<p>This may have been covered in other threads, but I haven't seen it.</p>
<p>What do you find is a reasonable clothing budget for college? In this case, for a male off to Tulane where the prevailing dress mode of shorts/teeshirt/athletic shoes/sandals fits him perfectly. No need for a new cold-weather wardrobe, obviously. Not a fashionista, but doesn't like to be off the mainstream.</p>
<p>He's got several of the basics, does laundry a lot. But I picture less frequent laundry when at school and it's not so convenient.</p>
<p>My son dresses off the floor just about every day. He does laundry when he can no longer close the closet door because the floor is jammed with clothes, shoes, athletic stuff and gawd know what else. Clothing budget? Haven't given it any thought at all, but I did get him a Gonzo Odor Eliminator.</p>
<p>How can they be so similar, yet so different? S "files" his clothing on the floor also, but is persnickety about not re-wearing the same item without laundering. Hence the almost constant laundering. Now, if he would hang up/fold etc. the items, he wouldn't have to spend so much time with the Tide.</p>
<p>I once tried to clarify to him (and DH) the differing dictionary definitions of "hanger", "chair," "floor" but aside from a cute family bonding memory of a good chuckle, nothing else productive came of it.</p>
<p>Ha ha, jmmom - mine too! It brushed his arm that day, it is in the laundry. I have ranted and raved about this for years to no effect. At least he will smell clean for the ladies - guess I shouldn't let him see The Aviator (it made me wash my hands much more often for the nesxt few days!). Clean laundry is folded by my housekeeper - he gets it and dumps it on the armchair in his room, and then forgets about it. </p>
<p>Budget isn't much - he only needs a Goretex coat for the rain, Goretex light boots, and a really big umbrella - has everything else. I may go with him to get him a few more shirts and jeans, that's it. The main bunch of clothes go into a 100-pound trunk and are getting shipped overseas.</p>
<p>Back to the annoying ultra-clean-clothes-freak-young-men-subject - I finally put my foot down and said "I am absolutely DONE with doing your laundry!" And so far I've stuck to it. The laundry room is a mess, but oh well, only for a few months. And since he will be across the Atlantic, he won't be able to get mom to do the laundry except on term breaks. </p>
<p>HAAAAAAAAHaaaaaaaaaaaaHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHaaaaaHaaaaahaaaaaHAAAAAAAAAAH! (Phantom of the Opera)</p>
<p>Jmmom - he won't need a huge budget, more like a shopping spree before he goes, BUT - Southerners tend to dress up more, he needs at least one "uniform" as we call it - khaki pants, blue blazer, white/light blue/yellow shirt, and a couple of conservative ties. He will also want to pick up a tux at some point while he's in NO, after Mardi Gras or in Septish there will be tremendous sales, if he shops around he should find a great bargain on formal clothes. If he pledges, he will definitely need one eventually, otherwise just before graduation, just because you get such good deals in NO - if he does go to an MG ball he will have to have a tail coat, but he can rent that.</p>
<p>Send more money for underwear. With girls, that is the limiting factor--if you run out of underwear, you have to do laundry. So many girls just go out and buy more underwear!</p>
<p>Agree with the majority. Big shopping trip ahead of time, then added at Christmas if needed. S is not the type to make a clothes shopping trip by himself. D used to hit up second hand shops if she needed something.</p>
<p>One big ticket we didn't expect: S needed a suit for winter formal. We bought it over vacation, and split the price with him from his saved spending money (made him have to be really frugal the rest of the year). D didn't need anything dressy till senior year, and even then, she went to an eclectic kind of school which allowed for more flexibility in styles.</p>
<p>cangel - you brought up something I had been wondering about. This kid wears khaki/polo shirt when required and only when required (jazz band, golf club, job interview). Ditto white shirt and tie (concert band, funeral). He will not pledge. Will he really have use for a blazer (he owns one, but should he really take it?) Tux? Tux??!!?? Help me out here. H does not own a tux. I know the South is more formal, but will "his" South be more formal? I need some ammunition if I am to get these items into the suitcase.</p>
