Are there any clothes that are considered "uncool" for middle-school boys?

[CanBeGrumpy]

First, let me say that I am not into name brands or fashion at all. I buy all of my clothes at either Target, JCPenney, or Kohls, and even then, only when it is on sale. I also buy my kids' clothes at the same places. I don't believe in making Tommy Hilfiger rich at my expense!

With that said, my son is starting middle school in the fall, at a school that does not require uniforms. He has worn uniforms all through elementary school, so his "home" wardrobe never really mattered as he was hardly ever seen in it. Now that he will be wearing regular clothes to school, I am slightly concerned that maybe some of the brands will be made fun of. Do kids still do this? I know when I was in school, if you didn't have Jordache jeans you were considered not as good as the other kids. (crazy, I know, but true!)

My son basically wears cargo shorts from JCPenny, and some sort of t-shirt or golf shirt that I got on clearance for $3 or less from Target or Kohls. He cares not a whit about his wardrobe, but again, he has not been exposed to peer pressure over clothing before. Now, I am not saying I am going to buy in to the latest craze and start spending $50 on a shirt for him, but I do want him to start off on a good footing socially at the new school (he is not that outgoing, so it may take some time to find a good friend).

Are there any brands that would be made fun of by middle school boys? I am hoping that most boys in middle school don't really care about clothes, and that any basic t-shirt/shorts combo will be good enough. But, like I said, there was some serious peer pressure regarding clothes when I was in school (maybe just for girls, though??). I love finding my great deals on the clearance rack, but I can step it up a notch if certain things will get taunts at school.

So, what's everyone's experience been? Thanks for your advice!!

Edited to add: Believe me, I feel sorry that I even have to ask this question, and that people would actually mock others for the clothes they wear, but I am trying to face reality and not set my son up for any sort of bad experience. Middle school is hard enough without the added pressure of wearing the "wrong thing".

 

[DMickey28]

I think it's great that you are thinking about this for your DS. I remember when I was in school you had to have Adias sneakers (Remember the black soccer ones with the white stripes!) and Umbros. Guess! was big then too.

Keep in mind that you can get killer deals on almost all of the brand name stuff as well ... not as cheap as the other stores but decent.

Good Luck ... I have a 2 year old so I have NO clue what's cool for MS boys now.

 

[floridafam]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. DS started middle school last year. He didn't want anything new and wanted his tried and true favorites he had worn over the summer.

He wears a lot of Quiksilver stuff but we live in Florida so it may not be as popular where you live.

He wears a lot of tees and shorts. He hates polo shirts.

I never pay full price for anything and get most of my kid's stuff on sale at Macy's and Marshalls.

 

[clgwli]

Around here the styles at Old Navy, Hollister and American Eagle are in with the guys. It doesn't have to be from the stores itself, but just the idea of the stores if that makes sense. Some of the clearance at these stores aren't too bad or I can find them at 2nd hand stores for a great price. I'd say in general boys are easier to dress here than girls though. They don't seem to care as much about where the clothes come from.

 

[debster812]

DS is finishing 6th grade, will be in 7th in the Fall, and has been at the Middle School since 4th grade.

I agree with a PP that it's more the 'look' than the actual brands, at least for boys. DS dresses kind of like a miniature preppy/jock/college boy. Lots of plaid Bermuda shorts, tshirts, golf shirts, and athletic shorts when it's warm. Jeans, cargo pants, track pants when it's cool. Hoodies. Lots and lots of hoodies. Sneakers mostly for shoes.

If you have any friends, or acquaintances with sons who are a bit younger or older than yours, ask them where they get their clothes.

 

[EthansMom]

These things are pretty regional. Is there anyone in your area you could ask about popular Middle School fashions?

Around here (CT), the look for boys is kindof casual/preppy... Abercrombie, American Eagle, etc... Lots of shaggy hair on the older high school kids too.


If I were you, I'd propably try to get jeans that aren't noticeably an off-brand... I'd shy away from clothes that are marked with the Walmart or Target house brand on the outside. Then some t-shirts and maybe a few polos (if your DS likes them and they are popular in your area). If your DS wants some popular name brand item, try to get one or two items that can be reworn on the exterior... for instance, an Abercrombie hoodie, which could be worn more often than a shirt.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I have a boy and a girl going to middle school in the fall. I'm not really worried about it because what they wear kind of fits in what everyone else around here is wearing. Fortunately, making fun of clothing is not something that is a big problem where we live.

