Attention Clothing Designers of America listen up! I SPEW ON YOU! (Shopping vent)

[FaithManor]

Oh my word what a disaster! No, the boys did not do badly. I expected much worse so I was pleasantly surprised.

 

First of all, since when is a boy's size 20 pair of jeans supposed to have a 32" waist???? Can someone explain this to me? If I needed a 32 inch waist, I'd be shopping in the men's department.

 

Second of all, a huge array of clothing lines no longer carry slims. Ask me how I know? I asked. Every single department store, "Where are your slims?" After all, there were none on the shelves in size 12 or higher anywhere I went except Target & Sears and I took the single pair of 14 slims Target had in the entire boys' department. The response was that they only get receive from the warehouse, two or three slims in each size from 8-14 (none in 16's or 18's) anymore and that as soon as they get them in, they sell out. Meanwhile, piles and piles and piles of husky sizes are on the shelves and clearance racks. Why? If you aren't selling stacks of huskies, why are you buying or being sent stacks of them?

 

I found a single pair of 20 slim jeans in Sears and the price tag was not completely frightening so I took them for the oldest. They are still too big in the waist, but he needs that inseam. The smallest waist size I can find in the men's department is 30" and I really have to scout around to find those. Most of what is on the rack begins at 32". He has a 26" waist on his 5'5" body which is comprised mostly of legs. But, with a belt, these 28" waist 20's will work. The other 20's were all 29-32" waists! :001_huh:

 

Sears did not have a one single pair of 14 slims except in Dockers which were about $29.99 a pair. I probably should have gritted my teeth and bore the price, but I struggle because the boys really are hard on their clothes even if they try to be careful. They have inherited this gene from their father who is a very efficient destroyer of casual clothing.

 

The shirts are just getting wider, wider, wider. The ds's have always had to wear shirts that hung off the shoulders and were too big under the arms and in the waist anyway because of their long torsos and arms. But, this shopping trip was the worst I've ever seen.

 

I ended up getting very, very little and spending soooo much more for it than I ever had. I used to get them pants at Kohls. Last year I purchased a couple of pairs of Urbanpipeline (Kohl's store brand - nothing designer, and frankly, nothing super high quality either, but a decent pant) each. These were originally priced at $18.99 each and on sale for $12.99 each when I bought them. They carried several pairs of slims in each size and color. This year...regular price $38.99, on sale for $29.99 and not a slim in any size except 8 & 10 - no they won't be getting any slims in either. I had sticker shock all the way through that store. In every department, prices were 50% - 100% higher than 1 year ago. If the government thinks we aren't experiencing inflation, the whole crew of idiots needs to take my kids clothing shopping!

 

JcPenney - Huge shirts, high prices, and this particular store will no longer stock slims for sizes 14 and up. The one sales associate said, "Let them wear them baggy. That's what all the kids do." I wanted to scream, "Hello lady! Can you see these kids right here in front of your face. SLIMS ARE BAGGY ON THEM!" Seriously, if I luck into a pair of slims with adjustable waist, I take up an inch for the oldest, and three or four inches (usually just about as much as I can and then he has fabric bunched up all around his waist - thankfully, he is not a complainer) for the middle child. If I bought regulars, I doubt that the middle kid could keep them up even with a belt. He has ZERO butt. I am not kidding; he could be described as a head and shoulders set on giraffe's legs!

 

I don't expect to find anything that fits them all that well. But, to not have any fashions made for even a slightly skinny boy, that's just ludicrous. Sigh.

 

So, after shopping at JcPenney, Sears, T.J. Maxx, Old Navy, American Eagle, Kohl's, Children's Place, Macy's (price tag - AM I BUYING A PORSCHE?), Target, and the ever-dreaded, ever-hated, Walmart, I ended up with one pair of pants for the oldest ds and one shirt, one pair of pants and two shirts for the middle ds, and socks for all three boys. Oh, I did find a pair of tennis shoes of NOT quality at Walmart on clearance for the middle ds and snapped them up because no one had a men's size 6.5 or a youth 7 which is what he needs and his older brother has been so incredibly hard on his shoes that what was left for handing down needs to be burned! Those clearance priced tennis shoes were literally, the ONLY pair of men's size 7's in the shoe department.

