My daughter wore colored jeans all the time, it wasn’t an issue.
@hardy8635 Re: colored jeans, it probably depends on the school. They were okay at my kids’ school.
" It was 30 deg this morning and he went to school wearing shorts, a t-shirt and a lightweight sweatshirt."
Then your son will fit in at boarding school where shorts (and sandals/flip flops!) seemed to worn until Thanksgiving break and after Spring Break regardless of the temperature.
DS wore shorts and short sleeves today…and it was not warm.
Just a small piece of unsolicited advice here… Don’t buy a lot of clothes before your kids go off to BS. If you’re like me, you’ll be tempted to stock up on a whole new BS “wardrobe”. DD went from a school in NYC with uniforms to Cate, with a relaxed dress code and a completely different climate. We agonized over the shopping list before she started Freshman year, and bought way too much of what we thought she might end up wearing. But she felt differently about most of it soon after she arrived. Your kids may say that they wouldn’t ever wear something, and then end up changing their mind once they see what other kids are wearing (for my DD: polar fleece) OR they may change their minds once they better understand the reality of boarding school life (for my DD: cozy slippers). If you can, ask current parents at your particular school for shopping tips. They will know what is standard issue and what will most likely become a staple for your kid. Also, for those of you from warmer climates sending your kids to the Northeast, understand that despite the weather, your child will wear about 15-20% of the “winter” clothing and accessories that you buy for him/her.
Check out this website called Betabrand. My younger son goes to Gow, formal dress code, no joggers. He has a sensory disorder and is sensitive to a lot of things touching his body. He found a pair of pants that look like dress pants, but made out of sweatshirt material. For a way less expensive option, there are washable dress pants called Gioberti on Amazon ($23). (I was surprised they are washable.) The ones I got were for boys, 14-16. He likes them better than the Lands End khakis, or the Under Armour, Nike golf pants that we’ve used in the past for dress up. He wears long johns under them when its cold. He said he spilled chocolate milk on them one day but looked clean after he wiped off with damp cloth.
My older son will be going to Middlesex in the fall. His favorite dress pants are the Nordstrom wash and wear pants that are wrinkle free. He is tall for his age, so it’s easier to find him clothes. He would love some of the Lululemon pants that look dressier, but I"ve said no because of the price.