<p>Hi everybody!</p>
<p>I'm going to be a freshman in Lawrenceville and my mother and I will be starting our 'shopping'
soon :) </p>
<p>So I thought it would be helpful for not only me but for others who have similar questions if we could hear what current students would recommend to wear for their "uniform"</p>
<p>Both girls and boys feel free to comment! :D</p>
<p>Hmm I think it all depends on the dress code. For girls, Hollister has some great “Supersoft Jeggings” that aren’t made of denim (I think it’s like cotton or something) and they’re like a cross between leggings and slacks - kind of like riding pants. They’re super cute! I also think pullover sweaters, cardigans, trench coats, Northfaces, etc. are really prominent on girls. I imagine the guys have it easier with just khakis and a coat hahah. :)</p>
<p>It really depends on your budget.
Choate’s dress code for guys is a collard shirt and no denim except for white denim.
If you want a preppy look, steer away from Hollister, Abercrombie, etc. and shop at places like JCrew, Vineyard Vines, Jack Wills, etc.</p>
<p>We can have denim at L’ville! That makes me happy.</p>
<p>Brooks Brothers
JCrew
Vineyard Vines
Ralph Lauren
etc</p>
<p>You don’t HAVE to be preppy. But if that is what you’re looking for, then the brands Sundlun recommended are fine.</p>
<p>No no no Hollister or Abercrombie. Ever. No American Eagle or that other mall store Aeropostale. No cargos. Nothing with writing on it, period. No jeggings, hoodies and No zippered sweaters unless they are quarter zips from vineyard vines. Basically dress like you would at the club. No visible underwear.</p>
<p>What to bring: sperrys. Vineyard vines, ralph Lauren is ok but no giant polo ponies even if you play polo. Wear some j crew khaki shorts with a pair of tennis shoes a white polo and a navy blue sweater and you be fine at orientation. Never a belt loop without a belt. Maybe bring very little until you see the look of the place.</p>
<p>Wow - is this true? I am hoping there are some boarding schools that will accept clothing that is a little more affordable for those of us on FA!</p>
<p>Kittenygoodness, it depends on the school. Not everyone goes to “the club,” so I doubt that advice is very applicable. Don’t worry, alyanj, when I visited L’ville everyone had their own style and it was all cool. You don’t have to be adorned in Vineyard Vines to fit in.</p>
<p>For alyanj, here’s a thread from last year:</p>
<p><a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1154491-prep-school-wardrobe-budget.html?highlight=wardrobe[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/prep-school-admissions/1154491-prep-school-wardrobe-budget.html?highlight=wardrobe</a></p>
<p>While my own children don’t do Hollister or Abercrombie (you all know that A&F was once a respected hunting/outdoors outfitter like LL Bean and Orvis, right?)…I realize that not everyone headed to boarding school may be familiar with what might be appropriate to wear “at the club” (I assume Kittenygoodness is talking about a country club here, not “in da club” in the manner of 50 Cent ;-P).</p>
<p>And while you can’t go wrong with her advice — “prep” schools begat the “preppy” style — kids bound for boarding school next Fall should feel free to rock whatever brands you like and can afford…as long as they are within your school’s dress code. </p>
<p>If your school is a more formal school (jacket and tie for boys, similar standards for girls) though, you should probably get familiar with the world of khakis and cords and blazers and the “J Crew” aesthetic.</p>
<p>I happen to like Lands End Canvas, a hipper line from this old school preppy mail order outfit that is cheaper than J. Crew…so I don’t feel as bad when my daughter’s clothes have bleach stains.</p>
<p>[Casual</a> Clothing for Men & Women | Lands’ End Canvas](<a href=“Lands' End: Swimsuits, Dresses, Polo Shirts, Shorts, Jeans”>Lands' End: Swimsuits, Dresses, Polo Shirts, Shorts, Jeans)</p>
<p>Another word of advice I’ll offer is to spend your money on a couple of nice pieces (blazer, shoes, Hunter boots) and then go to the Target, Gap, and H&M sale racks for everything else. The J. Crew online outlet has massive sales on weekends (see that thread I linked to above) and should also come in handy.</p>
<p>Sevendad, thank you. I think that needed to be said after kittygoodnesses’s post. That is very helpful advice for anyone entering boarding school. Too often, I feel people get scared thinking boarding school is country clubbers only.</p>
