Help please from UK people re: teen clothing!

[kimanjo]

Help. I am a mother of a teen girl and we are headed to Europe this June 28 through August 5. Specifically we will be in London for 3 days, aboard the Golden Princess for a Brit Isles cruise, then on to the Netherlands, Belgium, and Paris for the remainder of our stay.

 

My daughter (13) is panicking in terms of clothing. She doesn't like nor wear the "preppy/surfer" look popular here in the US (Roxy, Billabong, Abercrombia, Paul Frank, Aerospostale t-shirt and floral camisole/Boho tops) nor is she a "Goth". She considers herself to be in the "emo" or "alternative/indie" category. Does this silliness occur in Europe? Do the teens spend hours over the name brand style of clothing they wear so they do--or don't--portray a certain image?

 

And, more importantly, what ARE the teens wearing right now? I explained that the teens in Europe don't have the kind of disposable income that the kids in the US have nor are the clothes as cheap as they are here, so the teens take what they can get. But, daughter insists that the teens in Europe are stylish and she wants to know what they think is "hip". She will not wear a raincoat because it is too uncool, but I told her that Brit/Scot teens must wear something in the rain,--she insists they don't, they do what they do here in Florida and go out and get their "hoodie" (hooded sweatshirt)wet.

 

Please help! I am ready to pull my hair out!

[jhannah]

Give your hair a rest. From my observations, teens in Europe can be just as far out there as U.S. teens. In some ways more so because Europeans tend to be more "liberated" than we are. She will find the kids there wearing pretty much the same thing she'd see in Florida ... running the gamut from funky to conservative. You will see every sort of image represented.

[Host CJSKIDS]

Help. I am a mother of a teen girl and we are headed to Europe this June 28 through August 5. Specifically we will be in London for 3 days, aboard the Golden Princess for a Brit Isles cruise, then on to the Netherlands, Belgium, and Paris for the remainder of our stay.

 

My daughter (13) is panicking in terms of clothing. She doesn't like nor wear the "preppy/surfer" look popular here in the US (Roxy, Billabong, Abercrombia, Paul Frank, Aerospostale t-shirt and floral camisole/Boho tops) nor is she a "Goth". She considers herself to be in the "emo" or "alternative/indie" category. Does this silliness occur in Europe? Do the teens spend hours over the name brand style of clothing they wear so they do--or don't--portray a certain image?

 

And, more importantly, what ARE the teens wearing right now? I explained that the teens in Europe don't have the kind of disposable income that the kids in the US have nor are the clothes as cheap as they are here, so the teens take what they can get. But, daughter insists that the teens in Europe are stylish and she wants to know what they think is "hip". She will not wear a raincoat because it is too uncool, but I told her that Brit/Scot teens must wear something in the rain,--she insists they don't, they do what they do here in Florida and go out and get their "hoodie" (hooded sweatshirt)wet.

 

Please help! I am ready to pull my hair out!

 

Know your pain very well as we're from Naples Florida and are leaving July 6 for 4 nights in London followed by a cruise on the Golden and then NY. My boys are used to wearing nothing but shorts and for one of them quicksilver tee shirts with his hoodies. Telling him he has to wear pants and maybe and raincoat is like pulling teeth! I had to buy them jeans and khaki pants. Now I figure they'll wear the jean again, but forget the khakis from Gap unless we go out to a nice dinner down here. And forget my 17 year old daughter. She's not into the surfer look either and won't wear t shirts from Abercrombie due to the nature of the messages on them. She probably dresses like your daughter a bit which also seems to be a look down here in southwest Florida. I had her up at Gap the other day getting some plain tee shirts.

I did go buy folding type lightweight jackets for all of us at the Nautica outlet. I told the kids they would thank me if it rained as it's not the rain we get here, but cold, more like when we lived in NY.

Good luck. I'm sure they'll all find out that they dress somewhat similar over there.

