What do your teenagers wear on their feet for a smart/casual look?

[WankersHacksandThieves]

DS (16) doing work experience, clothes all organised for the smart/casual dress code.

He has a pair of black chino style trousers, a pair of navy chino style trousers and if the look in the office (assessed when he is there) includes smart jeans, he has plain dark jeans as well. For the top half he has 2 casual shirts with a navy tone, 2 with a grey and plain navy polo shirt. He has a dark gray soft shell type jacket or a black rain jacket depending on the weather.

Feet are a nightmare. He either has formal black shoes he wears for school, walking boots for scouts/dofe and running type trainers that he wears for all other occasions.

He has no ideas or opinions and doesn't care about fashion.

My son wears plain black Vans

My ds wears black Vans. They are all black. Wears them to work with black jeans.

Ah, he can't wear those as they would be too flat, he has a high instep and narrow feet. :(

Could he not just wear his school shoes? I'm sure that's what my dd would do in those circs. (Admittedly, she has chunky dm-style school shoes, but presumably boys' shoes mostly on the same lines?)

Actually I've looked a bit more, they aren't all flat slip on type - there might be a style that would fit him. Thinking not black though as they wouldn't go with navy? maybe charcoal grey or something?

How long is the work experience? Surely it doesn't matter if he wears black shoes with navy trousers for a couple of weeks!

His school shoes are too formal - almost the same as these: www.kickers.co.uk/mens-ferock-lace-2-p5699

but without the pattern bit by the laces.

It's only for a week, but at 16 he probably needs something that isn't casual trainers or formal shoes anyway, so I'm happy to buy something he can use for this but also for going out for dinner etc too.

He wants to make a good impression :)

Good luck to him

Thank you. :)

What is his work experience?
Those shoes look completely appropriate for my office (accountancy practice), chinos and jeans wouldn't be, do it completely depends on the circumstances.
We have just had a 16yo in on WE for 2 weeks. Tbh I didn't notice what trousers and shoes he was wearing - I wasn't involved with him at all, but he had white shirts on (not sure about a tie).
The lad we had last year wore his school trousers and shirts.

School trousers and business shirts I mean (school shirts are logo'd polos).

My ds has a Saturday job in retail. He has to wear their clothes (don't seem as fussy about shoes). If he wears black jeans he wears all black vans. If he wears black trousers (like school) with shirt and tie he wears black brogues. He wouldn't wear the brogues out but happily wears them to work.
If you want something he can wear after work experience I'd go with vans or something similar.

www.matalan.co.uk/mens/footwear/s2617615/real-suede-desert-boots

These, my incredible growing son has had a few because he needs new ones every four months grr

It's a small IT mobile app development company. They've said smart casual dress code. I think formal shirt, trousers and shoes would be too much. He doesn't like to stand out (bullied as a child so likes to blend in). He's seen some timberland chukka type boots online but I'll maybe need to get a few choices to try.

DS1 did his work experience earlier this year in a design agency and wore exactly what you've described with tan desert boots.

Tan chelsea boots or desert boots soubd like they would do. Or just nomal lace up type shoes but in a tan rather than black to soften them up and go with the navy?

Chelsea boots or 'brogues' (forgotten what they're called when on boys)! That is what DSS wore for his work exp

I think you are over thinking this for a one week work experience. The school shoes are fine.