To think tall 11 year old can’t be clothed in child or adult section

[obser]

I have a very tall 11 year old, he’s 5 ft 3 inches and on 99th percentile for height. He’s bigger than I am.

He’s just about squeezing into a few things in the children’s section for clothes, not at all for shoes. The teenage clothes are too cool for him (he’s very much a child emotionally and in terms if interests) and plainer men’s clothes are too big.

AIBU to think this in between stage is not really catered for? Where do those of you with enormous pre-teens dress them from?

Gap are pretty good for my enormous 10 year old. Benetton also have some good bits...

Yes we're finding this too, our 11.5yo isn't as tall as yours but he is tall for his age. Shoes, clothes - we seem to be in a really in-between stage where adult clothes don't go small enough (which is fair!) but kids clothes kind of stop!

My 11 year old is 163cm
He wears jeans from Next. T-shirts are a mix of Next, Minecraft, Harry Potter. Some are Men's S, most are kids still. He is in no way "cool"!

Marks and Spencer and Next used to have some things up to an age 16 when I had tall boys. John Lewis used to have some youth ranges and the formal trousers went up an inch at a time waist wise and we had an independent shop near us that carried larger sizes of things like elasticated school trousers.

My 11 year old is 5'5" and we clothe them in small adult. Lots of choice at least!

Hollister??

How about Next 10-16 range? Not often seen in shops but you can order to pick up in a local shop. Or Sports Direct if sporty.

Asos have a XS mens section. And Asda George go up to aged 15-16 and in the same styles as aged 11 so there might be something in there?

My 12 year old daughter is 5’11 and wears size 10 shoes - it’s an absolute nightmare…. No one caters for for tall people anyway but it’s infinitely worse trying to do it for a pre-teen

Primark do an XS in their mens range, Next clothes go up to 16 but you can only buy it online,
Gap is good for basics as well.

Thanks for the great suggestions! Part of the issue might be the limited range of shops where we live. Nice to know I’m not the only one who gave birth to Hagrid!

Charity shops? Clothes are clothes

Shoes,- yes big problem IME

Clothes- jack& Jones, marks& Spencer, Dunnes stores got us through. Just about! Luckily he didn't like jeans as I don't think I could have got ones to fit, and tbh he wore a lot of ankle-showing track bottoms.

It's true there is a gap especially if they are skinny, when kids clothes are too short or childish but they are nowhere near a 28 waist where the adult range starts. Men's XS tops are quite small though.

I've only experienced the girls sections so far - but Marks and Spencer do up to age 16, which fits my 12yr old - ladies size 10 5ft6" daughter. The range runs from age7 to 16yrs so most of it is suitable for the preteen age group.

Next do up to age 16 and do have some plainer styles. Primark are also surprisingly good for teens. They do men's trousers/jeans in waist 28 inches and I've found they wash really well.

DS has a couple of these from Next. It can be a bit hit and miss what they have in stock in larger sizes but they do occasionally have nice ones!

My 12 year old is also 5'11 and in men's size 12 shoes. Find it really hard to get clothes to fit....poor kid always has his ankles on show!

Have a look at Jack Wills (on EBay, maybe). Plain jeans, t-shirts, sweatshirts etc.

Yes it's very strange that a lot of shops don't sell clothes in this size! Try HandM, Next teenage sections and Primark men's xs.

These are brilliant suggestions thank you all so much how I love mumsnet

Next goes up to age 16 as does Asda George. Primark do mens 26” waist trousers with longer legs. XS mens will do. My sons were in size 7 shoes and we’ll over 5ft in primary school.

Having this exact problem with DSS hes only 9 but 5ft 2. Hes currently in the 14-15 Jean's but his next growth spurt will put him out of those and he cat fit into small mens yet ( he does for tshirts and shorts but there just a tad long on him).
Hes also a size 6 at the moment so that's towards the end of boss shoes. Dads 6 ft 6 so its gonna be some fun teen years ahead although in theory withing a couple years he should just be in mens

I agree. H&M should be good for tall and slim kids but they have just informed me that my order for Christmas clothes for my son (paid for 26th Nov, despatched 30th Nov) will no longer be coming and they hope to refund me (the money I paid them went out of my account on 26.11) over the next few days (ie not yet). So I cannot recommend (or use) them again.

I have found M&S good too but limited, and Diesel brand do a teen: 10 - 16 range which is good.

Also Dunnes (in Ireland but do deliver) are good in that their kids range go up to 16, again limited but fits a slim 12 yo.

H&M size 13-14 and 14+ is our go to for trousers. Tops are easier, H&M, Levi's T-shirts go to size 16 (they're on the small
side so would never fit an actual 16 year old) or XS/S mens.