My Must Haves in College (And Why I Wouldn’t Buy Most of Them Now)
If you went to a preppy East Coast school like I did, you know about the “uniform”. The particular $150+ jeans that were in at the moment, the fleece, the flip-flops, the embroidered pants and so on. The “uniform” was foreign to me when I arrived on campus, my first time even visiting anywhere west of Texas in the US, nevermind that this would become my home for the next eight years. I had never heard of The North Face or Rainbows and could not for the life of me understand why the guys insisted on using thin stretchy bands to hold their sunglasses around their necks (later I found out they were called Croakies, which is a terrible name). But being the label-grubber that I am was, I decided fairly quickly which of these East Coast staples I would adopt (like a wear-everywhere fleece) and which ones I would openly mock (the pants with the little whales on them). I was always an outsider in my college to most people since I came from a public school in California and not Exeter, but I never minded. The people that mattered didn’t mind…you know the rest of the saying. Anyways, it didn’t mean I was a loner or totally immune to the styles preferred on campus. Students on campus dressed overwhelmingly alike: most people were very clean-cut and put together and preferred Polo to Billabong, madras to ripped jeans, muted pastels to choke-on-it 80s neon. Or, the opposite of everything I like. Still, there were some things that I felt like I had to have:
The North Face Denali Fleece
College kids and rappers have to be keeping The North Face in business. After a while, I noticed that 90% of the population had this fleece jacket in one or more colors. Even though I wanted this jacket, I eventually settled on The North Face’s less popular rival: the Patagonia R2 fleece for a cool $150.
The R2 didn’t look quite as cool as the Denali fleece, but for someone who is constantly cold and was new to snow in the winters, it was amazing. I loved this fleece and wore it regularly for years, until I lost it to a hall closet somewhere. In college, especially in a cold climate, a simple fleece like this was a 4-year staple of your wardrobe. Girls would wear women’s The North Face jackets over a party outfit without blinking because the look was totally entrenched in our minds.
Cost: $150
The Longchamp Le Pliage bag or Herve Chapelier bag
Once again, the preferred bag of choice for girls on campus was something I had never heard of. This Longchamp Le Pliage bag is a simple nylon tote bag that is $145 and comes in a rainbow of colors. I don’t know about you, but when I notice a brand that some people are wearing, pretty soon it feels like everybody has one and you are left out of a cool club. I never got the appeal of the Longchamp bag but I did spring for another popular tote, which was the Herve Chapelier nylon tote for close to $100. I admit that peer pressure got me to buy this overpriced nylon bag, but I still have mine and use it all the time, from beach trips or as an overnight bag. I bought one for my mom years ago as well and it’s still her everyday gym bag.
Herve Chapelier bags
Cost: $100
Lacoste Polos
One of the last must-haves that I will never forget from my college days were the polos. Polos were everywhere. Even though I went to a top California high school that sent at least a dozen kids to Ivy League schools every year, no one in my high school dressed as formally as my college classmates. High school was tees and jeans, with the more adventurous girls in cuter, summery outfits. College was polos and dress shirts and boat shoes, preferably all Ralph Lauren Polo or Lacoste (and Sperry for the boat shoes). Lacoste polos could easily become a small-time habit if you weren’t careful. The colors available were seemingly endless and each polo was $72.
Cost: $144 for two polos
Total Cost of College Must Haves: $394
Wear It Because You Like It, Not Because Everyone Else Has It
I have so many more items on my must have list, but I’ll stop there for now. I eventually stopped trying to keep with my classmates when it came to shopping and keeping up appearances. I can’t imagine buying much these days more than $30 when it comes to clothing. But in college I thought nothing of buying expensive items. Even though I am amazed at how much I spent on clothes and appearances for trivial things, I know that some items really give you your money’s worth. As in, I definitely could use another Patagonia fleece right about now!
Did you have any must have items in college? Were they expensive or cheap? Would you still wear/use it today?
I see the Le Pliage EVERYWHERE. Hehe. Love it and came pretty close to buying one, but then I found a gorgeous leather bag on Jcrew for $180 on sale, and I realized that I can’t pay almost the same amount for a nylon bag right now. It looks really cute and useful, though.
They are cute but you’re right, it’s all about utility of your money..that could be better spent elsewhere! I like their timelessness, especially in black.
My version of that was seeing Lily Pulitzer dresses on girls when I lived in DC — I was like, why are all these grown women dressing like little girls? Then I saw the price tag, and I could not get over it. Lime green plus bright pink = $300? WHY?
Oh wow I totally forgot about the Lilly dresses! That was definitely part of the look on campus. Unflattering cotton sheath dress that makes some girls look like linebackers? No thanks!
Although I went to college a long time ago, I think it is still true. Clothes are casual and low maintenance. That is wash it and wear it. Tee shirts, jeans, Polartec, or jacket.
