<p>Please....lots of kids where Hollister and Abercrombie at the preps....we were just at St. Pauls and saw plenty of it.
Unless the kids are immature and superficial they are not going to look down on you because of what brank your clothing is. I would say that for the most part though prep school students tend to dress more conservatively than their public school counterparts (regardless of the brand).</p>
<p>Dan and Cindy,
Im sure its not easy being a scholarship student among such wealthy students. Please know that money isnt everything and remember that all kids have their insecurities and things they are afraid other people will tease them about. When I went away to prep school, I was a kid from Park Avenue who took my familys wealth for granted and didnt realize that all students can not afford fancy, expensive clothes. But I was also a skinny, unathletic guy and underneath my Polo shirts and preppy khaki shorts I was wearing dorky Hanes briefs. </p>
<pre><code> Sure, there were times at prep school when I got really embarrassed to be seen in briefs, especially when I had to change right in front of my roommate and his jock friends. Yet I kept wearing briefs because they were comfy and, as you say, give good support. You shouldnt wear boxers to be cool. If the bullies pressure you to switch to boxers then thats just what they want and theyve won.
It is important that you describe yourself as small for your age and I can tell you are afraid of being seen as the classic Wedgie Bait in the locker room. Dont worry. They never gave me a wedgie and the teasing eventually stopped when they got bored. Self-consciousness is the worst enemy of a new student. When you get undressed, you must pretend that you dont mind at all them checking out your briefs and laugh it off when they kid you about those darn tighty whities. But it is also important that you play sports and you will definitely not be considered a dork like I was. We had some superjock Ashton Kutcher-types who still wore briefs but somehow they could get away with it and when they took off their pants, no one even giggled or said anything!!!! It wasnt fair but thats just the way it is. I really envy your athletic ability and Im sure you will have many friends and a much better time than I ever did.
I know how intense and stifling the conformity can be at prep school. Back in my mothers day, girls at boarding school were taught how to walk while balancing a book on their head. How silly
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<p>I'm in the same boat with "A little nervous". I'm a scholarship student and what more is that I'm an asian girl -> I have no idea what American think and what you guys wear. I'm kinda nervous to since I'm going to EW and most of the students there are from NY. Haizzz......</p>
<p>I am not an expert on BS wardrobe but after having visited many schools: the clothing is as diverse as the student body. My oldest son is not into name brands. I do most of his shopping at Kohls. (Not sure if you have one near you) He wears the same khaki big pocketed pants and shorts as anyone else except that his cost me $16.00 instead of $50.00 and they don't have a little animal on the pocket. My next oldest (who is going to BS next year) only wears AE, Hollister and Abercrombie. My next oldest (who hopes to go to BS) wears only "jock clothes" from places like Finish Line and Dick's. All of these kids will continue to wear what suits them no matter where they go to school. None of my kids would wear Vineyard Vines or LaCoste.</p>
<p>Wal Mart and target make an effort to create stylish clothes at an affordable price. Take a look at what is popular in the name brand stores (if this is the look you want) and then you can put together outfits from other stores with a similiar look. If you live near a Kohls they always have great sales. </p>
<p>My son recommends having some boxers. (He does some modeling and there is never much privacy. He started wearing boxers because of this.) The thing he likes about boxers is that he feels as if he is wearing shorts and therefore is not uncomfortable.</p>
<p>if your feeling very self conscious about the brands of clothing you wear, just think of this: some of the coolest people i know buy their clothing from kohls and old navy, but they carry themselves with such confidence and pride that people look up to them, not down on them. </p>
<p>if your still having problems i would suggest splurging on a good pair of jeans or a shirt that you know youll wear over and over again. People recognize if your wearing abercrombie jeans from the pockets and if they see that theyll assume that the rest of your outfit is from a&f as well. (i no this might sound stupid but limited too makes some pretty realistic abercrombie-like knit shirts for like 30 dollars less.)</p>
<p>plus if people are judging you on what you wear, they probably arent worth being friends with anyway! </p>
<p>bumpp this thread! its a good topic!</p>
<p>look buddy, we don't live in a perfect world</p>
<p>unfortunetely it does matter</p>
<p>It does seem too. I have to buy new clothes as I come from PNG/Australia and have never experienced such brutal cold. When I went for interviews/checking out campuses I wore everything I brought every day. I never knew it was that cold (very naive). I realized the temperatures in Sydney but I never fully comprehended how cold it really was. So I need clothes for the cold. But it'll all be relatively cheap. I have 1-2 Polos in my entire wardrobe.</p>
<p>Shore, you might want to check out landsend.com or maybe llbean.com soon. They may still have some really good deals on winter stuff that's left over from last season. Both of these companys have reasonable prices all the time, the winter stuff is very warm, has lifetime warranties, etc. I have gotten amazing deals on winter stuff off-season. My D has a three-way jacket from lands end that has been a wonder....down lining that zips out for fall and spring. Sleeves zip out to make a down vest. They are middle of the road kind of brands that have served my family quite well...very middle class. I have found them every bit as warm as my Patagonia or Columbia stuff (received as seconds). I know lands end stuff is rated (to -30, etc) so that should give you an idea. Also, Land's End is also now sold at Sears so if you have a problem with anything you order online (size or quality), you can take it to a local store.</p>
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you might want to check out landsend.com or maybe llbean.com soon.
