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Help! "Emo" clothes for a 13 year old boy - where from?

34 replies

mysteryfairy · 28/11/2008 11:24

My DS is just 13 and probably a bit below average size judging by his classmates. Over the last few months he has become really image conscious. For years I have been buying rip curl/quiksilver/O'Neill but he now claims to loathes these clothes and he is getting really anguished about it.

He wanted skinny black jeans. At eye watering cost I got a pair from Replay which did for a while. Then they weren't drainpipe enough. He's now wearing ladies size 6 jeans from primark which are satisfactorily tight, although rather long.

He now wants hoodies that are simulataneously emo and for a skater. He seems to know what he means, but I don't. I have scoured the internet without coming up with the goods. I think what makes it harder is there is no way that he could wear even an XS man's top without it drowning him and after years of bagginess things apparently need to be fitted.

He goes to an all boys school, but has a joint disco with the girls school next week. We have to find something by then or life will not be worth living. If things get desperate enough we could go shopping in Leeds or Manchester - I think Corn Exchage or Afflecks might yield something? However for different reasons we're both eager to avoid that. So, can any of you help me out with something online, please?

OP posts:
Comma · 28/11/2008 11:26

H and M

TrinityRhino · 28/11/2008 11:26

Good Luck it will be very hard

sorry no help at all
you may want to make sure he isn't actually an 'emo' though

mysteryfairy · 28/11/2008 11:32

I'm sure he isn't an emo in the sense of being introspective or self harming. He's still into reading Anthony Horowitz and Darren Shan and has an un-emo like enthusiasm for playing rugby! He is definitely on the skateboarding side of emo if that makes sense and cares only about the clothes rather the whole scene!

However according to him the top half of him looks like he should be off waxing a surfboard or something.

OP posts:
PenelopePitstops · 28/11/2008 11:35

H&M

top man tiny sizes are tiny

just seen ou have written bout afflecks, would he go there with friends and you could give him some money?

malovitt · 28/11/2008 11:38

I've been through this with my two boys and have done loads of skinny jeans research. - best are the really tight skinny black jeans from the girl's section in H&M. They sell out really quickly so I always grab a few pairs when I see them.

mysteryfairy · 28/11/2008 11:41

We are 30 miles from Manchester and he wouldn't know his way round so it would be a major undertaking rather than a case of putting him and a mate on the bus, unfortunately.

Does H and M do things that look a bit "emo" then?

I have a vision of top man selling pastel jumpers and boy band type clothes - am I out of touch perhaps?

I am so lazy about shopping for the boys most of their clothes are either from their school uniform shop which also does rip curl and quiksilver or a local boutique which has o'neill and quiksliver mixed in with the oilily. The high street is a bit of a mystery to me.

OP posts:
malovitt · 28/11/2008 11:42

Could you do a London day trip & come to Camden market?
Loads of acceptable emo hoodies/t-shirts/converse/vans for sale there.

mellyonion · 28/11/2008 11:48

www.bluebanana.cc/shop/acatalog/view_page.php?section=Home

this is the mecca of all tenage emo/skater/goth types here in cardiff....seriously, they flock there!!!

hth

mysteryfairy · 28/11/2008 11:49

I am in London but not until after the crucial disco. I could get my sister to pick something up and post it if I knew what to ask her for.

Vans seems to be acquirable online but wasn't sure if he would like it as looks so similar to quiksilver. I'll check that out with him. If you were an age 11/12 in terms of clothes what would that equate to in Vans youth sizes do you know?

He is wearing black on black converse boots. These are easy to get as he has size 6 feet. Is there scope to wear converse branded clothes too, hadn't really registered those previously?

OP posts:
TrinityRhino · 28/11/2008 11:50

sorry to panic

mysteryfairy · 28/11/2008 11:55

No - you're right, I am keeping an eye on him. He is half way between child and adult with the boy stuff mostly winning out at the moment but as he seems to have decided to embrace "emo" I want it to be in a superficial way and will be watching to make sure.

OP posts:
ranting · 28/11/2008 11:57

My Emo shops at one of the local markets and manages to get his drainpipes in the charity shop (he's had about 4 pairs from there, suitably distressed so he doesn't have to wear himself out distressing them). He also buys old band t shirts (he's picked up a few old punk/slipknot type ones') in our Age Concern).

Those hoody things have like marvel comic/manga type graffiti on them and they do them in one of our local markets, think they're about 20 quid a pop. Ds has loads of the blinking things.

CatMandu · 28/11/2008 11:58

Trinityrhino - what's wrong with being 'emo'? OP - I would also sugest h&m.

ranting · 28/11/2008 11:58

Oh and he wears British Knights on his feet, he picked up a few pairs for a song in one of the sports shops, can't remember if it was JD or the other one. None of our local Emo's wear Vans.

herbietea · 28/11/2008 12:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

mysteryfairy · 28/11/2008 12:04

Thanks for all the suggestions. There are a couple of possibilities on new look which would at least be cheap if I get it wrong! I'm off to the hairdressers now but will check again later.

OP posts:
ranting · 28/11/2008 12:04

I think TR is talking about the self harming thing that is linked to Emo's. A very kind MNer warned me about this, so I've been quite vigilant, no signs so far.

curlywurlycremeegg · 28/11/2008 12:13

mf, unfortunatly you will get short pickkings at the corn exchange......it's gone! Been replaced with the very not emo, The Triangle. Not sure what afflecks is like now, it's been a long time since I frequented it, however there are lots of independent clothes shops around the outskirts of the city centre still. Did you live in Manchester at one point? Just wondering as you mentioned the corn exchange, if so do you remeber the underground market near picadilly box office, I think your Ds would have loved somewhere like that! Good luck

CatMandu · 28/11/2008 12:24

Ah thank you ranting, dd is only 9, but dipping her toes into the emo look which is why I asked. Maybe I'm in denial, but I didn't know of anyone self harming when I was young (am 40) - another thing to worry about.

ranting · 28/11/2008 12:27

I know quite a few Emo's and their parents too (and of course, I have my own) and no tales of any of them self harming BUT it doesn't hurt to be aware of it.

mindalina · 28/11/2008 12:40

here - it's mail order and I'm not sure what the prices are like, I've only ever bought trainers from them, but I got a catalogue through the other day and def plenty of emo stuff in there

ranting · 28/11/2008 12:46

Those hoodies on that site look exactly the same as the ones ds has.

Mercy · 28/11/2008 12:53

emo clothing seem to have some smaller sizes

Will see what else I can find, this is all new to me!

MrsGokWan · 28/11/2008 13:14

Also try ebay for this sort of clothing. Maybe have a look at the links already posted and then see if the same clothes are on ebay.

mazzystartled · 28/11/2008 13:19

definitely h&M
they have emo-lite stuff that would fit my 4 year old!
if going to manchester, head up to northern quarter, a few independent shops up there
would primark yield anything if you can face the hoardes?