OT -- Need to find school clothes for a somewhat "chubby" 4 year old girl -- HELP!

[Leader of the Club]

My dd worked for Limited Too and her store had plus sizes. I do not think they called them plus sizes, maybe had some cute name for it. Call around and find out. they usually have decent sales if you go during too bucks time.

 

[tlbwriter]

We have the tummy issue too. Plus sizes haven't worked for us - they're bigger in the hips and thighs too, but all she needs is a bigger waist, so she ends up swimming in them. Also, most brands don't have plus sizes in the smaller sizes like 6X.

What worked for us:

Lots of dresses with leggings. Luckily DD wanted to live in dresses when she was that age. Gymboree is good for this because many of their dresses have empire waists and matching leggings are available.

Capri pants in a larger size often end up being the right length as regular pants.

Hanna Andersson is fantastic - their clothes are generously cut without being baggy. I don't know how they do it.

 

[nicolemomof4cuties]

all of my children have the reverse problem they are really long legged and super skinny- like a bratz doll. My oldest DD even has the big head LOL!! But one of my daycare children is almost 2 and she is 49 pounds (no I am not joking) and the same height as the other children her age. I have watched her ever since she was 8 weeks old and she has always been a big girl. I am not sure why because she eats the same amount as all of the other children while she is her. Any way she wears a 4t and her mom likes the adjustable waistlines in the jeans. However, now even those are getting hard to put on her. So I don't know what her mom is going to do if she gets much heavier.

Nicole

 

[SandraVB79]

Do as my mom, and take sewing classes. I was rather the inverse, everything was always too short, so there was no easy solution like hemming
So my mom took sewing classes and started making most of my clothes herself.

 

[tinkarooni]

I read your post and completely understand what you are trying to describe about your DD tummy being sort of out of proportion. Please be careful that she never hears you call it "chubby". I don't want to be mean at all, just warning about how kids take these things to heart these days. My dd (now 7) came home one day from pre-school upset for days because someone called her fat....this was preschool! My DD at 45 lbs at age 7 is far from being overweight, but we also had the tummy problem. Even Target these days has adjustable waists.

I did notice over the past summer my DD has stretched and is now more in proportion, no more baby tummy. Until now we went with stretchy leggings, and adjustable waists.

Good Luck and Happy Shopping!

 

[HamTown]

Lands' End carries a great selection of plus in 4-6x. I also had good luck at the Carter's outlet. They had more basic stuff with elastic waists than anywhere else.

My girls get clothes from Janie and Jack (owned by Gymboree) as gifts and I had to take back two pants outfits because they wouldn't even come together at the waist. I mentioned it to the clerk and she said that since they went to the adjustable waist band, the clothes are being cut even slimmer. The dresses fit my DD4 beautifully, but the pants are tiny!

DD has started to slim down so the waist is becoming less of an issue but she is built with a long torso and short legs (just like her daddy) and every pair of pants I find for her is cut WAY to low and she can't bend over. All she had last year were leggings. I may have to try the suggestion for boys jeans for her.

 

[Hunnybee]

Thank you so much for all your suggestions! We're going to the mall tonight and now I have some ideas of where to start looking!

 

[2mouseketeers _K&M]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one with this problem. My DD now 8 still has this issue. As others have said, try JCPenney. They now have 4 - 6X plus sizes.

 

[miraclemommy]

I totally understand your frustration. I am going through the same thing. My DD is 4 and she is really not by any means fat or chubby, just kind of big. She weighs 45 lbs and is 49 in tall. I just went shopping for her some pants last night since it got really cold here this past week. She must of had a huge growth spurt as none of her pants fit yesterday when we were trying to get ready for school. Anyway Childrens Place has some cute stuff pretty cheap. I had to buy her a 6X/7 to fit in the waist and the capris then fit like ankle length pants. They have an extra 30% off all their clearance. I also found a couple of pairs at sears. They have an extra 50% off of there clearance. I spent around $70 and got 5 pr of pants, 2 pr leggings, a skirt, 5 shirts and a backpack. So I thought that was a great deal. At childrens place nothing was over $7 after the discount.
Goodluck! I know how frustrating it can be.

Jennifer

 

[Hunnybee]

Maybe there is hope for this shopping spree yet! She really does enjoy trying clothes on and showing them off -- so it isn't a chore at all. Just frustrating when they don't fit her! She falls in love with something on the rack only to have it not fit in the dressing room.

Chubby was not the best choice of words. I didn't like it when I typed it in but I couldn't think of another option. She's not terribly big, just has her mommy's tummy -- poor girl!

Thanks again for all the suggestions! I'm going to check this just before I leave tonight to see if there are anymore. I'm also glad this thread is helping other moms too.

 

[PA Princess]

Chubby was not the best choice of words. I didn't like it when I typed it in but I couldn't think of another option. She's not terribly big, just has her mommy's tummy -- poor girl!

Oh, this reminds me of my youngest dd. When she was in utero my ob was concerned by her ultra sound measurements and monitored her closely. It was not until a few ultra sounds that I really grasped their specific concern with her size...short legs and larger torso. Gee, mom has the same body type, what is the concern???