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<p>Don't forget The North Face! They're really popular at prep schools (day and boarding).</p>
<p>Macy's....June 4th-10th....all LaCoste polo's 40% off!</p>
<p>will my son have any issues at NMH if he only wears t-shirts and not polos? that was his plan -- he likes t-shirts, mountain khakis (a heavy canvas pant from Jackson Hole, Wy) and lightweight backpacking/technical sweatshirts. He has no plans to change what he wears when he goes to BS.</p>
<p>Not at all. People are not pretentious and he will be accepted in whatever he is comfortable wearing.</p>
<p>Steph...that is so strange; I posted my reply to your query, and it is showing up before your post.</p>
<p>My son does not wear polos very often....more for occasions when it might be appropriate to dress up a bit, but actual "formal dress (shirt and tie)" is not required.</p>
<p>Of course what you wear matters. Why wouldnt it matter in high school, when it does when you are an adult and out working? As others have stated, you dont need to wear the most expensive brands to fit in, whether it is at prep school, public school, or just hanging out with your friends. However, I think it is important for kids to feel as if they are part of a group. Check out a group of teenagers at the beach or at the mall. Chances are, they are all wearing the same uniform of sorts, whether it is boardshorts or Abercrombie jeans. If it would make you more comfortable wearing boxers, then you should buy a few. If youre comfortable enough making a statement that expresses your individuality, then people will accept you for who you are. (I have one daughter who only wears mismatched socks --has since she was 4. It doesnt faze her in the least when others comment about it.)</p>
<p>Having graduated from Milton Academy as a totally poor scholarship student, I really didn't think anyone cared about brand names. In fact, I think it was much more classy to be well put together (aka your clothes actually fit you and you don't bulge out anywhere or get lost in a pile of clothes) in whatever personal style suited you best--kind of a Carrie Bradshaw aesthetic of mixing and matching. Of course we had cardigans and ribbon belts and polos and whatnot, but we also had gangsta types and hipsters and girls who read Vogue religiously and people who wore tutus and spandex some days. The class president was known for wearing a certain plaid flannel shirt most of the time. Sometimes people even mixed and matched between these stereotypes. And you know what? All of this was totally cool. </p>
<p>Then again, the Milton culture may be different simply because it's so close to a major urban area (Boston) and craziness is totally okay there.</p>
<p>depends on your self-image on whether you can carry off your own style. In general, my experience is that boarding school kids are more accepting of different styles than public school kids are. Not all will be but you don't need to be friends with everyone. </p>
<p>If you have good self-confidence, no problem. In fact, IMO you will be better off than some "wannabe" who is trying to live up to something they are not.</p>
<p>Some of the most admired kids at boarding schools I am familiar with are those kids that are unique and "beat to their own drum". They are accepted by every group.</p>
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and of course if you are really high class and wealthy then there are the top designer brands in the world like Dior, Prada, Versace...
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<p>Wealthy, perhaps, but high-class - certainly not. Nobody, regardless of money, would be wearing such things to class - it's tacky. As for clothes? Yes, they matter to some, but every group has its own style, from preppy to hippie, and what would be encouraged in one group would be derided in another, at least at Exeter.</p>
<p>(I, personally, favor a nice mix of casual Abercrombie/etc. clothes, Italian and French holdovers from when I lived in Europe (those were the days!), some nice Sisley work-type clothes, lots of scarves, and a few hand-me-downs from my terribly fashionable mother, and, yes, one or two polos.)</p>
<p>PS: I would just like to add that by winter term, everyone's nice clothes are packed away, and we all wear a slightly ragged jeans and oversized, but warm, school or college sweatshirt...</p>
<p>Well I can tell you Prada and it's ilk were on many, many SPS girls graduating this weekend. I don't think clothes matter much for boys past making their personal statement (i.e. are you a frelk or a prepster) but for girls it's another story. Any school with a wealthy population is going to have girls with expensive clothing tastes. Shop Bop is probably the most popular site for clothes in the prep school community and dresses seem to start at $300.</p>
<p>This is to say I think girls will feel pressure to dress expensively if they want to be mainstream.</p>
<p>I know a couple girls at Andover who wear Dior and whatnot. I know a girl who occasionally wears pearls to class. She's just the kind of kid who can do it without seeming tacky, though. I'd forgotten during Winter how preppy Andover is, because everyone basically wears jeans and sweatshirts. Now it's spring, and we have the return of Polos and searsucker shorts.</p>