<p>Logistically speaking, it seems like it will be a nightmare! She doesn’t own parkas I don’t know what to take or what to buy there, but it seems like several layers of apparel would be in order?? Will they have this stuff, i.e., like parkas and raingear available come summer time there? Do I ship it all to the school before we leave? Is there a book on this topic, haha help!</p>
<p>What prevents her from buying weather-appropriate clothing when the season comes?</p>
<p>No need to have nightmares. Order stuff for the dorm room from BB&B or Target to pick up when you arrive. Ship stuff from home via FedEx ground. We’ve had 2 kids go 2500 miles away for college and #3 1200 miles away. Its not that big a deal.</p>
<p>It won’t be winter for several months after start of school. She can always order from Lands End / LL Bean / REI after she figures out what she’ll need sometime in November.</p>
<p>Actually if you buy it now, you’ll probably find some very good sales online. Where will she be? A good warm coat will be in order, but she won’t need several parkas. :)</p>
<p>Think tshirts, sweaters, sweatshirts, a fall weight fleece, and a waterproof “parka” (maybe down) and she will be set ( besides rain gear, a good hat - if she will wear one, a scarf, gloves and a good pair of boots or two- both fashionable and practical).</p>
<p>I’d recommend her ordering a coat or buying one where she’s going to school once she gets a better idea what people on her campus wear. I know I wouldn’t have been caught dead in something from LL Bean, but that was how my campus was</p>
<p>No, you won’t be able to find that stuff in the summer, it’s hot in the midwest in the summer, 90-100 degrees hot. She will be able to find what she needs when she needs it however. Jeans, t-shirts and sweatshirts will be just fine. When the weather starts to cool, fleece jackets and then into a winter jacket of some kind will be plenty (with mittens or gloves).</p>
<p>WAIT. Whatever you pick out here is wrong. Trust me.</p>
<p>yeah- definitely wait! We are in Calif. and our D is on the east coast. Since she didn’t own anything heavier than a sweater, we would have had no idea what to buy or what the style on her campus was. Once she got there and got a better idea of what she wanted, her friends helped her pick stuff out. She would not have worn Lands End either. She also layers a lot- that seems to work best for her.</p>
<p>@ucb well that’s the question haha, I don’t know what comes first the chicken or the parka? I guess what I’m hearing is send her as is and then get her winter gear in the winter from there? I don’t like that idea because she will want something that’s more on trend and less on function. grrrrrr This sounds like a frightmare to me, guess I’m just being a chickenlittle. </p>
<p>abasket, she’ll be at ND or actually SMC at ND, but there’ll be football games and whatnot else, I haven’t a clue what the kids are wearing there haha. Also, where do these things get stored, the dorms look mighty tiny? and if I buy online, won’t it be too bulky to transport??</p>
<p>Niece went from sunny, warm HI to ND. She found it pretty cold, but did acquire several jackets to keep her warm, plus a good pair of boots (UGGS). It really didn’t make sense for her to get them until she saw what other kids were wearing. She bought an inexpensive (“cheap”) not very warm jacket but her relatives bought her a WARM coat, which she was very grateful for and wore often. She was very happy! I agree it makes MUCH more sense to wait until kiddo arrives and figures out what s/he wants and will WEAR.</p>
<p>Our S moved from LA to Arlington, VA and we left it to him to acquire what he needed for warmth. He still hasn’t purchased much but hasn’t complained about the cold, so I’m guessing he’s doing fine. I know VA is warmer than the Midwest, but was expecting he’d buy more warm stuff–in 2 years he hasn’t yet.</p>
<p>In SoCal you won’t need rain gear for the summer. In Los Angeles it typically doesn’t rain from May until around November/December.</p>
<p>Anyway, if you’re really worried about her buying non-functional clothing, just have her get stuff from home during the breaks. It doesn’t really get that cold here by Christmas, and it hardly rains, so she shouldn’t need much more than an umbrella and jacket.</p>
<p>Get into the car, drive west on I-10 for an hour, realize the harshness of Midwest winters, turn back, and take a leap year :)</p>
<p>Seriously, from what I know of ND kids they’re a bit more ‘formal’ than, say, Big 10 kids dress wise. I’d say start with the basics for August and do a shopping trip to Chicago once she figures out what the official attire is.</p>
<p>My advice is: Don’t do it!</p>
<p>SMC girls will wear similar things as ND girls. They will wear stuff that is trendy AND warm. Don’t quite understand the “too bulky to transport” online. First of all, plenty of people order winter coats online - and it could ship right too her. Or she could go to the mall or to Dicks and pick one out. Then at that point it will hang on in a closet or on a hook or back of a chair like any other coat. </p>
<p>Really, don’t worry about this now. The first fall football games can be downright toasty. September can be a warm month.</p>
<p>When she calls in October and needs to get “winter clothing”, tell her it is OK.</p>
<p>When she calls in December and says she needs warmer “winter clothing”, tell her it is OK.</p>
<p>When she calls in January and says she needs even warmer “winter clothing”, tell her it is OK. </p>
<p>Because what looks like “winter” to her the first or even the second time won’t be the real true winter yet.</p>
<p>But she is going to have a swell time at SMC once she gets the whole winter wardrobe thing sorted out!</p>
<p>Thanks I guess I keep thinking that I’m missin something like a snowshovel or salt haha what the heck do I know?! When it drops to 40 here the dogs and I hibernate :)</p>
<p>@happy ack!!!</p>
<p>Read the other thread about getting the stuff to college. LOTS of good advice about moving a long distance.</p>
<p>I lived in Illinois and Ohio. Winter clothes will start to be sold right after July 4. Having said that, I agree with others…don’t buy anything. Let your daughter see what others on her campus are using. Send her with a college hoodie, and a fleece jacket (Northface is the brand of choice for most college kids…and they are durable). She can layer these. Then just order what she wants and have it shipped to her dorm…or let her go shopping at her college location.</p>
<p>@DocT have to, nursing programs out here are overcrowded and it’s her calling, plus she’s a legacy of sorts. @basket I thought we were talking about buying the parka here and shipping it there, would like to try things on</p>
<p>It seems that kids from different colleges wear NorthFace. Maybe there are NorthFace Jacket clearances at Sports Chalet etc now in So Cal. Other than getting a clearance item from 2012-13 CA ski season, you might see if you can buy it online. There also may be Northface outlet stores say in Cabazon or something where you might be able to buy a jacket year-round.</p>
<p>Also need a few pairs of cute snowboots and maybe a waterproof boot. D moved from SoCal to east coast and wore 2 down jackets and was still cold when the temps went to single digits.</p>
<p>I have purchased jackets for both kids in separate years. Both kids said thanks, but no thanks and I have had to return all the jackets (got 2 for D and 3 for S). Unless you are happy with returning and also the possibility the jacket will be sitting gathering dust & cobwebs, I wouldn’t bother. Both of my kids CLAIM to be easy to shop for, but it turns out I should have saved my time & energy! Much better if the kiddo is there AFTER seeing what is being worn on campus and CHOOSES what s/he will WEAR. If you’re there with kiddo, fine; if just your checkbook or credit card is there, that works too.</p>