<p>I’m in NC and we realized at some point we needed a down jacket. I found LL Bean had the best selection and prices. I agree with underarmor for layering. It’s a must.</p>
<p>EMS over REI, please!! REI is for West Coast folks, EMS is the home team! (same w LL Bean)</p>
<p>I am feeling bad also, my daughter is in NYC and just has a lightweight fall coat and no hat, no gloves. We looked when she was home earlier this month but there wasn’t a lot of selection yet, and she had too much to carry back to school on the train anyway. </p>
<p>She’s coming home in 2 weeks and I was planning to take her shopping then. It doesn’t usually snow this early! Maybe she will look online, we don’t usually do a lot of clothes shopping online. She likes to try things on.</p>
<p>Her old coat got stolen at work last year, well, someone left a coat that was a similar color, but a different size, and had no hood. They had to have noticed at some point the one they took wasn’t theirs, even with the sign D made and hung up, no one ever returned her coat, and the other one is still hanging in the closet at work.</p>
<p>When I lived in Boston/Cambridge, I mostly bought my winter jacket/coat in the fall, at one of the used clothing stores.</p>
<p>As for shoes/boots, I’d concur with those who say waterproof is essential and brand is irrelevant.</p>
<p>For boots, D says that many girls wear their Hunter rainboots with thick wool socks and/or fleece liners well into December, then switch to something warmer. Waterproof is key. Expect that the boots will disintegrate fairly quickly.</p>
<p>I just picked up a great pea coat for D at TJ Maxx for 20.00. That, a scarf, and gloves and she is set. Here (cold upstate ny), Down coats are for snowboarding, sledding. </p>
<p>I would think she can take public transportation and have everything she needs in an hour or so.</p>
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<p>Not in NW MA where D goes to school. Of course, sporty and outdoor wear seems to be the preferred attire for the students.</p>
<p>We took son to REI store in Boston when visiting for Parent Weekend at Northeastern last October. We had a rental car, but it was probably close enough to walk. I’m sure it was easily accessible by mass transit. They also have mail order, but it is nice to try on a coat before buying.</p>
<p>I think water resistant material is important. Then it works if it is snow or the yukky cold rain (which always feels worse than snow). My son opted for an REI shell, to use for layering. At Christmas break when home he bought a very warm fleece to use as layer under the shell. </p>
<p>I really pushed for a “real coat” since he had a long weekly trek to volunteer work in South Boston. But he preferred the layers.</p>
<p>I just ordered these:[Amazon.com:</a> Sorel Women’s 1964 Premium Canvas Boot: Shoes](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Sorel-Womens-Premium-NL1717-Gloxinia/dp/B004LKRJFO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319890930&sr=8-1]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Sorel-Womens-Premium-NL1717-Gloxinia/dp/B004LKRJFO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1319890930&sr=8-1)</p>
<p>for D who is in northwest MA. They seem like a good deal with 25% off and Amazon prime. Anyone have experience with them?</p>
<p>my kids had some like that when they were little. I don’t think the canvas would be as warm as leather but good socks may help.
Also note the lack of hook type laces at the top- that could make getting them on & off kind of a pain.
Sorel does make a good boot however & you can get replacements for the wool felt insoles.
The North Face boots I linked to earlier are $89 at Amazon, but would be more of a snow boot than a rain boot.</p>
<p>Students usually qualify for a free Amazon.com account with Prime shipping (two day delivery). Our son hits the site for a variety of items when he needs them. He recently ordered a Patagonia fleece jacket that was on sale. Not everything is available on Amazon.com, but it’s a good source of quite a variety of items – gloves, fleece, etc. S is in a rather remote area without a lot of shopping options within walking distance (northwest MA), so he shops online. As others have said, EMS, LLBean, Northface (especially the Denali), all seem to be sources for college items and offer all sorts of items to keep students warm.</p>
<p>I have a long down Northface which is amazingly warm and Sorel boots are great for winter. I live in Syracuse so I can vouch for them. The kids do love the Denali Northface coats and Uggs are warm just not for really wet days.</p>
<p>Down is actually ideal for clear cold days and activities where you are not working up a big sweat. It loses its insulating properties when wet (either from rain, snow, or sweat) which is why is has been replaced in ski wear with fleece and other synthetics that still work when wet. Still, a down jacket is an excellent everyday option because it is so light and comfy.</p>
