<p>Hello everyone,</p>
<p>I'm a male incoming freshman and I plan to revamp my wardrobe. I have set aside $2000 for new clothing and accessories. Should this amount suffice if I'm looking at AE, Gap, Abercrombie type stuff?</p>
<p>What essentials should I be lookin at? Thanks.</p>
<p>Also, should I shop with girls so they could help me pick out stuff or should I go by myself or with friends?</p>
<p>Depends where you're going to school, since each campus has its own vibe. You might want to save some of that 2grand for after 1st semester too. I have a friend who went on a huge spree before college (as I plan to do too ;) ) but the vibe of the school wasn't what she imagined it would be. She wished she had waited until after 1st semester and getting aquainted with the campus style to finish her wardrobe.</p>
<p>That should be plenty if you shop smart. You might want to consider going with girls, yes, because then you will know what the opposite gender (at least your sampling of it) finds attractive. However, don't buy anything YOU don't like, because confidence and comfort is more attractive than anything. Girls can get pushy and playful, so watch out for "experimentation."</p>
<p>Another tip: Buy good jeans. This will automatically make you hotter. Good jeans are WELL-FITTED (no sagging!), dark wash, and slightly faded, but not too "antique." With a good pair, you can wear anything on top and look decent. Gap jeans are good.</p>
<p>jebus i got like 200 bucks</p>
<p><wails></wails></p>
<p>in reality, i just need to reinvent my wardrobe on a budget at a preppy school, any ideas?</p>
<p>don't reinvent yourself</p>
<p>Jeans are the key. 2000 will be okay if you are careful, and if you look for sales. don't rule out places like old navy, or target. a lot of the pieces are the same.</p>
<ol>
<li>Visit the school or look at the materials they have sent you and observe closely.</li>
<li>Buy one or 2 "outfits" - that's all.</li>
<li>Feel free to go to Target - not just the prep expensive places.
and wait until you get there to totally revamp. Bring the very basics with you in one big suitcase and clothe yourself in Sept.</li>
</ol>
<p>"mr.newbooty," are u looking to become a metrosexual or something?</p>
<p>Anyways, why u changing the wardrobe? To become more popular? And why'd u save up 2 grand for it? What are u gonna spend 2,000 on just clothes alone. </p>
<p>IF U DO, THAT MAKES U A BIT OF A NUT JOB.</p>
<p>$2000 !!! that's insane.</p>
<p>I'd suggest trying to find a summer job at one of your favorite clothing stores. Your money can go a long way with an employee discount! I did it all through high school and used my wages from those jobs along with my employee discount to beef up my wardrobe! :)</p>
<p>Wait until the seasonal sales. Spring/summer stuff should start going on sale sometime in the mid summer, so you can get that for less and still be able to wear it for the first month or so of school, depending on where you go and how warm it is there. Winter clothes tend to be more expensive than summer clothes (for girls anyway), so you would be better off waiting for sales on those as well (either before Christmas or after), but then you wouldn't have anything new to wear until then so you might want to get a few things now and the rest later, or something. And like others said, you might want to wait around a bit and see what everyone else on campus wears first.</p>
<p>Dude, get several pairs of jeans, that number times 2.5 shirts, 2 pairs of shoes, and socks/underwear. Then keep the rest of the money for beer.<br>
$1000 could easily buy that much (Banana Republic prices)</p>
<p>That's a lot of money.</p>
<p>dude don't invest in shirts....tops are soo 2005 now</p>
<p>the new look in college is shirtless <a href="http://img302.imageshack.us/img302/8546/look0ac.jpg%5B/url%5D">http://img302.imageshack.us/img302/8546/look0ac.jpg</a></p>
<p>i've noticed that the most popular shirts on my campus are the one's that you've "earned:" </p>
<p>if you volunteered, ran a marathon, were part of a camp, or donated blood...the free shirts, those are the shirts that get worn.</p>
<p>also, get some pastels or long-sleeved shirts...and get white or plaid shorts.</p>
<p>good luck!</p>
<p>hmmm, as a female i can give some advice. i have dated guys who were really concerned about their wardrobe etc. in fact, i used to go shopping with one of my boyfriends. don't get me wrong, he wasn't gay, simply metrosexual. so from my perspective, 2000 seems about right to change your wardrobe. and i suggest shopping with girls, because girls generally have an idea of what they think looks hot on guys.</p>
<p>honestly you sound pretty fake. whats wrong with the clothes you have? buy what you LIKE, not what you think you should be wearing... people will tell that youre not comfortable in it. also, ive heard its good to wait til you get to school to get your clothes, cause youre going to want different stuff</p>
<p>i dont think he sounds fake, i can understand where hes coming from, because throughout highschool i have been the "skater type" (not hardcore skater/emo, mind you, but skate shorts, t-shirts, etc), and now i want to start to dress a bit nicer. </p>
<p>so, as a start i bought two new pairs of shorts, a pair of jeans, and three collared shirts...seems like an okay start for me, as i will continue purchasing new clothes throughout summer (since i dont have to spend 2K on a laptop like i thought!)</p>
<p>some advice:</p>
<p>If you want to look nice, here's all you need.</p>
<p>2 pairs of Chino pants (khakis, you know) preferrably no cargo pants
2 pairs of Jeans
2 pairs of relaxed shorts (they can be cargo shorts)
7 long sleeve button down shirts (maybe 3 button down collar oxfords, 1 madras/plaid, 1 linen, 2 normal cotton shirts)
All those Tshirts, socks, and underwears you already own
2 different sweaters (a crewneck and a V-neck)
