Trainer Fashion Help please from parents/guardians of teenagers

[floridafamily]

Hi Dibbers.

I wonder if some of you can advise. I have my eldest niece who is turning 14 soon. For her birthday she is DESPERATE for a particular pair of trainers and they HAVE to be the black pair too, (because of course, EVERYONE else is wearing them apart from her, you know how teenagers exaggerate). She wants to have a pair so bad she is prepared to have a second or third hand pair just because the rest of the crowd supposedly has them.

These are NIKE Air Force 1, (AF1’s).

These are, in my opinion hideous, to me they look just like the ol’ cheapy trainers you had when I was at school, myself included, if your family had to buy the cheapest trainers going.
The only thing that makes them so darned expensive (£80.00 plus for a pair ! ) is the blooming NIKE Tick on the sides.
Needless to say I will NOT be buying her a pair of these !

I am totally against the way people foolishly follow fashion because the rest of the herd wears a particular item, it goes against the way I was brought up myself. My brother, her father, is also of the same opinion of me, and therefore is also not allowing her to have THESE trainers as they are so stupidly expensive.

However, I know that 30-40 years on from my upbringing life is going to be a lot different and peer pressure is different to what we faced at school, now there is social media putting pressure on kids to conform to being fashionable etc.

I don’t think she has actually had a pair of new trainers as she has been given hand downs from her mum etc, so to be the best Aunt Ever, as a one off, I am prepared to pay approx. £50 for a different pair of trainers that would still be classed as “Cool” as this is the amount I spend on each Niece and Nephew for their birthdays.

As I am clearly not a follower of the latest trends and fashions, I do not know if they are regional or national trends for the teenagers. She lives in Somerset.

What I would be grateful for from you kind Dibbers is to let me know what pairs of trainers the teenage population are raving about so I can have a look at the different ones to see what pairs to encourage my niece to accept.

I think if she can see your replies to what other kids her age are wearing or wanting, even if her peer group at school, only want the ones I mentioned above, if she knows what other options are classed as on trend and desirable across the Country in other areas, she will hopefully be happy to have some ones different to her hearts desire, and might even be able to start a new trend herself. lol.


Many thanks for your help.

[Gillz121]

What size shoe is your niece? I only ask because buying junior sizes is a lot cheaper and is what I do most of the time! Juniors on Nike go to a UK6

nike/gb/t/air-force-1-older-shoe-vXJB1w

[RM2016]

As above, my boys wear the Black Air Force and the junior sizes (around £50) go upto a 6. There are many Nike trainers that are popular with teenagers here but I would say the Air Force are one of the more reasonable. TN’s, 270’s, 97’s would all be into 3 figures unless in a sale for adult sizes, under a 6 and more so a 5.5 all the trendy options are much more bearable.

[ginwithaslice]

If she really wants them why not give her some money towards them and let her make up the rest?
I did this with my DS not so long ago, for Nike trainers that cost £90. I told him I couldnt think of anything in my wardrobe that cost 90 quid! I gave him £50 and he put the rest of the money in himself.
To be fair they are never off his feet so I'd say the cost per wear will work out well!
I dont get trainers either but it's a different generation.

[Sandra & co]

Why can’t she get the ones she wants? Give her the money and let her collect money from others maybe and buy the ones she has her heart set on. I wouldn’t buy second hand shoes because of athletes foot, verrucas etc. I have had 3 kids, youngest is 17, they would rather have one pair of what they want than ones that look similar! My dd saves up to get things she wants so it doesn’t alway come easy.

[Guest]

I am not a parent of teenagers and I don’t particularly and never have followed fashion fads. But I think she s old enough to be able to choose her trainers and I don’t think you will succeed in finding trainers that will be just as good in her eyes. I don’t think you should have to up your budget for her though, but I would make the £50 contribution.

[Beth_Disney]

My niece is 10 and had some Nike trainers for her birthday, they look like this -
jdsports/product/b...nior/15970588/
I'd be shocked if my sister had paid that much for a pair of trainers though so they might just be similar.

Could she ask for money for her birthday and save towards the trainers? I remember when I was that age, if I'd saved birthday/christmas money and then done little jobs to get enough money to buy something I really wanted then I would be more inclined to a) only go ahead and buy it if I REALLY wanted it and b) look after it when I had it.

[disney1st timer]

My dd is 14 and has those trainers although she’s a size 5 so they were bought in the junior section for £50. I’m afraid I don’t think buying different trainers that she doesn’t want will help. £50 is still a lot of money to spend and if she didn’t even want them will she wear them? I would also give the £50 towards what she wants. When I was a child my mum NEVER let me have what was in fashion and do I believe I’m a better person for that? No lol! Don’t get me wrong I don’t think they should get everything that they want but being the kid that had to wear the “cheap” version of everything was horrible and if I can afford or encourage my kids to work hard to buy things they really want then I’ll encourage that.

[Pookie3101]

My daughter has Air Force ones as her school shoes. I managed to get hers in junior size as she is a 6 so cheaper.
They last very well and as her feet have not grown she will get 2 years out of them. Actually will cost less than the 4 pairs of Clark’s of kickers she would have gone through.

As others have said can you not give her some money towards them and let her pay the rest.

If she really wants them I don’t think another pair will be suitable and she probably wouldn’t wear them.

[400ixl]

As a parent to a teenage Daughter, what does it matter whether you personally like them? You won't be wearing them and as long as they are not offensive then its down to the individual at that age.

Our daughter isn't one for following the heard, although her large group of friends are more of a bunch of individuals anyway. However she does know what she wants to wear, and this could be a real mix on branded or not. Trainers however are important, they wear them a lot across many of their outfits and they are a bit of a statement as to who they are. Most wear labels, which to be fair do also tend to last longer.

I can understand that you do not want to go over a budget, and also that you will most likely want to get her something that is from you. But in this instance giving her money towards what she wants will be seen in a very positive way, especially as it will be the main contribution.