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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to expect to find kids clothes that actually fit?

52 replies

twirlymum · 03/09/2009 11:16

My ds is 2.6, and I have real difficulty finding trousers to fit! Summer is fine, as he is in shorts most of the time, but when it comes to long trousers, it's a nightmare. He's not especially thin, just a 'normal' size, but all the trousers are huge around the waist, and the legs are so baggy! Not that I want him in skinny jeans or anything, but just a nice fitting pair. If I get a smaller size, they are too short. I do have some with adjustable waists, but they can be uncomfortable when they are all ruched at the back.
Do they only make clothes for all these obese children we keep hearing so much about?!

OP posts:
MissSunny · 03/09/2009 11:20

Message withdrawn

TheArmadillo · 03/09/2009 11:23

I find that with ds (4) still. He's about average - not chunky but not particularly skinny but all clothes seem to be made for large children. He's tall so can't get away with smaller size cos they would be too short.

His jeans (Asda) that are right length I had to tighten by 4 button holes each side (the elasticy bits) and they still end up sagging.

I don't mind the baggy legs it's just getting them to stay up.

He wears belts but too much material to contain (and are difficult when he goes to the toilet).

Mamazon · 03/09/2009 11:25

i have this problem with DD. she is about average for her age but jeans and trousers and even skirts just slip straight off of her.

With Ds i have the opposite problem, he is a total lump around his middle and so things are often way too long in order to fit his waist

MillyR · 03/09/2009 11:26

Try Cyrillus (French catalogue), although the exchange rate is terrible, or Zara (Spanish I think). The sizing at Zara is very odd though. My DS is a tall, thin 11 year old and we just got him an age 9 coat, while my DD has an age 7 dress when she was 4 as the dress was so short otherwise. Despite this, each item of clothing tends to be narrow for the height.

School uniform will be a nightmare when you DS gets to that age. Both mine have really bunched clothes from the adjustable waists, and DS always has to put a belt on to hold them up.

Also 66 degrees North (Icelandic) is great for outdoor clothes for thin people, but hugely expensive if you buy outside of Iceland.

Original poster
twirlymum · 03/09/2009 11:32

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll take a look. DD (8yrs) is the same, especially with school uniform. It was ok when she wore pinafores, but she is FAR too old for them now (her words) but skirts are a nightmare. She tried some on last week, the age 3-4 fitted around the waist, but were obscenely short!

OP posts:
stealthsquiggle · 03/09/2009 11:33

Cyrillus is lovely, but so expensive (for me, at least). At the other end of the spectrum, Sainsbury's 'Tu' clothes seem to work well for my (tall and thinnish but certainly not skinny) DC - as long as you go up about 2-3 sizes from their actual age! M&S are hopeless - the tracksuit trousers which fit DS length-wise are in severe danger of falling down inspite of elasticated waist, so I think I may have to attack them and shorten the elastic a bit

kreecherlivesupstairs · 03/09/2009 13:07

Glad I am not the only one. I found out this morning that DD is on the 9th centile, not sure what this means but she is a skinny minny. To get clothing that fits around the waist she needs 3-4 or 4-5 age, for height she's 8-9 (real age 8). Drive me bananas. She won't wear the trousers with adjustable waisband because they rub, nor will she wear a belt so her uniform is leggings. This is fine except when she pulls them up so far you can see her camels toe.

PrammyMammy · 03/09/2009 13:11

I find the jogging bottoms in GAP a good fit. They don't have overly baggy legs and the waist fit well - fine if you want him to wear joggies all the time lol. Jeans are a nightmare though. Ds is 21mo and 12-18 stay up but are too short. pita.

muddleduck · 03/09/2009 13:25

I have the oposite problem - it not that my dss are those "obese children we keep hearing about" it's just that they've inherited the really short legs that we all have. I had to spend hours last night hemming trousers to get something that will fit them.

stealthsquiggle · 03/09/2009 14:11

I agree - Gap jogging bottoms are a good fit and one of the few things where my DC actually seem to wear the age they are IYSWIM (mindyou, possibly not any more - DS hasn't had jogging bottoms from there for a while but has just outgrown (lengthways) his age 8 Gap jeans (he is almost 7))

crokky · 03/09/2009 14:15

Try babygap. My DS is very tall and skinny, my DD is on the skinny/average borderline.

All DS's trousers are tracksuity things from gap - I can't find anything for him anywhere else. Plus, your DS will be able to pull them up and down himself etc. When I potty trained my DS, I resolved not to buy anything that he couldn't pull up and down himself anymore.

