'I'm seen as trouble for wearing a tracksuit': Young people share why they wear the clothes they wear

I’m Tom, I’m 18 and from Chorley. Being a teenager is the first time you get to choose your own clothes and develop your sense of style. You might not have a job yet so why not go for whatever makes you happy and suits you?

I wear a black tracksuit and trainers, and sometimes feel like I’m labelled immediately as trouble. But this outfit is what I feel comfortable in and most confident.

I think adults shouldn’t judge us just because of what we wear. I’d never change myself for anybody.

I wanted to know why young people across the country wear what they do and if they’d ever change to please other people. So I went and asked them. But first, this is my own style.

Tom, 18, Chorley

How would you describe your style?

I dress in full tracksuit with a man bag but I’m not a bad lad. I’m in college.

What reaction do you get in public?

I put my hood up mostly. But if I’m walking past someone they can look scared, so I take my hood down out of respect really. Sometimes I feel people freeze when they see me. I get why they feel like that because some teenagers cause trouble. I’ve got used to it. But it annoys me that I don’t even need to do or say anything before they judge what I’m like.

Where do you buy your clothes?

I wear McKenzie and Hoodrich trackies. My trainers might be Nike or other brands. I decide which on comfort and price first, then style. I got some Nike hi-tops on Black Friday for 25 quid.

Why do you wear what you wear?

I wear this because it’s comfy. I wear black, dark grey, navy, dark blue. All the dark colours because I’m a very messy person and if I drop some curry or something down me, you can’t see the stain.

Lacey-Mai, 15, Wolverhampton

What inspires your style?

Usually, I get my inspiration from Pinterest – it helps me to find outfit ideas. I also take inspiration from the people I see around the town or the people I see at youth club.

How long does it take to get ready?  

I usually take around an hour and a half to about two hours to get ready if I’m going out or if I’m going to youth club.

How do people react to the outfit designs you put together? 

People usually react to my outfit with either compliments saying that they find how I look cool, or if they like a certain part of my outfit. Or I get weird looks as in like ‘why is she wearing that?’ type of look.

Do you care what other people think of your style? 

I don’t really care what people think of my style because growing up I’ve always been told to be my own person and not the person other people want me to be, as if everyone was the same, life would be sort of boring.

Stella, 14, Ealing

How would you describe your style?

I would describe my style as sort of y2k. I dress how I do to help me have a sense of originality and to feel like myself. I buy most of my outfits from charity shops or Vinted.

Who or what influences your style?

My influences are my older cousin and Billie Eilish.

Would you consider changing what you wear if you had a strong reaction to it from someone?

I wouldn’t change my style for other people as I believe wearing what you want to wear is important regardless of what people think.

Any choices of look that you regret?

I used to wear baggy leggings cut into shorts and sequin emoji reversible tops. It was not a look!

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Sho, 15, Truro

How would you describe your style?

I like to wear more gothic clothes but there aren’t many shops like that here [in Cornwall)] so my next preference is vintage and quirky.

Why do you wear what you do?

It’s cool and fashionable. It makes me feel older. I feel comfortable.

Have you had any strong reactions to what you wear?

Sometimes mum might say, “Don’t wear that to go to X” – usually if she thinks people will disapprove! Also grandad asked me not to wear the chain skirt when we went to dinner with his Chinese friends. I understand it but it annoys me because I feel comfortable and think it looks cool.

Elvi, 23, Croydon

Why do you dress like you do?

I need to be comfortable as well as cool. I have a form of dwarfism and I’m a wheelchair user so I have to buy clothes that work with sitting all the time and make it easy for me to get dressed.

How would you describe your style?

Wheelchair skater chic.

Where do you source your clothes?

I am small so a lot come from children’s shops. I also like vintage t-shirts from charity shops or resale sites. I have sensory issues so I have worn these same Ugg boots for years. They don’t do this style any more so I don’t know how I’ll replace them when they fall apart.

