Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Style and beauty

Looking for style advice? Chat all about it here. For the latest discounts on fashion and beauty, sign up for Mumsnet Moneysaver emails.

Original poster

Teenage Geek Ready to Mingle - but what should he wear??

26 replies

FatCatSkinnyRat · 03/09/2022 17:30

HI all,

I have a gorgeous 6'4" 16 year old who would be called a geek by most people - he loves coding, maths and physics and has been shy to the point of muteness for most of his teenage years in social situations. His friends are also the fellow geek / nerds and they are not super socialisers, so his "going out" life to date has been pretty limited.

However this summer since his GCSE's are done he has been showing more interest in socialising. He's been going to cross fit and downing protein shakes (!!!) as he's pretty thin too. He's had friends over briefly (a different gang, apparently) and there is talk of parties and outings in the first few weeks of 6th Form. He seems excited and I love it, that he might start doing some teen-y things besides studying all day!

However he is getting stressed working out what to wear when he heads out. To date I have bought his whole wardrobe as he has no interest. I've kept it simple with plain coloured shirts and jeans and shorts from Next, mostly. But I think he thinks (probably rightly) that none of it is cool :-(

I've tried to get him in to SuperDry etc but he doesn't want any logo type stuff. He doesn't want anything aching cool as he probably doesn't have the confidence yet to pull it off, just something not so uncool.

Where should I look to dress a socially emerging geek? Help! Shoes too as this is all a bit beyond me - at the moment he only has a pair of old addidas trainers and his school shoes!

Thank you stylistas.

OP posts:
CMOTDibbler · 03/09/2022 17:35

My 16 yo 6' 4 ds is very similar, and wears slim black jeans, black shirts and sometimes a waistcoat for more dressed up things. Wide fit converse or DMs. I made him choose some short sleeved shirts from ASOS for holidays ( one the big wave and a twisted geometric print). Day to day he wears slim joggers and t shirts with a print ( tech jokes or Viking print type things)

Tierne · 03/09/2022 17:38

Get him to go on Asos, find a model whose outfit he likes, and then buy all the items from that outfit. Start with three outfits.

Unbridezilla · 03/09/2022 17:40

Would a dark Fred Perry style (not necessarily that brand as they are £££) work? I think a dark slim fit polo shirt carries from day to party well. But I might be hopelessly out of date!

Imicola · 03/09/2022 17:41

Please don't call him a geek or a nerd. He is who he is. I really hate those words.

HouseOfWaffles · 03/09/2022 17:42

Superdry is for people in their forties not teenagers. I've got girls so I'm no expert but they shop on ASOS or at H&M.

I think you've done well sticking to plain clothing. It's hard to get right as teenagers all wear such different things. Dr Martens are fairly straightforward and inoffensive.

Littlemissprosecco · 03/09/2022 17:43

nice fitting Levi’s, darl blue or black. Polo shirts for casual party, smarter shirts for more formal. Nike trainers!

Eggbuttie · 03/09/2022 17:45

I'm older (34) but my late teen brother wears:

Slim joggers puma or Nike
Converse or jordans
Black jeans
Plain or logo/pattern tops from asos or h&m

I think hair etc is important to him too, he spends ages scrunching and gelling for it to look right

catchingzzzeds · 03/09/2022 17:45

My fashion conscious 16 year old DS and geeky 18 year old nephew both loves ASOS so I think that would be a great place to start. Copy the outfits that the models are wearing and go from there.
I hope he has a ball at 6th form!

Cantonet · 03/09/2022 17:45

Mine buy plain stuff at h&m.
Or shop at vintage/thrift stores.
Or online at Depop.
Nothing really branded though apart from trainers.

