Army Cadets - Uniform is huge how can I make it smaller?

[cadetmumstress]

Help! DS has joined Army cadets and has been issued a uniform which is apparently the smallest they do (160/88). He's 12 and while he has some friends much taller than him, he's not the smallest 12 year old I know.

Anyway, it's massive and he's been told we need to adjust it so he looks smart for next week's Armed Forces day event. I have no idea how to do this (I'm reasonably handy with a needle and thread for basic things like buttons, sewing on bastard Brownie badges and minor repairs).

Everything is just too wide / long. The sleeves on the jackets are about 5 inches too long, the crotch of the trousers hangs to his knees, the length of the trousers are too long too (although that's an easy fix with some of those twisty elastic things they wear) and the jackets are too wide.

Any ideas? He can't be the only young cadet that doesn't fit into this enormous uniform. He'll be gutted if he has to leave but if I can't make him not look like a clown, he can't join in. It's sized for a small adult!

If uniform rules are the same as for us:
*check both pairs of trousers. One of ours has an adjustable waist.
*Belts hold up trousers.
*Twisties to shorten the trousers.

• Bare arms - roll the sleeves to the elbows *shirts are tucked in - bonus of increasing the waist of slim kids, and pulling in the excess fabric.

Iron the lot - flat collars
Polish the boots!

It will be fine. We are now 2 years in, and it's starting to fit!

It will be fine. Cadets come in all shapes and sizes. My air cadet is at the RAF muster at RAF Benson today. He’s wearing his giant trousers but with combat boots it’s fine. He’s waiting to go up in a chinook helicopter :-)

Agree with @CatsOnTheChair, my 12yo has had his uniform a month or so and whilst it's big, when it's all worn properly, it looks great.

Ah thanks all. That sounds reassuring. He phoned me from the loos in tears when he got issued it because it was so big when he tried it on!

Aw bless him, it'll be fine and he'll feel like a proper cadet when it's all on and sorted properly. The sleeves roll up to the elbow, just enough to tuck the bottom corner of the blanking plates in. Is he year 7 or year 8 at school?

We've got to deal with fitting DS's beret this weekend, I've left it as long as possible as it's got to be submerged in water and shaped on his head, so I've been worrying about getting it wrong, but he's got camp next weekend and it needs sorting before that 😬

Check YouTube, I'm sure I've seen videos about cadet uniform and how to sort it out

@Eggsley - year 8. Yes, the beret thing sounds a bit complicated but at least that's one thing that will fit properly (unless I shrink it somehow!).