 

What little clothing that I did find plus the single pair of shoes are in a tub in my bedroom. I'm guarding them like prisoners of Alcatraz...no one leaves the island without permission of the warden! :D

 

I hate to have to order from Land's End because that will be a big clothing bill. I may be forced to do so.

 

My other option is to head to "the city". By this I mean, either Oakland Mall or Utica Mall (northern Detroit Burbs), which are very long commutes, and hope that the stores there are much better stocked and actually have slims.

 

This is a first for me. I've never gone hunting for clothing for the children and been MORE frustrated then when I have to go buy something for myself. If I have to do this very often with these results, I may need a support group and medication in order to get through it.

 

Thanks for letting me rant. It's probably just Michigan, the stench of the armpit of the economic crisis of America. Chances are that if we lived ANYWHERE but this state, shopping would have been more successful.

 

I should go educate my children now.

 

Faith

[ChristusG]

Have you tried eBay to find slims? Or consignment shops?

[mrs.m]

Do you have a brand that you know works? You might try ordering online.

or

http://oldnavy.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=55506&vid=1&pid=776324&scid=776324002 for $20, 29 inch waist.

[Aunty Social]

I don't know how they are for boy's clothes (not in that size range yet), but for girls, Aeropostale has really skinny pants online for really cheap - a couple months ago I was able to get size 00 reg. length for $9.99. It might be worth checking out for your boys.

 

I hear you on the skinny kid woes - from the ages of about 12 to 15 my girls only have two pair of pants, because their size just doesn't seem to exist. Eventually they'll fill out!:grouphug:

[Serenade]

For boys up to size 14, try Crazy 8 for slims. Right now, you can get some styles for $9.99.

 

I think Crazy 8 jeans are decent quality. I have younger boys (8 and 11), but our Crazy 8 jeans have often held up better than our Gymboree jeans.

 

Crazy 8 periodically has their jeans on sale for $9.99.

[readwithem]

Here are slim things at Lands End - could he wear the $20 jeans?

 

If you sign up for Lands End emails, you will get an email almost every day - free shipping or 30% off or $50 off $150 - maybe something will work for you :)

 

I'm so sorry you had a bad shopping experience. I break out in a sweat whenever I have to go to the mall.

[Impish]

I come from the opposite perspective...Diva is a chunky monkey. Shopping for her had 2 strikes: a girl, and not a tooth pick. Now, at the ripe old age of 12, she's in women's sizes, which opens a whole new dimension to the nightmare.

 

Tazzie is built like your boys. What he needs in the leg falls off his nonexistant butt.

 

Princess is my saving grace at the moment. She's the body type they seem to be designing for...petite. Of course, I refuse to buy hootchie clothes, so its still a challenge, but I can actually find clothes to fit her, which is a pleasant change!

[Hoggirl]

Here are slim things at Lands End - could he wear the $20 jeans?

 

If you sign up for Lands End emails, you will get an email almost every day - free shipping or 30% off or $50 off $150 - maybe something will work for you :)

 

I'm so sorry you had a bad shopping experience. I break out in a sweat whenever I have to go to the mall.

 

They also have some "Young Men's" pants under Men's which start at maybe a 27- or 28-inch waist. These are definitely cut lean and may be hemmed to any desired length.

[mrsrevmeg]

Thanks for letting me rant. It's probably just Michigan, the stench of the armpit of the economic crisis of America. Chances are that if we lived ANYWHERE but this state, shopping would have been more successful.

 

 

 

Faith

 

 

It is the same way in Alabama. There are very few stores where I can find clothes for my skinny sons. Now that my oldest is so tall he wears shirts from the men's department. They are not made so wide as the ones from the boys' section. It always frustrates me that there are racks and racks of husky pants, but most stores have no slims and the ones that do have them only have a few. I understand that husky boys need clothes, but so do the skinny as a rail kids!!

[elegantlion]

Do any of your farm stores, like Tractor Supply, carry smaller sizes? IIRC they used to carry smaller size waists.

[mamajudy]

I feel your pain, Faith. I hate shopping!

[AnthemLights]

I hear ya, Faith....:glare:

 

I have given up trying to find jeans for my two guys at the regular stores....what a waste of time.

