Where on earth (or at least SE England) can you buy clothes for 13/14yo boys?

[SixImpossible]

He's average height but very slender. Has started the growth spurt, so I really don't want to be buying expensive stuff that won't fit in 6m time. He is not into labels, thank goodness.

[lordnoobson]

H and m

[Withmyfeetinthesink]

Everywhere?

Supermarkets, H&M, Top Man, Hollister (always have sale stuff so you can get t-shirts for a tenner if you're going to say they're too expensive and branded is a con), TK Maxx, New Look, there are heaps of places!

Online, ASOS and Boohoo have lots, fast free delivery, free returns, always have a sale bit, often have codes. I just got River Island long sleeved tops on ASOS for £4 each for mine (15% off code too for extra), Jack Wills loungers for £19. They have brands if you do want them, often as cheap as unbranded.

TK Maxx at weekend had Superdry winter cardi/jackets (those big lumberjack ones) in sale, down to £30 from nearly £200, and I got some Converse for about a third of what they'd cost.

I do think online is best though - they can choose it all themselves and just send back what isn't right.

[LIZS]

H & M, Gap outlets, TK Maxx. If you can get to the shopping villages like Ashford, Portsmouth or even Lakeside you can nab some branded bargains.

[MissScatterbrain]

Primark - they have long length chinos/jeans in skinny waist sizes.

[MissScatterbrain]

(but go early in the morning to avoid jumble sale style chaos)

[SixImpossible]

Thanks

I shall give ds a list of these shop names, do a bit of online research, get him to plan a shopping trip, and we'll have an outing one Saturday. Not long now before he starts taking on buying his own clothes!

[sally1978]

Hi I really like River Island and Zara. Online and some stores stock the kids ranges. Have a look cos I always find great clothes x Happy shopping

[SixImpossible]

So many shops stock boys' only up to age 12/13, and men's from S. Ds seems to be in a bit of a no-man's-land, especially being so slender. I'm not much of a shopper, myself, and had not even heard of some of the names on here, let alone known that they do clothes for young to mid teen boys!

[CointreauVersial]

I feel your pain - I was lamenting exactly the same thing a couple of years ago (DS, now nearly 15, is now solidly into menswear sizing, thank goodness).

Gap, Next, M&S, Zara and supermarket kids sizes all seem to fizzle out at 12-13; added to which they are often very child-oriented in design (not many 13yo boys want Spiderman, primary colours or jaunty graphics).

H&M do at least go up to (I think) 14, and you can also buy online from Next in larger kids sizes (not in store).

Tops aren't so tricky, to be honest, as Mens size XS or S will often be OK. Or buy from Superdry women's range for hoodies. Hollister, Top Man, River Island etc. (all stores aimed at the younger end of the male market) are quite slim fitting too.

Trousers and shorts are really problematic, though. Primark was the one place that seemed to do really small waist size trousers and shorts in adult sizes (though trousers often needed shortening), and often there were loads in stock because larger sizes were presumably more popular.

[HelpMeGetOutOfHere]

primark for 26/28 waist mens chinos/jeans. I always found the boys age 13 ones come up very short. also topman for a 26 waist.

ds1 is almost 13 and likes vans, dc, superdry. Luckily his 17yr old brother is no longer interested in those labels so we have hand me downs.

otherwise ds2 also likes some of the t-shirts and sweatshirts in jd sports, they have fashion brands as well as sport brands. Hype seems to be particularly popular and you might still get away with the boys range.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

My 14.6 has a teeny waist (about a 24" ) and a long leg (32") so I buy him the Primark heavy cotton (like jeans but not denim).
Little toad was blethering on about "I'm still only 5'9" " - Yes but if you grow, dear boy, what will I buy you to wear???

At the moment, the 26" waist and 32" leg (the smallest waist in mens) is fine for him.

T-Shirts not such a problem, I buy the XS mens sizes,

I have seen some nice slim jeans in H&M for boys.

[Mabelface]

Primark. Have just kitted out both of my 15 year old boys for around £120 including socks and pants. I have one who is tall and very skinny and the men's jeans are great.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Six shopping with a teenage boy for clothes is a nightmare.

"What, you want me to try them on " - curled lip disgusted look.
"Arrgh another shop, I've been in a million" erm three

DD will put on leggings and a long vest top when we need to do trying on (but she loves shopping- keeping her out of shops is the problem)

[Needingthework]

DS1 (13) has a mixture of labels and high street. From the high street, he likes H & M and JD Sport.

[Mabelface]

70, you're not kidding. I hated every second of the clothes shop with my boys, and we only did 2 shops! They can't be nice to each other either.

[CuttedUpPear]

It's ridiculous. Mine is into adult sizes now thank goodness but the 13/14 years were terrible for choice! You would think the suppliers would realise the huge gap in the market.

Although I allowed a when on a thread about the subject another MNetter comented "now I know why teenage boys never leave their rooms - they have no clothes to wear!"

[FestiveRoad]

My DS is 15 & after a major growth spurt, menswear now fits. Before this, we found clothes in Primark and also BHS who go up to 16. He was (& is still) v. slim.

[SixImpossible]

primark for 26/28 waist mens chinos/jeans. I always found the boys age 13 ones come up very short. also topman for a 26 waist.

LOL. Ds is 5'5" with a 24" waist. Thank goodness for shorts!

[SixImpossible]

"What, you want me to try them on " - curled lip disgusted look.
"Arrgh another shop, I've been in a million" erm three

Thanks for reminding me.

buries head
in family size bag of Maltesers

[CointreauVersial]

CuttedupPear - definitely a gap in the market! For girls too. DD1 fits into size 6 or 8 tops but is rarely tall enough for adult jeans or trousers. If I were living my life again and had pots of spare cash and wasn't utterly risk averse I would open a clothes shop for teens and tweens.

Th good news is, once the little blighters eventually fit into the smallest adult sizes you can clean up at Sale time. The racks are generally awash with the tiny sizes.

[frogmore6]

I really prefer Abercrombie (good quality) and sometimes but not often Zara.

[DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen]

Anywhere and everywhere if he's not into labels-Primark, Tesco, Asda,Next,M and M, Sports Direct.