<p>I know this might sound like a dumb question but here I go. My son, a CA native surfer type is heading out next week to check out a few east coast schools. He will be going to North Carolina, Boston and NY. His basic attire is tight jeans, a t-shirt and sweatshirt...is this appropriate for a college visit? I seem to think this is basic college attire around the country but my husband is thinking khakis and collared shirt, a bit more preppy although this would definitely require a shopping trip because he doesn't even know what khakis are...lol. Also, as really dumb as this may sound, he doesn't own a winter coat, he has a snowboard jacket...will this work?</p>
<p>Thanks from sunny CA where it is currently 75 :)</p>
<p>Snowboard jacket will be fine. As far as other attire, the key in my view is whether or not he’ll be interviewing. If there is a chance he might do an admissions interview, I’d advise taking one pair of khakis and a collared shirt, plus shoes better looking than an old pair of athletic shoes. If he’s a junior, though, many schools won’t do interviews until something like June. If he’s not interviewing, he’ll fit in fine on most college campuses with jeans, t-shirt and sweatshirt.</p>
<p>I’m impressed your high schooler is wearing tight jeans. Those haven’t really caught-on with boys at my kids’ HS (yet). :)</p>
<p>If he’s coming east for informational tours and visits then I’d say hole-free jeans and a polo shirt will be all he needs. If he’ll have an interview, then khakis and a button-down. Snowboard jacket should be fine in either case. (He’ll need it!)</p>
<p>I would actually suggest few sweaters. It’s cold and damp here.</p>
<p>If he is doing college visit, why doesn’t he contact few professors of major(s) he is interested in. In that case, he may want to wear a button down shirt or a polo shirt under a sweater or something. I think jeans should be fine if he has a sweater or button shirt on.</p>
<p>I agree with the posters above: hole-free jeans and some tshirts (long sleeves would not be a bad idea, but not for fashion reasons) for tours and info sessions are fine, khakis and a collared shirt of some kind are desirable for interviews. I think that sneakers are okay for interviews as long as they are not horrendously decrepit (as my S’s often are ).I do think that if he is going to be walking around Boston and New York he might want to consider bringing a ski hat and gloves just in case, and something to layer under the boarding jacket, like a sweater and/or microfleece. You never know what the weather will be like at this time of year, and he obviously is not really accustomed to the cold wind whipping in off the Atlantic. (Boston is the second windiest city in the US, after Amarillo.)</p>
<p>He’ll be fine. I agree with weather like today’s a hat and gloves/mittens is useful. My younger son won’t be caught dead in khakis (or cords). He’s been wearing brand new black jeans with various button down shirts to interviews. If the weather is below 20, I think another layer besides a t-shirt is good. Long sleeve tee under short sleeve, or flannel shirt over tee both work. I don’t see sweaters much, but are good for dressing up a little.</p>
<p>NYC gets wind tunnel effects and can also be quite chilly.</p>
<p>I’m in NC and have two college age S’s who go/went to state schools here. Tight jeans on guys are more the alternative look rather than the norm here. Of course that could vary depending on which school he’s visiting,
I do agree if he’s just taking the official group tour, his jeans should be fine.<br>
Def. bring a jacket. Even though we’re in the sunny south, it’s cold. High temp. of forty degrees here today.</p>
<p>If he is looking at Emerson while in Boston, tight jeans will blend in , but according to my daughters, aren’t too popular with guys out here ( yet )</p>
<p>Layers are goofd for the east coast tis time of year…been a rough winter</p>
<p>hey
i live in ct and am in ventura ca visiting my parents. first let me say my nephew was born and raised in sunny cali went to boston for undergrad, and was suprised atr just how cold it is in jan/feb/march.
So as a mom my advice would be warm snowboard jacket, many layers.
If I could I would be in the sun everytime.</p>
<p>He has a few thermals and flannel shirts, he should be fine, layers it will be…over his skinny jeans. Thanks for the advice and if he sticks out as an LA kid so be it!!</p>
<p>As long as he dresses for the weather, he can wear anything he wants. There is no strict east coast style. Get a fleece he can wear under the snowboard jacket and he’ll be fine. I wear a board jacket much of the winter.</p>
<p>I was in NYC last week and one thing I noticed was that there was no certain style, but lots of the young guys had on tight jeans. The color though, was black. Lot’s of black.</p>
<p>For the other east-coasters on this thread - do your boys really wear khakis? I realized reading this thread that after my son outgrew his last pair, I never replaced them. He has one pair of black slacks that he wore to Homecoming dance last fall and then just a few pairs of jeans. He and all his friends tend to wear what I think of the standard boy outfit- t-shirt or long sleeve thermal and a lined sweatshirt. I really don’t see teen boys wearing khaki’s anymore, even for dress up, at least around here.</p>
<p>I’m in NoVa, where the snow is deep but the politicians aren’t. Snowboard jacket is fine. Definately bring hat & gloves for Boston & NYC. Toss a long-sleeve collared shirt into the suitcase for good luck - it doesn’t take much room & can be used as a layer. As others have advised, tell your S to bring clothes that he can layer for warmth (though my S2 returned to school yesterday for the first time since Feb 4 wearing holey jeans, a short T-shirt, no coat. Ah, to have a fiery metabolism again!) There are bitter cold winds that blow off the water in Boston & NYC.</p>
<p>Kathiep, my S2 only wears khakis for school presentations and interviews. Otherwise, holey jeans that sag below the ‘plumber-line’ are his trousers of choice. S1, by contrast, had a closet full of khakis, but those were part of his uniform when he worked at Starbucks.</p>
<p>Just make sure his clothes fit him, don’t have holes or tears, are clean, and that he doesn’t look like he slept in his clothes. That means…not too tight and not too loose…just right sized pants. No oversized hoodies…you’ve got the picture.</p>
<p>I agree that if he plans to interview anywhere or plans to meet any professors, he should go one peg up on the clothes.</p>
<p>And yes…my east coast kid (25) still owns khakis. In fact, he got a new pair as a Christmas present. he doen’t wear them often, but when he needs them…he NEEDS them.</p>
<p>My S (in grad school) wears khaki only for interviews and other “dress-up” occasions, teamed with a polo shirt (I have yet to get him to wear buttoned shirts). in cooler weather, he puts a sweater on top of the polo shirt. The rest of the time, he wears cargo pants and T-shirts, with a hoodie or a windbreaker. When it is really cold (eg. in the 30s or below), he puts on a parka.</p>
<p>There are different “styles” with the kids these days. There are still some kids wearing cargo pants and shorts(in summer) although around here they are becoming alittle old school. There are still a few kids wearing saggy jeans and trucker hats. There are the hipster/alternative types wearing tight skinny leg jeans and then there are kids (like mine) that are slightly conservative and wear looser jeans (not baggy), corduroy “jeans” in winter and khakis in spring and fall, short sleeve polos in warm weather and long sleeve in cold. I noticed mine are starting to wear plaid flannel shirts over white t-shirts lately. Kids need to be comfortable with what they are wearing so I think dress your son warm in clean, un-torn clothes that he’s comfortable in and send a coat, hat and mittens or gloves and he should be fine.</p>
).I do think that if he is going to be walking around Boston and New York he might want to consider bringing a ski hat and gloves just in case, and something to layer under the boarding jacket, like a sweater and/or microfleece. You never know what the weather will be like at this time of year, and he obviously is not really accustomed to the cold wind whipping in off the Atlantic. (Boston is the second windiest city in the US, after Amarillo.)</p>