pub / going out outfit for 18 year old who lives in jeans and tshirts

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DD (18) is heading off to university. She asked me last night what sort of things she should buy in case she goes to the pub with her flatmates/course mates. I said I would look for some stuff and send her links. She is not a party girl at all, doesn't wear make up, has been to a few house parties, but never been to a pub. She wants something to wear so that in the first few weeks if everyone is going out, she can go along and fit in. I won't imagine she will be clubbing, she hates very crowded places with loud noise.

Normally she wears leggings and a baggy t-shirt. In the last year she has branched out to wide leg casual trousers, and some wide leg jeans. Still with cotton t shirts. She exclusively wears trainers, even to prom she wore trainers under her floor length dress. She likes soft fabrics, hates anything lacey or itchy.

She is size 10-12, 5'7" and has quite a large bust.

She doesn't like fast fashion (shein or asos) as she disagrees with the environmental impact of clothes that are only worn a few times and then fall apart.

I know she is 18, and at this age what mum suggests probably isn't helpful, but she did ask for my advice, and just wants a couple of staples in her wardrobe so that she can fit in. If anyone can send me a few links for websites that would have some appropriate things, I'll forward them on to her. Thanks.

Do teenagers/students still get dressed up? They always seem to be in jeans & trainers anyway.

Although, maybe at the times they are dressed up for going out out, I don't see them as I'm already in bed 🤔

I think she will be fine in her jeans and trainers for a pub visit. Once she has got to know people and been put a few times, she will pick up on what the others are wearing. I definitely developed my personal style during my first year of uni.

I'm 41 and I almost exclusively wear jeans and trainers to the pub.

I third the PPs. I graduated 15 years ago and people just went out as they were then. If things have changed, she'd be better working that out for herself there than trying and pre-empt it. Some groups of people dressed up to go out, but definitely not most in my friend groups. You don't see people dressed up in pubs much these days imo

For a pub visit she’ll be fine in jeans/Tshirt. But she’ll need something more dressy if they go clubbing

Thanks. She is (like most new students) keen to make friends. Her cousin is a few years older and is very into clothes and fashion, and wears body con and lots of tiny vest tops so she is maybe thinking she need stuff like that. But its not her, and she wouldn't be comfortable in it (physically or emotionally) so jeans and tshirt is probably safest.

I did wonder about this https://www.next.co.uk/style/sv002504/y86882 . Too old for a student?

Pretty much anything goes. Jeans and a T shirt and trainers will be fine. My DD will "dress it up" by wearing a strappy top, or something more fitted, or a crop top but that's not necessary.

She basically wears jeans and trainers everywhere as do lots of other students. Some choose to wear dresses or go more dressed up, but it's really not expected.

Could she go with wide leg jeans/trousers and a little top (rather than a baggy t-shirt?) with trainers?
what sort of things do her current friends, or just people she knows from school etc wear to house party’s, or on their social media when they go out. Worth looking for inspiration at people she actually knows.

It's also worth remembering that a lot of the "events" (particularly Freshers events) they all wear an event T shirt, and that some of the socialising will be fancy dress.

I'd honestly tell her to wear what she is comfortable in. No one will care. She can always go shopping once she's there and gets an idea of what others are wearing and gets some more ideas of outfits.

Sounds like jeans and a tee shirt, maybe a fancier tee shirt, maybe heels rather than trainers.

The staple of jeans and a nice top 😄. Back in the day used to wear jeans and a body top (you know the ones that fastened under your crotch). You can place me bang in the early nineties with that outfit!

Firstly I think it’s a little funny that she thinks you’ll know when presumably she knows other 18 year olds. I live in a University town but it’s an art school so I don’t necessarily think the students I see are representative. My teenager DD is into teeny weeny shorts and cami tops. She’s also described a look she wants to achieve which is pure All Saints ( the band) - very baggy trousers and a cropped tight top and trainers. ( she also wants a belly button piercing and a lower back tattoo. 😂). I think she should wait til she gets there. Students are very into thrifting / charity shops so she might not want to turn up with a bag of “ new” clothes in any case

I got a panicked call from mine last year because they were going to club nights in the SU and she felt really scruffy in her habitual jeans and baggy tee-shirts, she did an emergency trip to Primark and bought some crop tops, a shortish skirt and a small bag for her phone. Plus some chunky boots from a charity shop, nothing on earth would induce her to wear heels. But Primark probably in the same category as Shein etc to your DD, although I've had some really good things in there that have lasted and lasted. Mine prefers High St to online shopping, maybe New Look also worth a look.

