How do people dress up in school?
Posted by 177jjp@reddit | AskAnAmerican | View on Reddit | 401 comments
Since I’m going to the USA soon to do 12th grade, I’m just curious on how people dress, as much as I know the style in the US compared to Europe is very different right?
What I mean is here we dress the way we would dress up to go out to eat, cinema, etc.. But I’ve heard that people wear pajamas to school? Please anybody in hs or something tell me cause I don’t want to be the only one dressing differently thank you 😭😭
tah2269@reddit
Here in New Jersey South, almost every boy wears shorts be it in the winter , spring, fall. The girls capris and shorts. Jeans are always the pants when they decide to wear pants instead of shorts. The ONLY exception to this is for CATHOLIC SCHOOLS where they wear actual school uniforms.
TheBimpo@reddit
American standards of dress are casual compared to parts of Europe and Asia. Jeans, hoodies, athletic wear, etc are common for teens.
177jjp@reddit (OP)
So i can wear athletic clothes to school nobody will say anything?
-DoctorEngineer-@reddit
What state are you going to? Style preferences do vary
MulysaSemp@reddit
Depends? Sweatshirts are OK. Maybe sweatpants. Jeans are more common. Not a tracksuit.
177jjp@reddit (OP)
Wait really? We ALWAYS wear tracksuits here 😭😭😭😭
HOMES734@reddit
You can wear a tracksuit OP. It was common at my school.
177jjp@reddit (OP)
i see it varies a lot from state to state
LiqdPT@reddit
More like town to town or even school to school
SnowblindAlbino@reddit
In the US full tracksuits (Adidas, etc.) are usually fiction shorthand to signal "Chechan mobster" or gopnik, enough so that there are Halloween costumes that feature them. If you see two characters in American movies or TV wearing tracksuits you can be 90% certain they are supposed to be Slav gangsters or idiots. It's not a look most people would want to wear in public here.
Kellaniax@reddit
I graduated from high school like 2 years ago. Only kids on the track or cross country teams would wear tracksuits, and they were always school colors.
My sister was in cross country and she was always too lazy to change for practice, so she'd wear a tracksuit on practice days. No one really thought it was weird because everyone knew she was on the team.
MulysaSemp@reddit
I'm not saying you can't, but they are European and Russian- coded where I am.
mmm_nope@reddit
You’ll probably only see a full tracksuit in an American high school worn by a high school athlete and it will most likely be on a day when they have a game/meet/match. It will also be the one that’s the uniform for the high school team.
Tracksuits are not commonly worn in large chunks of the US, but this can vary by location. If you specify which region you’ll be living, we may be able to give you more information. For example, the styles that are popular or common in Southern California will be drastically different than what you’ll typically find in Montana.
boarhowl@reddit
I don't think tracksuits have been popular in the US since the 90s but hey maybe you will make it popular again and be a trend setter!
MrLongWalk@reddit
Nobody will even notice
etrnloptimist@reddit
Athleisure, not athletic. OP, Don't show up wearing brightly colored track pants, tank top, and a headband. That's not what we mean by athletic wear.
ABelleWriter@reddit
Track pants are actually common at my daughter's college.
Track pants, leggings, sweatpants, jeans with t shirts and hoodie.
JerseyInTexas@reddit
Does your daughter go to Rutgers? (Joking.)
ABelleWriter@reddit
No but it doesn't surprise me that Rutgers kids dress like that!
It's a sea of track pants on her campus, and then like 1 alt fashion kid and then my daughter, who usually looks like she's in 1992.
JerseyInTexas@reddit
I have to say, I haven't been on Rutger's campus in years. My question about track pants was a joke on how the cast of the Sopranos dress. I could have picked any college in NJ, just went with the largest one 😅
GeeEhm@reddit
Mostly for women, though. The guys aren't walking around campus wearing this.
Ready-Ad-436@reddit
Darn..
Positive-Avocado-881@reddit
Tbh if styled correctly, students definitely will wear that stuff lol my high school didn’t actually have a dress code
Odd-Help-4293@reddit
You might be allowed to wear that, but OP will look silly if they do. (I'm not a teenager though, so what do I know.)
Positive-Avocado-881@reddit
As with anything, seeing what the local style is matters. People don’t dress the same in all of America. In urban areas, a tracksuit might actually be in style
mysecondaccountanon@reddit
Oh gosh I have seen the resurgence of some track suits locally. But like very specific types and colors, and it's usually only in specific cliques.
Flossthief@reddit
Mine did but administration was too busy handling gun violence and gang activity so kids got away with most stupid shit
One guy wore pajamas to school every day and carried a speaker blasting nightcore-- any time he was asked to turn his music down he would pump his fist in the air and shout "that's called Nightcore!"
Suspicious-Froyo2181@reddit
I'll bet you had one, it just wasn't worth the aggravation to enforce it.
Positive-Avocado-881@reddit
No, we genuinely did not. We also had an official policy to call teachers by their first names.
Suspicious-Froyo2181@reddit
Was this a private school? The first part I can buy the second part, it's like, wait, what?
Positive-Avocado-881@reddit
Haha nope! Public school!
Suspicious-Froyo2181@reddit
Wow. TIL.
Positive-Avocado-881@reddit
I fully acknowledge that it was weird lmao
177jjp@reddit (OP)
HAHHH YEAH I KNOW AHHAHAA LIKE THE MOVIES
KatanaCW@reddit
Do not wear a full track suit. Track pants and a tshirt is fine. A track jacket over sweats or jeans and a tshirt is fine. But not a whole track suit.
xx-rapunzel-xx@reddit
can velour tracksuits be the exception?
Severe_Departure3695@reddit
My kid recently graduated high school. He only ever wore sweat pants (nice ones, not ratty ones), t-shirt (long/short depending on weather), and a sweatshirt of some type. He has a number of zip-up hoodies he would rotate through. In warm weather he would wear stretchy cotton shorts, kind of like a shorts version of sweatpants. He did start to wear polo shirts.
My girl wears similar. Mixes in some jeans, non-revealing yoga-type leggings. Unless it was specifically "pajama day" PJ's stay home.
I tried to get my son to wear more fashionable stuff, some more "real" clothes like jeans in part because I enjoy nicer clothes. It didn't work and it just caused undue tension with my wife. Wasn't a battle worth fighting.
Neenknits@reddit
My youngest graduated about 8 years ago. Back then, loose, flannel PJ bottoms with big tshirts were popular. Usually plaid.
Creamsodabat@reddit
I don’t think people will notice track pants and a tank top. The tank top might be dress coded if the teachers care though. Headband is weird
Kellaniax@reddit
If it's in the school colors, then people would assume OP is on the track team.
Otherwise, it'd be weird.
RightYouAreKen1@reddit
Hey man, Jazzercize is back.
Confident_Storm_4884@reddit
Athlesiure - Lululemon for girls , usually Nike, adidas, for boys.
Confident_Storm_4884@reddit
I assume you will be attending a public high school. Jeans, shorts, sweats, pajama pants are all seen regularly. Graphic tees, hoodies, sweat shirts, athletic tops, and sometimes a cute top with jeans if you are a girl.
Not_an_okama@reddit
When i was in school 10 years ago, the dress code was basically as follows:
Pants longer than your fingers when youre standing and your arm is straight down.
At least 3 finger widths of fabric on the shoulders.
Covered mid rift. (No gap between shirt and pants)
No adult themed graphics (drugs/alcohol/sexy graphics and no swear words).
Outside of that there was a range from pajama pants with a t shirt to girls in casual dresses and guys in suits.
Dress decently well and youre more likely to be popular imo
montanalifterchick@reddit
This is an excellent synopsis!
33ff00@reddit
Pants longer then your fingers what tf does that mean
1singhnee@reddit
Shorts. It’s a female dress code.
sweet_hedgehog_23@reddit
It applies to both. We just don't see boys wearing 1980s basketball shorts. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson's shorts definitely weren't longer than their finger tips.
1singhnee@reddit
I haven’t seen a boy with shorts like that in like 40 years. And thank goodness for that. 😂
sweet_hedgehog_23@reddit
I don't expect them to make a comeback, but you never know. Teens do enjoy being provacative.
NurseKaila@reddit
I live on the coast and have I got news for you…
SnowblindAlbino@reddit
Often male too-- I was sent home to change in high school (as a male) because my shorts were too short...in 1983. Had that same finger rule then too.
therealdrewder@reddit
I donno, it sounds good for either sex
1singhnee@reddit
I agree, it does sound reasonable. Unfortunately, dress codes does are usually selectively enforced, and girls are more likely to be called out for it.
therealdrewder@reddit
Really? It's my experience that few teachers are brave enough to dress code a girl.
Odd-Help-4293@reddit
When I was in school, it was all about popularity. Teachers would absolutely dress code the "weird" kids, but the popular kids could wear anything and never get called out.
1singhnee@reddit
It’s been a long time since I was in school. I just see what happens at my kids school and what I read about it in the news. There have been a few instances that actually made the national news.
It may also be a regional thing.
Nellrose0505@reddit
When standing up straight with arms held loosely at your side, the bottom hem of your pants/shorts/skirt needs to be below your fingertips.
Severe_Departure3695@reddit
Oh, so no super-short, revealing clothing. Seems reasonable and appropriate for the activity.
thatlady425@reddit
That was 10 years ago. Those are not the rules now.
mmm_nope@reddit
These dress code rules are still very much a thing in many school districts.
clekas@reddit
Just FYI, it's midriff, not mid rift. I see this mistake often and typically don't bother to point it out since people probably know what you meant, but, if OP is not a native English speaker, I don't want them to think this is correct or to be confused.
Not_an_okama@reddit
Hey thanks. Tbh this was probably the only time ive written that so TIL.
TreyRyan3@reddit
Depends on whether the school has a dress code, but for the most part…yes.
rtripps@reddit
You’d stick out way more and probably would get bullied if you wear something more formal.
177jjp@reddit (OP)
I’ll take that as a yes lol
rtripps@reddit
Yes lol and wear pajamas to school now. I usually wore jeans and a hoodie. But expect to see a variety of styles though. You’ll see people who are all about “drip” as the youths say (it was swag when I graduated in 09) to people who do not care.
Also depends on were you are going to school? Do you know if the school is in a suburban town or a rural? Is it wealthy school or a poor school? Public or private? Also I hear in the UK public school is like our private schools so be aware of that if it means the same in your country.
xx-rapunzel-xx@reddit
yes! “athleisure” is definitely a thing and has been for a while now.
one thing i didn’t do in high school that teens do now is wear sneakers with dressy dresses, like even to prom.
mrscrewup@reddit
That’s how you blend in. If you dress up that’s actually when people will say something.
TJH99x@reddit
Yes, in fact my teen had to wear athletic clothes on the days they had PE class. The school doesn’t have lockers and you have to carry all your crap around, so no one is changing clothes for their PE class.