[cinnamon]

Hi Kim,

 

I think you'll find that the teens here would rather be in a wet hoodie than a raincoat too. My best advice is to tell her that it doesn't matter much what she wears as she probably won't ever see the cruise people again. LOL

 

Cinnamon

[Globaliser]

I think you'll find that the teens here would rather be in a wet hoodie than a raincoat too. My best advice is to tell her that it doesn't matter much what she wears as she probably won't ever see the cruise people again.

I agree with the advice, although it would probably be prudent to note that hoodies have come in for some bad press recently - see here and here.

[Host CJSKIDS]

I agree with the advice, although it would probably be prudent to note that hoodies have come in for some bad press recently - see here and here.

 

 

Wow, I can't believe the articles. The surfers wear them here and so does everyone who goes to the beach. My sons are actually surfing brand hoodies. Oh well, I guess we'll either be taken for Americans or hooligans!!!

[Globaliser]

Wow, I can't believe the articles. The surfers wear them here and so does everyone who goes to the beach.

I know what you mean: One of the forums I found with a discussion about this issue had an American expressing surprise, but noting that you don't have that problem over there that we do here, namely gangs of youths going round intimidating people while dressed like this, partly as a gang uniform and partly to prevent themselves being properly identified.

 

Mind you, I don't think anyone will complain if the hood's down - and not many places have actually taken up the same attitude as that particular shopping centre.

[kimanjo]

Geez, this is very interesting!

 

Here in Florida the hoodie is something the surfers and skaters wear, it isn't a gang "thing" at all. Don't get me wrong, we do have small trouble groups, but they tend to be skinheads, rappers, or yahoos (I guess to a Brit it would be the country-bumpkin type).

 

Here the girls wear the sweatshirts but they don't actually pull the head on unless it is cold outside, raining, or they have just come in from a swim and want to warm up. Even I (age 44) wear hoodies over my tops, the way some people wear a cardigan.

 

Funny how cross-culturally things are so different. I remember being in London when I was a teen, staying at my grandfather's home, and he very nicely suggested that I get pocketbook that matched my shoes (or vice versa) because the mismatched bag and shoes I was wearing labeled me as a "tart"!

 

And here in the States, when we see the French tourists (older women over 50) wearing jeans and high heels, we tend to think of them as looking trashy. Or the Brit women with short spiky purple (I call it Cockney) hair dye--okay on a teen here, not so good an idea on a grandmother!

 

Oh well, that is one of the reasons we travel--to see the world and the different people and customs who inhabit the planet!

[cinnamon]

Kim, I think the problem with hoodies are mostly in the areas that have social problems. There are so many CCTV cameras that those who don't want to be identified started using the hoods to cover up. My sons in their 20's both wear hooded tops with no didfficulties.

 

The problems are only when groups of youths gather together with the hoods up. Mind you, it is about 80 F and sunny here in the south today, while in Greenock more like 55 and wet, so Lexi may need her hood!

 

Cinnamon

[ourlol]

Pull your hair out no longer... first of all scrap the idea of a 'raincoat'. I'm sitting here talking to my 'British' 13 year old and her exact words were "raincoats suck"!! Many a time she has come home from school (an hour's journey, walking, train and bus) soaked through to the skin rather than take out the pac-a-mac I put in her bag for just these occasions.

 

Do the teens spend hours over the name brand style of clothing they wear so they do--or don't--portray a certain image?

 

Yes, some teens do want to wear branded clothes but there are plenty of others that aren't bothered by a 'label'. Of those that are, my daughter wants to say (she's typing).

 

"They flock to the nearest "trends" like sheep. They have no lives and need reassurance in the fact that what they are wearing is considered "cool". NO ONE CARES - WHO CARES IF IT IS BRANDED OR NOT!? And if they do, it is simply because they conform. The only people who actually care what anyone wears are "chavs"... (Townies, whatever you wish to call them), they feel that as long as they are in the trademark wear, that they all seem obsessed with, they are fine, and anyone who isn't wearing branded tracksuits and pure white trainers is weird, gothic, or losers, they haven't grasped the concept that not everyone is the same as them"

 

Me back again.

