How am I doing for a 16 year old?

Ignoring all the dating-and-relationships-at-16 drivel here's my 2 cents:

First, don't spend too much money on this stuff. I had a nice collection of well fitting selvage denim until I started cycling at 18 and then hit another small growth spurt at 20. Don't make that mistake.

Second, unless you're required a jacket and tie for school why not focus on some basics with good fit? Dark denim, some chinos on the bottom with polos, sweaters, and oxfords. Ditch the Nikes or whatever (doesn't appear that you'd be wearing sneakers anyway) and go with some chukkas or plain toe oxfords. Basics and good fit will go a long way, and (not sure what the status quo is in NZ) I'd wager you'll look better than most.

Unless of course you're going for the Harry Potter/Curt from Glee (on a tame episode) look. If so, go for it.

Too much time spent on these forums can really warp perspective.

I agree with others about not spending all that much on cloth. If it has proper fit, you will only wear it for a few month tops. You will be going through a LOT of growing till you are early 20s. So any heavy investment in clothing and apparel is wasteful.

I also agree with what other said about dressing "appropriate" cloth for your environment. You don't wear a Suit to Lay Concrete, nor do you wear Jeans to a Banker's Summit. The same applies to school as well.

But you are off to great start. I think your ensemble is great for 16.

This sounds about right (minus the insults).

I don't know a lot of women even in my age bracket (and my teenage years are long behind me) that can appreciate quality in clothing and shoes. I don't blame them too much, I'm still learning myself.

The idea that the OP should shun any girl who can't appreciate quality clothing will leave him with no girls to choose from at his age.

Originally Posted by GoldenTribe

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This is one of the most heinously idiotic things I've ever read on StyleForum. To a 16-year-old (who's not in some wealthy, ivy league prep academy), American Eagle is typical everyday clothing, Abercrombie and Banana Republic are "nice," and Gucci/Prada/etc (sportswear) are stratospherically desirable and concomitantly out of reach. Suits/jackets make you look like a nerd when you're in high school, particularly the way they tend to end up fitting people around that age -- in HS I had to wear a uniform with a tie, and had no choice, but everyone leapt at the opportunity to wear jeans and t-shirts on "grub days."

Even at 30+, far more women fawn over branded Gucci and Ralph Lauren sportswear than any unbranded suit you can name, regardless of quality (very much including everything up to Savile Row, Brioni, Oxxford, and Rubinacci). See http://www.authenticforum.com, which is devoted to the likes of Rock & Republic, 7 For All Mankind, and True Religion, and is populated primarily by moms and professional women.

To say that 16 year old girls "know better" (by SF's hermetically inbred standards) than to valorize mainstream designer labels is so stupid as to be offensive. No high-school girl (or guy, for that matter, outside of such narrow trust-fund-baby criteria as to be a meaningless demographic) has ever even heard of Kiton.

Originally Posted by emptym

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If you have a strong sense of self and are obviously in pursuit of excellence, you have girls throwing themselves at you, regardless of the labels on/in your clothing.

yup, I'm sure those aspiring astro-physicists in high school have girls throwing themselves at them.

get real

Originally Posted by Loathing

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Such a stupid little response. You do realise we don't all live in the smalltown USA world that you were brought up in? I can tell you the girls I went to school with didn't valorise branded Gucci because it's ******* tacky and tasteless. And girls definitely loved the guys that could pull off a good fitting suit (we favoured extremely close fitting suits at that age, because we were obsessed with looking 'big', i.e., muscular). How do you know the OP doesn't have to wear a suit at school? And besides, I didn't even say he should wear jackets and suits and brands like Kiton (I suggested he wear jeans); I just said he shouldn't be put off wanting to look stylish and valuing high quality. Why would you tell any 16 year old with an interest in style to pander do the desires of the dumb little bitches that only care about how many brands you're wearing & therefore how rich your dad is? I know girls I slept with and dated absolutely loved the way I dressed, and they continue to do so. So **** you.

I don't live anywhere near small town USA (being in NYC) and agree with him.

be honest, you're a virgin, right?

I feel like most women, regardless of age don't really know quality clothes over just either name branded, or designer luxury clothes.

I pretty much dressed like the OP the latter part of high school and in college and it did not get me girls. The opposite really. It basically made them think I was a weirdo. In my case they were right, but when it comes to getting girls you are more likely to do well with clothes by wearing Burberry polos, D&G jeans and horsebit loafers than you will in true "menswear".

Folks are just mad b/c the kid is has good hair, clean features, and photographs well (no ****-****).

OP, just hang around and lurk, you'll find every answer in this thread has been repeated several times in other threads and most folks are just repeating/reinforcing the collective wisdom of the forum.