 

Sometimes I am successful on Ebay....that's a little better.

 

I haven't tried any online stores because of not being able to try things on, but I think I am going to check out some of those links.

[Kalmia]

Now I know Land's End is pricey (thanks for the tip about the emailed coupons!), but it is pretty much the only option for durable clothes that fit. I applaud them for making such a wide range of sizes available, and feel good about throwing my business to a corporation that takes people of all shapes and sizes into account. Another plus is that it is one-stop shopping and you don't have to waste your time traipsing from store to store only to be disappointed. So like buying organic in order to support businesses that try to do the right thing, (if our means allow) we should support clothing businesses that meet the needs of real people. No need to encourage the other companies in their insensitive ways by buying their products!

 

And no, I have no connection to Land's End other than as a customer. As a Mainer, I technically should be promoting L.L. Bean, they have the quality but they just don't have the wide range of size and style offerings Land's End does.

[TheReader]

Have you looked on-line? We are able to get slims at JCPenney on-line, Arizona Brand, for less than $20 a pair I think. Maybe $25, but definitely not more than that. We've bought size 18 slim still with adjustable waist recently, so I know they have them.

 

Definitely worth a look, and the return policy is wonderful -- if it still doesn't fit, you can return to the store.

 

I hope you find something, but do check there before Land's End. We've found the Arizona jeans to hold up pretty well, too. Better than Children's Place (which also has slims on-line, but poor quality; my middle son blows through the knees in no time flat on those).

[abbeyej]

Gap *online* carries slims in kids through size 18 and in mens (more expensive) you can get a 28" waist with a length of 28, 30, or 32 (and possibly 34).

[Pippen]

It only took me one season of that frustration to decide it was worth paying for Land's End for slim boys. At least I knew they consistently would have something that would fit.

 

I'll join in the spewing though! I've just spent four shopping sessions trying to fit my 13 yo daughter and it was incredibly frustrating. Girl's stuff is too little girlie and doesn't fit around the waist/hips and much of the junior stuff far too immodest. And we couldn't fiind a single pair of jeans to fit. She's slender so you would think skinny jeans would be ideal but she's a dancer and they don't work on her muscular thighs.

[Kim in Appalachia]

I refuse to buy jeans or pants that don't have adjustable waists. It's pointless. And slims and hard to to find. I couldn't even find size 16's. Gap kids told me they don't stock them, you have to order online. Why??? Why do the kid's stores not stock kid's clothes? When I went to Penny's they mostly had husky's, I had to hunt for regular's and forget slim's. I hate shopping.

 

My boys don't want baggy pants, and they don't know the other children wear them baggy. That isn't normal where we live.

[4wildberrys]

I feel your pain---our son is a slim too. Sears is where we find his pants. Period. But for the rest, I will say that WalMart (yes, I USED to hate it too) has the best prices. Hands down. We dropped a fortune at the sale racks in the mall and at Target----and then hit WalMart for tights for dd and WOW---I was furious that we hadn't stopped there first. Great quality and great prices! Of course this is in Montana and I have honestly NEVER seen such clean, well maintained and well stocked Targets or Walmarts.

[WishboneDawn]

It only took me one season of that frustration to decide it was worth paying for Land's End for slim boys. At least I knew they consistently would have something that would fit.

 

I'll join in the spewing though! I've just spent four shopping sessions trying to fit my 13 yo daughter and it was incredibly frustrating. Girl's stuff is too little girlie and doesn't fit around the waist/hips and much of the junior stuff far too immodest. And we couldn't fiind a single pair of jeans to fit. She's slender so you would think skinny jeans would be ideal but she's a dancer and they don't work on her muscular thighs.

 

:iagree: We generally buy used clothes and I was reminded why when we went on a hunt for new stuff with Catherine. Either the clothes were up-sized versions of what she would have considered okay when she was 9 (loud neon,ruffles, etc.) or were rather trashy. Anything we found that was reasonable was in the petite women's sections and wouldn't fit her 13 year old body properly.

 

There's nothing that's mature and tasteful for tweens and young teens but not too revealing.

