To think that not all 15 year olds have a North Face jacket?

[Shinyredbicycle]

DD15 is seriously nagging us about getting a North Face jacket to the tune of £300. Apparently, everyone at school has one, they're very warm, last forever etc.

I'm a bit surprised given the decidedly non-middle class demographic of her school tbh, but I have seen a lot of teens wearing them.

My first thought was that it's an insane amount of money to spend on a jacket. Her last one was from Urban Outfitters which I bought in the sale and I suppose that given that she's not going to grow very much more, I'd feel okay spending around £100 on something she really wanted.

But £300! Am I missing something here about how vital they are to a young person's life? It's quite possible that I don't really get how desirable they are.

Would like to hear from other parents of teens about how reasonable a request this is!

TIA

You can go to private school and be a chav 🤪

Bring back naf naf!

My daughter was desperate for one a couple of years back, she used Xmas money and savings as I’d not long brought her a coat. In fairness 2 years later she’s still wearing it. When an expensive designer item is wanted in my household it’s birthday or Xmas pressies. For example recently an expensive pair of shoes was wanted at £160, I contributed £60 as I would have paid that for normal shoes and the remaining £100 funded with birthday money from family.

Agreed @notnowB! There’s some nasty comments on here. What do people get out of blatantly putting down a strangers teen child?

It's one thing or another with teens; dressed to climb the Eiger or refusing to wear a coat altogether!!!

Mine had one last year and this year it's Lyle & Scott

I'll go up to £150 ish but not much more than that ballpark. I wouldn't spend £300 on a jacket for him that's for sure!

Reading with interest. DD is 15 in April. She's not that fussed on brands (or knowledgeable) but is starting to be more influenced by her peers. No issues so far, except she recently refused to use her Aldi backpack that I bought when she started school, as it's 'too big, and awful' so I let her choose a cheap enough one from somewhere online. She's also lucky that she has a cousin who gives her hand me down clothes - many of which are 'brands' like superdry etc although I'm not sure she realises.

However, she's also quite happy to wear the school coat I bought in a charity shop last year for £4 and it's really lovely and looked unworn. It's a Surfanic ski jacket - I googled and they look pretty good but no-one is going to appreciate that at school. But she'd be happy to tell them it was £4 and I don't think she'd be fussed if 'everyone else' was in North Face. But maybe I have that to come - thanks for the tips about Vinted etc.........

I think DH has an actual down puffer jacket from 1996 which looks just like those NF 1996 jackets 🤣 think his might be rab though.

I have an 18 year old North Face Nuptse in my wardrobe. Cost about £100 back then. It’s been a great jacket for cold, dry Scottish winter weather, but truly shit in the rain. I have a 16 year old DD who wouldn’t be seen dead in one though despite many of her peers sporting them. Like many others have said already, they are for chavs and roadmen according to her.

Just get her a fake one from Cheetham Hill or DHGate

@RedToothBrush aww man, I LOVED my Naf Naf jacket. My parents still dont know how much I paid for that at 16 years old 😂

I had this same conversation with my colleague today. Her daughter wants one and yes it was the £300 one. I think it has to be that specific style and yes it's the only one not reduced on black Friday.
In my day it was Rockport shoes and the coats with the compass tag thing on the sleeve. The chavs choose the crazy expensive stuff that then trickles down to be popular and then common and then no one with actually money will buy it!

It all about fitting in. My colleagues daughter refuses to wear a coat full stop....but now definitely will wear this specific one 🙄

I’m just impressed that your teen is prepared to wear a coat at all, mine doesn’t own one and seems impervious to the weather!
Much as I’d love to buy one I wouldn’t go above £100, anything else would have to be funded by them.

Get kids size one, not woman’s size. Much cheaper. Kids sizes go up to age 17.

It could be worse, at least the current fashionable trend is something practical

Many will be fake , second hand from vinted ?. I'm chuckling because my DH bought one for ski season from Cheshire oaks outlet for 9YO DD. She lost it and it's left at school and gave not one shit about it. Primary school kids don't give a hoot about brands she's now sporting a tog24 one which she says she likes the colours better.

The hard northern school kids don't wear coats, though I think that is more because they don't have lockers therefore have to carry it around all day.

Love this discussion. I've got one who won't wear a coat (denim jacket at most), and one who'll wear anything, but often forgets.

I have noticed the North Face brigade seem to be over represented lately. I didn't realise it was a road man thing. And despite regular road man impressions from one of mine, I'm not entirely sure what a road man is.

Is the road man a modern day version of the "chav" but with more money and slightly better spoken?

Yes! I was surprised to hear that wearing coats was a thing among teens.

Thinking about it, a lot of the girls do wear these puffer jackets with hardly anything underneath, so I'm not sure that practicality is the main draw!

A roadman is your today's gangster chav , they sport a little man bag that has the drugs, money and phone in. Used to be social suicide for a man to have a hand bag 🤣🤣. Now a lot of teens follow the roadman look but aren't necessarily drug dealers.

I am impressed if these secondary school children wear coats. I can only get my ds in one on a snowday so has a second hand superdry .

15 btw

So what really is a roadman?

this thread has been an education! Glad neither of my teenagers wear coats 😂

Cross post- thank you for explaining Peedoffo!

I can't believe they are so sought after. Why? It's like the Trapstar shite insane. A nice coat from Next is fine.

And joe Bloggs!