<p>Hello parents,
My 17-yr-old son will be going from So. Calif. to NYC beginning fall 2007. We figure we can pick up some good clothing deals at the after-xmas sales. What essentials should we buy? He is not into clothing at all - so definately doesn't want anything too "hip" or trendy. What kind of shoes/boots are worn in winter? Sorry to be so ignorant. Thanks alot.</p>
<p>undershirts, long-sleeve shirts, long pants(jeans), Fall jacket, couple sweaters maybe, winter jacket, hat (cover ears), gloves.</p>
<p>Degree of serious footwear not that big a deal in NYC proper, to me. After a short while, more slush than big snow drifts to wade through. And walking around compact NYC campuses is not like trudging miles through the snow to get to classes upstate.</p>
<p>There's no shortage of clothing stores here, maybe go minimal there and let him shop once he knows what he needs/wants?</p>
<p>^ Ditto to the above; as for boots, a pair of basic Timberlands should get him through the winter; I barely use my snowboots here in PA. Also don't forget the warm socks.</p>
<p>We had a similar situation with our Floridian daughter going to school in PA. We came up parent's weekend in October and shopped for a winter wardrobe with her. I think that's a better idea then buying now and having to schlep it to school in September. As monydad pointed out, there's certainly no shortage of stores (and sales!) in NYC.</p>
<p>My experience in a place that snowed (Japan, but snow is snow is cold is cold is wet is bleh) taught me a few things. One size may not fit all, and your mileage may vary, but this is what I observed as a wimpy Californian...</p>
<ul>
<li><p>A good coat is the hallmark of any happy Californian. I had a nice toasty trenchcoat that made the world a much nicer place.</p></li>
<li><p>Gloves. Gloves. Gloves.</p></li>
<li><p>You don't need boots, but you need waterproof shoes at the very least. Wet feet suck. Cold wet feet suck even more. </p></li>
<li><p>Warm socks are the difference between happiness and cold feet.</p></li>
<li><p>PJs matter.</p></li>
<li><p>Scarves are a wonderful thing.</p></li>
<li><p>Thermal underwear is also wonderful.</p></li>
<li><p>Beanies, hats, etc. can mean the difference between a warm noggin or a cold noggin. The former is better than the latter.</p></li>
<li><p>Californians are a weak, untested people who should all be forced to live in the arctic tundra that is cold places at least once so they can learn to appreciate why California is so wonderful.</p></li>
<li><p>Snow sucks. It really really sucks. Especially shoveling it. And putting on chains. And driving in it. And having it soak you. And well...mostly everything about it when you live in a place that has no ski resorts.</p></li>
</ul>
<p>I would suggest that you buy little now. Your kiddo should go with the "essentials", maybe a polar fleece that can be layered with a hoodie, gloves of some kind. Once your kiddo is in school let him SEE what the other students wear and use. Otherwise you may be wasting your money on winter garb that will not get used. DS goes to school in Boston. He only took boots with him because we insisted. He has worn them three times in four years. He does not wear a winter jacket until it is frigid...but rather layers his clothes (as described). Most of the time, he wears a sweatshirt. He does have a leather jacket NOW that gets a lot of wear. Our kid also happens to like using a scarf and hat, but many kids do not. AND because he is a musician, he has warm gloves...many kids do not. The other thing, what is on sale this year, may not even be what kids wear NEXT winter. If you feel like your kiddo might get to NYC and will be cold, there are plenty of retail stores in NYC where one can buy winter garb. Prices at Macy's are the same in NYC as anywhere else. OR you can mail order from LLBean, EMS, Eddie Bauer or Land's End....or from places like Dick's Sporting Goods (which carries Northface garments). All of these places do have gift cards which can be used online.</p>
<p>To stay warm and toasty, but not bulky, buy fleece. It's breathable, washable, and doesn't itch. In coats or jackets, look for things made with Thinsulate or other such light-weight high tech material. </p>
