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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Don't teenagers feel the cold?

95 replies

LynetteScavo · 12/01/2010 20:57

I've recently noticed the teenagers going to our local high school don't wear coats or hats or scarves, etc.

A few of them wear jumpers under their blazer, but many of them don't. And I bet almost anything they are not wearing vests under thier shirts.

So why don't they wear coats? Is it because their blazers are too bulky to wear a coat over the top, or are coats totally uncool, or do teenagers just not feel the cold? (TBH I don't remember ever feeling cold as a teenager, butI'm pretty sure I wore a coat to school)

What's this about then?

OP posts:
rottygirl · 14/01/2010 14:56

my eldest doesnt wear an coat and it drives me mad , she says she is warm enough with just a scarf and gloves and a school jumper, my youngest who is 11 wears coat , scarf, gloves and wont go out without wearing them...its all very strange isnt it ?
personally i cant think of anything worse that going out in this weather and not wearinf a coat

feralgirl · 14/01/2010 19:46

Bizarrely though, when they walk into the classroom, as a teacher I quite often have an almighty battle getting my teenage students to take off their outside clothes. They'll sit their saying "but it's just so coooold".

It's coz they're bloody contrary

misscph1973 · 14/01/2010 19:50

Oh, I am so pleased about this thread, I thought it was only me!

I can't decide between laughing out loud or telling them off when I see teenage girls wearing silly tiny shoes, no jacket, no tights and little skirts to school in January. I mean, even a "normal" British January would be too cold for such an outfit!

Oh, I do hope that my kids (now 5 and 2 years) will listen to their bodies and not perceived peer pressure in winter time - they probably won't though.

Mind you, you do see a lot of grown women with bare legs on their way to work even now.

PfftTheMagicDragon · 14/01/2010 19:54

Maybe you should buy them a cooler coat? When I was at secondary school, we couldn't afford anything vaguely nice so I went without rather than wear what I had.

You are genuinely not bothered about being cold at that age, it is better to look good. Or be wearing what you think looks good.

Surely we were all the same?

bruffin · 14/01/2010 19:58

round our way the girls carry their blazers in front of them back to front with their hands down the sleeves, apparently dd says this is to keep their hands warm[hmmm]

But both mine are wearing coats. At DS's school not one boy will wear the jumper, it's really not cool but DS wears a black ski jacket and DD a Jane Norman 3/4 length coat which a lot of the girls wear.

herbietea · 14/01/2010 20:06

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dwardle · 14/01/2010 20:46

Love this thread - made me feel so much better - my two are just the same - though my dd has taken my ancient hunters and has been wearing them everywhere for some contrary reason! DS won't even wear his lovely pigtail hat as a) it messes his hair up and b) might get nicked. I give up and just spend my money on me - who appreciates warm boots and cashmere scarves!

NotAnOtter · 14/01/2010 22:52

i dont waste my money on them any more

KatieeJanee1 · 15/01/2010 00:04

My daughter and her friends have recently started wearing ancle boots atm

mrsjammi · 15/01/2010 00:19

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thirtypence · 15/01/2010 07:08

It's a chicken and egg thing - why would a school put hangers in for coats that teenagers don't bring?

On very cold days I have had to stand in front of the odd boy and insist that he goes and gets his jersey. Usually it transpires that he has lost/forgotten his jersey. I make him go inside just like he would have to sit in the shade with no sunhat in summer. However this is only up to age 13.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 15/01/2010 07:24

I think teens do feel the cold but the desire shown by many of them to be "cool" amongst their peers (so adopting the herd/lemming mentality) surpasses anything else. Don't think some secondary schools help any by making these kids carry such heavy bags daily.

I wore a coat to school in winter but again there was nowhere to hang such a garment even in the lower school. You had to carry it around with you from class to class which did not always go down too well.

On a wider level my DH's workplace has no cloakroom area and these garments get put over the backs of their work chairs. Bags go under their desks.

mumto3boys · 15/01/2010 12:02

DS1 - 13. At his school its trousers, shirt and blazer - no jumper. So yhis is what he wears to school! I bought him one of those knitted hats with the peak which apparently is cool. And he had luminous fingerless gloves which they all put proper black gloves nderneath whaich are apparently cool.

But no coat - ever.

He goes to scouts in a t-shirt.

Will never ever wear a coat. I have given up trying

GinGirl · 15/01/2010 12:56

I'm sorry... but you know you are getting old when policemen look younger, and you start 'are you really going out dressed like that' even if it is only in your head!

I too saw a teenage boy waiting at a bus-stop in the snow wearing a t-shirt and trousers. I sniggered to myself as I drove past in my nice warm car.

I used to do it, it is uncool to wear a coat... you are however totally allowed to complain about being freeezzing even though you are not wearing enough to keep warm in the Bahamas!

mumeeee · 15/01/2010 13:02

Most teenagers won't wear coats/ Well betwen anout the ages of 13 and 18 they won't. DD3 is now 18 and she satrted to wear her coat again a few months ago.

babalon · 15/01/2010 23:32

I think you're lucky if they will where a jumper!! My DD 13 frequently over the past freezing weeks has been caught walking up to school in just short sleeved polo shirt
Answer being when questioned 'if I die I die' WTF!!!! I blame twilight
Two coats provided recently DD 'loved' them in shop and HAD to have both.

They are all clinicaly insane, Teenagers just laugh as they shiver through the door and insist they are FINE (wouldn't say no to a hot chocolate though if you insist MOM)

random · 15/01/2010 23:36

ds17 wears a hoodie,scarf,hat(looks a bit like one of the 7 dwarfs kinda thing) and pink gloves, oh and vans on his feet ...hes soooooooooo cool bless him

Imustbenuts · 28/01/2010 18:57

When we had all that snow the buses stopped running but my 17 yo ds was determined to see his gf, so walked 5 miles in the snow wearing just trainers, a t-shirt and hoodie (well, and jeans, obviously!) and when he phoned to say he's arrived safely complained that he was really hot!

badgermum · 31/01/2010 14:15

Teenagers don't want to wear their coats because it's not cool, trouble is, it is cool it's blooming freezing in fact !

dabs · 22/02/2010 09:37

Yep it just not cool and nowhere to put them at school.

BUT, have you noticed that when they are at home how they are always complaining of the cold and checking the heating is full up lol!

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