Trivial question abut school uniform trousers...

[teacherwith2kids]

Triggered by the news of BhS going into administration...

DS (15) has the proportions of a stick of bamboo, and unusually long legs for his height. He is also still growing rapidly.

His current school trousers (which pass muster as looking sufficiently similar to the actual school uniform trousers while being sold in a size that fits him) are BhS Longer Length Slim Fit in age 15. They are 34" (86 cm) inside leg, and 30" waist but with button elastic to pull it up to his 27" actual size.

For next year, he will need 36" (90 / 91 cm) inside leg. Even the BhS range, like the M&S and Trutex ranges, plateau out at 34" (86 cm) inside leg - the age 16 ones simply have a larger waist for the same length.

So, please, can anyone recommend any manufacturer, shop or website which sells plain black, preferably flat front, school trousers in either:

• 28" waist, 36" inside leg, non adjustable waist (I suspect these might be unicorn dust) OR
• 30" waist, 36" inside leg, with an adjustable waist OR (though this is a last resort)
• 32" waist, 36" inside leg adjustable (since the elasticated bloomers look round the waist is very slightly preferable to having trouser hems that flap mid-calf)

I just googled black trousers 28" waist 36" leg and got a hit on ebay - www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Men-Black-Grey-Trouser-Waist-28-44-Leg-27-29-31-33-36-extra-long-leg-and-short-/290511505761 - not cheap though, and although they look plain they might not match the school trousers well enough.

And I am having a similar panic - dd is also tall and thin, although not as much as your ds - she's in y8 and has worn Bhs trousers for the last two years! Bought some from M&S last year which were supposedly the same size as the tammy girl ones, and they were really short and really wide

No help, but I sympathise - without an adjustable waist band DS would be flashing his boxers!

Oh well done Atia. I was going to suggest feeding him up with doughnuts.

Downstairs, I can't find the trouser sizing chart on the Next website, with the actual leg / waist lengths. Am I being dim? Can you link to it by any chance?

Part of the issue is that 'slim fit', for the trousers to pass as school ones, needs to mean 'having a small waist but straight cut legs', anything approaching skinny fit or tapered will be frowned upon - DS is VERY law abiding.

Thanks Atia! At £28 a pair, I'll put those in my 'in an emergency' list, but it is good to know that they exist

catmuffin,

Believe me, I do!

It has made me really aware of how sizes have changed over the years - he is the same build as my DF was at the same age, and my brothers. In group photographs of a generation and 2 generations ago DF and DBs looked absolutely normal - tallish, but not noticeably skinnier than others. DS, on the other hand, looks unusually slender in today's group photographs but would fit right in to DF's early 1960s ones!

have you looked at m&s mens trousers, start from £12

Thanks Bruffin - below 32" waist, you can get only 33" as the longest leg... 32" / 35" might combine the worst of both worlds - bunched round the waist and flappy at mid calf!

(On the other hand, if he had a 48" waist, he could have up to 37" long...)

Found this when searching for something else and as it's not a zombie thread yet I thought I would reply.

here you go op.

Another option would be 30 inch waist with a belt - that's what DH does as he is also a 28 waist and struggles to get jeans etc. Or if you know someone with a sewing machine they might be willing to alter trousers for you.

I found these in Asda. Any good?

I have just had the joy of finding school trousers to fit DS age 14, skinny, as he has just had a growth spurt. After trying on trousers from at least 5 different places, sainsburys were the best. You have to order on line but they do extra length ones that are also slim fit. They don't say that they are slim fit but the extra length ones are! These fitted him better than the Next ones. Asda and Tesco were both supposed to be skinny, but weren't especially or they weren't long enough.

John Lewis?