[BamaTanya]

You're right. The store selection for slims is AWFUL! Thankfully ONE of my dss moved into a 28x32 this year. Maybe the others will graduate soon. Hooray!

[Allearia]

I was recently surprised by the Gap jeans - my boys are only size 8 and 10 but the slim is perfect. I only like the one style that is the straight leg without all the extra fading etc. and they are on sale right now for $18.71. This is the one that is just a regular dark wash jean --

http://www.gap.com/browse/product.do?cid=6984&vid=1&pid=580859

In fact I think I will order some now. They go up to size 18.

[Pippen]

:iagree: We generally buy used clothes and I was reminded why when we went on a hunt for new stuff with Catherine. Either the clothes were up-sized versions of what she would have considered okay when she was 9 (loud neon,ruffles, etc.) or were rather trashy. Anything we found that was reasonable was in the petite women's sections and wouldn't fit her 13 year old body properly.

 

There's nothing that's mature and tasteful for tweens and young teens but not too revealing.

 

We wound up back at Aeropstale, where she's mostly been shopping the past two years. She was really wanting to get away from just t-shirts and sweatshirts into some nicer tops but most of that was way too see through or had plungy necklines. She did find some tees, camis and a few casual blouses that worked for her. No luck with even their smaller size jeans though.

[Jennifer3141]

The store selection for slims is so appalling that it scares me sometimes. Are there just no more skinny kids in the world??

 

We're still in Gymboree and I hope to be here for another couple of years. I feel for those of you whose kids are real people now!!

[celticmom]

:grouphug: This thread is scaring me. I have a very slender, very tall(all legs) six year old girl. I have been very, very fortunate that my mother buys most of her clothing for her

[minuway]

I second trying Gap/Old Navy - those are the only ones I get my my girls who need slims. They also have adjustable waists. I can usually get the gap jeans on sale for $15 and the Old Navy can be as low as $10-12 - Old Navy is having a sale right now too. Just watch out if you're ordering online, because sometimes there will be distressing on especially the Old Navy jeans that isn't apparent from the picture unless you look closely. It drives me nuts, since my kids don't need any help distressing their clothes. :tongue_smilie:

[Sparkle]

It's so hard finding pants for tall, skinny boys. Even if the stores carry the correct waist size (rarely) they are way too short. My ds is a 28 (can wear 29 in a pinch), and 34 inseam. The only pants I can count on finding for him are Levis 501s at JCPenney. Otherwise I have to scour ebay. I did find a pair of Lucky brand jeans and a pair of Wranglers in his size that weren't too expensive. Dress pants are impossible.

[AuntieM]

We ordered from LE last week. I cringe at the cost, but I am consoled by the lasting quality. And that I didn't have to drive to 52 separate establishments only to find myself stll empty handed.

 

I am laughing out loud at this post because, like you, I am standing guard over the one pair of shoes suitable for a certain dear child's picky feet.

 

As far as the designers, I will spew on them from this direction. Not only for the non-standard sizing, but also for forgetting that women of a certain age like to be able to buy garments that actually have sleeves.

[TechWife]

Before you order from Land's End, go to the JCPenney web site. I purchased two pairs of casual slacks and one pair of jeans for my son in our local store, so I know they carry 14 slims. It may be cheaper to order from them than Land's End.

[lejardin]

Now I know Land's End is pricey (thanks for the tip about the emailed coupons!), but it is pretty much the only option for durable clothes that fit. I applaud them for making such a wide range of sizes available, and feel good about throwing my business to a corporation that takes people of all shapes and sizes into account. Another plus is that it is one-stop shopping and you don't have to waste your time traipsing from store to store only to be disappointed. So like buying organic in order to support businesses that try to do the right thing, (if our means allow) we should support clothing businesses that meet the needs of real people. No need to encourage the other companies in their insensitive ways by buying their products!

 

 

:iagree:

I found this to be true for my tall, thin DD...and Faith, I'm also in the same general area of MI and have found the poor stocking/selection to be true not only of clothing but so many other things. It's SO frustrating! I do much of my shopping online now. For us, I've had minimally good results at Kohl's. So, know you're not alone in your shopping quest and shopping online may be best, being sure you're signed for for sale notices and coupons!:001_smile: