Don't carry a purse or everyone will know you're a freshman. That is still true, isn't it? (Please tell me yes or I will really feel like an old bat)
I went to a school in the Northeast where water in every form existed at all times -rain, snow, hail, mist you name it. And it was COLD. That is one thing you get over really quickly - you don't wear the cutest outfit, you wear the warmest one.
(stepping on soapbox) It kind of depresses me to see the "label" thing coming back. When I got to college, it was a relief that no one cared if I was wearing designer jeans (see, I told you I'm old) or not. Basically, whatever looked good on you was what you wore. Guess jeans were kinda big, but since they looked horrid on me, I skipped them and it didn't make me a social pariah.
(stepping off soapbox)
It also depends where your school is located, if there's a decent mall near it or not. We would have had to travel 100 miles to get to an Ann Taylor!