You could always point your DD at Vinted? My DD gets most of her clothes from there. It allows her to experiment with styles for not a lot of money, and of course you are also supporting the reuse of clothes.

I would suggest she watches every possible YouTube video made by students at her university to get an idea of the … vibe and the various cultures.

I live in the centre of a majorly student-heavy city. Other than during the May Ball season the vast majority of undergrads are in colourless shrunken t shirts and floor scraping baggy jeans. Day and night.

(But at another university I’m familiar with there are a lot of skimpy satin dresses worn out in the evening.)

There’s also a strong vintage contingent here - always in worn out suede jackets and vaguely folk-y maxi skirts.

So she may want to hold off buying too much until she gets there.

I had to double check that I hadn't written this post! Our DD's sound very, very similar. I have no advice but wanted to send my best wishes to your daughter (and you).

Baggy low waist jeans from motel rocks or Free People, Birkenstocks, T-shirts from Urban, cute tops from Free People, jumpers from Free People or Urban.

Plus a highly impractical tote bag that will kill their shoulders stuffed with their books and laptop!

That top you linked to OP is maybe a little formal and might be better more cropped but the overall shape is fine if your DD doesn’t want too revealing. My DD would have worn what I’d call a skimpy top going out for drinks when in Uni. Cropped or not, maybe low cut, maybe backless, or maybe to the neck halter style and low cut in the back. Or a camisole type top. Most students wear trainers everywhere. Her existing jeans sound fine. Zara, Urban Outfitters, ASOS will have lots of choice. Or Vinted.

Along with three or four going out tops, I’d also make sure she has at least one clubbing dress, just in case. Or a clubbing skirt or shorts to wear with the going out tops. Also, you mentioned she doesn’t wear make up and it’s obviously fine she doesn’t but she might want to when the other girls she’ll be living with might be doing their make-up before going out, so maybe she could have a little set of basic make up - foundation, lipgloss and eyeshadow (just in case). The same with a fake tan - it can be a ritual the girls going up to their rooms to put on the fake tan the night before a planned night out.

Wide leg trousers or jeans are fine, either with a baggy tee for an overall oversized look or a vest top/baby tee. Trainers fine.

I live in a university city and that's what all the students here wear. Some pic examples attached.

Also useful is a small handbag to keep their phone and keys in while out at night - a very small shoulder bag that tucks in under top of arms iykwim.

Where is she going to University? A big city or a town? Anyway, jeans and t-shirt and trainers will be what most students are wearing. If she wants to wear something different from what she wears all day then just some different t-shirts, maybe shorter and less loose but they don't have to be tight and showing off her belly if she doesn't feel comfortable. One of my daughters has a larger bust and gets tops from Hollister because they tend to make their larger sizes larger over the bust too so they're not too clingy in the wrong area. Not the height of fashion but a plain t-shirt is a plain t-shirt!

She's very likely to have time to go shopping in freshers week as she acquaints herself with the nearest city centre. Students will have parcels galore arriving in that first month so she can always order from online too - somewhere like ASOS who do quick shipping.

Definitely direct her towards Vinted. But try not to worry or let her worry. Students at a pub will be mostly casually dressed.

That’s a lovely top in yoir link OP.

One of my university aged dd dresses in what looks like a bundle of rags she found on a bush. The other one wears 90s style clothes like the ones @sweetpickle2 posted. They both exclusively wear dr martens.

Jeans, t shirts and sweatshirts are completely normal clothing for eighteen year olds. When she gets there, she will be able to go charity shop shopping with her new friends.

When you say that she’s never been the pub, do you mean independently/with friends as an 18 yo or ever?

Just an idea but why don’t you take her to the pub so she can see what people are wearing and how to use a bar?

As a student I went regularly and wore anything from my then part-time job in retail uniform right up to my best clothes if we were going out after.

Jeans and a t-shirt is totally normal.

I’d save the money and let her go and buy something when she knows the “vibe” of her new friends. I spent many a happy afternoon after lectures in Oxford St topshop (rip) sometimes with friends

She could look at Urban Outfitters for ideas. My dd (23) and her friends are mostly in jeans but anything goes.