What’s the reaction to the way you dress?

People love my parachute trousers. And always react well to my t-shirts. Mum spotted a vintage 1977 Wheelchair Games t-shirt in the States. That’s my favourite, it’s twice as old as me.

Would you consider changing what you wear if you had a strong reaction to it from someone?

No. I have to make enough compromises in my life to worry about other people.

Connie, 14, Nottingham

How would you describe what you’re wearing today?

This outfit makes me feel confident because it really shows my personality. It’s a mix of comfy and stylish, and that balance helps me feel good in what I’m wearing. I like that it’s not too formal or too casual – it’s just right for me.

Why did you choose it?

This outfit lets me express myself because it has little details that show who I am, like the layered necklaces and bracelets, the bandana, and the relaxed jeans. When I wear this, I feel like I’m showing the real me. It’s not about following every trend or trying too hard, it’s about feeling comfortable and confident in my own style. That’s what makes this outfit special to me – it helps me feel like myself and lets me show that to everyone else.

Amelia and Tahera, both 14, White City

How would you describe your style?

A: Classy, preppy, elegant. My favourite clothing brand is Subdued.

T: Minimalistic, simple and classy. My favourite clothing brand is Zara.

Would you change the way you look for other people?

A: No, I wouldn’t.

Have you had strong reactions (anything funny/extreme)?

T: People have complimented my outfits before but others have also disagreed. 

Tasneem and Rania, both 14, White City

How would you describe your style?

T: Quirky street style. My favourite clothing brands are Zara and Bershka.

R: Outgoing, flowery, spring vibes. Sometimes I like to switch it up and use more neutral colours for either a more bold or modest effect and I like to colour-coordinate my outfits. 

Where do you source your outfits?

R: I mostly get my abayas from my mother’s closet, otherwise I get clothes at H&M and Zara.

Why do you dress like you do?

T: Because it feels like me and it is comfortable. 

R: I enjoy experimenting and expressing my feelings and the weather through the colours of my clothes.

Would you change the way you look for other people?

T: No, I wouldn’t.

R: Of course not, I don’t care what other people think of my outfits. I dress the way I dress for me and no one else. 

Indigo, 14, White City

How would you describe your style?

Colourful and creative yet simple and effective. To express myself. I love getting my outfits at Portobello Market, London.

Have you had strong reactions?

People are always shocked by my outfits. I don’t dress the way people at my school usually do. 

Cassidy, 16, Brighton

What inspires your look?

Things I see on TikTok but also vintage shops in Brighton, especially kilo sales. I like borrowing cool old t-shirts from my parents.

Any terrible fashion mistakes?

I once wore an amazing vintage US army flight jacket with a huge eagle embroidered on the back to a Brighton and Hove Albion vs Crystal Palace game… not good!

Do you ever tone down your look for others?

It’s hard to be adventurous at secondary school so I tone down my style quite a bit compared to when I was younger.

George, 16, Raynes Park, London

How would you describe your look?

I try to make it a cohesive mix of a bit of everything I enjoy seeing, and try to adapt it to myself (but the version that doesn’t cost £1,000 for a jacket).

What or who inspires you to dress as you do?

I take from real life and things I see in the high-fashion contexts I like. I really just copy everything I like until it becomes my own thing.

Where do you source your outfits?

A mix of DIY, hand-me-downs and secondhand I scour for online

Any embarrassing mistakes clothes wise?

Once I wore a USSR t-shirt to my eastern European friend’s house, It was a fun shirt but it’s quite a controversial one, seeing that it has the symbol of a totalitarian dictatorship on it. Safe to say I won’t wear it there again.

Has anyone reacted strongly to what you wear?

People at school tend to be quite closed minded when it comes to clothing as a form of self-expression, so I’ve got perplexed reactions to my clothing choices, even though I don’t consider it especially weird at all.

Do you compromise/change your clothes for other people?

I never try to conform – even with school uniform – which I have sewn to make it my own version.

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