11 Outfits for Middle School Boys to Wear to a Dance
Finding an outfit to wear to your first middle school dance can be difficult. After all, everyone at your school will be there and you don’t want to stand out–or do you?
What you wear to the dance depends on the type of dance it is. Below you’ll find 11 outfits that a middle school boy could wear to various middle school dances. Let’s get started.
1. Flannel and Jeans
A flannel paired with a solid T-shirt and jeans is the perfect look for almost any school dance, especially the more casual ones. With this outfit, you can walk in feeling calm and collected.
Don’t be afraid to wear this type of outfit simply because you wear similar ones to school every day. A flannel shirt and jeans tell everyone that you’re confident enough as is. You don’t need to get all dressed up to feel smooth.
If you want to step up this look, choose the color of your flannel based on the type of dance. For example, if you’re going to a Valentine’s Day dance, wear a red flannel. When possible, match the color of your shoes to the flannel. If you don’t have shoes that match your flannel color, wear solid black, white, or gray shoes instead. This outfit works with both blue, black, and grey jeans.
The undershirt you wear with your flannel doesn’t matter much. However, it should be a solid color that doesn’t conflict with the color of the shoes, jeans, or flannel. Once again, if you want a more casual style, wear a solid-colored graphic tee underneath the flannel.
2. Full Suit and Tie
Wearing a full suit and tie for the first time, especially to school, can be nerve-wracking. You may be wondering what if no one else wears something similar. Below we’ll discuss how to look classy in a full suit without looking too dressy.
For those more formal dances, such as Valentine’s Day, Winter Formal, or Middle School Prom, a full suit and tie is an appropriate outfit for boys to wear.
The first thing you can do to make a full suit look a little more casual is to wear a colored shirt. This also gives you an opportunity to dress more for the occasion. For example, if you’re attending a winter formal, a light or dark blue shirt is a good option.
The next step to make a suit look a bit classier is to wear a solid black, skinny tie. If you’re wearing a navy or gray suit, match the tie to that color. Reserve wider, multi-colored ties for less formal events such as church.
While a pair of black dress shoes will complete this look, middle school boys can wear whatever they feel comfortable in. When possible, try to choose solid-colored shoes that don’t clash with the color of your suit or shirt.
3. T-Shirt and Jeans
For many middle school boys, getting dressed up for a school dance can make them feel self-conscious or out of place. In these instances, a comfortable T-shirt and jeans are a good option.
This outfit gives middle school boys the flexibility to choose every bit of their clothing. They can wear different colored jeans, solid or patterned T-shirts, and any type of shoes they want.
A T-shirt and jeans are appropriate for more casual events, such as an end-of-the-semester dance. Remember, there’s not much of a difference between this outfit and the outfit that you wear to school every day.
Before wearing a T-shirt and jeans to your middle school dance, make sure that the school isn’t enforcing a dress code. Some nicer events require attendants to wear something a bit classier than a pair of jeans and a T-shirt.
If you choose to wear this outfit to your middle school dance, wear it with confidence. You could even coordinate your outfit to match your date or your friend groups’.
4. Button-Up Shirt, Tie, and Jeans
Very few middle school dances require you to dress exceptionally formal. However, you don’t want to wear something casual to all of them.
If you want to find a happy middle ground between classy and casual, then a button-up shirt with a tie and jeans is the perfect option.
When planning this outfit, start with your jeans. Are you going to wear regular blue denim jeans or opt for another color such as black or grey?
Once you have your jeans picked out, decide on the color of your button-up shirt. You could wear a plain white shirt or any solid color for that matter.
Like many other outfits on this list, you can customize your clothes to match the color scheme of the event. For example, at a homecoming dance, wear one of your school colors!
Next, pick your tie. Stick to ties with minimal to no color change. Additionally, avoid busy patterns. If you matched your shirt to your school colors, wear a neutral-colored tie or match it with another school color.
Last but not least, find shoes that don’t clash with the colors of your outfit. It doesn’t matter if these shoes are casual or dressy since the outfit mixes both styles.
5. Bright Colored, Skater Boy
When picking an outfit for your middle school dance, find one that matches your personal style. If you like to wear bright colors, find an outfit that incorporates them.
Additionally, if you tend to dress with more of a skater style, do the same at your dance.
This style allows you to incorporate aspects of other outfits such as a flannel shirt and jeans as well as high-top sneakers and a backward ball cap.
Know your school’s dress code policy before attending the dance. Many schools don’t allow hats to be worn during school; however, they may alter this rule for the dances. Don’t show up with your favorite hat just to take it off at the front door.
