<p>My sister sent my D a gift card to Charlotte Reusse. Not very well made, but I don’t think there is a sleeve in the bunch! Some will be really cute under sweaters and wraps that she has. Otherwise, all I kept saying was, I’d be freezing!</p>
<p>I forgot to welcome our new poster earlier today–Welcome miralwood</p>
<p>RM and woody–I had a similar experience with D earlier this week when we went shopping. She’s not a real “have to have the latest fashion” kind of girl typically so it was interesting to me when she said she was looking for shirts she could wear when she goes out on the weekends. We did find a couple of sleeveless/short sleeve kinds of things but not much. She wanted some sort of dress also “just because.” We actually may have better luck at our little mall in town. It’s very much geared towards college students. The irony is that I tried to encourage her to buy a few of those kinds of things last summer when we were doing some shopping, but she would have none of it. I did get her to purchase a conservative “business” type skirt on our recent trip. I explained to her that she would eventually need it for something, and I preferred to get it while it was on sale NOW. I guess this is just another way they are “growing.”</p>
<p>Update: LOVED “Up in the Air”</p>
<p>For sleeveless sparkly/dressy tops check out Express. Look for coupons!</p>
<p>Express - are those juniors sizes (wondering about fit)?</p>
<p>The shopping sounds fun. Dresses are everywhere on the UVA campus in the spring.</p>
<p>S2 appears to have a girl interested in him. H has met her three times now at football games, including the bowl game in Florida. She is in honors engineering and H says she is a stunner. We asked S2 if he plans to date her and he says he will “do things with her.” I guess that is the modern day equivalent of a date, but just to clarify I asked him if he thought she would become his girlfriend. His answer was, “I don’t know.” My response was, “If you don’t know, who would?” It seems to me she clearly likes him since she has sought him out numerous times at social events. We got the eye roll and comment that we don’t understand how relationships work. He seems to think that giving somebody official girlfriend status is like practically being engaged and he doesn’t want to do that until he is at least 30.</p>
<p>S1 is having too much fun to keep in touch. I asked him to let me know he was OK after hearing about the recent mudslides in Rio and did get a one line response that the fireworks on New Year’s were the best he has ever seen. He is coming home on the 20th!</p>
<p>Don’t I know it about the dresses at UVA! I feel I’ve invested a small fortune in everyday clothing. Let’s not even talk about “dressy” occasions. Rush is in a few weeks and that is a new experience for me- my college did not have a Greek system but my sister (UVA grad) is heavily promoting her sorority to dear D. I just want her to find a good fit- I’m not so worried if it’s a “good” sorority or not. How does one even tell if it’s good or not? You either like the girls or you don’t, right? Wrong. </p>
<p>If it’s any consolation, Analyst, I’ve heard the same thing from D about relationships, dating and boyfriend/girlfriend status.</p>
<p>So … all the decorations are still in place. In my defense, I decided to invite friends over for dinner. D actually did most of the cooking – a complete Indian meal using recipes she learned from her homestay mother last spring. </p>
<p>D often finds inexpensive tops/dresses at Forever 21 or TJ Maxx. I am totally avoiding the scale.</p>
<p>There is a definite personality to each of the frats and sororities at UVA and some carry higher status than others, but the high status ones may not be the best fit (kind of like picking a college). For the frats, status seems to be calibrated to money and career prospects. One of S1’s friends joined the most pretigious frat (according to S and don’t ask me which one because I can’t remember). The friend was convinced by his frat brothers that investment banking was the best career choice and a frat member’s father got him a job (six figure starting salary plus signing bonus) in investment banking that he will start in June after graduation. I think this is a terrible career choice for this kid, who is very sensitive, needs lots of strokes, and is a perfectionist (so slow). I guess the worst that can happen is he will quit. I told his mom to advise him not to spend his signing bonus because if he leaves, he will have to give most of that back. Anyway, the peer group your D chooses will likely have some strong influences on her so hopefully she will find the right group for her and not get too caught up in the status thing if the fit isn’t there. </p>
<p>S1 went to all the parties, because he does like to party, and all the way through third invites or something and had at least one offer but opted out. On the one hand, we were happy to see that due to some personal family biases mostly to do with the money the frats expect their members to spend, but it definitely hurt him socially. I highly recommend a student not go to UVA unless they are willing to join the Greek system and expect to pay up for it. For the girls, some of that cost will be in the form of clothes.</p>
<p>S2 came back from a 5 month semester abroad on Xmas day, and we put him on a plane back to Denver very early this morning. I miss him already! He had a fabulous experience, including what he called a “fling” with some really cute girl…and gave me no further details. Although supposedly one of his brothers knows all the details. </p>
<p>S3 spent the past 2 weeks visiting friends in our old home town–we moved right after he graduated and he has no friends where we now live. At least I have him for this one week before he goes back to DC.</p>
<p>I really prefer a full but loud and messy nest.</p>
<p>Thanks for all the suggestions. We’ve tried Express and Forever 21 - no luck. Part of the problem I think is that she takes a small in most places and they are picked over from New Years and Christmas so not much out there. Looked in Charlotte Russe as well (sp?). Still nothing. I think we are back to web shopping. The problem is that she will get something and then decide that she doesn’t like it so the shipping costs can add up if there isn’t a local store to take it back to. She is also more comfortable in jeans and a sweater – this is branching out for her but she seems to really want something. I think she has been borrowing from friends as school and wants some of her own clothes – now if we can just find something. I will say that it is fun to spend the day with her. I typically find the most see through/risque item I can and ask her if that is what she is looking for. Not!! 
