Help! What dept to look in for Jeans for a teen boy?

[cybrkitn]

I measured DS's waist last night. It's 35", so I'm rounding up to 36". I tried getting his inseam, but that was a fiasco trying to do that. DH, DS and I were laughing while I was trying to get it. I think I did get it, but I had to ask DH what his inseam was and it was about the same as DS. Which doesn't make sense to me since DH is about 5'9". However DH's clothes are in the big men's section. But when they stood side-by-side, DS has long legs and his waist was at the same height as DH. But he has a shorter torso compared to DH (if that makes any sense).

So, I'm thinking of taking DS out next week and see if maybe he can fit into a men's slim (not skinny) jeans. I'm more concerned about the waist and width of the legs than I am out the length (which can easily be altered). I don't want the pant legs to look like he's got "elephant" legs (aka wide and baggy legs).

 

[bigbabyblues]

I understand the look you are talking about. Both my boys are so skinny and things hang on them. My 14-yo (will be 15 in Nov) has gone from 4'11 last August to about 5'6 now and seems to be getting taller every day. His school doesn't allow shorts or athletic pants, only jeans (no holes or tears) or khaki pants, so we will have to take him soon. We live an hour from the nearest mall, or anything other than Walmart.

 

[Art 1]

What about Levi's? They seem to have all kinds of sizes.

 

[drinkme]

We felt like we were in "no man's land" for a while with the jeans too.

My word of advice is that once you find some that fit, buy 5-7 pair so you're good to go for a while.

Shorts are so much less complicated since they only need to fit at the waist (although we managed to struggle with that too).

NO!!! Don't buy 5-7 pair! That's probably the WORST advice. For a 13 year old boy who is kinda "husky" means he is going to shoot up in height very soon. I would wait until right before school starts to get him his jeans. What you buy in July is not going to fit him in September. At 13, we had the best of luck at Hollister. My ds is skinny so we were able to get the small waist size with the longer length. And right before school their jeans are really cheap. I think we paid less than $20 for the jeans last year. Unfortunately he could only wear them a few times. He has been growing nonstop for the last 18 months. I only buy him one pair of jeans at a time now. Also, his feet have grown alot. DS has gone up 4 shoe sizes in the last 9 months.

 

[cybrkitn]

NO!!! Don't buy 5-7 pair! That's probably the WORST advice. For a 13 year old boy who is kinda "husky" means he is going to shoot up in height very soon. I would wait until right before school starts to get him his jeans. What you buy in July is not going to fit him in September. At 13, we had the best of luck at Hollister. My ds is skinny so we were able to get the small waist size with the longer length. And right before school their jeans are really cheap. I think we paid less than $20 for the jeans last year. Unfortunately he could only wear them a few times. He has been growing nonstop for the last 18 months. I only buy him one pair of jeans at a time now. Also, his feet have grown alot. DS has gone up 4 shoe sizes in the last 9 months.

Yea, I wasn't going to buy him jeans for at least a few more weeks. He has growth spurts in the fall and again in the spring. He'll be fine with what he has for a little while longer, but will need new ones soon though. August is when we go school shopping for both clothes and supplies.

Four shoe sizes in nine months ? Wow! That is fast!

 

[cybrkitn]

What about Levi's? They seem to have all kinds of sizes.

He already has two pairs of husky/skinny from Levis and they really look good on him. It fits him in the waist and legs better than regular husky jeans. I just wish they came in other colors besides black.

 

[DISNEY1975]

Hmmm. My son wore size 20 pants from both Penny's and Lands End at the beginning of last school year, and he was 5'10" tall. No problem with the length at all.

Now, he wears a size 30/30 in mens....some brands 32/32. Just depends.

I've had good luck with both Penny's and Lands End.

My boys are older now, but Penneys and Lands End were lifesavers during their school years. My younger son was 5'7" going into middle school..and weighed about 2 lbs! Arizona jeans from Penneys came in every size imaginable. Lands End had great sizes too...just a little more expensive. I usually bought their khakis from them, but Jeans from JCP.

My daughter is now going through the same thing. She is 11, 5'3" and every pair of pants look like capris on her. Thank goodness she is a girl. Jeggings have been great!

 

[cybrkitn]

My boys are older now, but Penneys and Lands End were lifesavers during their school years. My younger son was 5'7" going into middle school..and weighed about 2 lbs! Arizona jeans from Penneys came in every size imaginable. Lands End had great sizes too...just a little more expensive. I usually bought their khakis from them, but Jeans from JCP.

My daughter is now going through the same thing. She is 11, 5'3" and every pair of pants look like capris on her. Thank goodness she is a girl. Jeggings have been great!

I'm 5'4" and shop in the petite department. Unfortunately, that department is extremely limited on variety compared to the misses department. I'm also noticing that some of the petite departments in some stores, like JCP, have styles that are for women who are age 50 and above.

 

[scrapquitler]

DS is now 13 and is 5' 3". School starts here in NY in September and I will need to get him some new jeans for the new school year. Our problem is two-fold. He's at the max height for the boy's department of sizes 8-20 (of which he is in husky sizes), but yet he's too short for the men's department which have an inseam start of 29". Waist wise, the men's jeans will fit. Unfortunately, the length will be too long and the leg width will be too wide for him (his torso is where the weight is, not his legs). I don't have a clue as to where to look for him. Can anyone help me?