Originally Posted by unjung

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When I was 16, I was a raver. So you can do a lot worse.
Hey, I still am an (occasional) raver (Though that means pretty different things depending on location and musical genre)

Originally Posted by patrickBOOTH

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I feel like most women, regardless of age don't really know quality clothes over just either name branded, or designer luxury clothes. I pretty much dressed like the OP the latter part of high school and in college and it did not get me girls. The opposite really. It basically made them think I was a weirdo. In my case they were right, but when it comes to getting girls you are more likely to do well with clothes by wearing Burberry polos, D&G jeans and horsebit loafers than you will in true "menswear".
+1. I would add that even when you are older, you'll have more luck with a black suit than with tweed, and you'll have much more luck if you're in shape and wearing jeans and a tight fitting t-shirt. I've had more women approach me when I've been in jeans and a polo shirt with sneakers than any other outfit.

Originally Posted by unjung

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The douchebags ******** all over some 16 year old kid who's just trying to experiment and enjoy himself need to reexamine the purpose for their existence. ******* embarrassing.

When I was 16, I was a raver. So you can do a lot worse.

Nobody is ******** all over the op...

It is a little of banter...

I hope you will raise the same issue when some senior members turn against someone who dared criticizing their perfect outfit but I doubt that...

Is The OP looking for advice or for acknowledgement/reconition ?

He is sixteen and must enjoy life outside the net unlike us old boring married farts..

Originally Posted by lasbar

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must enjoy life outside the net unlike us old boring married farts..
Speak for yourself.

I think these are good style for teenagers: Flickr 上 add911_11 的 tumblr_lkmirppNqZ1qcq3ab This photo is from a very well known style forum member (sorry for copying), all of his causal clothing are very well balance and suitable for men of all age, without looking too much And at least follow that trend will increase your possibility to meet girls in your school like this: Flickr 上 add911_11 的 tumblr_lgh65wn1tQ1qg9myeo1_500 Or if you are a fan of this type, the relevant style still helps: Flickr 上 add911_11 的 Courtney-Cox2 Just trying to help!

Originally Posted by Quadcammer

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yup, I'm sure those aspiring astro-physicists in high school have girls throwing themselves at them. get real
I am. Sure, some women of all ages are attracted to guys for wearing recognizable brand name clothing, and other foolish reasons, as MS and AB point out in this related thread. But such attraction is superficial and short-lived. If all you care about is superficial, short-lived relationships (ie one-night stands) then great. Eventually, you'll tire of this and you'll realize it causes not only boredom but also real damage, to yourself and others. In the long run, women are most strongly and deeply attracted to men who truly love themselves and others and thus care about improving themselves and others around them (ie are engaged in the pursuit of excellence, which includes such virtues as humility, courage, prudence, etc). If nothing else, my twenty-five years of post-pubescent life is a testimony to this (said in all humility ).

Originally Posted by Quadcammer

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I don't live anywhere near small town USA (being in NYC) and agree with him. be honest, you're a virgin, right?
I doubt he is. I certainly am not. That said, being a virgin is certainly not the worst thing one can be. If nothing else, your posts and others' in this thread demonstrate this well.

Originally Posted by NorCal

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Folks are just mad b/c the kid is has good hair, clean features, and photographs well (no ****-****). OP, just hang around and lurk, you'll find every answer in this thread has been repeated several times in other threads and most folks are just repeating/reinforcing the collective wisdom of the forum.
+1. The jealousy and "crab-mentality" is strong in this thread.

Originally Posted by emptym

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I am. Sure, some women of all ages are attracted to guys for wearing recognizable brand name clothing, and other foolish reasons, as MS and AB point out in this related thread. But such attraction is superficial and short-lived. If all you care about is superficial, short-lived relationships (ie one-night stands) then great. Eventually, you'll tire of this and you'll realize it causes not only boredom but also real damage, to yourself and others. In the long run, women are most strongly and deeply attracted to men who truly love themselves and others and thus care about improving themselves and others around them (ie are engaged in the pursuit of excellence, which includes such virtues as humility, courage, prudence, etc).
You're forgetting OP is 16. And in High School. High school relationships ARE superficial and ultimately short-lived, even the more serious ones. It's a shame, and a product of immaturity - but a spade is a spade. Let's be honest. He's not going to impress his classmates by looking like Ed Helms in The Office. We'll love it, but the cheerleading team won't.

Originally Posted by JG000

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You're forgetting OP is 16. And in High School. High school relationships ARE superficial and ultimately short-lived, even the more serious ones. It's a shame, and a product of immaturity - but a spade is a spade. Let's be honest. He's not going to impress his classmates looking like Ed Helms from the Office. We'll love it, but the cheerleading team won't.
I agree, but there are levels of superficiality. Just as there are levels of immaturity. We all make our choices about what kind of relationships we want to have, what kind of people we want to be come, and what kind of world we want to live in. He is not only the product of his world, he is also a producer of it. Again, he said he doesn't dress this way all the time. But even if he did, if he is also a good athlete, student, artist, etc., there is a good chance he would impress his classmates and the cheerleading team. We are not simply the passive recipient of trends. We shape them as well. But this takes skill, intelligence, courage, and the help of friends. All of which he may have.