High Schooler looking for a classier look

[vapor90]

Hi, Im a 16 year old kid in high school and I am looking for more interesting and grown up ways to dress. I have a tight budget considering. I already have many Polo and a Hugo Boss button ups that Ive bought over the past year or so.
What are some things I could do to step it up.
I am open to anything!

 

[NORE]

Welcome.

At this stage perhaps the best advice you could receive would be to browse the picture-heavy threads on this site (an others) and pick out some looks you like and that fit your body type. You may even wish to save some of the pictures and then slowly incorporate pieces into your current wardrobe to achieve your desired look. You may even wish to photograph your progression so that you can evaluate it later and continue making the necessary tweaks to achieve your goal.

 

[jt10000]

Hi, Im a 16 year old kid in high school and I am looking for more interesting and grown up ways to dress. I have a tight budget considering. I already have many Polo and a Hugo Boss button ups that Ive bought over the past year or so.
What are some things I could do to step it up.
I am open to anything!

Don't go too extreme/formal in how you dress. At the most, you want to look like a well-dressed college kid and not an adult working in a business office.

Have the clothes look neat and fit you, and have nice, clean shoes (loafers or boat shoes or bucks maybe) or neat-looking sneakers (not clunky running sneakers). Nice chinos, dark jeans, maybe corduroy pants.

Avoid big logos/text on your clothes except for logos of your school/groups you belong to.

I think hoodies are OK at your age, but see if you can add some solid-colored sweaters as an alternative. I wore a blue blazer sometimes in high school, but that was a bit much.

Maybe add a belt that goes with your shoes to dress things up.

These are two blogs that probably most people at SF would scoff at, but are probably useful for someone your age:
http://www.primermagazine.com/
http://stylegirlfriend.com/

You might also want to look in the Streetwear and Denim area here.

Don't run out and just start spending. Look at looks and think about why they look good to you.

 

[AMG1]

I´d go with a good looking, well fitting jeans, and a well fitting shirt or polo shirt. Get some nice shoes, either boat shoes, or suede mocassins by Salvatore Ferragamo.

 

[NORE]

At 15-16 I found about about stores like Century21 and started changing up my style. I went from jeans, sneakers & polo shirts to chinos and button downs. Or if I did a polo I would tuck it in.

My most memorable outfit was a pair of navy chinos with a navy plaid (like blackwatch) shirt. I added some touches like a nicer watch, belt (since it was now showing) and switched my footwear to those lugged-sole Timberland boat shoes/CXL boots. Kept my hair cut/shaped up. I had a couple of dollars in my pocket now due to an after school job.

My confidence level shot up and I started hanging with the cool crowd. Girls came flocking. Best years of my life probably.

 

[vapor90]

Thank you all for the advice.

 

[jshastings]

All of this depends on what you're looking for. Where I go to school, nantucket reds are common and almost considered the norm. That's not true everywhere. Different people have different standards.

OCBD's and chinos are a safe bet. Tuck it in, wear a cool belt (turned engine buckles are a good choice) and boat shoes, loafers or chukkas.

What you probably should not do--in fact should not do--is wear dress shirts casually. There was a person whom I sat next to last semester (I'm in college) who did this everyday... not with a tie or jacket. It looked odd and out of place. Worse yet, the shirts were not especially well tailored.

 

[nonoo1977]

The Best is to

Stick with nothing but Good quality 2 Button Navy Blazer, rest everything will be magic.

 

[jshastings]

Sorry, but wearing a wool blazer to school everyday is a bad idea unless it's part of your uniform or it has the school crest on the chest.

If you want to wear a blazer, wear a deconstructed one made out of cotton or something similar. Personally, I would strongly advise against a wool one.

 

[cptjeff]



Sorry, but wearing a wool blazer to school everyday is a bad idea unless it's part of your uniform or it has the school crest on the chest.

If you want to wear a blazer, wear a deconstructed one made out of cotton or something similar. Personally, I would strongly advise against a wool one. 

Agreed with this. As for the deconstructed cotton blazer idea, I wore an unstructured gap cotton blazer a lot in high school. I credit that thing with awakening my appreciation for tailored clothing, and it was casual enough that it didn't make me look ridiculously out of place. I would recommend something similar for the OP. A soft old navy or gap cotton blazer. A cheap and casual basic. Hell, I have an old navy corduroy blazer that I'm happy enough wearing now.

One other thing- I would modify the prohibition on wool to exclude tweed. Tweed can be worn very casually, and I've seen it worn well by high school students in the modern, casual world. A well fitting, beat up tweed jacket is a wonderful thing, and won't appear too formal at any time it's weather appropriate.

 

[Quadcammer]



One other thing- I would modify the prohibition on wool to exclude tweed. Tweed can be worn very casually, and I've seen it worn well by high school students in the modern, casual world. A well fitting, beat up tweed jacket is a wonderful thing, and won't appear too formal at any time it's weather appropriate.

I'm gonna disagree.

I went to a high end private highschool, and even there, if you wore tweed, you'd get more than a little ribbing.

 

[atila]

Dress your age, just do it well. Otherwise you are taking the risk of being a virgin into your 20's.

 

[vapor90]

Dress your age, just do it well. Otherwise you are taking the risk of being a virgin into your 20's.

Hahahahahahaha