How do you fund your teenagers clothes?

[IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads]

I have 2 dc, DS very nearly 16 and DD very nearly 13. I've largely bought all their clothes so far, and mostly chosen them. We live in a village, with no easy access to clothes shops for the dc. I get a lot of the DC's clothes online, mixed up with hand me downs, supermarket and charity shop clothes.

DS (16 in 3 weeks) has no interest in clothes, other than a preference for orange, camo trousers and hoodies. Other than that, he's not bothered what he wears. I have tried to get ds interested in choosing his clothes, but he'll just pick the first thing on the screen in his size.

DD(13 in 5 weeks), realised a few years ago that clothes don't have to be hand me downs, and loves nothing better than going to a shopping centre with a budget. She's asked for specific clothes for the birthday/christmas for the last year or two.

When I was DD's age, DM split the family allowance (now child benefit) between DSis and I and told us to buy our own clothes. But we didn't have school uniform, and lived in central London and were more than happy and confident to whizz round the shops on our school travelcards.

I want to give DD more independent with buying clothes. I want to make DS more independent with buying clothes. I don't think the solution is the same for both children - if I give DS an allowance, he'll just spend it on Switch games and peperami.

The both get "their age per fortnight" in pocket money, and their phone bills and any trips out paid for.

I used to send DD out with friends twice a year armed with £100 to spend on whatever clothes she wanted for autumn/winter and spring/summer. I’d also buy her the occasional item if we were just out shopping together. Any £££ clothes were always birthday/christmas presents.

Ds hates shopping so I take him one morning (on his own) and blitz the shops.

We pay for everything as he's 14 and can't access fund clothes himself.

He did want some trainers that were £400 so we paid 1/2 and he put the rest in from birthday money but within reason we buy his clothes.

Mine get £100 for a summer and winter 'haul'. I buy the essentials. Extras like expensive brands are from birthday and Christmas money.

I just but then what they need when they need it which isn’t much to be fair. This month my they both got new runners and a couple of outfits for summer. I probably spent about 400 in total. Dds(11) runners alone were 100

Either give them the same allowance or you buy what they need and they supplement via Christmas/birthday list.

You can't give your DD a bigger allowance just because she has more expensive tastes you happen to approve of.

Also, this is good: Other than that, he's not bothered what he wears. I have tried to get ds interested in choosing his clothes, but he'll just pick the first thing on the screen in his size. Being unbothered about clothes is a huge strength, and saves time.

DS2 is 15 and couldn't be less interested in clothes shopping. If he does find something he likes, I tend to buy it for him because he doesn't ask for much! Otherwise, I usually find him bits on ASOS and send him links to see what he thinks.

DS1 is a bit older now (20) and loves clothes. He has expensive tastes, so I may treat him to the odd thing, otherwise he saves for it himself or gets it for birthday/christmas

I give them £50 spends each month and that money is to fund socialising, clothing and make up. They can spend it on they can save it it's their choice. If they want an expensive outfit for an event like prom I'll help out to some extent, top ups are offered in return for chores done well.

Why can’t you give the more fashion conscious one a higher budget? It really doesn’t sound as though her brother will care.

13yo DD gets £100pm pocket money and clothes come out of that. I buy essentials like uniform and a few basic outfits and she pays for all wants.

We just take them shopping and buy them clothes when they need them. Neither dd nor ds is very into clothes really, so they don't break the bank. Dd is at university now, so buys her own.

I took mine out shopping twice a year plus they got an allowance of £40 a month (10 years ago) for incidentals but they were expected to pay for leisure expenses too

DD is 17. She likes clothes but hates shopping so often just goes on H&M or New Look and looks up things to order.

We buy 95%, all 6th form clothes as it's business smart dress code. All shoes, coats, jeans, tops and underwear.

Luckily she has a quite cheap taste, is happy with trainers from Deichmann instead of anything expensive and branded.

We will move to a larger allowance and more buying herself now though as it's just one more year until university.

I think you're mixing up a few things here.

(in answer to your question) we fund necessary clothing and they have an allowance they can use extras or to "top up" necessary items to a "better" brand/style.

I would stop buying your children's clothing for them and tell them that they can pick out their own necessary items (from online if they don't want to go shopping).

i'd also consider upping the allowance as "their age in pocket money a fortnight" sounds a bit light, especially for the younger one. I don't think you can dictate what it's spend on, why is it more worthy for DD to spend the money on a nice top than for DS to spend it on a Switch game?

My DS is 16 and he's the same, couldn't care what he wears as long as it's comfortable.

Sixth form approaching, he'll need new clothes, and hates clothes shopping, or any shopping for that matter. The next two weeks will be a battle. 😀

I've sold his blazer, uniform sweaters and logoed gym kit, which gives me £110 to spend on Next chinos and shirts. He needs new trainers too. It isn't enough.

They all get the child benefit each 4 weeks divided equally between them and generally extra on top. There's always something they need!
Eldest 2 mostly choose own normally JD , RI, or New look one mostly lives in sports clothes which get pricey
Youngest 2 are too young to shop alone. The 6yo is massively into what's 'in' from the older 2 and looks online and is a bit fussy ( ie won't entertain anything like unicorns/ princess etc) so I order or go to the City to get it. But I also get them lots on vinted.
But the oldest 2 I could also go shopping and confidently chose them clothes and know they'll like it. 6yo is hit and miss , youngest too young to care.

I sit mine down in front of Vinted and we spend, spend, spend for a fraction of what all those branded clothes would cost new!

Thanks for the replies.

I'd feel uncomfortable giving ds less allowance than dd, which is why I came to ask for ideas. I guess I see Switch games as a luxury rather than a need - if ds had a clothing allowance he genuinely would spend it on Switch games and walk around in worn out or too small clothes.

I agree that it's great that ds is unbothered by clothes, but he does veer towards "scarecrow" rather than "casually dishevelled". For ds, I'd consider being able to buy clothes that fit him, and being able to put together an outfit appropriate for the occasion a bit of an "adult life skill".

DD likes to be more creative with her clothes. She loves putting together outfits and loves a hunt round a charity shop.

I agree that I shouldn't dictate what they spend their money on. I think my buying, but them choosing the basics as needed is probably a good way to go, then they can work/save/ask for birthday for special stuff might work.

I am going to review their pocket moneys in September. I might start a new thread about that!