 

Until recently my 18 year old son's casual wardroble consisted almost entirely of black 'band t-shirts'. When he bought a polo t-shirt in "PINK" I nearly died of shock!! With that came the realisation that maybe that I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Unbelievably he has now let me (please note... let "ME") buy t-shirts in a variety of other colours for our forthcoming cruise. I was almost tempted to put the flags out!!

 

Personally, (during the day at least) I'd let your daughter wear what she feels comfortable in. She won't look out of place whatever it is.

 

My own problem is what will my daughter wear each evening on our Greek Isles cruise? I've got the formal nights sorted, but one of the most popular and fashionable trends over here (for teens) is jeans with a pretty, strappy long top. Obviously we won't allow that in the dining room for dinner so are having to look for alternatives. It's a bit of a dilemma as it seems a waste of money when I know she won't wear some of the clothes again once we get home. That said, I am lucky because she is happy to wear a gypsy style skirt (which can be found in every shop and market stall).

 

Good Luck!!

 

Laura

[jhannah]

Laura, congratulations to your daughter. She is mature beyond her years, and has proven herself to have a good head on her shoulders to not be swayed by her status-concious peers. Bravo for her!

[Jo42]

Until recently my 18 year old son's casual wardroble consisted almost entirely of black 'band t-shirts'. When he bought a polo t-shirt in "PINK" I nearly died of shock!! With that came the realisation that maybe that I'm seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. Unbelievably he has now let me (please note... let "ME") buy t-shirts in a variety of other colours for our forthcoming cruise. I was almost tempted to put the flags out!!

 

Hey ourlol, I am putting the flags out, my 16yr old son is still in the black band tshirts brigade but has the pink T as well! - I hope I'm soon buying him some more suitable clothing too!!!

 

Kim, both my kids - girl 14 and boy 16 - wear their hooded tops in the rain too! No raincoats, even when we lived in Scotland. One prefers the surfer styles the other black band hoodies. I guess thats just the way it goes - everywhere!

[kimanjo]

Sounds like your daughter and mine would hit it off great!

 

My daughter is what they call "indie/emo" over here, meaning independent-- (she doesn't follow a particular crowd or be a slave to name brands) and emotional--meaning she isn't afraid to be who she is and show real emotions (as opposed to pretending to be something she isn't).

 

As you might imagine, at school she isn't the most popular girl because the popular girls have the designer (Louis Vuitton, Gucci, etc.) handbags, and daughter refuses to bow to such shallow trands nor spend her allowance trying to impress. Of course, clothing still matters to her, and she goes out of her way to make a point of not following the crowd so she designs and sews (with my help) some of her own clothing.

 

Daughter has decided to buy/sew some gypsy (here called "boho" for Bohemian) skirts and t-shirts and camisoles for the trip and mix and match with jeans when necessary. As for the raincoat, I have a very light, thin one I will smuggle into my luggage and if she desperately needs it, it will be there.

 

I think we are safely over the hurdle--at least for today, which is all I can hope for with a teen girl.

[ourlol]

Sounds like your daughter and mine would hit it off great!

 

I have to agree... they sound like kindred spirits. ;)

 

Oh the joy of teens... don't you just love 'em!!

[Tania]

kimanjo, your daughter might find some reasonably priced clothing in Europe. She likes a store in Rome called Chopin: on a good summer day, you might find a sale, tops for 5 euro. She has clothes from Athens and Paris too...stuff that became fashionable here a year after she (or should I say I) bought it.

 

When my daughter and I were in London before a cruise, she had the uncanny knack of finding sales. I can't count the number of tops she bought at 5 pounds a pop which she still wears today... the styles are similar to what we have here but have a different look somehow. The trick will be in persuading her to leave these now washed-out things at home...