Most kids wear a mix of athletic wear, hoodies or loose baggy pants/jeans and Tshirts from what I see when I drop off everyday for HS.
Low_Attention9891@reddit
They won’t say anything because they’re probably doing it too. I’m in college and my college professor told us we could show up in Pajamas.
Groftsan@reddit
Don't change your style to fit in. If you like being a bit dressier and fashionable, lean into being the cool European kid with a sense of style. There's nothing more American than being confident in your individuality.
Abducted-by-Arby@reddit
Whatever is comfortable. I just got back from school and am wearing leggings and a t-shirt. Make sure to check what clothes are OK to wear because each school has its own rules. Basketball shorts, hoodies, tshirts, sweatpants, sweaters, and pajama pants (mainly in neutral or dark colors!) are popular among guys. Leggings, shorts, jeans, t shirts, sundresses, sweaters, and athletic jackets are popular with girls.
KaBar42@reddit
Just make sure your shool allows it.
If you're going to a private school, they may have a specific dress guide or even uniform.
Hell, some public schools have uniforms.
Eubank31@reddit
I wear gym shorts and a t shirt basically every day. If it gets cold out I put on sweatpants or jeans and a hoodie
Birdywoman4@reddit
Some schools have uniforms but I don’t know which ones these days. If they don’t have uniforms then you will probably be OK wearing that. A lot of students wear jeans and tops, hoodies if it’s cool weather. Here they can wear shorts to school as well.
emr830@reddit
Just check the dress code - I’ve been out of high school for a while, but my cousins go to the same one and athletic clothes are not allowed during the school day. Jeans are always fine, tshirts, sweaters, etc. Check the schools dress code regarding shorts and tank tops.
In terms of shoes…don’t wear heals but only because your feet will hurt, but everything else is probably fine.
ElleWinter@reddit
I was a high school teacher for two decades. My students dressed nicely, but also sometimes wore more casual clothing and even athletic wear.
I taught in an area that was fairly affluent so some people wore expensive fashion, and some wore jeans every day. It was always a range. Occasionally even pajama pants with a tshirt.
kmoonster@reddit
Every school or district will have a different dress code. You can probably look up the school you will be attending to see what students are wearing. Dress codes might change a little bit but usually not very much.
Some are very formal and others are very casual, some are in between. Some may have different dress codes for different activities like a field trip or a whole school activity.
The school may even have their dress code listed online so you can read it before you arrive. If not, just ask them to email you a copy.
shadowdragon1978@reddit
You need to verify that the school you will be attending doesn't have a "uniform." In some areas, even public schools have adopted a "uniform" to try to prevent bullying over how someone dresses. Mainly, these uniforms are slacks and polo style shirts in certain colors.
azuth89@reddit
Joggers and a t shirt, for example, would be pretty common high school attire and no one would bat an eye.
redwolf1219@reddit
Check your schools dress code first. My high school was really strict, we were only allowed to wear khakis or black pants (and couldn't be leggings/yoga pants/sweats) and collared shirts that were blue, black or white.
tiger0204@reddit
I was going to recommend a pair of jeans and a Nike hoodie for the first day, until you can see the exact styles at whatever school you're in. That combo would probably fit in at any high school without uniforms in the country.
B0red_0wl@reddit
Or if it's too hot for a hoodie, a plain T-shirt
Savage9645@reddit
I would wear pajama bottoms to high school every once in awhile if I had a rough morning. I kinda cringe looking back on it but it wasn't against the rules or anything.
Dismal-Detective-737@reddit
"Athletic" means a lot of different stuff.
Don't dress like a Chav/Eastern European.
Loves_octopus@reddit
You can wear whatever the hell you want.
syndicatecomplex@reddit
Some public schools might have policies about certain kinds of athleisure like yoga pants but usually you'd be fine.
Prinessbeca@reddit
Half of our teachers occasionally wear yoga pants these days. Majority of the paras on the elementary side (PreK-12 rural school) wear leggings daily.
Post-covid it seems like anything goes.
TheBimpo@reddit
They might compliment you or ask a question like “is that how everyone dresses in your home country?”
Americans tend to be friendly, curious, and speak their minds.
Bebby_Smiles@reddit
It depends some on your school. There are still schools out there that require uniforms or much more formal attire.
But if you attending public school, yes, most of them have extremely casual standards of dress and athletic clothes, jeans, and pajamas are the norm.
BillShooterOfBul@reddit
Really depends on the school. Some enforce a dress code. Some have a dress code and don’t enforce it.
Green-Ad-6149@reddit
That freedom, baby! 🦅
Real-Psychology-4261@reddit
You can wear athletic clothes to school EVERY day, and will fit right in with everybody else.
Sleepygirl57@reddit
You will stick out terribly if you dress up. Everyone at my kids middle and high school wear plaid pj bottoms and T-shirts or athletic wear. Heck we don’t even dress up like you mentioned to go to dinner or movies.
Usual_Zombie6765@reddit
Depends on the school and the dress code.
amethystalien6@reddit
There’s always regional differences but I would say that in the vast majority of American public high schools, you will blend right in with athletic apparel.
-Boston-Terrier-@reddit
I would add that American standards of dress are more casual on average.
It's likely that there are Americans wearing whatever OP wears to school. They're just considered "dressier" than the average student.
SheZowRaisedByWolves@reddit
My standard dress was a band tee, jeans, and checkered vans
Prowindowlicker@reddit
Ya for most of high school I wore either jeans and hoodies or some graphic t-shirt and shorts.
thatrightwinger@reddit
From what I can tell, America is the only place in the world, where the kids look like they're dressed better for bed than for school.
ilovjedi@reddit
Yeah my son wears a tee shirt, sweatpants, and a hoodie. My husband tries so hard to get him to wear real pants, jeans.
My husband is a high school teacher though and he wears business casual. But he’ll keep wearing nice sweaters after he wears holes in the elbows.
Suppafly@reddit
Once you need a wallet and car keys it sorta forces the issue because you need real pockets that stuff won't fall out of easily. Prior to that, it's not worth the effort to get them to wear uncomfortable clothing.
ScatterTheReeds@reddit
Europe is pretty casual, especially among teens.
BelligerentWyvern@reddit
While there is usually a minimum standard, like no miniskirts or whatever, generally it's really casual for public schools
DistinctJob7494@reddit
I always wore a t-shirt and jeans or leggings, and I also swapped it for shorts when it was spring/summer.
ShadynastyLove@reddit
I teach high school seniors.
While some students do wear pajama pants occasionally, it is not super common for the well-kept students to do so. In the cooler months, jeans and hoodies are common. Athleisure is common year round. Girls tend to differ. Some of the popular stores where "popular" teens shop include American Eagle and Hollister. The kids also like sports brands like Nike, Champion, and Under Armour. If you attend school in a rural area, you'll notice kids in work boots and jeans (country look).
It varies from school to school. If you're a girl, wear jeans and a cute blouse. If you're a boy, wear jeans and a t-shirt. Those are safe first day fits.
177jjp@reddit (OP)
Thank youuu may I know in which state you teach? I’m going to South Texas and I’ve been told the style may vary from one place to another
ShadynastyLove@reddit
Texas is a different breed. Do your investigative research. I'm in Virginia, quite a ways from Texas.
Good luck.
177jjp@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much
North_Rest_5129@reddit
As long as you follow the dress code, dress however you’d like! For school it tends to be more casual so you don’t have to go too crazy with it—I’d go with clean and comfortable :)
Such-Mountain-6316@reddit
The relaxed styles I see described here are normal for lots of places. However, there are schools that have fairly extreme rules when it comes to what may/may not be worn. You need to ask the school you will attend for a copy of the dress code rules.
oligarchyreps@reddit
Public school kids dress in ripped jeans, t shirts, hoodies. Sneakers, flip flops, sandals or boots. Anything goes
Avoid swear words and rude pictures on t shirts.
coysbville@reddit
Most schools I went to after elementary school had uniforms. Even the public ones. I always assumed others did too but it could be a regional thing. Also some states use it as am amti-bully measure.
The one high school I went to in 9th grade that didn't have uniforms had a pretty standard dress code. No form fitting clothing, shorts or skirts had to be as long as your fingertips can reach fully extended standing up, no revealing clothing. Honestly I feel like most of the dress code was aimed at girls.
Designer-Carpenter88@reddit
Unless your school has a uniform, it’s very casual. There are dress codes, but those are more to keep girls from showing too much skin. Tshirts, jeans or shorts, sneakers
coysbville@reddit
Every school I ever went to had uniforms. Even the public ones. I always though most schools did
Particular_Owl_8029@reddit
it changes all the time and matters what part of the country you are in. sometimes the kids will pick a day like pajama people day or school colors day. but im old so I know nothing. Look for videos of the school you will going to kids post stuff all the time
PhysicsEagle@reddit
Dress is more casual in nearly all facets of life than in Europe and other developed countries. You mentioned dressing up to go to the cinema. That’d be unheard of here.
Most people will wear jeans and a t-shirt. If you wear slightly nicer clothing you might get some compliments on how nice you look but most people will ignore you.
SordoCrabs@reddit
Wearing pajamas to school is more of a university thing. Usually because someone overslept, or as part of some themed campus activity. I'm sure I was in classes with people who were in pajamas, but it was so mundane that it is not memorable.
If you know the area that you will be attending a year of high school, you should go to the website for a high school and look for photos of students in what appears to be a daily wear, rather than dressed up for special events.
skateboreder@reddit
I wore pajamas in 12th grade half the time lol
Several_Cheek5162@reddit
Depends on where you are and if the school has uniforms? Usually Jeans and a T-shirt are a staple.
Muted_Piglet3913@reddit
I work at a high school and honestly unless you’re going to a tiny high school in the middle of nowhere, you can dress however you want and it’ll be fine. There’s a large mix of students who will wear sweats, pajamas, jeans, dresses, skirts, literally anything lol there is such a diversity in high school fashion it’s pretty cool. We have a few exchange students from Europe and they don’t stick out because of how they dress!
Wii_wii_baget@reddit
Do not wear a full ass suit to school. I know a kid who does and he is known as suit kid. Just wear what you want be comfortable please and know it’s no like the movies.
Ihcend@reddit
No one is bringing up the awful amount of kids wearing pajama pants to school
conmankatse@reddit
People do wear pajamas to school but I would say it’s considered tacky. However I agree with everyone saying jeans, t shirts, hoodies, etc! Some people dressed up a little but you’ll find your style when you get there :) good luck and welcome!!
VelocityPancake@reddit
Schools often have dress codes that vary a lot.
We had rulers measuring the thickness of tank top straps back in my day. 👵
montanalifterchick@reddit
If you are not sure, I would stick with jeans and a non-revealing top until you get a feel for the school. I don't mean you have to be covered completely but avoid spaghetti straps etc. I have not been in the high schools for a couple of years, but I used to work in them a lot as a college liaison. I would help students sign up for courses at the local community college. I live in a rural area in a cooler climate, so most students were wearing jeans and hoodies.
