girls and clothing

Parent Cafe
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<p>DD#2 is also flying to college in August. She too has changed little size-wise since 7th grade. And she is known to be a clothes horse, but she is the third one off to college so she has seen how small and cluttered dorm rooms can be. Her brother’s dorm this summer is a really decent size, actually it is rather large with a walk-in closet, and a large dresser. I stressed to her that this was NOT the norm and she should expect smaller. We were able to view her dorm room floorplan online and she has come to realize how very tiny the dorm space will be.</p>

<p>I told her the less she takes the easier it would be to store, ship, wash and organize. We went over her schedule of classes and practices (2x a day), meets and other ECs and she will not have the time to launder, organize and sort a ton of clothes. And if she is running from the pool to class and back to the pool everyday, she will not be worrying too much about what her outfit is for the day.</p>

<p>I sent her bro this summer with limited shirts, pants and shorts, limited linens and accessories and he has managed to keep his room really clean. Saves time when he needs to get projects done, when he needs to workout and when he needs to wash clothes. Gives them more time to study and practice. I told her to take a couple of going-out outfits but minimal.</p>

<p>I will be going with her so we can take more boxes (20x20x20) on the plane. She has some luggage (graduation present) and will be checking the rest of her stuff.</p>

<p>Good luck mom60!!</p>

<p>Kat</p>

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<p>Parent of big time clothes horse and fashionista here. </p>

<p>I cringed at the amount of stuff D took of to college her first year (8 coats, 12 ocket books/book bags, shoes, boxes of toiletries - who needs all this stuff). Yes, she felt it was important ot her to feel at home. I did not realize how much she had until it was time to bring it back (read XL sheet entry about her not running out of clothes at the end of the year). The car was filled with clothes shoes and toiletries and we left a bunch of stuff in her room. She had so much stuff (clothes with the tags still on them), she loaned other people stuff and friends would “shop her closet”. </p>

<p>when it was time for her to come home, she had put clothes in storage (no other choice, no more space to pack them), flew home out of boston and had to pay for 50 lbs.overweight luggage . Looked like a bag lady when I picked her up (still trying to figure out how she got to the airport with all that stuff. She had a rolling LL bean duffle and a regular (XL bags, defintitley the way to go, both filled to the brim)</p>

<p>Keep this in mind, no matter how much stuff they take, they are going to get more. D online shopped like a fiend. when I went up to visit, I picked her up this really nice skirt because I knew she did not have a lot of skirts (left home with 2). when I gave it to her, she thanked me, told me now she had to buy a top and informed me that she had 20 skirts. </p>

<p>I was shocked and asked her didn’t she learn anything because when we travel she grew up not being able to take more than she could carry (a carry on bag and a backpack). She did not gain the freshman 15, came home a vegeterian and will definitely not be carrying that much stuff back next year.</p>

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<p>I’m glad to hear she isn’t the only clothes horse. I did do as citygirlsmom suggested and had her little sister sort all the pants on the bedroom floor by type and color. I won’t even dare say the number. Though at least 4 pairs of olive green cords. Now D needs to look through and decide what she really wants to keep and what she will bring. Little sister is waiting patiently to claim the rejects.
She went to the Nordstrom sale today and proudly bought no clothes. Though she had a hard time not buying a new pair of jeans.
After the jeans we will attempt the same process with the shirts!
Sybbie- I will look into the LL bean duffles. My D also can travel light when she needs to. She lived last summer for 5 weeks out of a backpack with only 3 shirts and little opportunity to wash anything so she can do it.</p>