You should also consider the fact that some schools ask students to remove their shoes since they could damage the gymnasium floor.
If your shoes are a crucial part of your look, wear a pair of socks that provide a similar look.
This is an important factor to remember for any school dance. If the school will ask you to remove your shoes, you don’t want to have worn old, stinky socks. Plan ahead and wear a clean, nice pair instead.
6. Cowboy Classy
Once again, your personal style should play a significant role in what you wear to your middle school dance. If you prefer to dress with more of a country style, you can dress it up for the dance.
Start with a button-up shirt with a fun pattern or color. Pair this shirt with your best pair of jeans–this means the pair with the fewest holes and grass stains.
If you want a very classy look, add a bolo tie or your favorite belt buckle to the outfit and slip on a pair of dress boots. For those that only have one pair of boots, clean them up a bit and add some boot polish before the dance.
Get permission from your school to wear a cowboy hat or plan to leave it at home. However, if you and a group of friends plan to go out to dinner before or after the dance, wear the hat for this portion of the evening.
You could also add a suit jacket to this look for a classier finish; however, prepare to take it off as the gymnasium heats up throughout the dance.
7. Polo and Jeans
Wearing a polo and a pair of jeans to your middle school dance is another perfect combination of mixing classy with casual.
Middle school boys can wear whatever color or patterned polo they want or match it to the dance theme. They can also pair it with any color of jeans.
Another benefit of this outfit is that it works with any type of shoe. If you have a pair of dress shoes, wear them! If not, wear your favorite sneakers.
No matter what your day-to-day style looks like, this outfit is an appropriate choice for all middle school boys. This outfit can be dressed up with a suit jacket.
Is your school hosting an outdoor dance on a warm summer evening? If so, you may want to wear something other than jeans. Pair your polo of choice with some knee-length khaki shorts. This outfit also works for indoor dances, but be aware that it creates a more casual look.
8. Business Best
If you want to make a big impression at your middle school dance, then you’ll need to dress up.
While your business best might seem too professional for a middle school dance, it’s the perfect option for a formal dance or any event that you plan on bringing a date to.
If you do have a date for your middle school dance, ask them what they plan on wearing. Do your best to match the style and color. They’ll appreciate the attention to detail.
If you’re going to the dance by yourself, match the color of your dress shirt to the theme or time of year.
Make sure you wear dress shoes with this look otherwise your shoes may feel out of place. However, if you don’t have dress shoes, just wear a solid-colored pair of sneakers. It’s middle school, not a job interview.
9. Costume Dance
While most school dances permit casual or formal wear, some schools will host costume dances. If this is the school dance you’re preparing for, get creative with your costume!
First thing first, you need to understand the school’s dress code. Very few schools will allow those who attend the dance to wear a mask, whether it’s a part of their costume or not. Additionally, the costume you choose should be age-appropriate.
Another rule to follow is that your costume shouldn’t include any weapons. The school will take these away whether they are real or fake.
Need some costume ideas? Pick from the following list:
- Lumberjack
- Mad Scientist
- Favorite Movie/TV Character
- Pop Culture Reference
- Popular Meme, TikTok, or Vine Reference
If you are going to the dance with a date, find a way to match your costumes.
For those who aren’t a fan of dressing up in costumes, you can still find a way to join in on the Halloween dance fun. Find a shirt with your favorite superhero logo on it (or some other popular label). Pair this T-shirt with some jeans and sneakers.
10. Button-Up and Jeans
Another semi-formal option for middle school boys to wear to dances is a button-up shirt paired with jeans. You can make a button-up shirt look more formal by unbuttoning one or two buttons from the top to show off a graphic T-shirt.
This outfit is casual enough that you can wear it to school and not have to go home and change before the dance. Who knows, you might decide to wear this style more often!
11. Hoodie and Sweatpants
In general, middle school dances are fairly casual events. For this reason, you can wear basically whatever you want. Even something as casual as a hoodie and sweatpants could be an acceptable option for a boy to wear to their middle school dance.
Before wearing this outfit to your middle school dance, consider where the dance is. Indoor dances tend to get quite warm, fairly quickly. However, if the middle school is hosting the dance outside, a hoodie and sweatpants are the perfect clothing items to keep warm and comfortable.
Remember, some school dances have more formal dress codes for school dances. Know the rules that your middle school will enforce before you get there and plan your night around that.
Overall, it doesn’t matter what outfit you wear to your middle school dance. The most important thing is that you feel comfortable and confident. So long as your outfit provides you with both of these characteristics, the dance is guaranteed to be a success.