SHOPPING GUIDE by Rasna v.

2
(Intended for girls)
Date: 4th June, 2021

This list is the second version of the shopping list I created and shared in July, 2019. This one is
further revised and modified based on my experience in the US as a female graduate student
living on my own for the last three years. I added more explanation on the necessity of possible
purchases and locations where one can find necessary things in either Bangladesh or USA. I also
tried to mention the print and color perspective of women’s dress in the USA, because it is very
different from Bangladesh. But at the end, buy and wear anything that makes you comfortable
and happy.

It is true that, everything can be eventually found in the USA if we search enough. But for initial
days of survival, we may need to bring some stuff from home to feel at home. I hope my
shopping list helps you save some money and purchase what is the most important.

Clothes, shoes:
Sweater 2 sweaters are enough. Convenient for the first few months during Fall to
keep yourself warm. You can purchase nice quality sweaters from
Marshalls, TJMaxx, Ross, Burlington at a very low price. Macy’s also has
sweaters at reasonable prices during sale seasons. In the USA, solid colors
with simple patterns are preferred for fall sweaters. I have not seen a lot of
girls wearing too bright and heavily patterned sweaters in academic settings.
A few examples of typical sweater are given below:

Hoodie: Buy it from the USA with your University Logo. Hoodies here have good
quality fleece inside, which does not get ruined when you wash them in the
washing machine.
Jeans Pants (2 or 3): Hawkers/Noorjahan/Artisan in BD.
In the USA, Marshalls/ Macy’s have jeans pants at a reasonable price. The
shapes and cuttings of the jeans in the USA are a little bit different. If you
are not very familiar with wearing jeans, you can give trials at a store in the
USA and buy a pair based on your comfort.
If you are near or above size 10 (please google the US women pant size for
reference), high waist mom jeans are there for you. If you are below size 6,
there are skinny leg jeans. So many options to choose from!
 A lot of states are on the colder side, so jeans keep you warm. You can wash
them frequently without ruining them.
Sweatpants Do you like wearing sweatpants? If yes, buy 1 or 2 from Artisan/Noorjahan
market/other shops. I never found a decent pair of sweatpants in Bangladesh
that fits me well and gives me comfort. I purchased sweatpants with fleece
inside from TJMaxx (USA). They are so soft and warm, nice fit and good
quality; price was below $25.
Belt: 1 or 2 (Artisan).
Leggings Do you like wearing leggings? If yes, buy a few, 2 or 3, basic colors; the
quality is far better in the USA.
Tank Tops (all basic colors), MUST buy from Bangladesh (Gawsia/Hawkers). Tank
tops are useful to prevent wardrobe malfunction when you are wearing a
shirt or T-shirt. Always try to wash them in a gentle cycle and air dry.

Undergarments around 12 pairs or more MUST (here, super expensive).

T-shirts: Ladies T-shirts from Aziz, Artisan etc. 6/7 pieces. Eventually, you can find
cute T-shirts at Forever 21, Target, H&M, TJMaxx etc. But for the first few
months, I recommend bringing it from Bangladesh. Also, try to wash the
T-shirts in a gentle/delicate cycle and air dry them. Dryers shrink the T-shirts
and all will be ruined.
Casual Blazer, Long I would suggest not buying from Bangladesh, because style is a lot different.
Formal Skirt Come here, go to H&M or Macy’s after the first month, buy your blazer and
pants/ formal shirt and skirt.
Shirts/tops: 4/5 pieces. If you are comfortable buying clothes from Noorjahan or
Hawkers without trying them on, that is fine. I went to Artisan, Westecs,
because I needed to try on the shirts/tops to make sure the size is correct.

Btw, style here is pretty different. If you prefer long shirts/tops, you can
purchase a few from Bangladesh. Long shirts/tops are not always readily
available. Floral shirts are popular in summer. Otherwise, girls in the USA
wear very boring shirts/tops of solid colors.

If you struggle to find tops in your size, do not waste your time searching for
them in Bangladesh. Trust me, the stores in the USA have dresses of every
size possible on earth.
 Below I attached few examples of shirts and tops:

Trouser: must buy 7/8 pieces (Artisan /Noorjahan /Hawkers), Artisan has good
quality. Noorjahan is also fine. I am still using the trousers I bought from
Artisan three years ago. Using heavily, still as new.
Shrug 1 pr 2 thin comfortable shrug to put on your T-shirt; black/ gray. If you are
okay without shrug, do not buy. Otherwise, you can find it in Artisan.
Shawls (1/2); bring designer ones (Kashmiri may be?). Don’t bring thin shawls.
They won’t serve the purpose. You can buy heavy shawls from here at a
reasonable price, but it is not really necessary to buy.
Thermal Inners (top I bought 2 pairs, never used those. If you are going to a colder state, you can
+ bottom) buy one pair from BD (Noorjahan market, second floor). 1 pair is enough.
Waterproof Jacket If needed, buy from the USA later. Quality matters.
with hoodie:
Woolen Overcoat I won’t suggest it. Buy this from the USA (Zarra has good overcoats. If you
are coming in August, you will not need a coat before November).
Interestingly, coats are not very popular among students. I think, it is more
popular in Europe than in the USA. However, I have seen some female
students wearing coats just for fashion purposes. An overcoat is not a
necessity.
Raincoat Buy 1 piece from the USA if you like wearing raincoats. I never bought one
since I use an umbrella. But it can be helpful if you go for a trip during the
rain.
Woolen Hand gloves I recommend buying it from the USA. You can find it in Walmart for around
10 dollars.

