He wanted a new haircut. That was fine with me. He also wanted to color his hair. That one, we needed to talk about.
Teens often use their appearance to make a clear statement about who they are.
But while a teen wants to establish a clear individual identity, being part of the crowd also is important at this stage. Peer pressure and fitting in are key motivators in his appearance. Name brands and particular styles become increasingly important. Rather than fighting against the force of peer pressure at this stage, work with it. Consider giving your teen a clothing budget, making him responsible for wise management of the funds.