<p>Isn’t it interesting to see how they view their clothes over the years. I was delighted when my daughter was eager to go shopping over spring break. Not for jeans and band shirts. She was looking for “business casual” and dresses. I was thrilled and she was able to worm some serious spending out of me (not easy to do). Even she, my little metal fan, admitted she has more black band shirts than she needs (finally!).</p>
<p>TheAnalyst,
Would love to hear when one is supposed to wear what, because neither DH or I ever got THAT memo! (My dad wore Army uniforms, my FIL doesn’t own a suit.)</p>
<p>Paper is done, classes are over, only one final next week. Relieved and *way sad *all at once.</p>
<p>One of our benefits at work is belonging to a program called “Health Advocate.” I got a flyer from them today with some quotes from “real people”:</p>
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<p>In what century do these writers live? I haven’t heard of an austistic person being institutionalized since Rainman…and a person with Aspergers?!</p>
<p>CountingDown, the only hard and fast rules I can think of are not wearing a tie with a short sleeved shirt, matching the shoes and belt, wearing dress socks, and not buttoning the bottom button on the suit jacket. The rest is really just personal preference. H likes cuffs (with front pleats on the pants) on his go to work business suits and no cuffs/no pleats for an evening going out to dinner suit. S1 wears his suits more closely fitted in a European look (no cuffs/no pleats). H considers his wingtips to be old fashioned but good everyday work shoes; dress shoes with tassels for going out at night; and smooth lace up shoes for a classier modern look. Stuff like vent placement, number of buttons, braces/no braces, collar style, French cuffs, & width of ties all keeps changing. To dress a suit down, they will wear it with an open collar and no tie or just the suit pants and no jacket.</p>
<p>missypie, I agree. What a ridiculous statement. Glad to hear that the paper is done.</p>
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<p>I had to teach H that early in our marriage. He had worked for a small college and that was the summer uniform.</p>
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<p>Uhhhh…guess I should send DH that memo!</p>
<p>Enjoying all the wedding discussions. I had a formal dress in high school that was a Gunne Sax; but my wedding dress was a little later in 1984 (26 years in June) and had really big puffy sleeves (think Princess Diana). I still think it’s beautiful when I see photos although my daughter thinks it’s hideous. She’s 5 inches taller than me so no chance she could wear it anyway!</p>
<p>My mom planned me the best wedding - I am the only daughter with three older brothers and she is a perfectionist with exquisite taste and I let her do whatever she wanted. I lived in California when I got engaged but was from Virginia; groom was from Kansas but most of his extended family lived in Ohio so we got married in Virginia since it was convenient for the Ohio clan. </p>
<p>We had our wedding reception at Mt. Vernon and had a jazz band that played for Reagan at the White House; our wedding cake baker made cakes for members of congress and senators. The food was delicious and everything was perfect. Almost 26 years later and friends/family still tell me it was the nicest wedding they ever went to. </p>
<p>Talked to daughter last night - can’t believe the school year is almost over! She and her roommate lucked out in the housing lottery and have a huge double next year with three closets and a fireplace (which they are not allowed to use). They weren’t even allowed to have an iron in their room due to fire safety! We drove her out with all her stuff; but she is flying home for the summer. They get some storage based on their zip code (she’s 2000 miles away) but will go in with some others for additional summer storage. I’m hoping it all goes okay. Last day of all finals is May 17; they have to be out by the 19th and she has a flight the evening of May 18. She still doesn’t know when her last final is; they are allowed to self-schedule some of them due to their honor system.</p>
<p>I have a son who is a sophomore in high school - he was considering graduating a year early (in 2011 instead of 2012) which he could have accomplished with one summer school class, but thankfully decided on his own that he would not push it. I wanted him to make his own best decision but am glad we have that extra year. I’m not ready for him to move out yet!</p>
<p>Congratulations NoMN on your dd’s engagement. I look forward to lots of wedding planning stories! The word “quiana” had been long forgotten until this thread-probably hidden in a brain compartment under the words to way too many BeeGees songs.</p>
<p>And congratulations to MissyPie on the completion of ds’s paper. It’s amazing how stressed we mothers can feel about our loved ones’ deadlines.</p>