Substantial_Slip4667@reddit
We wear whatever tbh. You see only certain schools have dress codes. Public schools don’t you’re allowed to wear t shirts and pants or shorts
IWasBorn2DoGoBe@reddit
Mine wear baggy pants or pajama bottoms, crop tops (girls) or t-shirts, a hoodie and Air Forces… sometimes my sons wear basketball shorts.
It’s pretty casual
chineray1234@reddit
dress however the fuck you what, people in America's not gonna give a fuck, yeah you might get some side eyes but people are always gonna judge, so wear what makes you comfortable if you want to dress up every day, dress up everyday though that does sounds tiring
suhkuhtuh@reddit
The United States is vast. Vast. The style one one side of Texas is nothing like it is on the other side, and that is one state. Where are you going?
Embracedandbelong@reddit
What is popular depends on the city and even the school.
Miserable-Lawyer-233@reddit
You can wear almost anything to high school. People might categorize you based on your choice, but you don’t have to care.
Normal-Emotion9152@reddit
You can wear anything you want practically. Just go with what you feel. Whether that is emo, goth, prep or a furry costume. You do you.
Atomic-Sh1t@reddit
My American public school required uniform. Good luck on getting to have any individuality. (Just don’t pick Alabama and you’ll be safe. Hope this helps 👍🏻)
MackSeaMcgee@reddit
First you have to figure out what click you are in.
Prometheus_303@reddit
There is no universal American high school dress code.
It'll potentially vary from school to school especially depending on what type of school you find yourself at.
Private & religious based schools are probably more likely to have a dress code. Some schools may require students to wear a particular blazer jacket and tie. Or maybe khakis with a dress polo shirt in the school's colors.
Public schools will probably be more likely to be relaxed in their dress code. When I went to high school, it was basically anything goes as long as it doesn't have profanity, alcohol or drugs or cause too much of a distraction. You can wear a shirt for your favorite band, TV show, sports team, whatever...
DreamsAndSchemes@reddit
My teenager wears sweat pants and a T shirt daily
TexanInExile@reddit
What part of the country are you going to? Are you going to a public or private school?
Lots of variance here depending on where you're going to be attending.
lamppb13@reddit
Wear literally whatever you want. I had a student once show up in gym shorts, a button up shirt that was un buttoned and a bra. Admin told her she had to keep the shirt on, but didn't tell her she had to button it
SBingo@reddit
This depends a lot. Are you going to a private school? Or a public school? Do they have a dress code or a uniform? (They’ll all probably have a dress code- but the strictness will vary considerably).
Where I’m from, none of the public schools have uniforms. I live in Florida and all of the public schools near me have uniforms.
I attended a private school growing up and they had a pretty strict dress code. No T-shirts, certainly not pajamas! But also no uniforms.
I teach at a public school. My students are not allowed to wear athletic gear (shorts/t-shirts) at all. They can wear jeans, khaki, or navy bottoms. They must wear a polo in one of four colors. They must wear closed toe/closed heel shoes. (So no crocks).
TrustNoSquirrel@reddit
Yeah I see high school students walking to school in pajamas pants every day. Other than that, it seems to be jeans, hoodies, sweats. It’s gotten more casual over the years. When i was in school, we were a lot of jeans too, and occasionally sweat pants. No pajama pants. I wish I did though 😂
dropthepencil@reddit
My German exchange student wrote a polo and khakis on his first day of high school here.
By November he was in flannels and Crocs.
We're a terrible influence. 😝
beachbumm717@reddit
My kid cant wear pajama pants but sweats/joggers/track pants/basketball shorts are ok. Tshirt or hoodie on top. Some public schools have uniforms. I know the public middle school near me requires uniforms- I believe it’s black or khaki pants with a school tshirt or polo.
GillyMermaid@reddit
It will also vary per school. What part of the US will you be going to? Some schools may have a style where they dress up more than other schools.
kayseeboo92@reddit
Graduated high school in 2011, and we had an extremely strict dress code: no tank tops, no tube tops, no jeans with holes in them, no baggy pants, no writing across the seat of pants, no unnatural hair coloring, no shirts depicting anything objectionable or in poor taste, no Spandex, no tattoos, no hats except on special occasions, and once we entered middle school (sixth grade here in the States) we were not allowed to wear shorts (and this was in the Deep South), but interestingly the only kind of shoes that were forbidden were house shoes
EntildaDesigns@reddit
Yes, plaid colorful pajama bottoms are pretty popular in the high school in my town. I see kids walking around in pajama bottoms with t-shirts and hoodies all the time.
Lo_Blingy@reddit
Once you move here if you are a Facebook member try to join a local community group and you can ask this question on there because that way you’ll get a better understanding of the community. Local standards of dress vary greatly depending on where you will be living whether it’s urban, country, suburban, private school, dress code, etc.
Money-Recording4445@reddit
I would suggest watching TikTok videos of people your age to get the general fashion sense.
For the most part, it seems that students across the US follow similar clothing trends but can have local differences. Someone in California May dress slightly different than someone in Florida for instance.
You will also see different sects or styles of dressing among students within the school, examples preppy, sporty, goth, retro, skater, etc.
The US, for the most part, definitely favors comfort over formal dress.
You will also be able to quickly adapt after being in school for about a week watching other students on what your area high school wears.
I wouldn’t stress too much.
My wife is from France and when I met her, it was obvious she dressed with European trends before adapting to US styles. Europe definitely seems to put fashion more so over comfort.
sadthrow104@reddit
How do average French people dress for casual things like school or grocery shopping? Is it different based on where in the country you are?
Money-Recording4445@reddit
From what I see, they do not wear anything like active/sportswear.
Jeans are as formal as I saw, and the women wear skirts way more than the US.
In US, scarves are a winter accessory taken off once we enter a structure. There, scarves are an accessory that seems to not be taken off even inside buildings.
It was very strange for my SO to wear tennis shoes daily as well as workout spandex pants like a lulu lemon but now when we are doing errands, that’s her go to.
She is from north of Paris in the suburbs.
I do know that her teenage nieces and nephews constantly ask her to buy things like north face and under armor sweatshirts/sweat pants to bring to them. They have them in France but from what I hear it is way cheaper to get here. They love to have American branded things but I think it’s because it’s considered cool to wear US fashion.
One of the funniest things I have learned is how they think certain things are called. The best was Levi’s.
She kept calling them Levis. Not Lee Vighs. When I told her it was someone’s name, she was shocked.
sadthrow104@reddit
Ive really come to learn in recent years how pragmatism focused the usa’s culture, for better or for worse
Abducted-by-Arby@reddit
Honestly, I feel like watching fashion-specific videos can be misleading. Those videos get popular because they’re inspirational, not realistic. I find that videos where kids are doing non-fashion related things is more accurate, because the video’s focus is something else, so the clothes people wear won’t be prepared for a camera. IDK, just something I notice.
RightYouAreKen1@reddit
And styles change often and quickly. I was driving past a high school at the end of the day recently and noticed a bunch of kids wearing baggy jeans. It was like a flashback to my 90s highschool.
Money-Recording4445@reddit
Yes, I graduated high school in 2004. The constant baggy to skinny jeans transition back and forth is crazy.
I’ve been seeing a lot of early 20s thirsting 90s jeans and ties and jackets. It gives off Jerry Seinfeld vibes.
I also remember folding down crew socks to make ankle socks when I was young. Now if you have ankle socks, you’re old.
RightYouAreKen1@reddit
It's wonderful being old and not giving a crap about style anymore lol
quixoft@reddit
The older I get, the less fucks I give. It's glorious!
BaseballNo916@reddit
There’s not really a constant back and forth. Skinny jeans haven’t been trendy for years now, although you can still buy them.
Suppafly@reddit
Honestly this is driven more by what the stores carry than any real consumer demand. It's not like kids stop needing new clothes for school so they really don't have a choice if all the stores carry is now skinny jeans or baggy jeans.
Leia1979@reddit
Yup, the last few times I’ve seen high school kids, they’re dressed like they timewarped from 1994. Hugely baggy jeans for all, and girls pair them with an oversized t-shirt, fitted crop top, or spaghetti strap tank top. The last two were technically not allowed when I was in school. Some got away with it, some didn’t.
BaseballNo916@reddit
If they wear jeans, t-shirts, and athletic shoes from their country they will probably fit in ok. They will stand out anyway by being the foreign exchange student but kids aren’t going to be shitty to an exchange student the same way they are to the weird American kid.
Suppafly@reddit
I don't think most of those groups have existed for 20 years or so.
icyDinosaur@reddit
I'd say this particular thing was also true in my experience in Switzerland (I went to school in the mid 2000s-mid 2010s). In my primary school years, one of the big questions you got asked at least twice a week was "are you a hiphopper or a skater" - I never tried any kind of skating but I still counted as "skater" by Swiss pre-teen standards because I listened to pop-punk and reggae more than hiphop lol.
Once we got to high school it was perhaps a bit less defined, but you definitely had the ones that still wore oversized hoodies from skateboard brands, the indie guys who wore skinny jeans and vintage jackets, the obligatory 5-10 metalheads, a few scattered goths etc.
Flairion623@reddit
We just wear the same clothes we would if we were just going outside. And the thing about pajamas is only for special days called “pajama day”. It’s mostly an elementary school thing.
PrimaryAny6314@reddit
Depends where you will live. Lots of young guys wear shorts (e.g. basketball shorts) and a T-shirt, hoodie to school even in winter. Casual clothes. Adidas shoes are v popular. So are RVCA shirts (my son likes the thin material long-slerve ones).
tyamar@reddit
My kid is a junior (16 years old) and wore batman pajama pants to school yesterday.
Canukeepitup@reddit
I actually havent seen the kids in any of the neighborhoods i have lived in go to school in pajamas except for on actual ‘Pajama Day’. I hear that it happens but a the places we lived, nah.
SL13377@reddit
I work at a high school and have two teen kiddos. Very very very casual. My kids school for example it wouldn’t be odd to see midriffs. With that said I went to Europe last summer and you guys really didn’t dress much different
Where in Eu?
What month are you coming?
Where are you moving to? America is huge. Bigger than a dozen Eu Countries.
177jjp@reddit (OP)
I’m going to Southern Texas coming from Spain, I’m coming in August
xx-rapunzel-xx@reddit
i wonder if you’ll need a pair of cowboy boots 🤔
the_cadaver_synod@reddit
Oh, interesting! You’re probably going to think the Spanish spoken by students of Mexican descent sounds weird, and they’ll think the same about yours. Kind of cool that you’re going somewhere with a lot of speakers of your native language, I don’t imagine a lot of exchange students get that experience. Even cooler is that it’ll be a different dialect (I know that isn’t the technical term, but you know what I mean) with different slang and speech patterns.