<p>Most college kids in Boston are probably going to want a heavy fleece jacket and a waterproof shell that can either be bought separately or as a package usually known as a 3-in-1 or interchange or some such name. They zip together to form a heavy winter jacket or can be taken apart to wear as a separate fleece and as a separate rain parka. The North Face and Columbia both were among the early vendors of this kind of package. </p>
<p>Wet is a more frequent issue in Boston than bitter cold as we get a lot of days on the border of freezing rain/snow. So, a good waterproof shell with a hood that a kid will actually wear is very handy. I picked up a three-season rain shell with Columbia’s version of GoreTex at Marshalls for $29 that fits the bill perfectly. Waterproof, breathable, fully seam sealed, stowaway hood. I have a much heavier one as part of a 3-in-1 snow parka, but I would only wear that one in an actual snowstorm. The lightweight rain shell over a heavy fleece would be good down to about 30 degrees and I would even wear it out snowblowing in the 20s when working up a sweat. Kids just don’t wear heavy jackets, so a midweight rain shell might get more use – fall, spring, and even most wet winter days over a fleece.</p>
<p>Thanks EK4, she has pac snow boots I bought her last year, but found walking around campus with them on somewhat cumbersome. We thought the waterproof canvas would be more flexible than leather and she does have good socks for rowing crew. I do appreciate the advice from you northerners.</p>
<p>My kids have not-waterproof down NF and they’re fine. I agree with the comments about down and heavy rain, but the outer shell itself is a rain-resistant nylon type. That’s been enough for them in New England. They don’t walk long distances in heavy rain and when neded, take an umbrella.</p>
<p>One thing- OP said they live in India. Wonder how much experience DD has with cold weater; this can make a difference in whether a pea coat or shorter jacket is enough. I suspect many of us posting are rather cold-resistant. I went to college where winter was mostly moderate and the kids from warmer climates would wear their wool coats when it hit 55. Here, 50 is still sweater-weather for some.</p>
<p>" I am feeling bad also, my daughter is in NYC and just has a lightweight fall coat and no hat, no gloves"</p>
<p>In NYC there are vendors on many every street corners, especially around Times Square and the theater area, selling hats, gloves, scarves, sunglasses, knock-off bags, etc. . Tell your daughter to pick something she likes and ask a price, then offer a lower bid (ex. if vendor says all items are $10, offer $20 for a hat, gloves, and scarf). You can almost always haggle a price you like or if the vendor’s price is fair, just pay it. </p>
<p>Haggling with street vendors is part of the NYC experience.</p>
<p>further background 
DD born and brought up in US of A till 6th grade. Here in India past 7 and now back. I am sure she has memories of the snow and the cold (chicago winters) but this is REAL!!!</p>
<p>past two days i have been on various sites: LL bean, lands end, overstock.
the land end rep said young ones prefer shorter jackets than long ones. what have your experiences been. I was thinking long coat since she walks around quite a bit.
but the parka also seems a good bet - somewhat longer than the short waist length jacket. </p>
<p>more later after i have read all the responses. </p>
<p>thanks again,
a</p>
<p>I think you are on the right track.
Funny, I’ve also had some interesting, detailed conversations with LE and LLB reps about our kids in college or what that age seems to like. For first year back in winter weather, I’d go with longer than a jacket. And, yes, buy at least one Underarmor shirt- why not? Mine wear the ones they had left over from cold weather sports.</p>
<p>Short length. Definitely.</p>
<p>If you are determined to buy something for her, then something like this:</p>
<p>[Storm</a> Chaser 3-in-1 Jacket: Rain Jackets at L.L.Bean](<a href=“L.L.Bean: Page Not Available”>L.L.Bean: Page Not Available)</p>
<p>Would be the most versatile for one single product. She could always wear the fleece. She would have a winter rain jacket. And, she could put them both together for a blizzard. Worn together is just too much jacket for most days, but either worn separately covers a lot of days in fall, winter, and spring.</p>
<p>She can buy the Columbia version at any Marshalls or TJ MaXX for $99. Every outdoor brand in the world (North Face, Marmot, EMS, etc.) sells a version of this kind of jacket.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t buy the UnderArmor stuff unless you have money to burn. It’s nice stuff, but they charge a large premium over the same stuff that is widely available from all the major brands. We are only talking about polyester/spandex turtleneck shirts. It’s not rocket science.</p>
<p>I picked up a couple of poly/spandex tech compression mock turtleneck shirts (Head skiwear brand) at Marshalls last week for $9.99 each. The advantage of polyester tech shirts is that they are much better if you are doing a sport and getting sweaty. For just going to class or whatever, a cotton turtleneck base layer is just as good.</p>
<p>Every department store sells this stuff and almost every brand (except maybe NIKE) is less expensive than UnderArmor. Reebok sells a lot of it.</p>