My youngest has been an adjustment for me in shopping for clothing...oldest two are boys and #3 our oldest dd is one of those skinny minnies. We literally had issues her first 18 months because she kept falling off the growth charts at the bottom end. She is just petite in build all the way around. She is 7 and 47 pounds and not sure on height (but always one of the shortest in her age group).

Our youngest is 2 1/2 and rapidly gaining on big sis at 35 pounds! She is comfy in 3t's and some 2T's at this time, but I can see in a year she will probably be about done with toddle sizes. I know from older dd that the clothes beyond the T's slim in the waists (this was good for older daughter) and I am concerned about the younger one. I like the idea of leggings and dresses or flouncy tops, so I think I will start encouraging her like of this style soon

Another tip for saving on buying kids clothes is to buy used. Once Upon a Child often has great sales and all name brand clothing. A bonus I have found to used clothing is that many things are washed so you know if they will truly fit or not. I have already had a few items that dd wore once, washed and it no longer fit her in a way that was comfy to her - how annoying!

 

[POOHDRMR]

My daughter is very tall but extremly skinny(she's 6 46 inches 37 pds) and I have the hardest time getting her clothes so I understand how annoying it is to not be able to just get them clothes.Back to school shopping is a big ordeal-I buy tons of stuff to try on her and return 85% of it.To get the size that fits her waist its way too short on her.She is long torso'd too so I have to buy her a size 7 shirt but she looks slobby in it cause it hangs off her shoulders.I know in my search for slims I have seen JCpennys and gap carry the larger sizes.I know it usually costs more to buy there clothes-I ended up paying almost 20 dollars a pair for leggings at Justice because they were the only ones that did't look like sweat pants on her-and they are not even great quality Good luck.

 

[autumnsmommy]

My DD5 is a chunky monkey....we go with capris, 3/4 shirts and leggings. A little lycra is a wonderful thing. Mommy sews, so hemming is no problem, but time is. Sometimes by the time I can hem it, she's outgrown it

 

[kctwinmommy]

Thanks for this thread... I was able to get some plus size (size 4) jeans at TCP. I ordered them this afternoon actually. So I can't say for sure that they'll work, but based on measurements that they give on their site, they should fit her. I never even thought to look at some of these places for plus size clothes. And I just wanted to get her at least 2 pairs of jeans, they're really such a practical thing for kids.

 

[Hunnybee]

Well, we did find some things. I didn't have quite as much time as I had hoped -- we only made it to 2 stores. We stopped at Younkers because I had lots of 20% off coupons for donating items for Goodwill. I think we tried almost everything they had on! We ended up getting quite a few shirts there. I also got a great deal on a winter coat there. After Younkers, we stopped at TCP. I picked up a couple pairs of pants and a shirt there. I think we may be set -- except we need blue jeans. So, I think I'll check JC Penney and Sears for jeans.

Thanks again for all your advice!

 

[kctwinmommy]

I think we may be set -- except we need blue jeans. So, I think I'll check JC Penney and Sears for jeans.

Thanks again for all your advice!

I'll let you know how ours turn out, we ordered from TCP. I hope to get them in a couple days. I got the size 4 plus...

 

[zoemurr]

I also buy capris and 3/4 length shirts. When my DD wears them the capris hit where normal pants would if she wasn't short and the same thing with the 3/4 length sleeves. This way she gets girly clothing without me having to alter all of it.[/QUOTE]

This is funny.. ALL of my DDs "long" pants were capris when she was 6 years old. She is starting to slim down now at 8 and they are capri legnth. She thinks they are all too short.

Our favorite jeans are Childrens Place "Plus" straight legs for girls. They were bigger in the tummy and we could roll them up. They are hard to find though, and only sold during certain times of the year. Lands End has plus sizes for girls too.

 

[staley7580]

Wow!! I am so glad to see this thread!! I have a 2 and a 1/2 yo dd.. She is 42lbs, and is 40 inches tall. Yeah, she is a big baby!! Off the charts! She wears a 5 in girls, and those are starting to get really snug on her, through the hips and thighs. Oy... you dont want to know what I have to put the little thing through to button her shorts!! Now that it is getting on winter, I was all stressed on what to do about pants for her, I was sure we were going to keep her in sweats all winter! To top it off, she has a 5yo brother who weighs the same as her, but is 4 inches taller then she is!! and he wears the same size!!! I really am thinking about letting them just share clothes!

 

[lpandorf]

We like to do the dress/leggings combinations. Some of the dresses at gymboree work great and pair with matching leggings. They can seem kind of high if not on sale but they do have good sales often and the dresses hold up well and you can sell on ebay after and get some of the money back on Gymboree. Also TCP had some cute knit dresses with the leggings.

 

[MOMTOMOOTOO]

My neighbor has a little girl who his 5 but has a little bit of a tummy so she needs a 7 or 8 for the waist. She buys her capris in the bigger sz and the fit her perfectly as pants. Also leggings were easy for my girls at that age. No fuss, no muss.