Littlemissprosecco · 03/09/2022 17:46

If he’s very slim . Charles Tywitt do a neck in 14 and a superslim. My boy looks awesome when the shirts don’t look like they’re borrowed fto
dad!!

insatiableme · 03/09/2022 17:48

Skinny jeans and smart polo shirt, luke ones are a fair price or Fred Perry for party's. House of Fraser have some great offers on the Barbour ones at the moment. Jd also do some lovely ones. Or a a nice sweater. Other than that my son lives in tracksuits.

catchingzzzeds · 03/09/2022 17:50

Yes to Nike trainers. DS has also just discovered that Size? do great T-shirts and jumpers if you have one of those near you

knackeredagain · 03/09/2022 17:50

What’s his general style? Sporty? Music type? Not all teens dress the same! ASOS is a good shout.
One of my boys lives in Nike, if he’s feeling flush, Lyle and Scott or Ben Sherman. The other likes plain things with no labels, and band/film T-shirts. Both wear Nike trainers.

MaryJoLisa · 03/09/2022 17:51

Nothing cool about superdry, don't do that.
Is he into music? That often gives an indication of the type of clothes he may like.

PermanentTemporary · 03/09/2022 17:52

My boy is 18 now but usually chooses to buy Animal Crossing t-shirts, or charity shop short sleeved shirts or singlets.

Original poster
FatCatSkinnyRat · 03/09/2022 17:55

Sorry, I don't want to offend anyone but he and his friends from coding called themselves The Geeksters a year or so ago. Apparently it is very different, being a geek to being a nerd. Obvs I am clueless but I will stop with the labels anyway, point taken.

For those who asked, he is into coding, maths and physics. Not sports. Not music.

My younger son is into rugby, cricket etc and lives in tracksuits and picks his own clothes - he has a very well defined sense of style which is "rugby club after the match". But that would not work with my eldest.

OP posts:
Original poster
FatCatSkinnyRat · 03/09/2022 17:57

So many good suggestions, thank you everyone. I particularly like the ASOS one with finding a whole outfit.

OP posts:
MaryJoLisa · 03/09/2022 17:58

If he chooses to say he's a geek, geek is fine. DD is a self confessed geek, same age. She's v androgynous and her style is a bit Sheldon from Big Bang Theory crossed with a lot of emo.

Original poster
FatCatSkinnyRat · 03/09/2022 17:58

I think hair etc is important to him too, he spends ages scrunching and gelling for it to look right

Yes the hair is also a new thing this summer. We need product apparently. Any suggestions or are they all the same?

OP posts:
abovedecknotbelow · 03/09/2022 17:59

Can't help with the clothes but geek is very much a tribe and not offensive at all, same as Emo, goth, indie, skater etc

Anunusualfamily · 03/09/2022 18:08

He sounds like my partner 10 years ago tall and computer mad. Jeans (navy and black) and converse type shoes are effortless and there’s a lot of techy coding jokes t-shirts that always spark conversation with non techies and knowing smiles from like minded others

Notjusta · 03/09/2022 18:12

Get him to take a look at what the models are wearing on sites like H&M, Zara, ASOS, Urban Outfitters etc and see what looks/styles appeal to him. They'll be loads of hilarious looks on there but also a range of styles from preppy, sporty, geeky etc

My 14 y/o has now rejected skinny fit for baggy stuff - oversized t-shirts, baggy jeans/cargos, a lot of vintage/second hand stuff. Printed t-shirts but not really brands/logos or anything to do with gaming or slogans (last two particularly uncool apparently!!) more like graphic style or faux/real vintage.

Shoes - trainers - Nike in particular, high tops (Blazers, Jordans).

Sounds very exciting for him! I hope he has fin with it!

Notjusta · 03/09/2022 18:13

Oh or Vans/Converse for footwear.

Sheffieldissunny · 03/09/2022 18:15

Geeky t-shirts might be good? Converse sound good too. Mine has just started to go to h&m to get his stuff

QuillBill · 03/09/2022 18:23

Please don't call him a geek or a nerd. He is who he is. I really hate those words.

Right, but other people don't hate those words.

Just because you hate certain words it doesn't mean other people can't use them. Whether you say please or not.

As an aside, I hate it when people say 'please do not.....' because it sounds like a command but I don't go round telling other adults they shouldn't do it. I just think 'pah, you wanker'.

Geek is completely fine to say. She didn't call him a nerd.