<p>Do not buy the "waffle-weave" long underwear; doesn't keep you warm. Do not buy all-cotton long underwear; it doesn't "wick", which is removing sweat from the skin & directing it outward, but rather holds the sweat, which then gets cold - you get the picture. Do spend the extra bucks and get the high-tech long underwear, which works much better. Long underwear bottoms are much more important that tops - you can always put on another layer on top. Silk long underwear works well too.</p>
<p>For socks, I swear by a brand called "Smart Wool". Again, washable, light-weight, and it wicks.</p>
<p>And congrats to your son! After his first winter in NY, he'll know exactly what he needs!</p>
<p>Wow I've lived most of my life near NYC and never needed long underwear here.</p>
<p>But then I'm not a wimpy, thin-blooded Californian.</p>
<p>Now in Chicago- THERE I needed thermal underwear. And bought it. And wore it. </p>
<p>But never before or since.</p>
<p>My D who is now a senior at NYU has never once worn long underwear there. I can't imagine many students have, especially boys. I agree with the advice to wait until he gets there to buy what he needs. He may not be interested in clothes now but that may change in a year, and it's likely he'll want to buy something similar to what others are wearing.</p>
<p>NYC is not like other places.Even when it snows. Layers are key,colder outside,warmer insideThey will be outside less than kids in suburban or rural places.Hoodies and fleece will see then through most of the winter,this week has been 50+ ,no cold expected for awhile.
There's way more mush on the city streets than real snow.Good pair of footwear is key,but most college kids just wear their sneakers.The mush freezes up at night and turns to ice,then melts again.Lots of salt/sand on the paved streets and roads,it mucks up your shoes.
You havent lived till you've seen piles of disgusting,dirty black city snow-mush.Makes you long for the Currier and Ives rural snowy mountain scenes.</p>
<p>It all depends on the kid's internal temperature. S, a Californian attending school in Boston, finally broke down and bought a coat at Filene's post-Thanksgiving sale last year. Mostly he wears sweatshirts-- he did tell me he has worn two sweatshirts at once. His hands get very cold--- he had to wear gloves driving to high school-- so I got him some silk liners for his hands last year.</p>
<p>Thank you all so much. Good fleece for layering, gloves, socks, Timberland-type boots seem to have the most votes. We'll keep a look out.</p>
<p>I would not go out and buy Timberland boots for your kid until you know that he's going to want to wear them. Some kids wear boots, many just wear sneakers all year round. I've even seen kids in flip flops in December.</p>
<p>He's going to be what, 18 or 19? He's not 3 and you're not packing him for summer camp. When he arrives in NYC for the start of school it will probably be August and in the 80s. He'll have plenty of time to get used to school, find stores (it's NYC after all), and as the temperature drops he can go to a store and buy his own winter footwear (with your money of course ...)</p>
<p>No boots.</p>
<p>No long underwear.</p>
<p>No dorky socks.</p>
<p>No sweaters (dorm washing machines eat them alive - buy fleece or whatever).</p>
<p>Maybe a scarf (if he's the fashionable type. Ha).</p>
<p>Yes, a hat (Gap has their's on sale right now).</p>
<p>Yes, a pair of fleece gloves that he'll actually be willing to wear.</p>
<p>Yes, a decent jacket (again, not dorky).</p>
<p>Yes, jeans (and shorts).</p>
<p>Yes, a couple of fleece or sweatshirts to wear over t-shirts.</p>
<p>Yes, plain, thin, long-sleeve shirts like they sell at Gap or AE or wherever - kids layer those under short sleeved or long sleeved shirts.</p>
<p>Mostly kids just grin and bear the cold (like the rest of us).</p>
<p>Weenie summed it up VERY well...and if any kid needs the "dorky stuff", there are PLENTY of retail establishment, and online merchants who would be glad to sell it to you.</p>