177jjp@reddit (OP)
Yeah It’s gonna be awesome I’m just kinda concerned about the clothes lol.. I just took a look at the dress code and we can’t wear baggy clothes? My whole closet is filled with baggy jeans😭😭😭😭😭
SL13377@reddit
Yep! Hoodies, shirt and jeans. You guys just tend to dress a lot nicer than us, just simplify down your daily wardrobe friend.
177jjp@reddit (OP)
alright thank youu
xx-rapunzel-xx@reddit
i’m going to assume you’re a girl. if you are, i see a lot of girls are wearing what i myself used to wear in HS - flared yoga pants, sweatshirts, low rise jeans (and wide leg), cropped or midriff tops, and sneakers or (platform) uggs.
apparently it’s uncool to wear a jacket.
Dai-The-Flu-@reddit
Me personally I used to dress like Turtle from Entourage
Dorianscale@reddit
Most schools will dress casually like tshirt and jeans or even sweats or shorts and skirts but it’s really going to depend on the school. Most high schools probably have free dress, though they’ll have a dress code. Some schools have uniforms.
Willing_Fee9801@reddit
My high school had a uniform. But casual clothes, like jeans and a hoodie would be common in schools where there isn't a uniform.
InternationalRule138@reddit
A lot of schools have a dress code, and in the American south, even a lot of public schools require uniforms. You may want to find out where you are going and see if you can ask someone at the school.
3catlove@reddit
My 14 year old son mostly wears athletic apparel like the Adidas or Under Armor track pants with t shirts and hoodies. I did get him a couple pairs of comfortable jeans with some stretch in them from American Eagle so he does wear those a couple times a week as well. Some of the kids do wear pajama pants to school. We are in Iowa where it’s cold and lots of kids don’t wear coats in the winter and some will even wear shorts.
MrLongWalk@reddit
I used to help foreign students get settled at US schools, this was one of the most common questions.
Overall it’s not as different as you lot think, but Americans tend to dress more casually and not care about brands at all. T shirts, hoodies, jeans, and athletic clothes are all very common. In a class with 20 students you might have 20 different looks. Nobody will care how you dress unless you wear something truly outlandish.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
I agree with most of this, but brands are important to some kids. In my experience with my 17 year old sporty son, he cares far too much about which sports brands he wears, and he is not alone in this. I doubt that he cares what other people wear, though.
codenameajax67@reddit
Family member married a guy from Italy or France on the coast there (he spoke both) and he was insanely particular about certain brands. He returned a pair of shoes someone brought him because the brand wasn't prominent enough on it. And complained to us about it, as if we were suppose to agree. We were all dumbfounded. The logo being on the shoe was a negative to us.
MrLongWalk@reddit
And we still don’t care compared to much of Europe
BaseballNo916@reddit
What are you basing this off of? Do you think European high schoolers are coming to school in designer clothes?
I’ve worked in high schools in the US, France, and Spain. My European students wore the same combination of Zara, H&M, etc. General fast fashion mall clothes. The only brand name thing was a lot of my French students had the exact same pair of Adidas for some reason. Meanwhile half of my American students come to school every day in a hoodie that says “Essentials: Fear of God” which I assume is some kind of brand.
hydraheads@reddit
It is a brand that I'd previously heard of only because some investor at a previous job was the company's owner. At any rate: took a flight recently and it was like an Essentials: Fear of God band camp from the number of people on that flight wearing those hoodies. I was very confused.
Rhubarb_and_bouys@reddit
This might be regional.
What state is this?
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
Illinois
brzantium@reddit
IME the importance of brands varies regionally. I used to live in area where everyone was obsessed with wearing brand names, the more obvious the better. Then we moved, and hardly anyone at my new school even cared as long as it looked good.
BillShooterOfBul@reddit
Really depends, some schools labels are everything. My neighbors son was bullied for not wearing a cool enough polo shirt.
Rhubarb_and_bouys@reddit
Where? That sounds regional.
My kid has sweatpants and they have a huge colorful label that says Kirkland. I was like - are you sure you can wear those to school? Kids don't seem to care much about clothes in some places. Comfort rules.
My housekeeper's (she's Polish and they are very brand conscious) grandson has to be in like Gucci. They literally have levels. Like Ralph Lauren is ok for play, but everything else is crazy pricy brands.
Rezolutny_Delfinek@reddit
I am Polish and I wouldn’t say we are very brand conscious. I think it’s just your housekeeper or somebad stereotype
BillShooterOfBul@reddit
I’m not a sociologist up to date with regional patterns of attire related bullying incidences. Just a single data point.
bloobityblu@reddit
You don't know what region you live in?
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
It also depends on the kid. One of my sons cares a lot about brands and the other one doesn’t as much, but he is glad that his older brother has good taste because he gets all of his hand me downs. My daughter couldn’t care less about brands. And I don’t think any of them would judge anybody else for not wearing the cool brands.
BaseballNo916@reddit
I’m not really familiar enough with Polish culture to know if that’s common or just her. I think maybe Eastern Europeans are a little more brand conscious but still, how is she affording all that on a housekeeper salary?
I’ve been to Poland and most people seemed to be dressed normally.
I’ve taught high school in the US, France, and Spain. Almost all my European students wore the same combination of Zara, H&M, etc. The only brand thing was a lot of my French students wore the same pair of adidas. Meanwhile in the US tons of my students have the same hoodie that says “essentials: fear of God” which I figure has to be some kind of brand.
state_of_euphemia@reddit
I was definitely bullied in school for not having the right brands. I'm 33 so maybe things have changed but idk.
ComprehensiveCoat627@reddit
For the teens I know (my own, and nieces in another state), brands are critical. If it's not the right brand/logo, they won't wear it. You may be wearing sweats, but it must be Champion, Nike, or Adidas (I think, I'm someone who never cared about brands, so I might have missed the coolest or listed one that's no longer acceptable)
anclwar@reddit
I still can't believe Champion is cool now. They were the ultimate dork alert brand when I was a kid.
state_of_euphemia@reddit
I was gonna say, surely it hasn't changed that much? I was bullied soooo hard for not having the right brands, lol. I'm 33.
Misslovedog@reddit
prolly regional + generational. no one at my high school gave a crap what brand someone else was wearing. They might show off their own stuff but you wouldn't get bullied for wearing random shit from TJ Max or smth. I graduated a couple years ago
Suppafly@reddit
It's so funny how champion is a real brand now, they were essentially only sold at walmart when I was a kid.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
lol I agree. Champion? Really? As I fold multiple Champion hoodies on laundry day.
Bashira42@reddit
And carry the right kind of Stanley cup, or want to be in the group that looks down on the sheep with Stanley cups
BaseballNo916@reddit
I’m a HS teacher and teens definitely still care about brands.
CryptidxChaos@reddit
Fashion ranges quite a bit in high school, but basically everyone dresses in some variation of "casual" so long as there isn't a uniform. Sometimes that means PJ pants and a t-shirt, sometimes it's sweats and a hoodie, jeans and a shirt, khakis, sweaters, unbuttoned polos and an undershirt with pants, whatever.
The major rules are basically 1. No midriffs showing 2. No bra straps or bare upper shoulders (cold shoulder tees are okay) 3. No excessively ripped up/distressed clothing 4. Skirts/shorts need to meet or exceed your longest fingertips when your hands are hanging loosely at your sides
So with that in .one, you can imagine how much variation there is in the "casual" clothing category. Most folks don't "dress up" for anything unless it's a worship day, some kind of performance, work, etc.
Sleepygirl57@reddit
They did away with all those rules at our high school. It’s just a free for all.
CryptidxChaos@reddit
That must've been nice! I know our school system was contemplating a uniform to help eliminate bullying based on appearance, but I guess that got shot down, so we ended up with those rules instead. 🤷
Sleepygirl57@reddit
They all go to school and pajama pants now and T-shirts. Or leisure wear. I honestly wish they would go back to the rules that you stated.
G00dSh0tJans0n@reddit
T-shirt, hoodie, jeans
MarkNutt25@reddit
Yep. If you're male, and you're just trying to not stand out, then this outfit will probably be your go-to in about 90% of situations you'll find yourself in here.
21stCenturyJanes@reddit
Jeans and a t-shirt will get you by anywhere
RazorRamonio@reddit
That’s about the standard in Cali too.
tryingnottocryatwork@reddit
this is more of a question for the specific region you’re moving to. i live in the rural south, we wore everything from pajamas to church dresses to borderline rodeo gear. if you show up to school in NYC or LA wearing boots and a cowboy hat, you might get some looks since you’re neither from an area where that’s the norm nor in an area where that’s the norm
CPolland12@reddit
Most high schools have a dress code. Generally casual, jeans, tee, hoodies.
The pajamas to class is more of a college 8am class thing
Sleepygirl57@reddit
Not here. That’s the main outfit of choice in my kids middle/high school.
jgoolz@reddit
Yep - same. Maybe it’s a Midwest thing?
Sleepygirl57@reddit
Probably.
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
Yes. Occasionally there might be a day called Pajama Day during Spirit Week or whatever but you would know ahead of time, and basically that’s flannel pajama pants and a tshirt or hoodie.
WhereTheSkyBegan@reddit
Very casual, but maybe not pajamas for a regular school day. We do occasionally have days where you're supposed to wear the school colors, dress up as someone in the career you want to enter, or (yes, really) pajamas, but these days tend to be rare, and you'll receive notice ahead of those days. Otherwise, just dress comfortably in reasonably modest clothes (no tank tops or booty shorts) and you should be fine.
Plus_Persimmon9031@reddit
If you’re female- casual jeans, a t-shirt, a little makeup, simple jewelry, loose hair/a ponytail, and sneakers. Don’t go crazy with brands. You can start experimenting a little once you get there and see what all the other kids are wearing, because there are regional differences.
Asparagus9000@reddit
Huge variety.
Most schools you can just wear whatever you feel like.
A classroom of 30 people and you might not get any that are dressed the same.
Populaire_Necessaire@reddit
This is the truth. Honestly I think it matters on how affluent the area is. I went to school in the most affluent district in my area and also spent a semester in a much, much less affluent school and during that semester, when I went to school in the clothes I had always worn, everyone asked me why I was all dressed up. It was abnormal for anyone to basically wear anything that wasn’t comfort focused vs chosen to look aesthetically pleasing and put together.
jgoolz@reddit
Teacher here 🙋🏼♀️ while students CAN wear pretty much whatever, all of them wear the same thing (at least at my school). Black hoodies and sweats/jeans.’
Asparagus9000@reddit
The school I work at you'll see a kid dressed like they're a fashion model hanging out with a kid wearing a kigurumi.
jgoolz@reddit
Love that! Wish my students were more expressive with their clothes
bloopidupe@reddit
The pajama thing isn't as common as tv makes it seem. I think that would stand out a little bit. Maybe by month 6 when you're tired of picking your outfit. Jeans and a shirt are pretty typical. Don't use Euphoria as a guide. They dress crazy. All of the high school scenes from Tom Holland's Spider-man are pretty decent for what is typical.
jgoolz@reddit
Ehh, I think it is more common than you think. I teach middle school and would say around 50% or student wear pajama pants on a daily basis.
bloopidupe@reddit
I would say middle school is different from high school; especially different for a 12th grader.