My DS wears nylon pants and tees, sneakers. Tees are WDW (rides, resorts), baseball (MLB and his own leagues), Navy (ships logos, classic planes), Old Navy type tees, etc. No longer likes long jeans much but will wear cargo type and camo khakis. Shorts are nylon or cargo type also, likes jeans shorts. Wears baseball sweatshirts as long as he can weatherwise (as opposed to coats) and a baseball cap.

My DD likes nylon pants and tees (long or short sleeve) on gym days with sneakers; jeans or courdoroys with crocs or clogs and layers tees/tops with girls' sweatshirts for if she gets cold. Not into brands, thankfully, is pretty happy with whatever she wears as long as she's comfortable.

Both my kids love tees from places we travel or visit, so I always pick them up wherever we go as I know they'll get a lot of use out of them. It helps me with their "shopping".

HTH. Good luck with your son.

 

[Cindy B]

Depends on what "type" of child your son is. It is really regional. For example, the look for the middle school boys in my school (I teach 5th and 6th grade) is either sporty or skater.

Sporty consists of long nylon basketball shorts, hightops, and a sports related tshirt of some kind--either the team they favor or the team that they are on.

Skater consists of converse sneakers, tight jeans or longer shorts and a skate logo shirt. The skate logos include: element, emerica, adio, volcom and some others. Tony Hawk (ala Kohl's) is NOT one of them.

There are some outlier kids that are sort of gothy but not quite... they borrow some of the elements from skater kids (mainly the converse and the jeans) but not all. These kids usually wear Fred --youtube channel kid or The Devil Wears Prada -- NOT the Anne Hathaway movie shirts.

In my area some of the boys go with the urban look.. the longer than necessary shorts which sort of look like manpris. Along with the manpris is usually a HUGE white tshirt.

No boy really wears the preppy look. The abercrombie look is usually jsut reserved for the girls or boy with high fashion sense (not that there is anything wrong with that). The high fashion abercrombie look is very few and far between with the boys around here up until about senior year of high school.

I work at a middle school and I have middle school aged children of my own.

My son 8th grade is an anomaly.. He will wear anything from any store for his look. He like to shop at Plato's closet where he can get skater clothes (the volcom, adio, element shirts) at very low price. He does like specific jeans from Kohl's which fit him well. Target/Walmart and the like are reserved for socks and underwear.

We used to do really well with Old Navy up until this year. (8th grade)

 

[clh2]

I was just at a national event this past week, with a number of elementary, middle and high school kids.

Plaid shorts are IN for boys and girls.

Some styles are in this link.

Cargo shorts are also in. Didn't see too many jean shorts.

As far as shirts - the competition I was in teams had team-specific t-shirts, so I can't comment too

 

[Planogirl]

I have a 16 year old and I think it varies with the boys. DS couldn't care less what brand anything is but he won't wear anything with purple or pink on it and he dislikes collared shirts. Long shorts and long t's seem to be what most of them wear. They all seem to like hoodies too.

 

[englishteacha]

I teach 7th grade. My boys generally wear: jeans and t-shirts, longish-shorts and t-shirts, and hoodies. Sneakers for shoes. Sometimes they'll wear PJ pants (which I hate), and very rarely workout-type pants. Pants that are too short will get you teased where I teach. Your pants should come down over the top of the shoes. The kids with their socks showing look really out of place, unless, of course, they're wearing shorts.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Around here, boys of that age generally go for the skateboarder look with some preppie thrown in for style. Good news is you can probably pull off the look for less money if you look around and get an eye for whats in and then take a look at TJ MAXM and Marshalls for cheaper versions. warned, the stores are full of neon but I don't see anyone wearing the day-glo stuff, at most the kids will wear a streak of neon in something black but thats about the extent of it.

The brand of pants are too big a deal, but the cut is important. Some kids like skinny jeans (think girl jeans with spandex from the 1980's) but these are not in anywhere around here. Where I am oversized, with a few small decorative tears is in, the brand of jeans isn't such a big deal but one cool belt from somewhere like Pac-Sun makes the look. To be honest, stores like Aeropastle and Pac-Sun are having amazing deals right now so you can get jeans for 1/2-75% off.

Shirts are easy with T-shirts with recognizable brands year round, the kids layer with a white or black long sleeve cotton shirt from Wal-mart for $5 each when it's cold out, 4 of those and we're ready for winter. The T-shirts are worn a little on the oversized side. Around here the kids stick with either the brands familiar from Pac Sun (find at TJ MAxx) or stores like Abercrombie, Aeropastle, Hollister, or American Eagle

Shorts are oversized long, like basket ball shorts. The kids wear either basket ball shiny shorts or cotton with muted tones of plaids, check out Abercrombie for a gauge but buy them cheaper elsewhere.

