<p>ggmom and Daykidmom- The worst thing in the world is putting on an earring without looking in the mirror and missing the right hole. I’ve missed more than once and it’s so painful! It’s also a painful reminder that my mother was right :). I thought those additional piercings would completely close overtime and I’m always shocked when an earring goes in. Ouch.</p>
<p>For new families - DO NOT BUY CLOTHING ANTICIPATING DRESS CODES FOR GIRLS. Once your D gets there, she will learn the “essential” items, and they all share anyway. So send her with underwear, socks, a few shorts and tee shirts and a few warm weather items for class, and WAIT until parents weekend to go shopping together. </p>
<p>We read the rule book, bought “skirts, dresses and nice slacks” and had EVERYTHING sent home in favor of the jeans that they all wear. Then of course her size changed because of the cafeteria food …</p>
<p>You will have plenty of time to send stuff when she is there. The requests will be specific.</p>
<p>I think boys may be easier?</p>
<p>Haha, PhotoMom: after many years of owning 8" boots (and might I say I was a trend setter who bought the first dark brown boots), I JUST this year bought the mocs… For late night taking the dogs out. I love them… Didn’t know the trick about the flap… I actually have the reverse problem, the flap/tongue is too floppy… Can’t get my feet in fast enough for the dogs liking… My life is full of these little challenges now that my kid is away at school!</p>
<p>@choatiemom: LOL, my Choate Sophomore actually wrote her English assignment on the dress on campus. So many riding boots, so few horses; so many docksiders and again, so few yaghts. But it’s the look that suggests something…what, I don’t know.</p>
<p>my bad. YACHT, not “g.” I knew something didn’t look right. Guess you know for sure, I don’t own one.:)</p>
<p>I am so glad I have a son, Timberland boots, a fur hunter hat and athletic pants and shirts. He did get a pair of KD Nike shoes that he bought with his own money. I tried to give him my bean boots with thinsulate but he refused. London203, the thinsulate makes for a much more practical boot in the cold NE. The CEO of Timberland graduated from his school so maybe Timberland is isolated to his school. I know they are popular in the Inner City.</p>
<p>I know, London. Completely insane. You put the mocs in boiling water for about a minute and take thick heavy duty rubber bands (stay with me) and place them so they hold down the flap. I had to do this a couple of times, but it worked. It’s so silly, but there was no way I was leaving my house with flaps up. Fashion is torture! And sometimes calls for pots of boiling water…</p>
<p>When I broke out my beat up Frye Harness boots, my lovely nieces teased me and called me “Mod”. Guess who’s wearing them now… </p>
<p>I think Boys Fashion has come a long way. I love all the Pea Coats I’m seeing this year. Someone told me Hockey Players brought back the trend. Go figure. Sadly, my boys don’t believe in coats… and most of the year avoid socks and shoes.</p>
<p>^^ I think someone gave me regular coffee instead of decaf last night. Seriously. ^^</p>
<p>Good advice about not buying clothing in advance! I made ds self conscious his first year at prep school because I had bought him 2 linen blazers from the gap in the “wrong” colors. That Spring I got him the standard navy wool that predominates, lesson learned. </p>
<p>DD felt most at home visiting schools with relaxed dress codes where no one style predominates. I think the lure of attending classes in sweat pants or unripped jeans will be a strong factor if she has a choice come March. I have to say, I like the look of the dressier campuses, but it is very nice when the focus is taken off of appearance.</p>
<p>I LOVE my Frye boots. And they are nearly 40 years old!</p>
<p>My DD says that they now make Timberlands for girls but she wouldn’t wear them because all the hockey bros wear them. She’s devoted to her Bean boots (which BTW she never would have considered for a second before she started boarding school).</p>
<p>As for buying clothes before school starts - yes, we all know that they won’t wear half of their wardrobes again after they start school, but it’s impossible to know which half!</p>
<p>I needed a palate cleanser after the other hot thread of the moment so will share this funny (to me) story regarding wardrobe…</p>
<p>So recently my younger D had a school visit/interview but it was close enough that we sent her to school for a half day. She was dressed up a bit more than usual, in some J. Crew stuff we bought at the outlet in one of their nutty 50% off plus another 20% sales.</p>
<p>One of the more popular, fashionista girls at her current school told her “Looking good 7D1…I see you’re ‘Crew’d out’ today.” It reminded me of an interview with Tom Ford when he was in the process of revamping Gucci…he called his daily uniform “The full ‘Gucc’.”</p>
<p>I just want to say: I love this thread and never want it to end.</p>
<p>I am late to the party but I just read this entire thread.</p>
<p>Ill add a story of my kids first week at school as a freshman. Ill leave out the part where I almost have a heart attack getting a call from the nurse.</p>
<p>While cleaning her dorm up to get it ready for her new room mates arrival she was trying to shoo flies out of the room. In a truly brainless moment she went to swat a fly into a glass window. Needless to say, the glass broke and her hand went through the window up past her wrist. </p>
<p>Her and a friend ran to get the nurse leaving glass and blood everywhere just in time for her new room mate and her parents to find as their first impression of DD. Not to mention DD walking around for a few weeks looking like an attempted virgin suicide. Not such a good first impression although her school is so small I am sure everyone pretty quickly heard about the freshman girl who didnt realize the window was closed…</p>
<p>HailuMu, how horrible a way to begin the year! I’m glad that the injury wasn’t worse.</p>
<p>@Rellielou,</p>
<p>you know, she did not seem so bothered by it. I would even say she was a bit amused with herself. Kids…</p>
<p>I was horrified but the school nurse is great and I knew she was ok once I calmed down.</p>
<p>I was a bit nervous after that though since her school requires each freshman bring an ax and a pocket knife to school. But she has proven to be adept at using both!</p>
<p>What do folks know about the Hawaiian prep schools. I mean, yes Punahou is well known because Obama and Nancy Cordes are alumni, but how do the others rate/compare?</p>
<p>HailuMu: Ax and pocket knife? What are they used for at the school?</p>
<p>@twinsmama,</p>
<p>DDs school is based on experiential learning so in addition to outdoor leadership programs they have a work program. There is an organic farm and farm animals on campus as well as all the other out door jobs. They are taught to use the pocket knife as a tool for various random needs. (I am not very outdoorsy as you can tell from my description)</p>
<p>The ax: This is actually pretty neat. The school has a tradition of not using gas or electric heat during the winters. Nor do they rely on water heaters (unless of course there is a no fire alert) So, every student takes a turn building the fire for their dorms shower every day. Called “shower fires” the freshmans right of passage is learning how to properly cut fire wood and enough to provide hot water for everyone. They also use wood burning stoves in the winter for heat. </p>
<p>I have to say it was a proud moment over winter break seeing my bookworm kid build the perfect wood fire.</p>
<p>HailuMu: COOL!</p>