<p>Dd1 is stressed about 5 papers all due next week, and a final she hasn’t prepared for, and my stomach hurts just hearing her. Coincidentally, dd2, a junior in HS, has 5 more essays to write for her APUSH class. She had 10 weeks to do 10 essays, due Monday.</p>
<p>Last night I couldn’t decide if I should feel guilty that both my dds procrastinate like I do, or feel guilty that I don’t have any papers to write. My only pressing deadline is a blackberry cake to bake for a party tonight…life’s good.</p>
<p>Sabaray–Drag your men into Joseph Banks and buy some no iron shirts. On sale, they are $25. NO dry cleaning ever, and look great 2 years later</p>
<p>Analyst–I don’t know any of the details you are talking about for men’s fashion. My son grew up without a father, so please elucidate. (When had interview at Goldman’s, borrowed shoes from a friend)</p>
<p>Just got home from a week-long business trip (no where any fun) and am trying to catch up.</p>
<p>D managed to get a hold of me on Thurs to let me know that she had been offered her first choice dorm RCC position. She was so excited that everyone in my meeting could hear the screaming. She also told me that she got an A on a major paper for her writing and rhetoric class- not usually a strong point for my math/science nerd.</p>
<p>bookworm, H grew up without a father also and developed all of his opinions after he got his first job as a lawyer on Wall St., which is admittedly a pretty conservative but fashion conscious environment. If your S ends up at Goldman and keeps his eyes open, he will very quickly grasp the do’s and don’ts and do great. S1 likes to read Esquire and GQ for ideas on men’s fashion but that is more of a hobby/interest than a need. I think consulting, however, is probably a better fit for him than working on an offshore oil rig.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, some autistic people are still institutionalized. One of my former co-workers has two autistic kids, both in some kind of residential care. The parents tried to keep them home, but the kids were violent, and as they grew older, they were dangerous.</p>
<p>Aspergers, though? Who would think an Aspie needed to be institutionalized? That’s strange.</p>
<p>Right. I was thinking that that flyer would be the first time some people will have seen the phrase “Asperger’s Syndrome” and will get totally the wrong idea.</p>
<p>Missypie – I’d write a nice letter to the benefits company ceo. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is something put together by a marketing person rather than “true” stories.</p>
<p>D1 texted “got a 95 on a paper I worked really hard on” 
I echo the best wishes for all finals, papers etc… and smoothe transition through the breakups, etc… and happy wedding planning.</p>
<p>Today was S’s last class day for freshman year. Next week is finals. </p>
<p>H and I are celebrating, but we have not heard from S and do not know his exam schedule or what day he will be home. Before Mother’s Day, but that leaves a wide window.</p>
<p>Did anyone consider a summer contract? Like “I will treat you as an adult and not bug you about late nights and friends as long as you do your laundry and dishes” ? … Or something like that? Maybe verbal, not written? </p>
<p>Home is going to be a lot different than campus life. i want to respect his maturity but I’ve been enjoying not picking up after him.</p>
<p>Please advise.</p>
<p>I think the contract of sorts is not a bad idea… or at least a meeting of the minds. I know there’s a million sayings about heading off issues before they become issues …and in this case I think a little boundary setting might be in order. Mostly I have a feeling we’ll be dealing with non-curfews. I just want an idea of when he’ll be home and it will definitely be a change from last summer when everything began with, “this is the last time…” So that shipped has sailed.</p>
<p>totally paying attention to the dress tips. My husband looks exactly the same *and wears the exact same clothes - as they did in the year he was born. Pretty hard core preppy before it was cool to be prep. I swear his topsiders are from the early 70’s. (kinda kidding, but not).</p>
<p>Well, it’s official that D won’t be at home this summer. Happily she landed a summer job- had two interviews this week and was offered a job today (the one she wanted, even better)! Nothing glamorous but some income coming in. Will be good for her to be able to live on her own. Now to find a sublet for one month. Shouldn’t be that difficult, I hope.</p>
<p>eggmom – that’s exactly what I did with my junior son who was living at home this year while going to Rice because he had to rotate off campus. We agreed that I wouldn’t ask about his hours coming and going and that he would act as if this was his an apartment for which he is responsible – doing his own laundry, putting dishes away from dishwasher, cleaning after himself, bringing in recycle bin, etc. It’s worked out really well. I think it’s good to express expectations, then there’s no surprises.</p>
<p>I think I’ll try that with my freshman son when he comes home for the summer.</p>