Swim suits are now board shorts. Lots of the kids wear them as shorts too, for double duty, with boxer's in the brand of Abercrombie written on the waist-band peeking out on top. We saw this look all over the NJ shore this weekend and its everywhere here in PA too, so I guess it's popular.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

I won't even claim my DS13 is a fashion plate, but his normal look/that of his buddies is cargo pants and a polo shirt or T. I get 90% of his stuff at Goodwill, mostly Old Navy or LLBean. I get most of his shirts at Target.

 

[Brianne]

I couldn't really tell you. DS is going into high school next year & his entire middle school "uniform" has been polo shirts, t-shirts (with no print on them) & jeans. He refuses to wear shorts ever and no t-shirts with any sort of print on them at all.

My suggestion? Pick up one or two new things for your DS, let him go to school that first week, then let him decide what he might want to wear. At that point, then go shopping with him if he wants to.

Good luck!

 

[luvmy2boyzz]

My DS is 13 just finishing 7th grade. Main staples of his wardrobe are Adidas, Nike basketball shorts, cargo shorts, Adidas,Nike mesh sweats lots of tee shirts (he will not wear tee shirts with pics on them) and lots of hooded sweatshirts. He doesn't like jeans to much mostly wears the mesh shorts or sweats depending on weather. Never wears a coat in spring or fall only hooded sweatshirts. Will wear a winter coat in Dec. and January but by February its sweatshirts again and we live in Wisconsin!! Kohl's department store always has great sales on shorts, sweats ect. Good luck!

 

[Cindy B]

Oh yes.. short length is very important. You can not have shorts above the knee or you will be labeled "gay" (sorry-- that is a direct quote from DS 8th grade)

NO GAP STORE CLOTHES OF ANY KIND... especially for boys. There is an acronym for GAP and even if a person has an insprired -you know the charity shirts- the GAP acronym is LOUD and CLEAR. I hear this on my own students. Of course I stop them, but it does continue.

No jean shorts either. Plaid is in and some obnoxious Jam style prints from back back in the 80's. (depends on the store and style). No chino style shorts as well.

No one really pulls off the converse chucks with shorts either. It has to be balanced with a thicker shoe and NO SHOW socks! No socks should be peeking out of shoes of any kind.

 

[Tink888]

I have an 8th grade boy. Really, as far as clothes, you can get away with almost anything as far as brands. My son will wear jeans and cargo shorts from Penny's. He is a little more picky with t-shirts and hoodies and like those from Pac-Sun. Hoodies are popular.

IMHO the one BIG thing with middle-school boys are sneakers. Make sure he's got a cool pair of sneakers. That's the one thing boys DO notice, pay attention to and will comment on.

 

[Shelton123]

I go to middle school and tight jeans (especially black ones) are VERY popular! South Pole is a good brand for shirts, the designs are pretty cool. So is Converse. I also really like Black Jack, that has to be my favorite. For jeans: tight levi's is what almost every boy wears at my school. Plaid shorts are also pretty popular. I wear semi-tight levis. For shoes: Nike's are good, or if he's a skater then Vans. I hope I helped!

Oh, and DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT LET HIM WEAR SKATER BRANDS (VANS, I <3 HATERS, etc.) IF HE DOES NOT SKATE! That's AMAZINGLY important, and a poser is the absolute worst thing to be in MS.

 

[Shelton123]

Oh yes.. short length is very important. You can not have shorts above the knee or you will be labeled "gay" (sorry-- that is a direct quote from DS 8th grade)

NO GAP STORE CLOTHES OF ANY KIND... especially for boys. There is an acronym for GAP and even if a person has an insprired -you know the charity shirts- the GAP acronym is LOUD and CLEAR. I hear this on my own students. Of course I stop them, but it does continue.

No jean shorts either. Plaid is in and some obnoxious Jam style prints from back back in the 80's. (depends on the store and style). No chino style shorts as well.

No one really pulls off the converse chucks with shorts either. It has to be balanced with a thicker shoe and NO SHOW socks! No socks should be peeking out of shoes of any kind.

GAP doesn't stand for Gay and Proud. That's an urban legend. Plus, even if it did what's wrong with it?

 

[CanBeGrumpy]

Thank you to everyone who responded! Excellent information. I'll use everyone's suggestions when we go shopping! Thanks again!!