1 Jacket that looks REALLY good on you.
2 polo shirts maybe (if you like that look)</p>
<p>that's about all you need. If you have 2000, you will still have change after all that. the stuff I listed would cost around 1300 if they are all ralph lauren quality. You'll have enough change to sport yourself some suits/ties/dress shirts for formal stuff.</p>
<p>Here is what I recommend:</p>
<p>Polo shirts: These are my personal favorite. You can wear them anywhere--informal or formal setting. They also don't go out of style and they come in just about every color (A&F usually has a whole wall of them, and RL makes a ton of these too). I recommend either A&F or RL for the fit, look, and price (well, a combiniation of all three). Lacoste is also good if you want to spend a little more.</p>
<p>Tee Shirts: Sometimes you find a guy like me who matches his tee shirts with the color of the pony, moose, or other logo on his shirt (as long as it looks good, that is...otherwise I use a white undershirt). Don't get a whole lot of tees. I use older ones (notably ones I've had for a long time that have that muscle fit I like now even though they were loose on me in 1997) that I use as undershirts, and sometimes as a gym shirt. I rarely wear a tee shirt out though. A&F tees have the best fit.</p>
<p>Shorts: It has to be khaki shorts. No jean shorts. Athletic works too if you can get one with a pocket. I haven't bought cargo shorts since 2002 and currently only have two old pairs left--I prefer plain front since they look more mature. I like A&F and Gap for my shorts. Gap sometimes has stain-defender shorts, which are always nice. Also, Gap shorts are usually $9.99 or $12.99 at the end of August, so if they still have your size get a pair then.</p>
<p>Jeans: Essential in all but the hottest months of the year. I've been a lifelong customer of Gap jeans (even when I had to go to the kids store to get them) and you can't beat them for fit and durability. I don't wear jeans as much as I wear khakis, but I do have a four year old pair of Gap jeans that is still going strong. As far as wash and cut, avoid any baggy jeans and go for either a straight leg or a boot cut (if you like that fit, I personally don't). Get whatever wash looks best with the majority of your tops--think about what color you have the most of and go from there to pick a wash. I usually get the classic type wash (not the vintage one) because I prefer it, but that's just me.</p>
<p>Button Downs: These are nice for occasions where you might not want to wear a polo. Solid color ones are nice because you can wear them with a tie. Striped and plaid ones are good for general use. A&F is the best here in my opinion, but Nautica and Hilfiger are also pretty good for these. Van Heusen is nice if you just want a dress shirt to wear for formal occasions--you can get them pretty cheap around Father's Day.</p>
<p>Khakis: I wear these a lot, mostly because I feel they are more comfortable than jeans. They also look good with my abundance of blue in my closet. For basic khakis, Dockers is pretty good--they have stain defenders and go on sale now and then. You can get pleated or regular. I don't wear cargos anymore, mostly because I feel they are a thing of the past.</p>
<p>Sweaters: I'm a huge fan of sweaters, especially when I've got a polo underneath it. It allows for layering. Crew and V-neck are both good to have, but only crew looks good with a polo underneath it. In the winter I wear one of these most every day unless I'm wearing a long sleeve polo (also nice to have). A&F sweaters hold up well and are comfortable, plus they can be put in the wash. Some of them are only about $50, so the price is right.</p>
<p>Belt: You want one that goes well with all of your pants. For me, it's a brown braided belt from Dockers that I got to match most of my khakis.</p>
<p>Boxer Shorts: Don't forget these. A&F and Jockey are my top picks.</p>
<p>Socks: See above. I like Dockers khakiware socks (I think that's the name) because they match my pants. For the times I don't want khaki socks, I get the low-cut Nauticas or RLs.</p>
<p>Jackets: I have two--a brand new heavyweight one from A&F and an older lightweight one, also from A&F. Get an A&F jacket in January, when the sale starts. These jackets are very durable, don't cost thousands of dollars, and have a lot of nice pockets--enough to hold your gloves, hat, iPod, cell phone, keys, pen, gum, USB memory stick, coupons for the grocery store, Tic Tacs...well, that's like the list of what all I've gotten in these jackets. Sure, I wear sweaters too in the winter, but I always wear the jacket over top as well. I'm from PA, but if you are from somewhere warmer this may be irrelevant.</p>
<p>And don't forget shoes. You want a pair of athletic shoes, a pair of casual shoes, and maybe some flip flops. I like Reebok for athletic shoes (they make some nice conservative styles that don't look obnoxious like Nike Shox or something), Rockport for casuals (weatherproofing and classic style make this an easy pick), and A&F for flip flops.</p>
<p>Cologne is something you may want to consider. Since I've already praised A&F a ton, I'll mention they have a scent called Fierce that I really like. The tester cards they give out are also good fresheners for your vacuum cleaner!</p>
<p>Finally, you will want a few hats. I usually wear a hat from the Pittsburgh Pirates, but my winter ski cap is an A&F. For gloves, I wear Fownes leather driving gloves, for a good blend of warmth and finger-manuvering power. Considering I can fine-tune the car radio with these on I consider them to be very good.</p>
<p>That's about it...oh, and if you want extra clothing cash, ask your family for A&F gift cards at holidays. My dad usually gives me one of these since he doesn't know what else to get me and, if you haven't noticed already, I love clothes and shopping for them.</p>
