Appropriate clothing for 10th grade boy?

[SadieDog]

My son is a Senior. He and his friends wear jeans or shorts and a t-shirt every day. It's the norm. In the winter they may throw on a hoodie over the t-shirt.

 

[kimmar067]

Sounds like your boyfriend is really out of touch with teenagers, your son's wardrobe is completely normal. Have him stroll around the mall or park outside the high school one day and just look. No offense to anyone whose kids wear them, but polos are somewhat geeky for kids to wear around here unless they're going to church, etc.

....not really - it's just a more 'preppy' look.....have you been to an Aeropostale, Hollister, Who A U, or A&F lately??? [ ]

 

[Wishing on a star]

Hopefully your boyfriend is well-meaning, and is just trying to help lead your son to the next level of clothing and attire. Be sure that you do not let your boyfriend seem to 'judge' your son in any way. And, I agree, POLO's at a regular high school... would probably not be considered 'cool' or 'the norm' at all.

Anyhow, my son is 14. And, hopefully it seems that we are moving beyond the cotton T-shirt with logo's. He has had SouthPole, Angry Birds, etc.. and that has been fine! But, just IMHO, I do find that to be more young... My husband would def. not wear that type of thing. And, I am not a fan of seeing it on grown men.

DS has a friend whose grandmother has been spending money on him buying him nice Under Armour, sporty stuff. That is what DS has really been gravitating too. I think it looks great. And, now, it seems like his old cotton logo/screenprinted T-shirts just do not look as good. They are his 'work' shirts now! On our budget, so far, DS has mostly that style, sporty look-a-like. But, I want to get him a few nice Under Armour (or equal quality) shirts.

 

[kimmar067]

My son is a Senior. He and his friends wear jeans or shorts and a t-shirt every day. It's the norm. In the winter they may throw on a hoodie over the t-shirt.

....oh yes, the hoodie....can't forget the hoodie!

 

[jen0610]

I'm a single mom too. My son was wearing similar clothing in 9th grade. In the summer between 9th and 10th, he went to visit his older (male) cousins for 5 weeks. They gave him a wardrobe makeover. Now he wears dress shirts and more fitted jeans. He is entering 11th grade now and is often mistaken for someone much older. He used to wear clothes from Old Navy, now its American Eagle.

DS is a junior and most of his shirts come from American Eagle, be it his t-shirt or his button down shirts or his polo style shirts. His jeans, not so much. AE's fit him weird, so he says, so he just sticks with Arizona jeans from JCP.

OP let your son wear what he wants. Let him be himself, no need to buckle to the peer pressure of wearing cloths to "fit in". I actually swear that if it weren't for his younger sister really liking AE, he never would have ventured into the store. He got bored waiting on her to finish shopping, started wandering the store and the next thing I knew he was handing me 2 t-shirts, a plaid button down, and a pair of boxer shorts. Seeing as he had never willing just picked out things he liked, I was more than happy to get them for him.

 

[Disney Doll]

Sounds fairly typical to me.
I'd tell BF to MYOB, especially since I am assuming it's not his kid.

 

[SaraJayne]

....not really - it's just a more 'preppy' look.....have you been to an Aeropostale, Hollister, Who A U, or A&F lately??? [ ]

All of my 10th grade son's clothes come from Aero, Hollister, AE, etc. And there isn't a polo shirt anywhere in his closet.

OP, what your son is wearing is completely normal and appropriate for school. My DS wears jeans/shorts, t-shirts and a button down (or a hoodie) to school every single day.

Sounds like your boyfriend has no idea what teenagers wear. He needs to mind his own business.

 

[spacemountainmom]

I work in a high school and have a son about to start 8th grade. Most boys wear t-shirts and jeans every day. In warmer weather they wear mostly plaid or athletic shorts. Polos are getting pretty rare around here. Khakis are uncommon as well. The only time I see the boys in dressier pants is on "game days". Many of our coaches insist on shirt and tie on game day.

The hoodie is still alive and kicking here as well. My classroom is really cold so the kids bring hoodies pretty much year round.

