairs, and then I am your slave. Whatever you tell me to do I will do. I will not comment on your methods or management. I will stay as long as you want, and leave when you want.". That mindset made the last moments much more positive. In my daughter’s case, she asked me to stay until she was done, probably because she started her volunteer program four hours later and they were all rushing to finish. Many other kids send they Moms away immediately, especially if their roommate is there. those rooms are small!!</p>
<p>Some suggestions, but by no means a complete list:</p>
<p>–rain boots (hunters/other are very popular–black)
–north face/patagonia/other lightweight black zipper front fleece–not the boxy one / more tailored
–north face/patagonia/other rain jacket-again more fitted cover the butt style (neutral color such as black)
–two stretchy black based shorter stretch skirts
–pretty going out tops to match jeans or skirt
–one pair of nice going out jeans
–one pair of high heels for going out
–set of 25-50 felt hangars-same color-thin
–white v neck men’s shirts for exercise - can get a lot cheaply
–after the first few weeks, many college kids wear work-out stuff to class
–zip front hooded sweatshirt
–small carry-on piece of luggage under twenty inches
–better to bring less than too much
–crossbody small pocketbook for nighttime (holds phone, wallet, money-etc)
–plenty of layering tank tops (nordstoms for 11 or j. crew or limited express)
–a lot of workout clothes and bras
–light weight jacket (blazer style) for going out
–one longer loopy type open front sweater for wearing over pants on cooler days
–one pair of nice black slacks and conservative top or sweater set
–one sundress/ one plain dress
–two pairs of sneakers if you are a runner-boston can get very rainy
–napsak-- north face/patagonia/other- neutral color such as black
–nice light weight knee length pea coat-- can get at nordstroms in the junior dept for around eighty $ or more expensively at j. crew
– one nice pair of flip flop style leather sandals for going out and needing to walk a distance
–maybe one pair of rainbow sandals natural leather flip flops
–definitely some shorts
–several umbrellas that fit into a nap-sak
–pj’s boxer style shorts and longer- american eagle, pink, target
–pullover sweatshirt for sleeping/hanging out
–towel that wraps and is like a bathrobe</p>
<p>I only suggest some brands, others are fine. It seems to me that the freshman uniform often includes a lot of north face, patagonia, and other brands mentioned. Not exclusively though, just didn’t know if you wanted this level of suggestions. I also recommended black because my girls seemed to stay longer with their not trendy and brighter colored clothes. Also, I have noticed that the kids seem to wear a lot of stuff from Urban Outfitters freshman year. FYI- my older daughter probably brought fifteen sweatshirts and wore two her freshman year across the country. Overpacking is so common and makes them and us feel secure, though I think by the end of freshman year they realized how little they really used or needed.</p>
<p>-- also, I know it might sound stupid, but some kind of a costume for halloween if she already has one. if not, she can definitely pull together one with friends</p>