<p>Mini:</p>
<p>I want pictures!</p>
<p>Sorry. Sadly, virtually no pics from the period. I have literally none from my undergraduate days, not even of my soon-to-be-murdered roommate.</p>
<p>The white period began when I was working in Iran (long story), and was very practical, it seemed. Actually, though, I discovered it was practical everywhere, as everything could get washed together in a white wash with bleach. </p>
<p>When I met my wife, I still had the hair. Lost the tangerine and green bellbottoms some time during the polyester period (which I seemed to have missed in its entirety.) Now I celebrate International Gray Sweater day every January 1. While other folks are watching football games or otherwise recuperating, I go to the mall, my one and only visit during the year, and purchase, you guessed it, a gray sweater.</p>
<p>The one bottle of Brut, and the bottle of Old Spice that replaced it, were the only aftershaves I’ve had for the past 40 years. Wildroot has been replaced by a some kind of weird styling gel that makes what’s left of my hair feel like plastic, used only when needed in operatic performances (during which I often dye what is left of my hair as well.)</p>
<p>Mini - you are such a slave to fashion in some ways but such a creature of habit in others…I forget what “gray” indicates in the Lusher Color Test - I think it is “the absence of emotion” but that does not sound like you at all (at least, not the you in your CC posts…) A bit dry maybe, but far from emotionless…</p>
<p>But Mini, what were you like before you left home for college? We’re talking about transformations here, afterall.</p>
<p>I, for one, changed my first name between high school and college, which caused my parents to flip out and for me to have a double identity for years until they finally capitulated.</p>
<p>I was a stodgy, slavish high school student who knew how to grub for grades, and probably never had an original thought in his life. (Now there are some who would think the last part hasn’t changed much…;))</p>
<p>Oh my goodness–after Mini’s description I just have to share this (I never thought I’d admit it).</p>
<p>I arrived in Boston for college from Wyoming with two huge suitcases, to a womens’ college, sight unseen. My grandmother, who had been born in a sod house and had scandalized the family by running off to go to the U. of Nebraska when she was supposed to be at a finishing school, pushed my mom out of the way and took over. Shopping trips galore to fill those suitcases with all the clothes I would need–assuming I was going to Grandma’s Perfect U. What was in the suitcases?</p>
<p>white blouses with peter pan collars
cardigans with pearl buttons
“midi” skirts (remember those?) and boots
pleated tartan skirts, with kneehighs to match
A wool jumpsuit plus jacket (for football game dates) and fur cloche hat
two polyester “pantsuits” (just to show that we aren’t behind the times)
“Dunberry” plaid greatcoat with fox collar</p>
<p>etc., etc.</p>
<p>Fortunately I stashed a pair of jeans under the underwear, and a couple of turtlenecks in my carryon. I gotta tell you, it was culture shock enough without arriving with a wardrobe best suited to a 1940’s coed…</p>
<p>Momof2inCA----It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who changed their name going to college. I remember quite clearly sitting in the car from the airport in Boston, and my sister (who then lived in Boston) saying “Do you really want to keep that (nick)name the rest of your life? This is your chance to get rid of it.” I never again introduced myself with that nickname, and in fact when my children found out about it from a high school friend, they refused to believe I’d ever used it. My sister of course knew about name changes from personal experience: her high school nickname was “Mouse.” (Mine was worse.)</p>
<p>“Fortunately I stashed a pair of jeans under the underwear, and a couple of turtlenecks in my carryon. I gotta tell you, it was culture shock enough without arriving with a wardrobe best suited to a 1940’s coed…”</p>
<p>No “twinset with pearls”???</p>
<p>dmd77,
“Mouse” is my sister’s nickname, nearly from birth! Not that anyone would dare call her that apart from my father!</p>
<p>I will not attempt to equal mini’s Tale of Two (or more) Fashion Identities, but clearly he and I entered and left college in similar eras. I arrived with two carefully assembled Villager outfits for “every day” (green wool a-line skirt and cardigan, green floral mini-print blouse with Peter Pan collar and circle pin, matching knee socks; similar navy blue ensemble), a navy blue suit with yellow piping for “special” (we wore them to Harvard football games back then!). I left four years later wearing hip-riding bell-bottom jeans torn at the hem- which I found left-behind in a laundromat! - Dr. Scholl sandals, corduroy Dansk tunic dress over the jeans.</p>
<p>We were a lovely couple, weren’t we? ;)</p>
<p>God, you two are hilarious. I wonder what I’ll be wearing when I come out of college.</p>
<p>My dream, of course, is to finish my Ph.D. in ten years and be one of those old stodgy professors with hiking boots and a tweed jacket with suede patches.</p>
<p>You know, the kind with her grey hair firmly pulled into a bun, who went on digs in Chile and spent hours studying the history of the Magdalene for her doctoral dissertation on Christ’s childhood.</p>
<p>That is my fondest wish, tweed, suede, boots and all.</p>
<p>I hope I live long enough.</p>
<p>h_thealogian - I’m getting the picture of a rather un-stodgy professor with those hiking boots, the tweed jacket, perhaps a safari hat? jodphur-type pants? Sort of an Out of Africa image. 
</p>
<p>Now, if you want stodgy… I suggest losing the hiking boots in favor of “sensible shoes” (old lady variety); no safari hat, but instead a smaller number with birdcage veil matched in color to your floral print dress. If you need more specifics, I will search for a photo of my high school Latin teacher, who had the look perfected.</p>
<p>The tweed jacket with suede patches is passe, but the sensible shoes, alas, are alive and well, as aging feet can no longer fit into Manolos.</p>
<p>h_Thea - you can inherit my boots and kahki travel vest with all the pockets. I’m done with that period in my life. The pith helmet with mosquito netting you’ll have to buy yoursef.</p>
<p>Don’t WORRy ABOUT HIM! :)</p>
<p>“I don’t mean to say the boy is lazy but I think the only reason he bathes is so he won’t have to carry dirt around.”</p>
<p>That’s is so funny…LOL. And resonates—given that I have a 14 year old who still must be interrogated re: regularity of showers (this <em>will</em> change soon, I assume…).</p>
<p>Maybe someone could trade with one of my S’s who nearly empties the hot water tank every morning. I swear his showers last one hour!</p>
<p>Marite
I wonder if S1 takes those long, sensuous showers in the dorms? probably loves the cleanliness and privacy at home
My S’s lower torso has never known anything but cacki shorts, and he’s still in gray t-shirt mode. Until I read mini’s post, I never thought about his black t-shirt phase (lasted all thru mid school plus). Maybe every 6 years will be a change. next decade, white?
Only change I’ve seen since starting college is the hair–retro–worn quite long</p>
<p>Retro hair seems to be so common it’s not retro anymore…</p>
<p>S has a cloud of ringlets heading below shoulder length, and a shaggy beard to match.</p>
<p>Cargo shorts all summer, cargo pants/jeans all winter, T-shirts all year round. Never cared what color anything was, as long as it was fairly clean.</p>
<p>My D discovered at Wesleyan that duct tape is a fashion accessory.</p>