<p>I'm of the opinion that the college clothing budget should not exist - at least not from a parent's end. All discretionary spending (shampoo, deoderant, clothes, books, movies, meals out, etc.) should be responsibility of the student, preferably paid for with money earned by the student during summer or school year employment. This is where kids learn how to budget, and those tough choices between paying for A or B. My kid shops at the Thrift stores, (the few times that she shops for clothes), and it is a point of honor between her and her friends how little they spend on clothes. Just my HO.</p>
<p>Also, most schools have thrift store and consignment or used clothing stores near them. Let your kid figure out what clothes he/she needs for himself once at school. It's all part of the learning experience!</p>
<p>ohio_mom, You caught me. I am the "personal shopper." I actually like this role, which started when S was pre-teen. Shopping with him was a trial; no interest in the process, little interest in fashion, rather be somewhere/anywhere else. Grumbling and whining took the place of conversation on any shopping excursion. His approach to trying on clothes involved getting an arm (or leg) part way into the item in question, announcing that it fit "fine" and marching to the checkout desk. Needless to say, when the party/class/concert arrived and he donned the new purchase, it did NOT fit "fine." This discovery at T minus 5 minutes and counting was not fun. </p>
<p>So, I much preferred to shop at my leisure, bring home some contenders in the likely sizes and return what didn't fit. I am the Queen of returns, toting the stuff around in my trunk until I happen to be in the right place at the right time.</p>
<p>Yes, I am an enabler. Guilty as charged. We'll see what college and adulthood bring for him in the clothes shopping arena. He will either need to hire a personal shopper who actually gets paid, con (sweet talk?) a girl into this role or grin and bear it himself.</p>
<p>Jmmom - I would send his blazer (hide it if necessary), he certainly doesn't need a new one. He will figure out whether or not he needs a tux after he gets there. If he joined a frat at Tulane, I'm fairly certain he would eventually need one - but as someone said, he'll figure it out. I would encourage him to get one eventually while he is there, just because with all the formal dressing that goes on in NO, you can pick up some real bargains, and most guys will someday want one - depending on what he does for a living.</p>
<p>Tulane is a little different, it is not as uniformly Southern as say Vandy or W&L, where Ariesathena is, but he may end up at a Mardi Gras ball one day. Also, if he's doing music at Tulane, he may need a tux for that - but he'll figure that out.</p>
<p>jmmom,
my position is shopping companion - my credit card and and I accompany my son (at his request) to the elegant stores of his choice (Tractor Supply and K-mart). Next year, clothing will be on his ticket - and I suspect he will manage. </p>
<p>BTW, if you pack the blazer you won't have to UPS it to him!</p>
<p>As far as budget - I'm figuring my daughter will need about $800 to $1000 for clothes - before I get flamed - we live in Alabama, she's moving to New Hampshire, the child barely owns a coat, and she has worn school uniforms for the last 12 years - she has more "Sunday clothes" than blue jeans. She is very petite, and while she has shopped thrift stores, can't rely on them, can't really rely on any one store, because of her size. We did some serious sales shopping, and have more to go - when you wear size 4 petite, extra short, you buy what you can find - but I'm thinking even with a very nice Goretex rain jacket, and 2 pairs of winter shoes, we should manage on that budget - and she's a girl!</p>
<p>If you're going from a warm to cold climate, the holidays are a great time to fill in those things like snowboots that they don't already have. The silk long undies won't be needed until then, for the most part, or the serious heavy coats. Some kids(girls) may like getting gift money for shopping when they get back to their schools.</p>
<p>My son will also be going to a colder part of the country. Fortunately he bought a snowboard coat with Christmas money, so he has that. What I am wondering about is: As a trumpet performance major, he will be playing in various ensembles. Does he need to buy a tux for that, or are they provided or rented or?? Know of any stores that carry cheap tuxes?? (He is on the plane flying home from Orientation at this moment, so maybe he will have found out about this...)</p>