Anyone elses teen only wear nike and adidas?

[Tattooedmama]

I hope im not alone

My 14 year old is now in mens clothes and a huge size 9 feet, he will refuse point blank to wear anything except nike and adidas (that includes socks) and his new obsession is only wearing CK boxers
We havent got huge amounts of money and at just under £30 per pair of trousers i would never afford a full wardrobe of clothes.
He has 3 or 4 trousers and 5/5 tops as he chucked out all his clothes that werent brand named.
He had £110 the other day and all he managed to get was 2 tops, 2 trousers and 1 pair firetrap jeans.
He knows i cant afford these expensive clothes and £170 trainers, but he wont accept primark or cheaper sports brand.
And £20 for 2 pairs of boxers is ridiculous (he used his pocket money for them)
He gets his expensive trainers and football boots at christmas because i refuse to pay that amount of money when every month hes moaning his feet are growing and shoes getting small, he got new football boots a size bigger for his birthday last month and i could have exploded when he said last week they are getting tight and need new ones soon.

I feel cruel he dont have lots of clothes, but what can i do when he will refuse to wear anything without a brand, hes so materialistic its annoying.

It is his own fault he has nothing to wear, not yours. He will just have to keep up with the washing, won't he?

Mine is fussy about clothes but not about brands just yet. He is only 11 so I'm sure it is coming. My Motto is that I'll buy clothes I can afford and if he needs them. If he wants nicer things they can be Christmas or birthday presents or he buys his own. If that means he has a ridiculously tiny number of clothes to rotate, that's his problem not mine!

Just a tip - JD Sports do Clearpay. You pay a quarter of the total when you order and then another 3 payments fortnightly (you receive your order straight away). So rather than giving him £10 pocket money every week would he be willing to do that for the more expensive items? For example a £60 hoodie you would pay £15 on ordering then every fortnight pay another £15 and you could deduct that from his pocket money. It's not credit or anything so you wouldn't be getting yourself into debt it's just an easy way of spreading out payments if you (your son) can't afford the prices upfront.

I think it’s great. Fewer things worn lots. Isn’t that what the world is striving for? Even better if it was all secondhand.

My son is label obsessed too, but only from op shops. Shoes, well that’s the kicker :) (I go halves)

It was the same when I was at school in the 90s. If you didn’t have branded trainers, you were a pauper and everyone knew it. Awful looking back but that’s how it went. My DH went to private school and it was even worse as you can imagine.

My 14 year old refuses to go shopping and only wants C&A t-shirts. He's just about transitioning to men's clothes, though. The last visit to C&A wasn't as he expected. Their men's section doesn't quite match the boy's.

He's happy to wear tatty clothes with holes on. Sigh.

Disclaimer: I don't let him

I think it’s great. Fewer things worn lots. Isn’t that what the world is striving for? Even better if it was all secondhand.

But what happens when the current must-have brand becomes saaaaad! and is replaced swiftly by something else?

I do agree with you, though!

My 14 year old refuses to go shopping and only wants C&A t-shirts.

I take it you're not in the UK, then?! C&A disappeared here before your 14yo was born. Even when it was still here, I don't think it ever had the same cachet among the fashion-conscious as it did (does?) in mainland Europe.

Ds is 13 and Only wants Nike trainers. He’s got size 12 feet. Last pair he contributed towards them from his pocket money.

He’s also 6’1” so I have to spend more money on joggers etc as cheap pairs from primary just don’t fit him anymore but he’s happy with non branded ones that actually fit (mostly from ASOS)

That sounds hard for you but some kids seem to feel the need to wear branded clothing - he should be able to get a job soon and buy his own.

My DSS was the same, branched out to more expensive brands, we get the basics as he needs (branded) and the expensive things ie Nike vapormax he has to get for Christmas or birthday. When he turned 16 he got a job which helps for his taste in clothes.
All of his friends are the same unfortunately... so that doesn’t help!

@Tattooedmama I also get a few bits from : get the label and M&m direct, they do brands cheaper, worth a look OP.

fudgebrownie where do you buy your DS's size 14 shoes, especially trainers? Mine is 13 and about to go into a 13, Nike only seem to stock up to a 12

Is he a chav? Nothing I hate more than Nike and Adidas, especially when someone think they’re billy big balls for wearing nothing but not envy.

I was never brought up on branded items and have always just brought what I like no matter where it came from. Mainly high street.

I have always had a thing for handbags, purses, shoes and jewellery though. So now I am older I have treated myself to 2 or 3 designer items over the years and DP has brought me a lovely designer bag and purse, he often gets me a semi expensive piece of jewellery at Christmas or for my birthday. Buts it’s not a regular occurrence by any means.

I appreciate nice and sometimes expensive things, but I also know that my zip up new look hoody looks just as warm and does the same job as someone else’s Nike one, I just paid a third of the price and don’t look like I’m going to gob off at a bus driver 😅

If he wants to spend more, he needs to get a job and pay for it himself. You are absolutely not cruel for not being able or willing to pay those prices for things that he'll grow out of so quickly. And the rest of the family also need things too. It's not all about him and the sooner he learns that money is not bottomless, the better. Be strict with him, OP, and let him learn his own lessons. The sooner, the better.

(Even when it was still here, I don't think it ever had the same cachet among the fashion-conscious as it did (does?) in mainland Europe.*

C&A doesn't here either, but they did some great Star Wars Ts.
They seem to have some faddy teenage stuff. And decent basics.

He's more demanding with shoes but even Nike has a decent price range, and not too bad in the sales. They're not all in the 100s.

My 15 year old son is exactly the same and a complete brand whore. He saves pocket money for things he wants inbetween his clothing allowance twice a year.
He only wears ck underwear as well he tried to fib me off that they are more comfortable! The local market had a stall selling fake ones 3 pairs for £10. I have bought some and snuck them into his underwear drawer to see if he would know the difference. Hasn't got a clue so shows he is not that aware of the comfiness.

but I also know that my zip up new look hoody looks just as warm and does the same job as someone else’s Nike one, I just paid a third of the price and don’t look like I’m going to gob off at a bus driver

I also know that my New Look handbag does the same job as someone else’s designer one, I just paid a fraction of the price and don’t look like I’ve just married a footballer.

I used to get a clothes allowance. It meant I had to budget and if I wanted expensive clothes, then I'd have fewer.
Could you do something similar, OP?

Or bring up kids who are individuals and not sheep

Wouldn't jeans from say, Topmsn be ok? On the basis that my 14yo DD is v happy with Topshop and is also into brands.
Could he get a job? Babysit...?
And agree with Sportsdirect and TK MaxX, and eBay. I think a mix is ok, I always think tops are more noticeable than bottoms, so a branded top and unbranded jeans? H&M is surely alright?!

I don’t see what your problem is as even thought your son only wants certain brands no where in your post doesn’t it say he is hassling you for money to buy them or complaining his waldrobe is limited.

Seems he is happy to have less if it is the brands he wants to wear which in a way is good as he doesn’t need 10 cheap T-shirt’s that will be outgrown before they are worn out. Five tops that he gets plenty of wear out makes more sense.

Brands are laughing all the way to the bank - tell him he's a sucker!

Ds was never like this. We did buy Vans from the USA at times but it was never expected. He is being silly and why should you have to justify your expenditure to him

Lucafritz - my son looks far from a tramp thanks, he showers every morning, clothes clean and smells nice.
No need for that comment, i may be complaining about the expense but there is nothing wrong with how he looks