<p>I think Hollister/A&F is okay if 1) you don’t mind being “different” 2) it’s just a pair of pants! Hollister’s pants are only like 40 bucks compared to the 80 dollar Banana Republic ones…whatever floats your boat, I guess - and your (parents’) wallet! I’m sure not every single person wears like total prep stuff, because not everybody is a preppy person. Not only do you have kids from other parts of the country, but also from other parts of the world. I certainly won’t be tailoring my wardrobe to fit the mold of a preppy New Englander or New York elitist. That being said, definitely get a good coat. I can only imagine how cold those winters are…brrrr.</p>
<p>Haha, I’m going the preppy route, even though Northfield Mount Hermon is SOO lenient about their dress code (you can wear sweatpants!!). I’m buying a lot of khakis (probably hollister ones, cause I like the fit best). I agree about the whole abercrombie, hollister thing. Those stores are more for douchy public school kids. However, I am bringing a sweater and cardigan from A&F because the quality is really nice, and they don’t really display the logo that much. I’m also bringing a LOT of polos and couple button downs. I think I’ll bring a suit for more formal dinners and dances etc. and I’ll bring some sweatshirts and sweatpants to wear on the weekend, or if I’m feeling lazy. I’m not bringing a lot of jeans, cause I’m not really a jean person. And lastly, khaki shorts!! Haha, love these!! That’s about it I think (I probably left some stuff out, I’m pretty tired).</p>
<p>Thanks a lot everybody! :D</p>
<p>The advice helped out a lot~
What I’ve done was buy a few nice shirts with a cardigan or two and a few dresses. I’ve also ordered two sperrys (buy from the youth sizes since the prices are a lot more reasonable)
I’m planning on getting at least one blazer, formal shorts and straight/skinny pants </p>
<p>Good luck to everyone and thanks again for the advice! Hope it helped other people as well</p>
<p>Ouch! I guess I deserve what I got on that one. It is the golfer in me, so I didn’t mean to sound like a snob but usually dress codes follow some basic rules. I was trying to say (but said poorly) don’t overdo the logo, and dress neatly, follow your own style if you can. BTW Land’s end polo shirts are ten dollars, those work just as well as a vineyard vines version (although those are available at many outlet malls). A lot of schools require the collar, and Land End/ Bean is a relatively inexpensive way to do it with a good quality shirt. Seven Dad hit it on the head with “a few good pieces.” I guess my standard boring uniform plan, in other words is, don’t try to dress up too much on arrival. Show the person, not the clothes.</p>
<p>Don’t ask adults. By this time, you’ve probably made some Facebook friends at your future school. Do you still have your tour guide’s contact information? Ask them. Over the summer, you will receive guidance from your school on what to pack, from clothes to school supplies. It’s generally good advice. </p>
<p>Malls are a wonderful invention. Mall brands like J. Crew and Ralph Lauren specialize in the prep look. You can buy polos, khakis, and conservatively cut sweaters at JC Penny, Target, or your local discount store. Try to buy natural fibers, although polar fleece is also fine.</p>
<p>If you’re a guy, you’ll need a blue blazer, a tie, and dress shoes, even at schools which don’t have a formal dress code. If you’re an 8th grade guy, you will grow in the next year, so don’t buy a lifetime supply of khakis–they’ll be too short before long.</p>
<p>If you sign up for laundry service, your clothes will take a beating. Everything gets washed cold. Try not to go overboard on expensive clothing.</p>
<p>^ Thanks for the insight on the laundry service, I had no idea it was like that. 
What would you do if the clothes need to be dry cleaned? Take it into town?</p>
<p>Dry cleaning is an optional service. IIRC, 5 items a week. Your school will send a brochure with details from their laundry service. I don’t know if all schools use the same service. </p>
<p>If you hand wash clothes, you should ask if there is space for the clothes to hang dry.</p>
<p>If you’re a girl you can check out the Forever21 website and the store. Not everything is going to be “dress code appropriate” but they have a nice selection of clothes that are. I noticed a lot of really nice skirts and sweaters on the website.</p>
<p>Bring a lot of dresses! You don’t realize how many occasions you have to dress up for at first, however there are a bunch. My freshmen year I only brought like 3 dresses, and by the end of the first month I didn’t have anything in my closet to wear for formal occasions. Also make sure you have a few cardigans that will match your dresses.</p>