Interesting. Is this a religiously based college?
I think the point is - even within the world of casual, there are choices that inherently span a large range and choices that inherently span a very small range. Nowadays, Jeans span a pretty large range and can be dressed up or down for most occasions. Gym shorts can’t. Sweatpants can’t. Khaki Bermuda shorts can go from a beach party to a casual-nice restaurant. Gym shorts can’t. A pair of cute flats can be used to run around town and also to go out. Sneakers can’t. A cardigan with a tee shirt can go anywhere. A sweatshirt or hoodie can’t.
So common sense says - if you are traveling, go with an option that has a broader range because you never know if you will want to scale up or scale down. No one is suggesting, however, that one needs to pack an entire dress wardrobe just in case.
Here’s an example. My D just started her job (yay!). Knew that the dress code was business casual but didn’t know exactly how low on the casual scale that goes. So we bought her a bunch of cute little JCrew type dresses. They would pass muster if she had to go meet the president or made an unplanned trip to a client, but they’re also perfectly fine within a casual workplace where jeans are worn. This is just common clothing sense, really. Not rocket science. People don’t need to make this more complicated than it needs to be.
@Pizzagirl, yes, it is a Catholic Great Books college, similar to St. John’s in Annapolis and Santa Fe.
It seems like the OP should have specified ‘snappy casual.’
Or - as a 50 yo woman, if you told me I had someplace to go and I knew I didn’t need dress-dress clothes, I’d wear dark jeans, cute flats, a tee and a casual blazer or cardigan since that would carry me more places than a sweatshirt, hoodie, sweatpants and sneakers. Again, isn’t this common sense?
What the heck are “cute flats”?
I only own one pair of flats, which I wear with a couple of pair of pants that are a little too short for me. Ordinarily, I get my pants hemmed so they look right with one- or two-inch heels, but the seamstress goofed up and I didn’t want to throw the pants away, so I bought the flats.
I have no idea whether they are cute. They’re just shoes.
“It seems like the OP should have specified ‘snappy casual.’”
No! You don’t have to go to “snappy” or “fashion-forward” to pull it together more than gym shorts in a restaurant. No one was asking for fashionista time.
Marian - cute flats. Flats that are cute. They can come in any price range from Target to Neiman-Marcus. If you don’t know what cute little flats that are appropriate with lots of looks are, I can’t really help you.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/281735158836?lpid=82&chn=ps I’m wearing something similar to these today. I happen to be wearing cropped black pants, but I easily wear these with jeans. Cute little flats that go with everything. Still super comfortable for running around town. No teetering on heels - which I don’t do. Again, this isn’t this hard. You don’t need to play dumb; you know what I mean.
Actually, I don’t know how to tell whether a pair of flats is cute or not. I don’t wear them much, and when I look at other people’s flats, they don’t strike me as “cute” or “not cute.” Thanks for the lesson.
We’re just doing college visits, but I make sure my prospective student is dressed appropriately. That means nice shorts or pants (depending on weather) and no shirts with designs!
ITT we have the same characters making the same statements about clothes that have been rehashed on dozens of threads.
I personally am quite glad that I live and work in one of those casual places.
Carry on.
Again, what I’ve learned from this is to refrain from using terms like “really casual” or “snappy casual” or “smart casual,” at least if I care what somebody is going to wear. Instead, I’m going to say, “Put on a polo shirt, at least, and nice shorts.” Added: maybe “nice shorts” isn’t clear enough either–perhaps I’d want to say–not gym shorts, but more like shorts with pockets and a belt.
I think “business casual” has probably become clear enough, at least for men. For women, I’m not so sure.
True, @Trisherella but “really casual” could easily mean that basketball shorts and a t-shirt with a logo or design would be fine.
“Cute flats,” that’s my book. Slightly wedgy. It means flats with some style. But most of us are older, here. My kids would rather wear nice sandals, that’s ok today, too.
"breathtakingly chic or frumpy mc frump in a “narrow” wardrobe.
And post 121. 125: “dark jeans, cute flats, a tee and a casual blazer or cardigan.” In summer, a good cami with a nice shirt over it.
This thread is about attitude. Do you try to look like you considered what you wore or think it’s fine to just bring one low grade “uniform” (Nike shorts and tees,) on a trip? In the end how you do it is up to you. But we all make impressions.
I have seen lovely young women in LA in very casual wear and they carried it off. But face it, they were expensive sweats, not the sort you might take nap in.
OP’s young friend didn’t seem to care past what she liked. On some of the recent travel threads, some talk about others’ attitudes. Just be aware of what THEY see. That’s the ultimate “just in case.” As for out kids, one of those life lessons. I used to tell my girls, you aren’t just dressing for your friends…
I don’t think the Nike shorts and t-shirt were necessarily inappropriate for orientation. That really depends on the school, climate, etc. Athletic shorts are generally inappropriate for dinner in all but the most casual of establishments. As for my comment about “linen Bermuda shorts” that has caused a stir, I don’t happen to own such a thing (I hate my knees and am a fan of long skirts and maxi dresses in summer months) but I think they can be cute and fall within “nice casual.”
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/10/ee/a0/10eea060079f9c93a5f92f711e56dd3d.jpg
https://i.s-jcrew.com/is/image/jcrew/38842_GY5881_m?$pdp_fs418$
Right. I agree the shorts and t-shirt weren’t inappropriate for orientation. This has to do with having the sense to realize that there are casual outfits that “stretch” to different occasions and casual outfits which don’t “stretch.”
Romani - we are still TALKING about casual, so don’t start pretending that people are saying that this young girl needed to have had a dressy outfit with her. Isn’t it obvious that hoodies, gym shorts and sneakers “go” fewer places than jeans and a tee?
“As for my comment about “linen Bermuda shorts” that has caused a stir, I don’t happen to own such a thing (I hate my knees and am a fan of long skirts and maxi dresses in summer months) but I think they can be cute and fall within “nice casual.””
Of course. Despite the posturing of some that they’re over-the-top inappropriate. I still don’t believe there is a single part of the country in which the kind of outfit you linked to would be inappropriate for running about town.
This reminds me of thread where romani said she was glad she’d never have to attend my D’s wedding, because I said I’d be upset if guests showed up in sloppy sweats.
In CA, linen Bermuda shorts with wedges on a college aged woman screams Midwest to me. My D’s wore the shorter shorts (not gym shorts) with silk tops and fashionable flip-flops for their really casual restaurant look.
That could work too. It’s still a cut above wearing gym shorts.