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<p>Do you know how much space your D will have in her college room for HER stuff? Doing a total volume check might help her pare things down. My dauighter and I looked at the room diagram online and also spoke with someone who stayed in the same dorm last year. D gets three dresser drawers, about 24" of hanging space in the closet, and enough room under the bed for a 3X3 rollout locker. (she’s in a triple) That’s IT and it has to include space for extra sheets and towels–so no extra sheets. Strip 'em, wash 'em, and put 'em back on. No auxiliary basement storage space for luggage or winter clothes, either. She’ll take 4 pairs of jeans, 4 pairs of other pants, 3 shorts, Workout sweats, one nice dress, three skirts (one plaid, one solid, one peasant) and a bunch of tops. Sneakers, Berkies, one pair of boots, shower flip-flops, one pair of dress shoes. Pea jacket, rain jacket, 2 sweatshirts. Since she hates ironing (or would hate it if she knew how), everything is knit or permanent press. She went to Europe for 2 weeks with just a backpack; she’ll be fine since this is the core wardrobe she wears every day. Hope this helps! :)</p>

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<p>It did not matter, they lived in a 3 room quad, with 2 other clothes horses. When I came go visit the floor was filled with shoes, and clothes everywhere. This year D will be an undergrad advior (same as a RA) and will have a double room all to herself.</p>

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<p>Duffles over suitcases, definitely. Also, no laundry baskets! Get a washable laundry bag. Carry laundry to the washer with it, throw the bag in with the wash, then put the laundry back into it when it’s clean and folded. Takes up so much less room. No clue why people bring baskets.</p>

<p>Roomy and comfy (but still decent!) clothes over tight, trendy stuff. Looking your Cosmo best gets a lot less important once you start putting on your couple extra pounds, you have your period, or you’re just sick of wearing spandex.</p>

<p>One pair of shower flip-flops, one pair of sandals, a pair of sneakers, and a pair of black shoes that can be worn in bad weather or with something dressy should cut it for footwear, unless you want boots. You don’t need anything more than that.</p>

<p>Sweaters/sweatshirts are bulky but necessary. Bring some that can be worn over and over again with just about anything.</p>

<p>Clothing that is “unique” in any way and can’t be worn every week shouldn’t come. You should have two or three “special” outfits, but simple and even muted is absolutely the best way to go if you want to get mileage out of your clothes.</p>

<p>/Lots/ of socks and underwear. That’s what you’ll wash the least. Don’t go crazy, but definitely bring more than a week’s worth.</p>

<p>A spare set of sheets and pillowcases. Remember to actually change them once in a while. ;)</p>

<p>An old sheet that can be used to cover up a bulletin board (for personalization) or an open-front closet/shelving unit (tacks are good).</p>

<p>A swimsuit is good to have, as is a raincoat/windbreaker. Bring a baseball cap, as well as hats/gloves/scarves if the region calls for them.</p>

<p>Fortunately for me, I am a low-maintenance girl whose mother owns a thrift shop, so my clothes are simple, functional, actually cover me, and can be worn again and again in just about any situation. Light packing here. :)</p>

<p>ETA: Forgot to say that you should write your name on all your tags. The borrowing of clothing inevitably occurs, and you will almost certainly lose some items (accidentally, mind you) if you neglect to mark your clothes somehow and they get mixed up with someone else’s stuff.</p>

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<p>Duffles are good because they can be smushed down for easy storage. One big rolling suitcase is also good. D uses it to transport her clothes to the laundry room.</p>

<p>One advantage to bringing all of your clothes to college–if you keep buying new undies, you can go through till Thanksgiving without doing wash. Then you can take it all home. (This happens!)</p>

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<p>Ellenemope:</p>

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I remember the story a Senior Tutor once told me about having to conduct a fire drill one night in the fall term. He had to enter the room of a student and was assailed by the stench of unwashed clothes. Every time the guy needed new clothes, he just went out and bought more (but no Persian rug!), so the room was full of unwashed clothes–and the guy apparently slept elsewhere!</p>

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<p>Why would you want a spare change of sheets? Shouldn’t you immediately laundry the sheets that you currently rather than have them mouldering somewhere? Besides its another 5 lbs of stuff that has to be lugged around every summer. </p>

<p>minimalist.</p>

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<p>In case of spills when you can’t do the laundry?</p>