That’s funny about those Longchamp bags. I don’t see anyone wear them in Vancouver but when I was in Thailand so may ex-pats, tourists, and well to go Thais had them! They were everywhere!
Vancouver’s West Coast too, you guys are like a cooler California!
I can relate to this. I too had to adapt to a new student body and environment. I went from the Sun Shine State, Naples exactly, to Valley City, North Dakota and I had my ”MUST” haves as well. They were more like necessities. Different kind of pants than what I used, jackets, fleas, and “North Face” became a familiar brand to me. Like you said, wear it because you like, or need it, not because every one else has it.
Wow, I thought the Eastern Seaboard was cold…I can’t imagine what North Dakota was like! That’s a serious winter.
Ha! I CAN’T relate to this. I was always too broke for designer clothes in college. After all my fancy education, the irony is that I’m STILL too broke for designer clothes. Sallie Mae, however, dresses to the nines, thanks to my money.
And all this is on top of college fees as well.
I do wonder – I don’t think students in the UK are so sartorial but maybe that’s because I live in the realistic north of England.
I suspect people who have been to private (and sometimes very expensive) schools then on to university will have Mummy and Daddy shelling out all the time.
But (parental) money is no indicator of intelligence, drive, ambition or ability. It just buys influence.
Yes, very true, and influence goes a LONG way…though that doesn’t mean it’s hopeless for the rest of us!
Never understood the desire for all the brand name stuff! Sadly, I don’t even recognize half of the stuff you listed. Man oh man… I must live under a rock!
No way, that’s a GREAT thing! I love not knowing what’s “cool”, it means I don’t care and I don’t need it
I knew all the things you listed and I don’t own a single one. I personally always try to buy what I like, but I won’t say that I won’t get excited if something I like is trendy at the moment. I plan on going in state for college, and I live in a very relaxed state, so I’m not super worried that I will “need” something that I don’t already own.
I guess sometime after college you just stop caring. I have pants that I have had for ten years and still wear. I’m a mom, though, so most of my stuff has spilled food on it anyway. Oh well =/
That’s the results of trying to compete with your friends or classmates. You end up broke. It’s okay when you or your parents are loaded. Trend changes quickly and you might have spent hundreds of dollars for something that you won’t wear again because it’s no longer ‘it’. Total waste.
Haha, I’m so happy I went to a hippy school where thrift store shopping was in. I wore jeans and sweaters everyday, had two pairs of jeans, and three sweaters. Haha, sometimes, it’s actually liberating to be poor. I did have Rainbow sandals though…
Wow, loving the new look on your website, by the way! “Don’t compare, contrast!” Keep up the good work!
That Longchamp bag was $100 for me in Paris, and I use it CONSTANTLY. I’m surprised at how I’d willingly pay $100 for another one again if this one ever broke.
It cleans easily, holds almost everything, is lightweight, folds up, and most of all, has great, sturdy, not-too-thin leather handles.
That said, I’ll probably buy my next one on consignment. I see plenty for sale in stores for around $100.
I would still buy the Lacoste shirts. Those are awesome!
I’m in a prestigious school in midwest…but almost the SAME!
Everyone uses longchamp (which I personally love A LOT!!! after i bought it for college, i found it so useful, holding everything i need for school. ) Everyone wears TNF POLO and Hunter.
But not a lot shirts actually :p
Another thing is Vera Bradley, small wristlet for cellphone, student card, cashes…
I’m a bit confused by the point…everyone had North Face and you bought Patagonia at the same price point and loved it and got use out of it. Same with the bag. Perhaps there is a reason everyone wears North Face fleece—it’s good quality and has a well-deserved reputation. I can’t wear the Denali because of its shape and for a while I’d buy a new fleece every year that ends up trashed in a season while friends wore Denali for years on end. Some were even brand (I refuse to call it designer) names; but Calvin Klein is not really known for fleece now are they? ExOfficio ended up being my winner and I spent $200 on two and after 3 winters they look new and still feel as soft as baby kittens. I’d buy them again in a heartbeat. Same with Hunter rain boots ($45 from the Rack!) that I walk a mile in across downtown Seattle everyday before changing to real shoes at the office. 4 months old and still look brand new and are as comfortable as Nike’s. All my less expensive rainboots are now delegated to walking the dog.
I don’t quite get the point of $70 polo shirts as colors change and spills happen.
Tevas are about the only thing I remember from college and except for the stench of Teva feet, they were well worth the purchase price for their versatility and longevity. I am ashamed to admit I word them with socks however.
Sally, hehe, you’re right. I was just pointing out I was no good at resisting peer pressure to buy the more expensive items (which I couldn’t really afford) but at the same time, I did discover some products I loved. North face and Patagonia were pretty much the same on campus, though the North Face was a little more popular. That Patagonia fleece was awesome, I’d buy one again in a minute except I don’t live anywhere cold anymore. I never needed rainboots but those sound like a good deal to me.