And sign up for those coupons!
I did very well with Nordstrom 40% off sale. I have 2 jackets for the season. Now I am on to shoes. DS is into size thirteen and 5’7". He also has a narrow! I have looked at Clark, Allen Edmonds, Johnston and Murphy, etc. etc. Any good ideas?
Maybe 6pm as they have great deals.
I’ve owned/own all the brands you mention. Of those brands, Clark’s are the least expensive. Their classic Desert Boots (especially in suede) may not wear that long in the hands of a teenage boy…though I do own a pair.
I think the KEY in shoes is comfort. Various makers have different lasts and can and do fit very differently in the same size.
Has your son worn leather-soled shoes for any length of time before…and not just for an 1 to 3 hour orchestra concert or religious service?. I mean walking around a campus or city for a whole day. I think for those who are not used to it, it can be very uncomfortable and a tough transition. The last thing you want is to spend $$$ on shoes and for him to never wear them because they “hurt”.
Consider a rubber soled variant. I happen to love Cole Haan’s “Zero Grand” and “Original Grand” lines, but they are not cheap either. A moc type shoe or even a boat shoe will work for all but the more formal occasions. Sperry and Timberland are two brands to look for — among many others.
A shoe I love (and that got for 7D1 for college years) is the Blundstone pull on boot. Very comfortable. Again, not cheap. And not all that dressy (unless you get the dressy version). But good enough for BS day-to-day classroom dress, IMO.
I go to Nordstrom (Rack) as well for shoes. They used to be a shoe store too.
For boys dress shoes, I also like Cole Haan.
S has Merrell moc and a pair of Merrell winter boots.
All from Nordstrom Rack.
He has another pair of dress shoes from Nordstrom by Sandro Moscoloni (was comfortable) but S has wide feet.
We went to Famous Footwear - buy one get one half off +15%. LOL The plan is Sperry for day to day and his dress shoes are Nunn Bush(?) for the time being. He hates wearing dress shoes, his feet are still growing and he can be hard on his shoes so no big investments for now. His running shoes on the other hand…
Some schools might not allow it but at other boarding schools, sandals are worn by guys for pretty much every month except December, January and February.
I am gonna buy a J. Crew blazer for my dd. 
Oh, yes. DS wore his flipflops with t-shirt/gym shorts whole year including 20 degree winter.
Just being a Coloradoan. :))
Dress clothes and shoes are for concerts and formals.
He wore polo shirts (short-sleeved) and long pants (khakis) to classes though. During warm September and October, he wore khaki shorts and oxford shorts.
I brought home unwanted clothing during fall family days - long-sleeved oxford shirts, more dress pants, couple suits (wanted only one,) ties, bathrobe.
We will be packing minimal for the fall.
We heard that it’s literally freezing in the east coast. But dd will survive since she is taking a -40 degrees rated down coat that’s also formal looking.
wearing layers helps in the Northeast- my boys wear long underwear in the winter since they hate having to wear
bulky coats over their blazers
Yes, long underwear from outdoor stores are good. Those are not yesteryear’s wool long johns anymore and are silky and very thin. Last year we packed a couple set (top/bottom) long underwear which DS wore in snow camping in the mountains sleeping in a quinzee (okpik.) This year he says, nah, it’s never cold enough, so we are not packing them. NE is never cold enough for people sleeping in snow but very cold for kids who never saw snow.
Also, mufflers, gloves, ear muffs, beanie hats, snow boots would be helpful.
DS wears tshirts year round. He has a parka for cold days, but the old classroom buildings can be warm so layers are key.
This thread is so helpful. I definitely agree with mixing some “nicer” clothes with some less expensive things. Last year (7th grade) I bought my son a blue blazer at Kohl’s; it was buy one, get one half-off, so I am glad I got both size 14 and 16 (or maybe 16 and 18), as the larger one now fits perfectly. For a long-ish, lean boy I have also had good luck with Boden and J. Crew khakis and shirts, and I just keep an eye out for sales. With the sales I have also started stocking up on dress shirts for – hopefully – next year.
Where I am having trouble is ties. He seems to be between boys and mens sizes for ties. J. Crew has a “medium” sized tie that has worked (at least it did last year), but he has the two styles that we liked. Most mens’ ties seem too big. A sales person at Nordstrom recommended one of their store brands that it is on the slim side, which I will check out (don’t remember the name off hand), but I am wondering what other options there may be? He grew 5" in the past year (including 1" over the past two weeks), so this may not be an issue for long…
Here’s a tip on the ties (for length)…tie it so that the front part is the proper length…then tuck the tail (which is too long) into the placket of shirt…in the gap between the 3rd/4th or 4th/5th buttons (counting from the top and including the collar button). Also, the knot he ties can help…he may be doing mostly four-in-hands…try a windsor or double windsor.
As for widths, this is something that ebbs and flows with fashion (though certain brands/cuts are timeless). I think younger men can’t go wrong with narrower.
Thank you SevenDad!
@SevenDad’s knowledge in culture never ceases to amaze me!
BTW, last night we dug up some 15 years old formal Winter cloths that my wife used to wear for trade shows. They fit amazingly perfect on D!
^^^how fun for your family, and what a nice memory together on the eve of your D going to boarding school; best wishes!
Have your sons read, and then re-read this. Nothing worse than having the point of the tie below the crotch or above the navel.