Thick Woolen Usually, woolen socks are not necessary at all. During winter, you are going
Socks: to wear thermal inner pants under your jeans or sweatpants. On top of that,
you will wear boots and your parka (heavy winter jacket). Woolen socks will
just sweat out your feet under all those layers. But, if you still feel very cold,
purchase 1 or 2 pairs from the USA.
Cotton Socks: short and long, black + white + color (15 to 20 pairs) MUST.
Mufflers: YES. 2 pieces. Not more than that.
Sneakers: Only one decent new pair. You can buy from here later.
Formal Shoes: You can buy it from H&M, Target, DSW or Macy’s in the USA (1 pair only).
Sports Underwear: Buy from the USA later. Might be expensive here. But it is worth it.
 Boots/snow boots: FROM USA. There are several types of boots. One type is lightweight,
artificial leather, fashionable, and waterproof with fleece inside. These are
fine for rainy winter days. You can wear it inside a building also where the
heater is ON.

Another type of boots is useful for heavy snow. These are not great for rough
use or for wearing inside a building. These have very good grips so that you
do not slip on snow or black ice. These are heavy in weight.
Winter Jacket/Parka: 1 pc. I suggest buying it from the USA (1 pc). But, if you are concerned with
price, which can be pretty expensive, you can try bongobazar. But I still
recommend buying it from the USA. Quality matters. North Face, Columbia,
Michael Kors, Kelvin Klein are some good brands.These are very cold
winters below 10 degrees celsius.

Saree/ Saree: based on a few important occasions.

Kameez/Jewelries/ Salwar Kameez: Do you want to wear kamiz a lot? If yes, bring 4 or 5 sets
fotua/taaga with soft colors and simple patterns. Sometimes I wear cotton long-sleeved
kameez with jeans or sweatpants in my lab, that keeps me warm and does
not make me feel stand out. However, it is not always convenient to wear
kamiz inside a lab because of the length of the kamiz.
It is totally up to you what traditional dresses you want to wear. My
suggestion is not to crowd your luggage too much.
Hijab 5/ 6; Solid and soft colors, or any print you like. According to my
observation, some examples are:

Sanitary Pads 1 packet from Bangladesh for the first month. CVS has sanitary pads.
HOME/ cooking ware
Pillow: I brought one from BD. Still using that.
Side Pillow: There are side pillows in Walmart which are really comfortable.
Bedsheet and pillow 3 bedsheets and 3 pairs of pillow covers.
covers:
Katha: 1 Nokshi katha from Aarong. It is not really necessary. But, if you like katha,
one is enough.
Comforter: Buy 1 from the USA (Walmart has good comforters/thin blankets).
Bedside Rugs: 2
Shola’r jhaaru 1
Plate, mug, 1 pcs each one. These are very cheap at walmart/ dollar tree. I recommend
Teaspoon, fork and that you plan a trip to Walmart with a Bangladeshi senior (or anyone
TableSpoon you know who is willing to help) at your campus in your first week in
the USA.
Water bottle 1, not more than that.
Cooking pan 1 for the first few days; Walmart has full sets of cooking ware at a reasonable
price. If you are going to go to Walmart during your first week in the
USA, do not bring a cooking pan from BD.
Spices: Radhuni gura moshla (bring all spices mix, specially biriyani, tehari, halim
mix ones). You can ask the Bangladeshi senior grad students at your
university about the availability of deshi spices near your campus. If
available, no need to buy a lot of spices.
Knife: 1 pc. Here you can find full set of better quality (Walmart/TJMaxx).
Microwaveable 1 or 2. Put your jewelry in those containers to carry it easily. Buy more from
container: the USA later.
Cutting board From the USA.
Tejpata + elachi+ MUST. FROM BD. You can find other spices here easily. But these are a bit
cinnamon (darchini): difficult to find. However, if there is any Indian/Bangladeshi or Chinese
store near your campus, you can find all the spices. Do not worry.
Teabags If you are an avid fan of tea, you can bring some for initial days.
Cup noodles or any 4/5 for initial meals after you land in the USA. It might be hard to cook food
dry food for the first few days. You can also purchase some dry foods from a store
here for the first few days.

