Clothing teenage boys is a standard parenting horror show of course – I’ve written recently about finding jeans to fit their weird man-child body shape, when they streak upwards but not outwards in their early teens.
And then there’s the whole “I don’t like the way that looks/feels/has sleeves/has no hood/isn’t three sizes too big”. Total minefield.
But then.. there’s The Coat Battle.
It’s ridiculous, isn’t it? It’s winter out there. It’s COLD. And yet – “oh, no, no coat thanks”. Because “I don’t like the way that looks/feels/has sleeves/has no hood/isn’t three sizes too big…”
*clenches teeth*
Because coats are for losers, obviously.
And the only coats that are not for losers are those that my middle aged mum-head deem to be no-coat-at-all. Seriously – how cool does it actually look when you’re frozen and bedraggled because you’re oh-so-cool coat doesn’t actually keep the wind and the rain out in January?
But listen closely, fellow mums-of-teens. Because I have a solution for you.
The answer is a single word – Trespass.
Yes, you heard me.
Look.
Yes. That’s a teenage boy. SMILING in front of the camera.
I know, shocker.
But the point is, he loves this coat. And his two teen brothers are both a bit miffed that he got it and they didn’t, because they love it too. It’s simple, stylish… and *whispers* it’s brilliantly practical.
Ha!
Being Trespass, it’s a brilliantly technical coat that will frankly handle the very worst a British winter will throw at it. Hell, if it’ll handle the worst that the Alps can throw at it when skiing, I’m pretty sure it can handle a Yorkshire storm. This coat is designed to keep you warm and dry when you’re outside in the worst of cold wet windy weather – which is oddly everything my weird mumma-brain asks of a winter coat, right?
The shell is waterproof (effective up to 15,000mm; that’s very waterproof). A down touch filling means it’s warm and snug even at a cold January bus stop, a breathable surface along with underarm ventilation zips means it won’t get discarded (and left behind…) when a certain teen body gets overheated.
We found that the articulated elbows might be designed for ‘a comfortable hold of your ski poles’, but they actually meant that for the first time ever a certain Mr Picky didn’t put on a new coat and say “oh. It feels weird and wrong round my arms”.
There are also loads of pockets, including an essential audio pocket/channel, plus 3 water repellent zip pockets which mean their essential bits will stay dry in any rain storm on the way home form school or college.
And for your handy info – this is a men’s jacket, not a boys. But size XS is the equivalent of a size 14 boys coat in Next – and there’s an XXS available which’ll fit even smaller; this is my streaky 6′ tall 16yr old, and he’s comfortable in an M.
The Cassady Men’s DLX Waterproof Hooded Ski Jacket was £330 – but at time of writing was reduced to £150. I know that’s a LOT, still, but for this coat that’s a total BARGAIN. And I guarantee it’ll last through to a hand-me-down too.
This one is no longer available, but keep an eye on the Trespass’ Clearance Section – there is always a deal to be snapped up.
(and don’t worry if the simply greyness of this one isn’t your child’s thing; Trespass have a huge range of men’s waterproof jackets, and there’s something for every price pocket as well as every colour and style choice)
1 December 2021
I have the same problem with my 15 years old son. I don’t know what else to do to make him wear a coat. I need help I tried everything ? I told him he will get severe health issues at a young age. HE WAS A PRIMI and had lungs problems when he was a baby. I told him they will come back but all he says is that he is not cold and he likes the cold weather