Help me find pants for my kid

I have a 13-year-old who wants a pair of jeans. I thought this would be easy. We tried on every pair of 16 pants at Kohl's, all were too wide in the waist, even the slim fitting, and they were just barely long enough. A 14 slim fits around the waist nicely, but it's way too short. We went to the men's section, and the smallest waist they have there as a 26. We tried on a 26x30, and while the waist is smaller then the kids 16, they were still too wide. He's either got to cinch it down with a belt on the adult side or to use the internal elastic to its breaking point on the kids side. Who has the cheat code?

If you need tall and skinny jeans, go to a western store. People on horses like their jeans to fit full length while sitting, so getting an extra 4 to 6 inches in inseam is not that hard.

My oldest is super skinny, he's about 5'3" and 120lbs ( same height and lighter than his 12 yo brother). 

We have had some luck with Old Navy, and less budget friendly by successful shopping occurred at American Eagle. I think we had some from childrens place when he was younger that also worked well for his skinny frame. 

When I was younger we lived "in the sticks." Finding clothes that fit skinny frames was always tough. A guy at the JC Penny suit shop said that corporate shipped all the larger sizes to the sticks because people weighed more and didn't care about a stylish fit. 

No idea if it was true or not, but I did start going "into town" if I wanted clothes that fit better.

Girl's jeans? 

Wrangler seems to have 25x30 sizes available although not in stock in the exact link I'm sending

https://www.wrangler.com/shop/young-mens-wrangler-cowboy-cut-original-fit-jean-25-30-13MWS.html

John Welsh said:

Girl's jeans? 

I saw this, and I suggested it. It didn't go well.

Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:

Wrangler seems to have 25x30 sizes available although not in stock in the exact link I'm sending

 

https://www.wrangler.com/shop/young-mens-wrangler-cowboy-cut-original-fit-jean-25-30-13MWS.html

 

 

I'm not sure 25 is small enough either

CrustyRedXpress said:

When I was younger we lived "in the sticks." Finding clothes that fit skinny frames was always tough. A guy at the JC Penny suit shop said that corporate shipped all the larger sizes to the sticks because people weighed more and didn't care about a stylish fit. 

No idea if it was true or not, but I did start going "into town" if I wanted clothes that fit better.

I scoured basically every company that makes jeans that I could think of

You may want to call a couple dry cleaners or tailors and ask how much it would cost to take in a pair of 26" jeans. 
 

It wasn't prohibitively expensive when I did it once - I have a similar, but different problem where anything big enough to get over my hockey player thighs and butt  would be swimming around my waist, and add in my short hooves it made it all the more difficult. But I'm also an adult who isn't growing, so prohibitively expensive will have a different meaning if he's growing out of them in 6 months. 

My son is 6'2"/160lbs now. When he was younger he wore basketball style warm up pants or sweats exclusively. He finally found Levi's 511 Stretch jeans his senior year in HS. That's the only cut that fits him. I think the stretch jeans are fitted a little tighter. 
 

Good luck. I know it can be depressing trying to find clothes for anyone who isn't average build. 

tuna55 said:

John Welsh said:

Girl's jeans? 

I saw this, and I suggested it. It didn't go well.

I didn't write it but, yeah, you'll probably have to do it on the sly.

Something like Wrangler western cut but girl

No Time said:

My oldest is super skinny, he's about 5'3" and 120lbs ( same height and lighter than his 12 yo brother). 

You don't know super skinny. My youngest is that height and 85lbs.  But he's 33. 
 

Old navy is also his go-to

matthewmcl said:

If you need tall and skinny jeans, go to a western store. People on horses like their jeans to fit full length while sitting, so getting an extra 4 to 6 inches in inseam is not that hard.

This is a good idea.  There's a western store in my neighborhood, they have a huge assortment of jeans and are pretty knowledgeable about sizes and fits.

If you know what waist size fits try shopping online, the store (Kohl's in the OP) may have more longer sizes they don't stock at the brick&mortar location.

In reply to Mr. Peabody :

That's now that he's 18, so yeah your right he's starting to fill out and no longer super skinny. 

Between 8-16 he was in the bottom 5% for height and weight according to the growth charts. Add in the hockey thighs and butt, and he was a challenge to fit. 

j_tso said:

If you know what waist size fits try shopping online, the store (Kohl's in the OP) may have more longer sizes they don't stock at the brick&mortar location.

Tried that, all that I could think of anyway

stuart in mn said:

matthewmcl said:

If you need tall and skinny jeans, go to a western store. People on horses like their jeans to fit full length while sitting, so getting an extra 4 to 6 inches in inseam is not that hard.

This is a good idea.  There's a western store in my neighborhood, they have a huge assortment of jeans and are pretty knowledgeable about sizes and fits.

The only thing I can think of around here is tractor supply, when they don't have anything close to that size.

https://www.pantsforpeanuts.com/collections/kidsslimfitdenimjeans/Denim

I went to the local surplus and everything else store. It is western enough that they have a few people handmaking saddles and saddlebags. 60% Wrangler, as expected, and then Levi's, Ariat, and Cinch. I am not super familiar with the last two, so you may not have checked them either. If you find a size on a website and no one will sell it to you, let me know and I will check if the local place can order it.

Also, I graduated high school at 6' and 125 lbs. Levi's 701's were the most often to fit. I had also learned to sew from my mom and have done my own adjustments. A straight seam down the outside edge to make legs and waist slimmer is pretty easy if you don't have to go that far. I also used that skill making denim saddle bags and new vinyl motorcycle seats, so a handy skill even outside of clothes.

Steve_Jones said:

https://www.pantsforpeanuts.com/collections/kidsslimfitdenimjeans/Denim

This would be absolutely perfect if he didn't want black.

matthewmcl said:

I went to the local surplus and everything else store. It is western enough that they have a few people handmaking saddles and saddlebags. 60% Wrangler, as expected, and then Levi's, Ariat, and Cinch. I am not super familiar with the last two, so you may not have checked them either. If you find a size on a website and no one will sell it to you, let me know and I will check if the local place can order it.

I'll check those brands and let you know, thank you!

I remember having this problem. Five decades ago...

tuna55 said:

Steve_Jones said:

https://www.pantsforpeanuts.com/collections/kidsslimfitdenimjeans/Denim

This would be absolutely perfect if he didn't want black.

Cotton jeans will take dye well, and black over blue should be pretty easy to get good results even with grocery store RIT dye.