Others + School Supplies:

Bangladeshi flag 1 pc. MUST.
Umbrella 1 pc MUST.
Check-in Luggage 2 big sizes (26/28 inches). Go to New Market. Visit the President
Showroom. Fixed Price. Buy Four-Wheeler 360 degrees rotation strong
ones. Don’t compromise quality for price.
Carry-on luggage: 1; please make sure the dimension of allowed luggage by the airlines
Nail cutter 1; (MUST)
Medicines (Napa Extra, Antacid, Alatrol, Painkiller, Gastric, Vix Honey): All you need.
Include prescription
PUNCH CLIP: MUST. Onek gula beshi beshi.
Black rubber bands One packet of 100.MUST from BD.
Safety pin Few dozen. MUST.
Hair clip (Bobby Yes.
pin)
Comb 2/3
Towel/gamcha 2
Hangers From USA. Cheaper.
Batteries (AA/AAA) BUY FROM USA.
Money bag 2 pcs (Artisan)
Key ring 1 pc is enough. I would buy a beautiful one from the airport or from the
USA. Usually the university gives the new students a lot of gifts during
orientation and you may receive keyrings as a gift.
Sunglass 1 pair
Small souvenirs for If you already have a lab fixed where you will start working immediately,
professor and lab then buy a few light weighted souvenirs from Aarong. If you are going to be
members: paired up with a Professor’s group later after 1 or 2 semesters, no need to
buy souvenirs now.
Slippers (sandal): MUST 3 or 4 pairs.
Scissor 1
Backpack: 1 good quality backpack. Waterproof. With a laptop compartment.
I am using a very cheap and lightweight backpack for my regular use
(around $25). Nobody cares what you are using.
Backpacks can be pretty expensive in the US. IF you find a good quality
backpack in BD, you can buy it.
Converter/ from the airport (USA). Electric gadgets from BD have different electric pins
Multiplug than the USA. So, you will need a converter.
Plastic, waterproof 7/8; to keep your documents
folders
pen 4 dozen (Here,expensive and weird). MUST.
Pencils 12.
Eraser 4
Sharpener 4
Staple machine + pin 1 set
Paper clips 1 set
Pen drive: 1 at most.
Small alarm clock It helps.
HDD 1 if needed; you can buy from the USA. People here use google drive
widely. I barely use the HDD I brought from Dhaka.
Most of the universities give free access to all the softwares. Also, you are
not really allowed to use pirated softwares for research. So, no need to buy a
HDD from Bangladesh and fill it up with softwares.
Power bank: Buy from the USA if needed.
Table lamp, torch Buy from the USA if needed.
light
Calculator: The one you have already.
Books: Try to bring less clothes; more books. Trust me, you will keep buying
clothes anyway. But books are freaking expensive here. If you cannot buy
hard copies, at least bring soft copies.
Notebooks Shada khata ar ki. Bring 3 or 4 notebooks for the first semester. Here, offset
papers are cheaper. Notebooks are not very cheap but later you just get used
to the price-tag here.
Thread-needle (Agora: 1 box:150 BDT ). MUST
(Sui-suta)
Buttons: different colors, black white etc. Mouchak/anarkoli/New Market
Toothbrush (1/2) + toothpaste (1); for the first month
Glasses (চশমা): see a doctor then bring multiple pairs of glasses (at least 3 pairs)
See a dentist
Oral saline (a lot). I would bring a lot once I visit home again. :3
Measurement tape 1; MUST
Photo frame 1; Optional
Handkerchief Only if you use it, then buy 2 or 3. People in the USA widely use paper
towels. So a handkerchief is not really necessary.
Soap/shampoo/all 1 pc travel size for initial days. These are also available at Walmart.
necessary personal
thing:
Travel kit to carry lotion/cream/petroleum jelly/face wash in your carry-on luggage,
you need to buy a travel kit. You cannot carry more than 10 mL of fluid in
each container in your carry-on. Try Mostafa Mart (300-500 BDT) or
Miniso.
Makeup/cosmetics: Buy from USA
Laptop/Mobile Don’t forget
charger

Few Tips:
1. Put all your gadgets in your carry-on. You need to open your laptop during the security
check. Make sure your laptop has enough charge.
2. Do not invest in buying a new laptop/cellphone from BD.
3. MUST see an eye-specialist and bring multiple pairs of glasses.
4. Be careful about wearing complicated shoes/dresses while traveling. During the security
check, you need to take off your shoes, belt etc. So wear something you can easily take
off and put back on.
5. Do not crowd your luggage with things you can buy from the USA for 10 to 15 dollars.
6. Don’t buy a lot of shirts/Tees or pants. Here, sales are too damn good. You will keep
buying and buying and buying. -_-
7. Always carry your backpack with you. Keep all the important original documents in your
backpack, secured. Carry the cash in dollars with you.
8. Never leave your belongings to an unknown person. While using the restroom, take your
backpack and carry-on with you inside the restroom.
9. Make copies of all of your important documents (passport, visa, I-20) and keep them
inside each of your luggages.
10. Drink water while flying and moisturize yourself. Try to walk from time to time when
you are on a long flight.
11. Take enough rest before you travel. Don’t stress much. Everything is available here.
Make sure you bring all your medicines from BD with a written prescription with it. I
reduced my medicine intake after coming to the USA. I never felt this better while I was
in Dhaka. You will be fine.
12. DON’T CARRY ANTIBIOTICS IN YOUR CARRY-ON or BACKPACK.
13. DON’T CARRY LARGE BOTTLES FULL OF FLUIDS IN YOUR CARRY-ON or
BACKPACK.
Have a Safe journey 😊