Kellaniax@reddit
The kids in the Spiderman movies dress a bit formal for high school, but it's probably because they're in New York and it's a movie.
Here in Florida most kids dress like they're going to the beach, so there's definitely regional differences. There was also a significant lack of alt kids in those movies, at my high school at least a quarter of the students were grunge, punk, goth, etc.
(I graduated in 2023.)
jgoolz@reddit
Extremely casual.
I’m an 8th grade teacher and most students were sweatpants and hoodies everyday. Teachers wear jeans and a t-shirt or sweater.
ophaus@reddit
Anything from pajamas to full-on gothic wedding attire is acceptable.
DirtHutCaver@reddit
T-shirt (or any kind of shirt), Jeans, and Sneakers is a good place to start. Classic casual clothes. Good for work, school; anything, really. Also, would suggest a hoodie for when it's cold out, as weather can be fickle.
TJH99x@reddit
Our HS says no pajamas. They just wear what you would wear out to eat or to the cinema as you said.
TheCloudForest@reddit
Dress up means "to put on formal clothes" or "to put on a disguise or costume".
You should delete the post and try again if you want real answers.
"What do people usually wear to school?"
frankfromsales@reddit
That’s rude. They could edit their post for better clarity, but context clues made this easy to answer correctly. We all knew what was meant.
HyiSaatana44@reddit
Looks like this guy needs to read perfect verb collocations to understand context. Sad.
TheCloudForest@reddit
People on Reddit (particularly this sub, even though in many other ways it's refreshingly chill) are often very obstinate about misunderstanding things like this. Since I caught the post extremely early, figured I'd try to head that off.
Applesauce1998@reddit
You’re the only one not giving “real answers”
BillShooterOfBul@reddit
I think the biggest thing for any non native to think about for school, is to wear deodorant and less cologne/ perfume.
HyiSaatana44@reddit
This would have been important in the past, but today's American-born teens smell like shit. I just got done dropping off my kid's three friends to their respective homes, and the inside of my car smells like a fucking war prison.
HorseFeathersFur@reddit
Oh gosh yea this! Or no perfume is ideal
Neat_Selection3644@reddit
Wtf. Why would you not wear perfume with your cologne
HorseFeathersFur@reddit
Perfumes and colognes don’t smell good to many people and they can also be offensive if the odor is too strong. I hate sitting next to a person who doesn’t realize the scent they are wearing is obnoxiously strong and possibly causing problems for others, especially those with asthma or other breathing problems. Less or none is ideal.
Mr_Sarcasum@reddit
Unless your goal is to blend in like camouflage, just be yourself and wear what feels comfortable to you. Wear what you wore back home.
Americans highly value individualism and self-expression.
Worst case scenario is these students are super judgy about others, but even then, if you have an accent it will likely turn around to you being seen as the exotic/cool person.
big_bob_c@reddit
A lot of people are saying you can wear athletic clothes to school. You need to avoid team jerseys for sports teams until you know what the local sports fans are like. For example, wearing a Ohio State jersey in Michigan could be a bad idea.
Cock--Robin@reddit
I live in a college town, and work at the university. It is not at all uncommon to see students going to classes, especially early morning classes, in their pajamas. And every so often fashion dreads roll around two outfits that would be considered obscene and some conservative countries. This year it’s gym shorts for girls that are short enough to expose a good portion of their buttocks.
activationcartwheel@reddit
High schoolers in the US dress very, very casually. You can wear whatever is comfortable.
mealteamsixty@reddit
Yeah don't stress it much, just be casual. Sweats, t shirts, jeans, sneakers. Then just observe for a week or so. Depending on the area you're in, it'll be more or less casual. But you won't go wrong with those items I said. Also make sure you have a fresh haircut. Seems to be very important to the young men
stiletto929@reddit
Please, for the love of the God don’t wear your pants sagging down beneath your butt. That style is so ridiculous and impractical and should’ve died out about 20 years ago.
As others have said, you probably can’t go wrong with a Nike T-shirt and jeans until you figure out what kids commonly wear.
School dress coats may or may not be in enforced and usually have a lot more to say about girls’ outfits than guys.
therealDrPraetorius@reddit
Jeans, tee shirts, trainers. Do dress for the weather.
SnowblindAlbino@reddit
I'm a college professor and one of my kids works in a high school. It's pretty much the most casual clothing you can imagine, including pajamas on a regular basis. Virtually nobody I see "dresses up" for anything other than real formal events a few times a year. 95% of the students in my classes are wearing jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers on a daily basis.
FroyoOk8902@reddit
Some people will dress nice, some people will walk around in straight up pajamas and slippers. I’d wear whatever you are comfortable with - no one will really care.
SpecialMud6084@reddit
Dress however you feel comfortable. If you feel your best when dressed up, go for it. Even if you stand out, I can't imagine anyone having anything bad to say about you looking good.
Very casual clothing is common in American high schools, hoodies, basketball shorts, leggings, etc. But in every school I've gone to there are always a lot of kids with a very strong sense of self expression who dress more intentionally. My favorite coat in high school was a pretty nice leather trench coat and a lot of people would recognize me solely based on that but I don't think it was a bad thing at all to be known for unique fashion.
Remarkable_Pie_1353@reddit
Go to your high school's website and you'll likely find their dress code there.
jwpete27@reddit
There are dress codes. Jeans, sneakers, and a plain tee shirt are safe. Leggings and hoodies are banned in some schools, as are shirts with possibly offensive prints.
kinnikinnick321@reddit
Completely depends on the region in the US, styles can very even 100 miles from each other. I would recommend not buying anything until you attend school for one week. Going with basic jeans, hoodie, sweaters will work anywhere until then.
DJDualScreen@reddit
You can wear just about anything within reason. Of course, one has to define what "within reason" means. Also, there are some schools, like Catholic schools, that have a uniform you have to wear.
FarawayObserver18@reddit
As other people have said, most casual clothing is good. It is very hard to stick out because people will wear all sorts of things.
DO NOT wear pajamas. This might be accepted in some schools, but it might also give a bad impression to the teachers and other staff. Only consider wearing pajamas once you have a feel for the school culture and the teacher’s attitudes towards stuff like this.
quixoft@reddit
My son wears flip flops, shorts, and a hoodie.
PopularRush3439@reddit
Some public schools have uniforms, as do most private schools.
bunnycook@reddit
It depends on the school and the area. My high school had a minimal dress code: no shorts, no tank tops, no profanity on the t- shirts. My son’s high school was stricter. Dress pants with belt, dress shoes (sneakers only for gym class), shirt with collar and tie. For special spirit days polo shirts, t-shirts , and jeans were allowed. However, there were no restrictions on colors, so the boys went wild with prints and colors. But really not, they mostly wore chinos and button down shirts. By contrast, his primary school’s code had specific colors of polo shirts to wear (the school colors), and pants had to be dress pants. So don’t make a lot of plans until you see what the school wants, and what the local kids are wearing.
anclwar@reddit
My city has a mandatory uniform policy for the public school system, so this might not even matter if you're attending a public school with a uniform requirement. Ditto for private schools. Every school will have a dress code that you need to follow, regardless.
When I was in my suburban high school, 25 years ago, most students wore jeans and t-shirts, hoodies or sweaters, and sneakers. Athleisure and leggings weren't really a thing back then, but they are now. Most teenagers I see in casual clothes are still wearing jeans and t-shirts, but some wear athleisure, others wear "fancy" sweatshirts of joggers or well-fitted sweatpants and a matching sweatshirt. Tracksuits aren't a thing where I am, unless you're a middle-aged Eastern European immigrant. I don't see students going to school in pajamas, but I do see them wearing them on the weekends on the uncommon occasion.
autumn55femme@reddit
Some schools have uniforms, but usually private schools, as opposed to public schools. In most cases much more casual clothing than you are used to in Europe. Jeans, sweatshirts, t- shirts, hoodies, sneakers, etc.
AZJHawk@reddit
Where are you going and what gender are you? Generally, you can’t go wrong with jeans+hoodie. I live in Arizona, where it doesn’t get very cold, so a lot of kids will wear shorts+hoodie or just a plain T-shirt. I have 3 boys aged 14-18, so I’m pretty familiar with what high school students wear, at least the boys.
Maleficent_Scale_296@reddit
I live near a high school and see the students every day. You’ll need jeans, a hoodie and sport shoes (sneakers). If it’s warm a t shirt. Seriously. Some of them arrive in pajamas.
dpceee@reddit
Americans, in general, compared to European, dress like garbage.
Source: Lived in America, Luxemburg, and Germany.
HorseFeathersFur@reddit
We don’t care.
dpceee@reddit
And that's the problem!
HorseFeathersFur@reddit
Why is it a problem?
dpceee@reddit
Don't you think people should care enough to put effort in to present themselves well when out in public?
HorseFeathersFur@reddit
No not really. If you’re clean, groomed, and your hair is brushed, why is clothing so important? You’re only wearing certain types of clothing so others won’t judge you? Sounds like your priorities are very different from most Americans.
dpceee@reddit
I mean, if all you wear in public is sweatpants or pajamas. It shows that you either don't care enough to be presentable or comfort is the only thing that you care about.
My priorities are different, they were challenged by my time living abroad. When I first moved to Germany I wore the classic pants+t-shirt look, and I realized that I was consistently underdressed, so I made a change.
I think it's really nice how stylishly people dress in Europe, and I think that's something that I want to strive for and it would be nice if others did as well.
HorseFeathersFur@reddit
It’s funny how you instantly assumed that Americans are wearing nothing but sweatpants and pajamas. Honestly, I have not seen either of those two items being worn in public except very rarely. I wear jeans, my good dude. I see no reason to care what anyone might think of my clothes, as long as I’m clothed, hair is usually up and out of the way, and I’m clean.
dpceee@reddit
I mean, it does happen, there are people who do dress in pajamas and sweatpants. It happens enough that it's notable.
All I am saying is that compared to Europeans, Americans do not dress nicely. I like the way they dress better and after my time there I've started doing the same.
You're free to do what you want, and I can like what I like.
HorseFeathersFur@reddit
Right. And we don’t care how you dress and won’t judge you for it. That’s the difference
dpceee@reddit
I mean, people cast judgment all the time for even the smallest things, they judge subconsciously and consciously. How one presents themselves is something that illicit judgement whether one realizes it or not, or even if the one who is casting judgment or not.
I'm not here saying that the choice of one's clothing speaks to the volume of their character, but I am saying that people cast judgment,whether it's fair or not is an entirely different conversation.
Initial impressions matter psychologically, and they are determined by a lot of superficial things. And much of this is decided implicitly.