 

[ronandannette]

We just did our back to school shopping last weekend. Apparently colored jeans are all the rage - DS 15 (going into Grade 11) got skinnys in white, lemon yellow, purple, teal, red and mint green and seems to have replaced his standard screen-print tees with striped v-necks in all sorts of crazy colors. Are DH and I cringing? Big time, but we couldn't think of a valid reason to refuse. (if you're now picturing Howard Wolowitz without a dickie you're right on track).

 

[Shyvioletisme]

I don't think I've ever seen a kid at my dd's high school wear anything but t-shirts and jeans.

Your boyfriend is the one who is out of touch here.

I agree with this. I sub in our school district and all the high school boys wear is jeans and t-shirts. Heck, my husband is almost 30 and that's mostly all he wears too.

 

[SaraJayne]

We just did our back to school shopping last weekend. Apparently colored jeans are all the rage - DS 15 (going into Grade 11) got skinnys in white, lemon yellow, red and mint green and seems to have replaced his standard screen-print tees with striped v-necks in all sorts of crazy colors. Are DH and I cringing? Big time, but we couldn't think of a valid reason to refuse. (if you're now picturing Howard Wolowitz without a dickie you're right on track).

DS would rather cut off his arm than wear skinny jeans.

 

[lelei]

My DS14 wears a uniform but most of the kids around here wear tshirts, jeans and basketball shorts.

DH went to public school as a kid and his parents would not allow them to wear jeans, he had to wear khakis. You would think he would rebel as an adult...NOPE, he dresses extremely conservative. He is constantly thinking DSs are underdressed. I try to make him look around and see what the kids are wearing, sometimes it is about compromise. He is turning into his dad more and more everyday LOL

So it might be a factored of how your BF grew up?

Honestly, I do think that's a huge part of it. My boyfriend only wears polo shirts and his mother never saw him in shorts until I bought him some and forced the issue. Now, he wears shorts often but I still haven't gotten him to wear t-shirts.

My son doesn't really care too much about what he wears, and if I filled his dresser with polo shirts I am not sure he would even notice. I think the t-shirts are fun and he should wear them while he can, once he's an adult and in the workforce he will likely lose that freedom.

My boyfriend is the sweetest guy ever, but I think he is being way too conservative on this.

 

[Hrhpd]

Out of curiosity, what would you consider appropriate clothing for a boy in 10th grade?

We live in a typical middle class area and our schools don't require uniforms, and my son prefers to wear t-shirts and jeans to school. The shirts are clean and not torn or faded or worn out and don't have rude or obscene messages on them and I think he looks fine. For example, today he wore an angry birds shirt. My boyfriend says that he needs to start dressing better and wear polo shirts and not t-shirts.

What do your boys around this age wear? Am I out of touch by thinking t-shirts and jeans are ok school-wear?

I have a 10th grader. The school he attends is also middle/upper middle class.

Polos are definitely not the choice of the high schoolers at our school. The only time they wear collared shirts is if they have a formal presentation or during football season when they (the football team) are required to wear polos on Fridays before games under their jerseys to show respect. Your son's outfit sounds pretty typical for a 10th grader.

My son's "uniform", as well as most of his friends, is athletic shorts and Underarmor or Nike tees. Year round. In the snow. Maybe with a hoodie added.

If you are worried, my suggestion would be to sit outside the school one day and watch dismissal. See what is usual for your school.

But clothing is the ultimate rebellion/finding of themselves. Better to let them rebel with their clothing than with something worse.

 

[luvmy3]

Jeans and a tee is definitely appropriate, and what is more important, it's what he likes and is comfortable in. While I think its good to have some clothes other than tees and jeans for occasions when its not appropriate (nice dinner, formal event), I wouldn't force him to wear that stuff at any other time if he doesn't like to.

 

[Pixiedust34]

My ds is in 10th grade. Jeans or shorts and a t-shirt are standard apparel for him & his friends.