Itsjustafleshwound · 03/09/2009 14:15

Thank heavens - I thought it was only my odd shaped children!! I do not have a single pr of trousers or joggers that fit my 2 yo DS ..

Will try the GAP ones -

GoAwayMrWappy · 03/09/2009 14:20

Have always had this problem particularly with DS1 who is 75th on height but 25th on weight. All his trousers are pulled to the last button on the elastic waistband!

I do think that most clothes seem to be made to fit fatter children which I think is very strange as I see more skinny 5 year olds than fat ones. M&Co are always very long in the leg if you have one near you (think they must make them for Scandinavians!)

mazzystartled · 03/09/2009 14:22

H&M usually have adjustable waists
My friends ds is a slip of a thing and she gets his stuff there

DS is of the stockier variety (not fat but tall and big) we get him 2nd hand boden, katvig etc, monsoon in sale

stealthsquiggle · 03/09/2009 14:24

Now if only DD (2.10) would actually wear her (inherited) Gap jogging bottoms - I have currently given up getting clothes out for her as she will reject on principle whatever I have chosen. To be fair, she does choose reasonably coherent sets of clothes for herself and doesn't make too much mess in the process. It's a bit of a revelation after DS, who if left to his own devices will wear the first three garments which fall out of his drawers with no regard for fit or suitability .

dilemma456 · 03/09/2009 16:11

Message withdrawn

giveloveachance · 03/09/2009 16:16

Glad its not just me then.

DD is slim and tall for her age, if i get the right length, the waist bands are enormous. i do try to get adjustable ones but they are not that easy to find and bunch up the waistband - does not look comfortable, otherwise i have to take them in, again not easy and doesn't look so good.

Manufacturers seem to think that children are all huge.

it very frustrating.

flockwallpaper · 03/09/2009 16:22

We have the same problem - a friend gave me two pairs of Boden trousers for DS and they fit really well. TU seem quite good too. Agree that M&S trousers are hopelessly wide around the waist.

bruffin · 03/09/2009 16:23

verbaudet/laredoute do slim fit trousers from the age of 2

Ineedmorechocolatenow · 03/09/2009 17:02

I have the same problem. DS is on 50th percentile for height and weight, s officially Master Average, yet has only JUST gone into 2-3 trousers and he's three in a couple of months. They're still stupidly long and rolled up at the bottom and tightened waist band.

He's just growing out of 2-3 tops so these seem quite average.

I agree that Gap is quite good, size-wise....

thrifty · 03/09/2009 17:30

same problem here too. ds is nearly 4 and is 113cm tall! I cleared out his wardrobe this week and he has hardly any clothes left that fit him.

if you want a cheap alternative, i've found primark (was recommended to me on here) to be great for skinny, long legged ds last year. nothing in tesco's or m&s fits him nicely.

i got a lovely pair of jeans for him in tkmaxx recently made by rebus, hardly had to tighten the waist at all on them. however, they are age 5 and if he grow's anymore they will have the michael jackson look too!

JoandMax · 03/09/2009 17:44

I have this too with my 14 month old - he is 98th for length but only 50th for weight so anything without adjustable waistbands is a complete misfit!

My ILs live in Dubai and there is a shop there called Carters (I think it's American) which have brilliant trousers, they are all very long and on the skinny side so don't swamp my DS. I get my MIL to regularly send me parcels! So if any of you are off on holidays then it's well worth a visit

Morloth · 03/09/2009 18:18

Seconding (or 5thing) the Gap recommendations. Do Gap do "slim", "regular" and "husky" fits here? Or is that just in the States?

mysteryfairy · 03/09/2009 19:12

I don't think children even have to be that much towards one extreme or the other to have a problem with clothes fitting. When you think about it, all women of say, 5ft5, would not wear the same size clothes - they could healthily range from say a size 6 to size 16 and there would be lots of women at less healthly bigger and smaller sizes too. Whereas for children's clothes there is usually one or, if you are lucky, two fits of garment for any one height.

My three children are all in the tall and skinny category and we have a nightmare with clothes, especially school uniform. There are a lot of threads on here about how ludicrous it is to but designer clothes for small children but at the risk of being shouted at I find makes like Catamini (bought on sale of course) tend to be a better fit for DD age 7. DS1 who is 13 and 5ft 7 wears ladies size 6 skinny jeans from primark - good job he considers himself emo as it wouldn't work for everyone!

thrifty · 03/09/2009 19:18

lol, mystery fairy. I've noticed that the girls jeans come up slimmer (may be just the style), if they didn't have flowers and butterflies on them in age 5 i'd probably get them for ds :-)

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