Someone is very unlikely to make any mental note about an individual who is dressed to the norm, but they are likely to notice those who are outliers. IE the man in the suit in the grocery store or the man in a tracksuit at the executive meeting.
eldritch-charms@reddit
My son wears band shirts, loose jeans, and has piercings. He identifies as alt/punk. He's a sophomore in high school.
His ex-girlfriend was super into kawaii Decora Kai style. Rainbow, pastels, being aggressively cute.
For what other kids are wearing, you're going to have to know which state it is and then whether it's rural or urban. If you wear alt fashion, keep wearing it. You'll find your people.
SubstantialPressure3@reddit
It's very regional. I would look up some videos on the area area that you are moving to.
Source: moved all over the country as a kid. Went to 12 different high schools, 4 different Jr high schools, and God knows how many elementary schools. Whatever I was wearing was not in style where I ended up.
jittery_raccoon@reddit
Casual. Sweats/athletic clothes. Jeans and t shirts. Sweatshirts. You can wear a plaid button up, polo, or sweater if you're more comfortable more dressed up. You'd be seen as dressed nice for a hs jis if you always wore them, but not in a bad way. Kids don't usually wear pajamas to school. You could but you'd be seen as the kid that wears pajamas
honey-squirrel@reddit
In Southern California, high school students wear denim and neutral colors almost exclusively: jeans with grey, black, or white tshirts and fleece, and yes, sometimes pajamas bottoms. Girls often wear crop tops that they hide w zipped up hoodies while in class. Many girls wear tarantula style false lashes. Do you really want to confirm to such lack of style? I suggest you stand out proudly and dress to express your individuality .
Razrgrrl@reddit
It’s different depending on the region and the school but it does tend to be casual. I work in schools so I’m in and out of a few of them, the coolest outfits are at the art school, no contest. I especially enjoy the 90s retro revival I’m not even mad someone raided my closet from the late 90s. 😹 I think it’s cute and it reminds me of being a teenager in the 90s. It’s a good time to start to experiment and see what feels like you and what makes you feel confident. ;)
Weary-Knowledge-7180@reddit
I've seen 5th-12th graders go everywhere, including school, in their pajamas. I'm very chill but this won't ever be cool or a fashion statement to me. You can be comfortable without wearing what you went to bed in. Please don't do this! However, if you want to fit in, I guess it's the thing to do. As far as going out to eat, it depends on the restuarant. I'd dress up a little bit for certain ones, but jeans otherwise.
Pretty_Progress_5705@reddit
just dress very casual without bright colors honestly. if ur wanting to fit in, just look at what ppl wear around town. Make sure theres no uniform tho, some schools have them
Communal-Lipstick@reddit
It depends on where in the US you are going. What state are you going to?
PA_MallowPrincess_98@reddit
It depends on the school you go to! I went to a public high school in a low income rural area that had a school dress code that was strict until 2017 but got even less strict after the COVID-19 pandemic. Fridays were dress down days. The school dress code policies were to prevent bullying but I digress.
The colors you had to wear were for shirts/hoodies/sweaters were Red, White, Black, Gray, Navy Blue, Pink and (after someone spoke up). The shirts had to be plain and no logos (ie. Nike, Hollister, Aeropostale, etc.) No crop tops or tank tops unless if they were under a cardigan or bolero sweater.
For the pants & skirts, they had to be black, Khaki, gray, & navy blue. Many people got away with wearing Victoria’s Secret/ PINK foldover Yoga Pants in the 2010s until I graduated high school. To wear shorts/skirts they had to longer than 4 inches above the knee and no cargo pockets. For the dresses, they had to be the same colors as the dress code pants. Also, no ripped jeans or studded belts. even No flip flops or “shower shoes.” I sometimes got in trouble for wearing socks that were not dress code colors.
Since 2017/Covid: You can wear any SOLD COLOR, Logos, School Spirit shirts (shirts that say ____ High School with the mascot on it), you CANNOT wear a hood (this one was wild considering it was a post Covid rule).
Overall, it really depends on the household and how you are raised with your dress code choices. I remember wearing business casual clothing to school besides football Fridays. I think it’s cool to set a statement to dress presentable for school but you gotta wear comfortable clothes since you’re in a school building for 8+ hours for school.
One-Warthog3063@reddit
Unless there's a dress code, they don't.
I am a substitute teacher right now (long time classroom teacher, subbing in semi-retirement). I see pajamas daily, but there are a few kids who will dress nicer, girls in a decent blouse and skirt, boys in a collared shirt and jeans, but they are the exception.
T-shirt and jeans are normal. Sweat pants, yoga pants, hot pants, shorts, etc. are also common.
Dress in what is comfortable to you, both physically and mentally. If you dress better than your peers, you'll likely get more respect from the teachers and minor behavioral infractions will be overlooked.
And it's highly dependent upon the wealth of the community that the school serves. The unspoken dress code in a wealthier area will be better than a poor area, but you'll get the full range at most every public school. I don't recall ever seeing a student with a tie on, unless they had a presentation that day and wanted to dress up for it.
IHaveBoxerDogs@reddit
It probably depends on where you attend. Some public schools have notoriously strict dress codes. My kids’ school is a mishmash of styles. A few kids dress up, lots of sweats/leggings for girls. Some boys wear shorts year-round (it snows here a few times a year). Jeans for everyone. And some girls wear pajamas, but they’re usually school logo flannel pajama pants. I’ve never seen anyone rocking a PJ top or head to toe PJs.
HotButteredPoptart@reddit
My daughters wear leggings with socks pulled up over the outside with converse sneakers. I don't get it, but that's the thing apparently.
HorseFeathersFur@reddit
Dress code in my area doesn’t allow leggings. Dress codes are regional
Kellaniax@reddit
Most teachers won't actually enforce a dress code. At my high school, specifically only my stuck up Spanish teacher would send kids to the principal for being "inappropriatrely dressed."
The principal would then send them back to class because she didn't care either.
HorseFeathersFur@reddit
Possibly. According to the parents in my area, the schools in my neck of the woods do enforce the dress codes. Like I said, it’s regional.
CommercialWorried319@reddit
Honestly, first off you need to find out if the school you're going to attend requires uniforms, even some public school systems require uniforms.
Then you're going to want to check the dress code, some schools will have rules about no sports teams, merchandising, various bands etc etc.
After all that in most areas you'd just dress like how you would to go to the store or something, like jeans and a T-shirt.
And not everyone will dress the same (unless there are uniforms)
Preppy ppl dress a certain way, skater's dress another etc etc
Sowf_Paw@reddit
Each school will have a different dress code, some will require uniforms. Usually only private schools require uniforms but it's not unheard of in a public school.
My high school, which was public, switched to a very restrictive dress code immediately after I graduated, which required dress slacks and dress shirts or polo shirts.
Generally though, most common will be the most casual that the dress code allows.
LTora213@reddit
Jeans and a comfy shirt are all you need. You see OP here in the USA we have a you do you type of style. We follow trends but we wear what's comfortable or what we can afford. Which state are you going to is the big question because many parts of the USA have different climates. For example South Western states are located in or near a desert. Meanwhile, in the North East the climate is temperate, Northern Mid West things get very cold in the winter, in the South East things are swampy and humid in the deep deep south and usually hot year round. North West is usually cold and windy but still temperate
North_Artichoke_6721@reddit
Jeans or sweatpants. A t-shirt, sweatshirt, or hoodie. (Usually you cannot wear the hood up inside.)
Pajama pants might be frowned upon unless they’re a solid color and could pass as sweatpants or yoga pants. (Although sometimes schools have “pajama day” where you are encouraged to come in pajamas.)
ryguymcsly@reddit
In US schools whatever you wear is flagging for the group you want to be a part of. If you wear an anime t-shirt to school every day, that signifies you're in a certain social group or want to be. If you wear an Adidas track suit: same. If you go full goth: same.
If you wear the comfiest clothes imaginable that actually puts you outside categorization, but it sets a bad first-day example.
What you want to wear on your first day is something generically European. That's where you're from, that's what people expect, and it will make you stand out a bit but that's good because it will help you find your people. Just wear whatever you'd wear going out with friends on a weekend during the day. Then at school figure out what kinda people you think are cool and then allow yourself to slowly evolve your style to how they dress.
That said, it really doesn't matter that much except for certain social groups that you probably don't want to be a part of anyway. My senior year we had an exchange student from Norway who dressed every day like he fell out of an H&M catalog. He was everyone's friend and no one gave a shit how he dressed, even though since it was the 90s we all dressed like Kurt Cobain's little brother.
Pyroluminous@reddit
I genuinely wore slippers, pajama pants, and a hoodie all the time in high school. (2012-2016)
A shirt and jeans is fine. A shirt and shorts is fine.
My experience with the American school system is they genuinely do not care what you wear as long as you don’t have “booty shorts” or “spaghetti straps tank top” on, and a graphic T-shirt cannot contain vulgar language or mature imagery, including blood/gore.
cyrodilicspadetail11@reddit
Whatever you choose, where it with confidence. But as everyone has said, the tone is casual. You will see all sorts of styles.
hydraheads@reddit
You should dress how you like to dress (as long as it's within the school's dress code.) You're going to be the new foreign student regardless; own it. Then observe what the people around you are wearing and adopt the parts that suit you (more comfortable shoes? hoodies?)
I_Hate_Reddit_56@reddit
It also as drop a lot since COVID. Kids wear sweatpants now
Sataypufft@reddit
One of my HS kids has a style that can generally be described as hippie meets librarian but will occasionally wear pajama pants to school. The other wears only joggers or athletic shorts, dri fit t shirts, and a hoodie. The other wears slacks with a t shirt and a sweater. HS style is all over the place.
MuppetManiac@reddit
If you wear jeans and a tshirt you’ll fit in basically anywhere in the states.
Tom_Slick_Racer@reddit
Lots of high school aged kids in my neighborhood, the most common theme seems to be Jeans and a T shirt. 90s band shirts seem to be the style these days.
Sweet_Cinnabonn@reddit
Jeans and a clean t-shirt are always acceptable. Or a sweatshirt or hoodie. If the jeans are blue or black you will blend in everywhere but formal settings. Wear with sneakers. Sweatpants also are good in a school setting. Cargo shorts with all the pockets blend in nearly all school times.
Males in the US don't tend to wear bright pants, or very bright shirts. Bottoms tend to be dark blue, gray or black. T shirts or sweatshirts in any shade of blue or gray, black, green or in a white or dark red.
Pastels are used sparingly. Jewelry is usually only a small religious necklace, if at all. No rings, bracelets, rarely earrings.
When I was young, decades ago, teens jewelery had more bling. But these days are more locked down.
FoolhardyBastard@reddit
Kids these days seem to wear above the knee shorts, t shirts and backwards baseball caps. Seems like everyone is wearing the same thing.
pbmadman@reddit
Yes, we dress up for school the same amount we dress up for the cinema or a dinner at a restaurant. Anything from pajamas or yoga pants to business casual.