 

[nmmom95]

I have a DS in 9th grade. He has to wear a uniform to school, but he wears jeans and t-shirts or polo outside of school. He prefers to shop at American Eagle. He is not a big fan of shirts that say things or have pictures on them. He does have a Bazinga! shirt that he sleeps in, though. lol Like SaraJayne's DS, skinny jeans are a no-no. He calls them Beiber pants. He does hate long sleeves and will wear short sleeves all winter.

 

[Poohforyou]

Out of curiosity, what would you consider appropriate clothing for a boy in 10th grade?

We live in a typical middle class area and our schools don't require uniforms, and my son prefers to wear t-shirts and jeans to school. The shirts are clean and not torn or faded or worn out and don't have rude or obscene messages on them and I think he looks fine. For example, today he wore an angry birds shirt. My boyfriend says that he needs to start dressing better and wear polo shirts and not t-shirts.

What do your boys around this age wear? Am I out of touch by thinking t-shirts and jeans are ok school-wear?

Personally I think as long as a kid is clean and wearing clean/non-offensive clothes he should be left alone. Save the polo shirts and khakis for dinner out with Grandma.

 

[Mkrop]

We just did our back to school shopping last weekend. Apparently colored jeans are all the rage - DS 15 (going into Grade 11) got skinnys in white, lemon yellow, purple, teal, red and mint green and seems to have replaced his standard screen-print tees with striped v-necks in all sorts of crazy colors. Are DH and I cringing? Big time, but we couldn't think of a valid reason to refuse. (if you're now picturing Howard Wolowitz without a dickie you're right on track).

Oh my I hope that look doesnt come around here. DS14 could not get his legs into a pair of skinny jeans if his life depended on it. He has thinned out with longer legs, but he still has Polish legs that would not work in skinny jeans!

Honestly, I do think that's a huge part of it. My boyfriend only wears polo shirts and his mother never saw him in shorts until I bought him some and forced the issue. Now, he wears shorts often but I still haven't gotten him to wear t-shirts.

My son doesn't really care too much about what he wears, and if I filled his dresser with polo shirts I am not sure he would even notice. I think the t-shirts are fun and he should wear them while he can, once he's an adult and in the workforce he will likely lose that freedom.

My boyfriend is the sweetest guy ever, but I think he is being way too conservative on this.

Welcome to my world! I point out ALL the time what the kids are wearing when DH gets in one of his moods. He got wacky about church until I pointed out that our kids were the best dressed there, he caved and said polos with cargo shorts, no tshirts.

DH hates the long Nike socks that the kids around here all wear, he thinks that looks "dorky". They all wear them. That is what DS14 packed for Disney in July. DH got all bent out of shape, told him no one would be wearing it like that out of our area. I said well then DS will have to live with that and maybe he will wear his Tevas more. So we get there and I pointed out about a half a dozen teen boys in an hour that were weraing "those" socks. DH just shut up after that but mumbled under his breath

 

[maslex]

I have 2 boys. One is in 10th grade and the other is in 11th.

My oldest is in a technical high school, so when he has shop class (taking electrical) he has to be in jeans and his shop shirt with steel toe boots. On academic days, he wears shorts/t-shirts with sneakers. In the winter, he might throw on a sweatshirt, pullover not zip-up.

My youngest goes to the public high school. He was always the typical boy who wore denim shorts with t-shirts. Then last year (freshman year) he decided he didn't like denim shorts anymore, they had to be the cotton/twill kind that are plaid or a plain color. He also got into polo shirts for a few months. Then he decided that he didn't like those anymore and went with long sleeved, buttoned up shirts that he rolled the sleeves on. Now, in 10th grade he will wear all of the above. Just depends on what type of mood he's in when he gets dressed in the morning.

I would say that your son is perfectly fine with wearing jeans/t-shirts. I drive a school bus and see high school boys everyday and jeans/t-shirts is the most common thing that you see the boys wearing. I would say there is a VERY SMALL percentage of boys who wear what your boyfriend is suggesting he wear. I would say at this age, let him whatever he is comfortable in.

 

[EclecticWAHM]

Jeans and T-Shirts are just fine. And "boyfriends" don't get a say. Parents do.