<p>Just a funny BTW...DD, a New Englander who attends college in CA, bought UGGS boots (there....at Nordstrom). Now keep in mind...that this child didn't even OWN a pair of boots when she lived where it snowed...and it NEVER snows where she attends college. The lowest temps are in the 40's and that is probably while she is sleeping. She bought the boots because others at her school were wearing them. I'm quite sure that if I had suggested she buy boots (before heading off to CA) that she would have laughed me out of the room. When she arrived here for winter break with the boots, I almost choked with laughter.</p>
<p>Moral...let the kid choose what they want to wear. And remember, you're traveling from one coast to the other. Pack light.</p>
<p>DS is in Boston as a freshman this year. We are in So. Ca. We bought little. He chose some stuff online as the weather got colder, IM'd me the link, I bought it and had it shipped directly to him. There is enough stuff to take in the fall without worrying about winter weather. Plus different kids like different stuff and they will want to see what everyone is wearing when they get there. My kid ended up with a Carhartt jacket. Around here only the cowboys wear them and if I had told him last year, you will want a Carhartt jacket he would have laughed at me. So in other words, "dorky" changes from time to time and place to place. I would wait.</p>
<p>Km5</p>
<pre><code>My two cents is that you're right to plan for the sales coming up and buy the stuff now. If your son is like mine, he is not going to go shopping even if he needs something and he's not going to find sale prices.
Look in the Big-5 ads for great sales now on hiking-trail style shoes that have thick treaded soles and something more waterproof on top than mesh-and-leather or canvas. I agree with those who say that waffle-weave long underwear is useless and dorky but the sports-style UnderArmor wear is great for layering. Look for that on sale. My CA son asked me to look for two items following the recent ice storm in the midwest: better shoes and UnderArmor wear for when he snowboards or plays ultimate.
</code></pre>
<p>If he doesn't want to bring anything other than "sneakers" at least pack more than one pair for the inevitable day (or night) when he fails to leap over the huge puddle of muddy slush surrounding the curbs and lands right in it. Wet shoes usually don't dry overnight in my experience. </p>
<p>It's been awhile since I lived in NYC, but I remember some very cold weather. Not just cold, but "scary cold" as we called it. Sometimes as early as Thanksgiving, so even though you're packing in August, throw in a beanie and light gloves and extra long-sleeve shirts. And more than one pair of real shoes.</p>
<p>I love snow..</p>
<p>Sledding, skiing, snowballs, snowmen..... I can't imagine life without a snow season, I would really miss it. Sucks to drive on but just look out for cars with California or Texas license plates and you will be fine :)</p>
<p>Long sleeve shirts. It can be cool in the buildings, these are not just for outdoors.</p>
<p>A good hat to keep the head warm</p>
<p>Gloves :)</p>
<p>Hiking shoes for wet days but I mostly wear tennis shoes here in Montana. But Rocky Mtn snow has less water content (great for powder skiing and rocky mtn smoke) so you get less slush until spring storms hit.</p>
<p>Good Socks</p>
<p>A warm lined jacket from Land's end or something similar.</p>
<p>Welcome to the North ....... :)</p>
<p>Another vote for no boots. Gloves, hats, fleece, sweatshirts. Wait to buy all of this when he gets to NY.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Californians are a weak, untested people who should all be forced to live in the arctic tundra that is cold places at least once so they can learn to appreciate why California is so wonderful.</p>
<ul>
<li>Snow sucks. It really really sucks.
[/quote]
LOL!
My son just came inside from playing hockey & basketball all afternoon in shorts & a short-sleeved shirt. We live ten miles from Manhattan. So you never know what to expect. If it doesn't get cold & snow soon, I will go crazy. I LOVE winter.</li>
</ul>
<p>I vote for holding off on big, bulky coats & the like. Hoodies & a pair of gloves. Then let him buy what he needs here. Hop a bus to NJ & avoid sales tax on clothes.</p>