Teens & winter coats

[MagicalMom]

Anyone else have problems getting their teens to wear coats? I've tried to explain to my DD that she can't make it through the winter on hoodies alone. We bought her a new coat last year. Though she picked it out, she won't be caught dead in it this year. She did pick one out from Hot Topic, but it looked like it would be more used for bondage than warmth. Any solutions? What do you teens wear?

 

[Christine]

My DD (14) won't wear a coat either. It doesn't help that the school has told us that they do not want the kids bringing their "big puffy coats" into the classroom as they take up too much room. My DD's school is HUGE. All her classrooms are on the upper level, yet her locker is on the lower level of the school. She says she never has time to go to her locker so she carries all her books around (thank God for block scheduling!!). She said if she wears her coat, they will get mad at her for bringing it into the classroom and she can't go to her locker. What's a girl to do?

I just try to give her lots of sweaters and hoodies and pray that the bus doesn't break down.

I also remember when I was a teen--I HATED wearing my winter coat.

 

[stamper]

Good luck!!! My DD15 has been doing this for a couple years now. Keep in mind that we live in Maine! She hates wearing a coat...says she's not cold. I'll tell her that she needs a coat and she'll put one on, but take off the hoodie. Kinda defeats the purpose of an extra layer!!!! She likes her coat, just doesn't want to wear it. Now in the summer when I am roasting (along with most normal people) she is wearing pants and a hoodie...while here I am in shorts and a t-shirt. I don't get it

 

[monarchsfan16]

I'm a teen. I'm not a fan of winter coats, because, quite frankly they make me look fat. However, I live in NH, and after about Thanksgiving, it does become a little hard to survive without one. It was a lot easier to get away with not wearing one when I was in high school, and not going very far outside. But now that I'm in college (I'm a frosh), I've already worn mine. After all I seriously walk half a mile to most of my classes. It gets a little cold.
I found that the coats that are most popular with my friends (and most comfortable IMHO) are the ones that have the zip out fleece liner. They're less bulky. I wear my coat a lot more willingly (last year too) now that I have one that's that style. Even a fleece coat can be pretty warm, and may be a more popular option.

 

[debster812]

I have an 8 YO who doesn't like wearing a winter coat!!! He's always run 'hot'. I agree with Monarchsfan--the 'system' type coats are a lot less bulky. That's what he had last year, and it still fits him this year as well.

 

[Stephanie218]

Wow, I have the opposite problem! I found this winter coat at work that I love but I really have no reason to spend that much on a down coat in Arizona, even if I will be in CT for a month.

I never minded wearing winter coats, but my DSis, 17, hates it and wears hoodies instead.

 

[Sparx]

Keep in mind, I'm in TN, but I won't wear a winter coat. I'll wear jackets and hoodies, but I won't wear a coat. I actually usually have a hoodie on. (black NBC hoodie with Jack on it) but I wear long sleeves on under it, and occasionally layer long and short sleeved shirts. I'm usually pretty warm.

 

[ducklite]

Yup! My son would rather layer two or three hoodies over a thermal over an undershirt than be caught dead in a jacket. Whateer, when you think about it it really is just as warm, and I choose to pick my battles. That's jsut not one worth fighting. Now that we're in FL, I can't imagine he'll need to be that bundled again.

Anne

 

[NMAmy]

Dd, 15, used to be that way. However, moving to Michigan has changed her mind. She wears her winter coat gladly now.

 

[stinkerbelle]

oh yeah - once they hit college, they'll wear a coat.
it's such a strange thing! we ALL went through it. wouldnt' be caught dead with a hat or gloves either in HS...in college, I had my "walk to class" hat and my "drinking beer outside" hat. heheheh

personally - I have a 45min drive to work each morning, a coat is sometimes kinda bulky to wear...I'll wear a vest (puffy or faux fur lined).

 

[Wish Upon A Star]

I have the same problem with both DD and DS. DD bought a brand new coat that she "loved" last year . . .she won't even consider wearing it this year . .she said "it makes me look fat" Its' a freakin winter coat with some puffiness to keep you warm . . . Anyhoot, she is wearing her hoodie (which isn't warm). We bought her a new peacoat for Christmas though, so hopefully she'll like that . . . .and it isn't
"puffy" at all.

DS just hates coats in general . . .his coat can be worn as a vest, extra layers, etc . . .he insists his hoodie is fine for now . . .even when it gets colder he won't zip his coat up at all . . .

 

[WIcruizer]

My DD will not wear a winter coat, at lest not until it gets REAL cold. I don't have a problem with it. She's outside for a minute going into school and leaving at the end of the day. No real point of NEEDING a winter coat when it's 30-40 degrees for 2 minutes. Wait until it's below zero, then fashion takes a back seat!

 

[ColoradoBuffaloMom]

My 16 DD and 14 DS won't wear winter coats either but frankly I don't blame them. Their lockers at school are so small they barely hold their books let alone a winter coat. My kids exist with hoodies. My DS in fact wears shorts many days throughout the winter as do many of the boys here. Fortunately he isn't outside much and since we are too close for a bus but not close enough for kids to walk to school, I have to take and pick up my kids daily so they aren't waiting for a bus either.

My feeling is that wearing a coat is just not a battle worth fighting.

 

[transparant]

My teens won't wear them either. Only if it's majorly cold out there. Mostly they just wear layered long sleeve's with a sweatshirt.

 

[xCourxCorex]

I can't live without my winter coat. It's too cold for hoodies alone. I got a really cute one this year from Hollister:

 

[AABC]

"teens" and "coats" -- I'm not sure these two words belong in the same sentence Sorry couldn't resist.

Can't offer any help, only support. Our DS12 seems to think his coat is an alien or something!!

 

[luvflorida]

This is the first year that my daughter has actually liked wearing a winter coat. In previous years we've gone coat shopping and she always found a coat she SAID she liked but would end up not wearing. I can't tell you how many practically never worn coats we've given away to charities.

This year she picked out a coat from North Face. It's mostly fleece but very warm and, most importantly to her, it's stylish. She has never been a fan of bulky coats and this one isn't the least bit bulky.

Where we live, hats and gloves are a must, but she doesn't feel the need for those things. I have noticed, however, that scarves seem to be popular with the high school crowd. I've seen plenty of kids walking around with a sweatshirt or hoodie and also a scarf.

 

[Minnesota!]

I am 27 and I still will not wear a winter coat - not even in the MN below freezing winters. I hate them - I get way too warm in them. Not comfy at all, either. I usually have on a turtleneck, sweater/sweatshirt and then a hoodie. I will wear gloves/hat once in a while..

 

[monarchsfan16]

Where we live, hats and gloves are a must, but she doesn't feel the need for those things. I have noticed, however, that scarves seem to be popular with the high school crowd. I've seen plenty of kids walking around with a sweatshirt or hoodie and also a scarf.

Oh yeah, I rarely wore gloves either. Hat? What's that?! I still don't plan to wear hats in college, though my ski band will come back with me. I only wore gloves when my hands got so dried out from the cold that they began to bleed. Then I started driving, and couldn't bear the icy steering wheel below bare fingers. She'll learn to wear gloves eventually; it just takes some lessons to learn it

 

[MomofKatie]

Well, my DD is only 7, so she is fine with wearing her coat. But I definitely notice teens in our neighborhood don't wear coats at the bus stop. There is a boy of about 15 or 16 who waits for the bus at the end of our street, and he wears big, baggy shorts and T's all year round! For the coldest days of the year, he trades his T for a long sleeved T, but that's about it. There have been some mornings I have wanted to chase him down and throw a blanket around him or something!! I freeze just looking at him out there in the cold.