<p>Please do UVA a favor and don’t buy anymore North Face fleeces/jackets. Half of the school wear them and you can get better jackets like Ecko.</p>
<p>Regarding the convenience stores at UVA, if you ask the lady before they close C3 in Newcomb, sometimes she’ll be nice and give you salads/sandwiches for free 
I’m only saying this because I have graduated.</p>
<p>barboza: they happen to be exceptionally well made jackets. I can wear the fleece year round pretty much without being too hot or too cold. Obviously July/August nights don’t need it much, and sometimes Jan/Feb days are just too cold, but it’s an effective jacket. The Gortex jacket that went along with it kept me dry in two days of being outside in the pouring ran.
Also, Crossroads is another location that often gives away free food at 2am. Sabarro pizza is a feat at 2am ;)</p>
<p>Whenever it’s a bit colder, all the northface jackets are everywhere. Sometimes i have to admit, it’s a bit boring to see everyone is in the same brand, style, design, etc. It’s like in a bus of 15 people, 12 of them are wearing northface, 3 of them are in the exactly same color and model. A friend of mine who is a transfer from another state school said it was not a common phenomenon in his old school. It’s probably true because UVa is a bit preppy and full of rich kids…</p>
<p>It was the same way at VT</p>
<p>It is that way in HS too, but that’s partly because it is a very warm jacket that isn’t bulky – and lasts!</p>
<p>Northface is definitely not your only option. But people buy it because it works. It is a tad bit more expensive, but Patagonia is the same way. Have you ever seen Man vs Wild? Bear wears Northface when he goes to colder regions lol. So, if it can stand the dead winter of Sweden, it’ll work here.</p>
<p>You also have other options. I had a beautiful Calvin Klein down jacket, but unfortunately, my mother and I are the same size. So when I came to get it during Fall Break, it had mysteriously disappeared. >.> People buy Northface because it works, and they aren’t really aware of other brands. Mountain Hardwear is starting to show up a little more (when I say little, I mean like 1 person for every 100). Patagonia and Marmot are also great brands with great products. Similar stuff to Northface, but a different label. Similar pricing.</p>
<p>I bought a Northface because: A) I got it on sale for a ridiculous price. 
and B) It was the jacket I wanted, and served triple duty since I could use the shell and lining together for a winter jacket, the lining for a light jacket, and the shell for a rain jacket (I already had a rain jacket, but it’s nice to have options). If I had found a Patagonia for the same price, and similar design, I would have bought it. Buy for functionality, price, and the fit on you. Don’t buy just because everyone else is wearing it.</p>
<p>…And also don’t not buy it just because everyone else is wearing it. I was once a self-proclaimed North Face hater, but then I actually started using one of their light fleece sweaters and have come to really like their products. </p>
<p>In addition to TNF, Patagonia, Marmot, and Mountain Hardwear, Outdoor Research is also a great brand. If you’re filthy rich, Arc’teryx and Cloudveil make excellent jackets as well.</p>
<p>ahh thank you shirker! I completely forgot about Arc’teryx and Outdoor Research. </p>
<p>If you have a good eye, you can get a great deal on arc’teryx and cloudveil. I got my brother an Arc’teryx for his birthday last year.</p>
<p>Ecko! Ecko! Ecko!</p>
<p>Okay, a little late, been busy working and golfing the summer away, but here is the male perspective.</p>
<p>Shorts and Pants: Jeans and Khakis will suffice for almost any day of the year. If you’re not used to a humid climate (I grew up in a city that gets less precipitation that Phoenix), the humidity can make the winter feel really cold. There was one night during rush that the temperature dropped below 0, so invest in some flannel lined khaki pants. During the warmer months, regular khaki shorts will suffice.</p>
<p>Shirts: Polos, tees, or button down oxfords will do you just about any day of the week. After 2 weeks, ironing will be a thing of the past. Even as a neat freak, I just couldn’t bring myself to iron anymore. If you really care about your shirts being nicely cleaned and pressed, the dry cleaner down alderman will launder and press men’s shirts for $0.99 each. </p>
<p>Sweaters: For the chillier days, invest in a lightweight wool or cashmere sweater, and one heavier wool sweater. You can usually find good prices at the Polo outlet.</p>
<p>Jackets: The North Face fleece is the most common, especially in black. After having lost a fleece jacket at a frat party, you can’t get particularly attached to them. I personally prefer Patagonia over North Face, but it all comes down to personal preference. I brought a down jacket, didn’t really wear it much as a fleece was enough most nights. An alternative to a down jacket is a Barbour Quilt or Wax cotton coat. A good Gore Tex or rain jacket is essential since it can rain cats and dogs quite frequently - ie. also bring an unbrella. I’d also recommend a light party jacket, mine is from Lululemon that’s good for the cooler nights of the fall (or when you might not feel the cold on the way home ;)). </p>
<p>Shoes: In the summer I live in Rainbows, they’re so comfortable, and definitely worth the $50. On other days, I usually wear Sperry’s, loafers, or Asics sneakers. Having grown up in somewhat of a hick town (of 1 million people) out west, people wearing cowboy boots was not uncommon to me, and I continued to wear my cowboy boots frequently in C’Ville. I think lots of northerners are initially quite surprised to see cowboy boots on a daily basis, but many even get some by the end of the year. Frye makes some good ones, and so do Nocona and the Alberta Boot Company. When it starts raining, Bean Boots or Hunter Wellies are the best investment a guy can make. The 6" Bean boots are probably your best bet for all around use. </p>
<p>Gym wear: I can’t stand wearing cotton shorts to the gym, so if you’re looking for some high end “athletic fibre” clothes, check out Lululemon in Tysons Corner or wherever is nearest to you.</p>
<p>Sunglasses: Costas and Croakies or Ray Bans and Croakies are the most common.</p>
<p>Formal Wear: In general (and especially in the greek system), you’ll need at least on navy blazer, lots of ties (Vineyard Vines, Brooks Brothers, J Crew and Southern Proper are great), and a tux. My thoughts on a tuxedo are: if you intend to rent one more than twice, just buy one. It will fit you better, cost the same amount, and wont be completely sh***y quality.</p>
<p>Backpack: I really like my Mountain Equipment Co-op backpack, high quality, and more than big enough for my 15" MacBook Pro (or the perfect size for a case of Natty). [MEC</a> Adventurer Daypack - Mountain Equipment Co-op](<a href=“http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT<>prd_id=845524441771827&FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302699687&bmUID=1246390251252]MEC”>http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT<>prd_id=845524441771827&FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302699687&bmUID=1246390251252)</p>
<p>Phone: I was a die hard BlackBerry guy until I got the first gen iPhone. It does so much, and it’s really nice to always have an iPod on you. I got an email a couple weeks ago from AT&T saying that they’re adding towers to JPJ and Scott Stadium for enhanced coverage during Football games (when texts and calls sometimes didn’t go through), and they’re going to have 3G active in C’Ville by the end of the summer, so I’m definitely going to upgrade to the 3G S now. The cell phone service on the first floor or basement of dorms was occasionally bad, I think Alltel generally had the best coverage, but AT&T was more than sufficient.</p>
<p>db, ebags.com sells that North Face Recon SE.</p>
<p>And please don’t wear Ecko.</p>