At my kids high school I basically see any outfit you could imagine. If you dress up in more than jeans and a polo level, make sure you do it ironically. Or if you wear pajamas then also bring a stuffed animal or blanket.
177jjp@reddit (OP)
is this sarcasm? a blanket???😭😭😭😭
pbmadman@reddit
Only a little. Lots of kids bring blankets and stuffed animals on pajama day. Most don’t otherwise.
I think the thing I was trying to communicate is that it wouldn’t be that strange. Maybe uncommon but not weird or anything. Some kid wearing a shirt and tie with a suit vest would also be uncommon but considering how many times I’ve seen it in the pickup line, it can’t be that weird.
My son had a presentation to give the class and his teacher asked them to look slightly presentable. He went all out and wore a suit and tie. He said very few people said anything and the few that did liked it but thought it was funny. He usually wears basketball shorts, a busted up hoodie and crocs that needed to go in the trash a year ago. A bum, a banker or anything between is fine.
Some schools do enforce the dress codes more strictly, however my experience as a parent is that if you follow it in spirit (nothing that is provocative or controversial or otherwise interferes) they don’t care.
Tuerai@reddit
cant go wrong with jeans and a tshirt. and maybe a zip hoodie or an open button-up overshiet
BlueRFR3100@reddit
A lot of school districts have uniforms. Many have strict dress codes. And some just don't care if you even wear pants.
littlemybb@reddit
My high school had uniforms when I was still there, but when I went to community college, we pretty much just wore T-shirts and shorts or casual lounge clothes.
Most schools have dress codes where they don’t want you wearing shorts that are too short, showing your shoulders, or wearing low cut shirts.
Inside_Ad9026@reddit
Look up the school you’re going to (or schools in the area) and check their dress code. They’re wildly different. My school has one but we’re mostly happy if you have clothes on that cover most of your body. Absenteeism is huge right now.
Hot_Aside_4637@reddit
Jeans, sweatpants, athletic shorts, athletic shoes.
Here in Minnesota, I've seen kids in shorts with a winter coat in below zero weather.
EggieRowe@reddit
I think us Americans take casual to extremes sometimes. At this point, if your clothes are minimally modest and clean, you'll be fine just about anywhere.
FluffySoftFox@reddit
You pretty much just wear whatever is comfortable as long as it is within the usually fairly relaxed dress code limitations
(Usually they just involve some common sense things like not having shorts so short your ass is popping out)
freecain@reddit
You REALLY want to try to connect with someone who goes to the school you're going to be going to. Even in my town what I see kids wearing at different schools/events/out is really different and varies between social/cultural/economic groups.
asexualrhino@reddit
Wear whatever you want. The modern US has such a wide variety of styles that no one is going to think twice most of the time.
In general, Americans, especially school age, wear more casual clothes. Fashion is not as big to the everyday person (despite what influencers may lead you to believe). Pajamas are common at school though I would wait to make sure other people at your school wear them too. Your particular school may have strong rules against it.
phred_666@reddit
I taught high school for over 30 years. Jeans and t-shirt is what makes up the bulk of student apparel. A lot of schools have dress codes. Might be a good idea to get a copy of those guidelines ahead of time.
doodynutz@reddit
Many schools where I am have school uniforms. In schools that don’t have uniforms then you’ll see a bit of everything. Super casual like pjs, or well put together.
Jonathon_G@reddit
People will wear pajamas everywhere. School, movies, grocery store, church, literally anywhere
paulrudds@reddit
Totally depends on the location. I grew up in the country, I wear jeans and boots almost everyday. I mean, here there isn't really a "style". People wear whatever they want. As long as it doesn't stand out, depending on where you're at, you'll be fine.
Mata187@reddit
For a public HS, no one would care as long as you don’t wear anything too revealing or offensive.
For a private HS, it all depends if it has a uniform or not. My private HS did not have a uniform, but we always had to wear a collard shirt with slacks or golf shorts style. On formal days, we had to wear shirt and tie and dress slacks with dress shoes.
Parking_Champion_740@reddit
I’d follow the high school you’ll be at on TikTok or Instagram and you can see what kids wear. Very casual, a lot of sweatpants and hoodies.
External-Prize-7492@reddit
It depends on the schools. Our district has uniforms. Some are casual.
Maleficent-Sort5604@reddit
I think where youre going to school matters too. I went to a pretty affluent high school and only a handful of people wore pajamas to school. Most people wanted to show up to impress or use their clothes as a statement.
tomveiltomveil@reddit
There are some schools where there's a school uniform. No matter what the school board tries to do, though, the uniform always devolves into "dress exactly like the cashier at the electronics store": rumpled khakis, polo shirt with a messed-up collar, non-uniform shoes.
stellalunawitchbaby@reddit
Pretty casual (athleisure, jeans and tee, etc) but there can be some regional variations.
meganskegan@reddit
My kid is in public high school in Southern California abd i work in a different public high school. Jeans, pajama pants, sweatpants, leggings, basketball or soccer shorts, hoodies, t-shirts. Crocs (WITH socks), sneakers, sandals (like slide with socks) are the standard. Girls will wear full on pajama pants with a hoodie and crocs and have a full face of makeup that clearly took an hour or more to do. My son's dress code is "No nipples or public area showing. No graphics or words with references to gangs, drugs, sex, alcohol, or violence. Wear appropriate shoes. If you are asked to remove non-religious headwear inside a classroom, you must do so." BTW, the only definition of "appropriate shoes" provided is "not bedroom slippers".
Some kids look like they just rolled out of bed every day, some kids have a LOOK that they're going for that they put in a lot of effort for. The only shirts with buttons or collars I have seen worn at my school are flannels if it is slightly cool outside but only as an unbuttoned overshirt or if a kid is dressed up for a job interview or court date right after school.
Suppafly@reddit
Jeans, tshirt, hoodie, nike shoes. That said, you could lean into being a little foreign for a while and dress how you'd normally dress for school and stand out a bit for being better dressed, combine that with the fact that you likely have an accent and you'll attract a lot of positive attention.
geekyMary@reddit
My kid is a senior this year. Every day they wear khaki pants (because they don’t like jeans), a graphic T-shirt, and a hoodie, an overshirt, or a jacket. Jeans, t-shirt, and hoodie is a great look. 😁
Filledwithrage24@reddit
Los Angeles here. I see tons of kids walking to school in their PJs. I don’t reccomend that but you’ll be fine.
Reverend_Bull@reddit
Americans are notoriously casual and short of a uniform, most students just wear comfortable clothing that fits the dress code. For example, t-shirt and jeans is the standard for boys, but also a standard for girls. Hoodies, sweatshirts, inoffensive t-shirts (dress code thing). Lots of hang-ups around what the girls wear because of body policing, but guys can get by with most anything.
Bubble_Lights@reddit
Your school should have a dress code. Check that for things you shouldn't wear and then dress casual, and however you want.
Separate-Swordfish40@reddit
Try to find students who attend your high school on Instagram or maybe activity clubs/school Instagram account. Then you can see what they wear. I think it may vary based on what part of the country you come to.
Bashira42@reddit
Yes!! Look on Instagram or FB for casual and/or in-claws photos of "look what our students have been doing!" to get a good idea of what they're wearing at that school normally
Imaginary_Ladder_917@reddit
This is good advice. Our local school has an Instagram account and you definitely could get an idea of what kids are wearing from that.
TrapperJon@reddit
It is going to vary wildly from state to state and even school district to school district.
Some places have dress codes that prohibit wearing things like pajamas or yoga pants or "wife beater" tank tops, etc. Honestly most dress codes in schools seem to target girls more than the boys.
Best bet, look online for the dress code of school you'll be going to. Start there.
Pleasant-Finish8892@reddit
It varies widely. Some schools (usually private) have more formal uniforms with slacks or skirts and a polo or sweater or dress shirt, sometimes a tie. Some have no uniform but strict dress codes that ban things like t-shirts, jeans, hoodies, etc.
My school did not have a strict dress code or uniform, so we could wear whatever we wanted as long as it covered shoulders to knees and had no vulgar or inappropriate messaging or words on it. Most people would wear t-shirts, jeans, hoodies, athletic wear, that kind of thing. Some dressed up a little more. Some people did wear pajamas to school but that was definitely not the norm.
We did have “spirit weeks” where one day was pajama day and everyone wore pajamas, one day we wore school colors, one day we wore crazy socks, one day we dressed as a favorite character, etc.
thatlady425@reddit
Defiantly don’t dress like you going out to a fancy dinner. People barely dress up to go out. We are very casual society. Some people are way too lazy to the point of being gross. No one dresses up to go to the movies either. Teens are definitely wearing pajama pants to school sometimes. Sweatpants and hoodies are the outfit of choice. Then jeans and leggings.
HorseFeathersFur@reddit
This can be regional. Students in Tennessee/Georgia are going to dress very differently from California students. Heck, even students in Southern California will dress differently than students in northern California. And Oregon is its own ball game.
177jjp@reddit (OP)
south texas
HorseFeathersFur@reddit
Ya know, I haven’t visited south Texas, so I couldn’t tell you. Definitely check the school dress code and also there are a lot of tik toks from students in that region, you can see what they’re wearing. But I guarantee that jeans and a T-shirt will get you by just about anywhere in the US.
Where I live, leggings and tank tops aren’t allowed and shorts have to reach the bottom of your fingertips, but that doesn’t seem to be common everywhere else.
blipsman@reddit
That’s going to vary a ton based on specific school, in terms of location, socioeconomic standing of students, racial/ethnic background of students… and not all do the same thing. Sure, some kids might dress like they’re wearing pajamas while others are dressed differently.
LivingGhost371@reddit
There might be dress codes that restrict certain things that are excessively revealing like really short shorts or short skirts, but yeah, beyond that even pajama pants aren't unusual. From what I've seen your basic high school outfit is jeans that look like the thrift store threw them out as unsellable trash and a t-shirt.
Hylian_ina_halfshell@reddit
Really depends on the school my friend.
A 'standard' minimal dresscode will garner all sorts of different looks. You will basically be able to wear whatever you want, from atheleisure wear, to preppy, to goth, to punk plenty of people dress differently
Some schools have dress codes that can also very from very simple (polo, slacks and dress shoes) all the way to sport coat tie and blazer though the latter is almost always for catholic schools or private school
therealdrewder@reddit
Not saying you are wrong to post here but you might get better answers from r/teenagers
ABelleWriter@reddit
Where in the US will you be? What state, urban, suburban, rural? Kids in rural Montana and New York City will likely dress differently.
For the most part kids are casual. Sweats are common where I live, but I'm on the east coast.
rvcaJup@reddit
Other that Pajama Day that little kids may have once a year, most people aren't wearing pajamas. If it's a public school, most of the kids will be wearing athletic wear. It's often centered around a look of what sport they play. For example, my son plays baseball and I can spot a baseball bro a mile away with their hairstyle, fit of shorts, etc. A polo shirt and khaki shorts If going to private school or for a preppy look. We're in a warm climate but no one wears pants.