Try the mens or young men's department, and buy ones that fit in the waist/rear/hips then get them hemmed. Many stores will do it, and if they don't, go to the dry cleaners if you don't know how to do it yourself. If you are in CT or MA, Bob's stores will hem them for you. I'd guess that many other stores will too, you need to ask if that's a service they offer (and obviously charge for). If not, many of the online places allow you to specify the length (LL Bean, for example).

My DD18 is 5'2" tall and she has been able to find pants that are the right size/cut for her in the YOUNG MENS Dept. of American Eagle (yes, she wears men's jeans size 29 waist, I'm not sure if the length is 28" or 29" but they fit her perfectly), the only pants she is every happy with.

 

[scrapquitler]

The length isn't the problem. The jeans DS has right now had to be rolled up about 4 times two years ago. Now the length is perfect and no rolling is required. It's the leg width that I'm concerned with and possibly his torso. I'm afraid that he'll be "swimming" in them b/c it's too wide for his skinny legs.

I really wish companies would make jeans/pants for teenage boys who are transitioning out of the boys department. We have them for us once we are out of the girl's sizes. Once we got too tall for the girls department, we went right into the Junior's department, then into either Misses, Women's or Petites (the latter in my case). I just don't understand why it can't be done for teenage boys :

I'm sorry, I misread earlier and my prior post probably gives bad information...I thought you were having problems with the length. Anyway, if it's the width of the length, you definitely want skinny or super skinny. Try Kohls young mens department, American Eagle or Old Navy for the skinny jeans.

 

[cybrkitn]

I'm sorry, I misread earlier and my prior post probably gives bad information...I thought you were having problems with the length. Anyway, if it's the width of the length, you definitely want skinny or super skinny. Try Kohls young mens department, American Eagle or Old Navy for the skinny jeans.

That's ok A lot of people who have posted were also thinking it was the length when in fact is the width of the leg and hips that I'm concerned about. I know everyone is trying to help and I appreciate all of the suggestions.

 

[DISNEY1975]

I'm 5'4" and shop in the petite department. Unfortunately, that department is extremely limited on variety compared to the misses department. I'm also noticing that some of the petite departments in some stores, like JCP, have styles that are for women who are age 50 and above.

My 11 YO isnt even in Jrs yet. A size 0 is still big in the waist. She wears a 12 kids, but they are all so short. If I go to a 14, the length is better, buy loose on the waist. Ive been buying 14 (girls) jeggings. They fit the best. Ive tried 14 skinny/slim, but they are too tight ???

 

[DISNEY1975]

That's ok A lot of people who have posted were also thinking it was the length when in fact is the width of the leg and hips that I'm concerned about. I know everyone is trying to help and I appreciate all of the suggestions.

Try getting straight leg instead of boot/loose.

 

[cybrkitn]

My 11 YO isnt even in Jrs yet. A size 0 is still big in the waist. She wears a 12 kids, but they are all so short. If I go to a 14, the length is better, buy loose on the waist. Ive been buying 14 (girls) jeggings. They fit the best. Ive tried 14 skinny/slim, but they are too tight ???

To be honest, since they changed the way jeans are made for women, I've had problems with the waist as well. I'm 5'4" and have to wear a belt on all of my jeans regardless of whether I'm wearing petite jeans or misses. Prior to the 1990's, jeans would fit me perfectly in the waist with no extra room in the back. Then low riders became popular and all the manufacturers changed how their jeans and pants were made. Now when I try on a pair of pants or jeans, the back of the waist has more room than they are supposed to have for me. I've also had the problem where the waist was too big and yet the legs fit me perfectly and vise versa. It's like the manufacturers are not making them proportionate for women anymore :

DS, OTOH, has the same issue as his father with regards to the width of the leg. DH is in Big Men's sizes and when he gets pants or jeans, the pant legs on them make his legs look wider than they really are and usually look baggy on him. I'm hoping to avoid that problem with DS since there are options like slim and skinny in the regular men's sizes compared to what DH has available to him.

 

[aprilgail]

My 11 YO isnt even in Jrs yet. A size 0 is still big in the waist. She wears a 12 kids, but they are all so short. If I go to a 14, the length is better, buy loose on the waist. Ive been buying 14 (girls) jeggings. They fit the best. Ive tried 14 skinny/slim, but they are too tight ???

My almost 16 year old can still wear justice size 12, we get her pants now in American Eagle, they have a 00 that will fit her if she wears a belt.

 

[DISNEY1975]

My almost 16 year old can still wear justice size 12, we get her pants now in American Eagle, they have a 00 that will fit her if she wears a belt.

Good to know! How tall is your daughter? Is the length of AE jeans good?

 

[Minniesgal]

oh man that no mans land is hard. definite gap in the market it is always a relief when they are big enough for mens clothes.

 

[Poohforyou]

Good to know! How tall is your daughter? Is the length of AE jeans good?

My almost 16 yo is tiny. She wears a 000 short at aeropostle. Their jeans come short, regular and tall. She likes the way they fit better than jeans in a lot of other stores.

 

[Styx Fan]

Have you tried Aeropostal? If you can find a waist that fits, their clothes tend to run skinny, so maybe the leg will ok. Their prices are good also.

 

[aprilgail]

Good to know! How tall is your daughter? Is the length of AE jeans good?

She is short-5'0" but she buys 00short- they come in regular length too so those would work for your daughter.