Does make for some laughs however as I don’t know how some of these things ever get sold!!</p>
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<p>I agree. As a Virginia resident we urged D to consider applying to UVA as it is a wonderful school. But she is not interested in Greek life (my own sorority has a terrific chapter there), and that was a large part of the reason she chose not to apply. The school just wasn’t a good “fit” for her. She ended up at a very large, very urban school with a very tiny Greek system and is very happy there.</p>
<p>I am a bit surprised at how good of a fit UVA has turned out to be for D. It was not at the top of her list at the time of applications but she loves it there. Lots of opportunities all across the spectrum.</p>
<p>My kids are on a semester system that ended before the holidays so they are home for another 2 weeks. Time flies by. Wisdom teeth out for the first-year daughter on Tuesday and we will both be glad when that is over. </p>
<p>Seems like we just put our tree up (22nd!) so no way will I get anything put away–probably not until after the kids depart…But I really do not want to go back to work this week! (fortunately the wisdom tooth event gives me an excuse for a couple of days out of the office.) Happy New Year to all.</p>
<p>Although I didn’t get nearly the amount of face time (aka answers) as I was hoping while son was home on break, I do think it would have been nicer to have more time POST holiday than before when it’s so incredibly busy for everyone. Heck, just trying to get the shopping done was a huge undertaking. I still have one or two things to return but will hopefully get to that this week when D16 goes back to school.</p>
<p>One of my best friends, not a joiner, loved UVA for undergrad and law school. A friend of mine has two daughters at UVA who are truly fashion conscience. They are both recruited athletes however so I am not sure if that becomes your “sorority” or if they join one regardless. I didn’t have sororities at my undergrad and H went all the way thru hazing and everything only to refuse to lower himself further on the final night of hard core being tied up and left in the woods or some such nonsense. Clearly, they don’t go to those extremes any longer (I think).</p>
<p>My 16 yo daughter is a great dresser and is off this AM (in a snowstorm) to TJ Maxx. That and Century 21 when we go to NY/NJ are her favorite places to shop as the prices are very good, though she got two pairs of really nice boots for $25 total recently at a place called Wet Seal. She’s close to model dimensions so pretty much everything looks good on her.</p>
<p>We put Fang Jr on the plane back to school this morning. The house is so empty now.</p>
<p>Hugs to Cardinal Fang…
Just got back from shopping trip with D. Got 2 skimpy dresses on sale at Lord and Taylor. And unbelievable prices for t-shirts at Forever 21. And for a major first in D’s life, a pair of heels! High-heeled boots that is. She has never worn heels before - except for the strappy sandals that are on for about 10 minutes at a prom. Very interesting because she is now over 5’8", having grown about about an inch since August. Are the guys taller at college???</p>
<p>MIL and SIL took my girls shopping for their birthday and they brought home quite the glorious haul from Kohls. Woody mine have yet to willingly purchase boots or heels. They each have a shoe wardrobe of about 6 pair including soccer cleats and flip flops Sneakers, Vans and Chuck Taylors. I do think there is a broader range of tall guys at college ;)</p>
<p>Love TJ Maxx!</p>
<p>We used to be Marshall’s and TJ Maxx shoppers but haven’t found as much since they changed their buying and marketing (Cube) design/strategy around here. Have morphed more to Nordstrom Rack and Bloomie’s clearance items. D2 loves the designer clothes but won’t spend the big bucks. Have hit it big at Rack lately…Burberry coat for $100, Coach sunglasses for $25, Juicy sweaters $25 and True Religion Jeans for $79. She will pair the high price stuff with $9 shirts and scarfs from H & M, Forever 21 or Express. I found her a silver Christmas dress at Banana Republic for $21 on clearance. She is a boot freak. One of her favorite Christmas gifts were knock-off motorcycle boots from Target. Just loves them!</p>