TipsyBaker_@reddit
It's going to be location dependant in some aspect, but pretty much everyone at our local school wears jeans and hoodies. Every day. Even when it's 98°f outside.
The ones who don't are the farm kids who are in jeans and flannel, with boots instead of sneakers.
Acrobatic_Box9087@reddit
Do not come to USA. Orange man bad!
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EnigmaIndus7@reddit
Jeans and a sweatshirt unless you go somewhere with uniforms
OGMom2022@reddit
My daughter went in pj’s and a blanket hoodie. 😂
Top-Comfortable-4789@reddit
Comfortable clothes like sweat pants, hoodies, t-shirts. Comfort is prioritized in most American schools because they start so early in the morning.
Courwes@reddit
It’s school dependent. Most have a dress code and some even have uniforms. I wore uniforms in my high school. Even on days when we could wear street clothes you’d get detention if you walked in in pajamas. The clothes still had to be neat and presentable. Means no cleavage or belly shirts. Had to have sleeves. No ripped up jeans. No vulgarity on the clothing.
I don’t know any schools in my district that would let you wear pajamas to school. You’d have to look up the dress code for the school you’re going to.
MetroBS@reddit
I was a big sweatpants guy in high school
ViolentWeiner@reddit
Personally, the school I went to didn't allow pajamas. But joggers, t shirts, sneakers, etc were all fine. Some of the girls (like me lol) dressed up a bit more but I could be wearing jeans or a 1940's shirt dress and no one would bat an eye
OrdinarySubstance491@reddit
They may do it but a lot of Americans still look down on it. Don't wear your pajamas to school. It is and should be embarrassing.
That said, sweatpants or blue jeans is normal. Wearing trousers, you will probably stand out and feel awkward.
therealdrewder@reddit
Are you a boy or girl?
cottoncandymandy@reddit
Cookie monster pajamas. Trust me. You need them.
ComprehensiveCoat627@reddit
My teen boy wears a hoodie, pj pants or sweatpants, and Birkenstocks (or other shoes that look like slippers to me) typically with socks. On warm/hot days he'll switch out the sweatpants for basketball-type shorts. If he wants to "dress up" (job interview, banquet, etc.) he'll wear jeans and a sweater without a hood
DGlen@reddit
T-shirt and jeans
Prior_Particular9417@reddit
My daughter is 18 and just out of high school. She wears like running shorts and an oversized sweatshirt with sneakers or like jeans and a weird t shirt and combat boots with a weird hoodie. She has a backpack that looks like it came from a military surplus store. I think your water bottle seems to have a lot of significance and she decorates it with weird stickers. She also has ever changing hair colors. Comfort over style.
MinervaJane70@reddit
My grandchildren are teens in USA. They dress really down here. Not exactly pajamas as in a matching set of real pajamas. But definitely leisure wear. Hoodies, t-shirts, and soft pants. Best of luck!
Relevant-Emu5782@reddit
My daughter goes to a private school with a uniform. She has to wear a school polo (3 color choices with logo) and school skirt (3 pattern choices) every day. They are allowed to wear black leggings under the skirt and school hoodies (lots of different colors and designs) over the polos. From December to April they are allowed to wear sweatpants under the skirts. Some also wear long sleeve shirts under the polo. The hoodies and sweatpants are worn in sizes too large. The skirts are worn in sizes too small, and rolled even shorter, when worn over the sweatpants. Ends up being a butt ruffle.
So my daughter's "uniform" ends up being oversized hoodie and sweatpants with a tiny plaid skirt peeking out.
Bookworm8989@reddit
One day my daughter will wear pajama pants, shirt, and hoodie, and then on another day, wear a cute dress to switch it up. It’s mainly the comfortable clothes for sure but you can probably wear anything and no one will care.
AllswellinEndwell@reddit
My kids have pajama bottoms that they wear specifically for school. Their mother hates it, but tons of kids do it. White socks, Birkenstocks or slides, and a wife beater or a hoodie is pretty common.
I don't think kids wear jeans nearly as much as I did. Neither of my boys own a pair. My daughter has a few pair but they are generally really fashionable, not basic jeans.
Joggers, with white shoes, hoodies. Dunks. Maybe a favorite team jersey, and depending on the school, lots of school merch. Lot's of kids also wear college merch for their favorite or possible place they will attend.
Many athletic programs require the kids to wear their jersey to class the day of a game. My son would wear his football jersey on Fridays. Often girlfriends of players would wear their jersey too (although against team rules). My daughter wears her tennis gear on game days, and my youngest son will wear a soccer jersey game day. He also has a German National team jersey he likes.
Here's the thing. You can wear just about whatever. There's a whole range of kids, from emo kids, to the jocks. From the drama kids to the gamers. From what my kids tell me, everyone is pretty chill.
BurritoDespot@reddit
It varies a lot based on where your school is. Without that information, you can’t really rely on anything in this thread.
Rj924@reddit
Jeans, tshirt (not plain white, that’s an undershirt), sneakers (tennis shoes), hoodie if it’s cooler weather. That outfit is okay for pretty much any teen occasion.
rudkap@reddit
Pajamas
Appropriate-Food1757@reddit
Yeah don’t wear pajamas, wear your normal clothes.
PNW_lover_06@reddit
just wear what you want, if people judge you thats their problem not yours
AngryyFerret@reddit
are you a guy or a girl? The answer is probably gonna be about the same but you might get some more details from actual teens in the sub.
Yankee_chef_nen@reddit
I work at a residential college, part of a major university. The college I work at is for freshmen and sophomores who will likely move on to the university for their junior and senior years. I see the 18 and 19 year olds wearing anything from shorts and tank tops to full suits and anything in between. Sweat pants, PJs, tennis skirts, khakis and polo shirts, basically anything you can think of.
Ew_fine@reddit
Casual. Whatever you’d wear to go to the supermarket. T-shirts and jeans.
ZephRyder@reddit
Get a copy of the student handbook from the school, it will outline the dress code. Unless you want to be a character in a movie plot, that should give you the guidance, within which you should be fine.
ATLDeepCreeker@reddit
This will differ depending on region and even individual school. I would research the actual school students. Look on social media for pictures of actual students. Facebook and Instagram will probably have groups associated with the various school clubs, as well as athletic teams. Find some students with a style you like and copy it. Simple.
greendemon42@reddit
Make sure you look up the dress code at the specific school you're going to. I had a friend who got suspended for wearing pajamas to school after moving to a different state with different rules.
beansandneedles@reddit
Mostly jeans/sweatpants/cargo pants and t-shirts/hoodies. Some girls wear skirts or casual dresses. My son almost always wears a button-down, usually open, over his t-shirt. Some kids might wear nicer clothes, but usually it’s casual.
LadyOfTheNutTree@reddit
You can play it safe with jeans and a tshirt on the first day and see what the school culture is like.
sneezhousing@reddit
Depends on the school. However usually it's whatever you like. Jeans , sweat pants whatever
girlgeek73@reddit
My 11th grader goes to a school with a uniform. He wears a polo with the school's emblem embroidered on the chest and khaki pants. My 9th grader goes to a different school with no uniform. He wears jeans or track pants and t-shirts, hoodies, flannel button downs, or Hawaian shirts.
Jujubeee73@reddit
Casual unless there’s a dress code. Wear jeans & a tshirt or hoodie.
cheloniancat@reddit
I work in a middle school and pajama pants are quite popular. It’s always interesting to see Christmas pajama pants in March.
No-Passenger2194@reddit
I went to public school in the south so we had to wear polo shirts of our school's colors and navy or khaki bottoms or the school T Shirt. College people dress pretty comfy casual. T shirts and jeans, sweaters, sweatpants.
Boogerchair@reddit
The pajama phase was like 20 years ago and has since died down. You’ll still see it, but it was considered ‘cool’ for a time and it’s over. It’s amazing to me that people still talk about this.
mossryder@reddit
I'm gonna guess jeans(prolly not drainpipes?) , t-shirt or jersey, sneakers/trainers. Hoodie or pockety bulky jacket you bought cheap.
Oh, shit that's what we wore in 1990.
WichitaTimelord@reddit
I see more sweatpants and athletic pants than I do jeans.
bran6442@reddit
Mostly it depends on the area and the school. Even though it was a public school, my daughters high school had a uniform of sorts: white or beige polo shirt, beige or black slacks. If they don't have a uniform, the best way to plan is ride around the area when school gets out and see what they are wearing. In general, American kids are less formal, but trends tend to be very different locally.
misagale@reddit
Depends on where you will be going to school. LA or North Dakota? You’ll need to be more specific.
kikicutthroat990@reddit
Depends on where you are going. My area they have a uniforms from prek all the way to high school and this is public school
tabidots@reddit
I grew up in the Midwest and we dressed the same way we would to go out to eat and to see a movie too. In the late 90s I don’t think anyone went to school in pajamas (or it was very rare), but eating out and the movies were not something we got particularly dressed up for. (At least not the typical restaurants that groups of high schoolers would go to—Red Robin, Applebee’s, TGI Friday’s, Denny’s kind of places)
TheDangDeal@reddit
Pajamas was for that one day during “spirit week” we would get to wear hats on a different day.
TopperMadeline@reddit
Some schools require uniforms, while others allow you to where whatever you want (with limits, or course).
Nuttonbutton@reddit
It's okay that you're dressing differently. Because literally everyone is dressing differently unless you go to school with a uniform. Some kids are in pajamas, some are dressed for business because of a program they're in. Some are in the casual JROTC uniform. Some are dressed like a stereotypical hippie/goth/Nirvana phase/punk. Some dress very preppy. Some make it their mission to wear the exact same thing every day.
ColaEuphoria@reddit
Depends if your school has a uniform dress code. Most do not. Some people wear pajamas to school but it's a very low class look, they just "don't care".
Just wear casual. You can never go wrong with a t shirt and jeans.
Reader47b@reddit
People dress as they like, some more casually than others. Most schools have a very basic dress code (i.e., no overly slutty clothing, no muscle shirts, no shirts with foul language, advertising liquor, etc.). Otherwise, it's up to you.
sics2014@reddit
Huge variety. We had a uniform policy. Polo shirts of certain color, with khaki pants. If you showed up wearing pajamas, you were being written up and given a change of clothes.
Look up the policy of the school you're attending.
padmesfavhandmaiden@reddit
I’d say things like sweatpants, jeans, leggings, tee shirts, hoodies, and sweaters are most common! along with sneakers
Airacobras@reddit
Im a senior in high school.
Yeah people will sometimes wear pajamas to school.
It’s not super common. I’ve never done it.
I usually just wear sweatpants and a T-shirt. And if it’s cold then a sweatshirt.