When last summer was over, finding pants that fit all of a sudden became my obsession. Oh not for myself (I mean, that’s another, sad sad story). For the strange teenager that took over my oldest boy. Overnight the pants from BOYS’ department no longer fit him and those from MEN’s department won’t for a while. My choice seemed to be either highwater pants or a barrel.
Of course my son was no help.
“Can’t you just ask your friends where they buy their pants? For sure you cannot be the only person built with crane legs!” He looked at me with horror.
For weeks I had to refrain myself from asking random model-grade teenage boys with legs rivaling Manga characters (ok, to be fair, so you won’t tzk tzk me, they look almost 20. I think.) where they got their jeans.
After repeated whining of “mom I need new pants!” for a few weeks, I managed to drag him along to the mall. To be honest, the only store I was familiar with was The Gap. But somehow their designers have decided that the waist on boys doubles as soon as they outgrow Size 18. I was gearing up to go home with Erkel when I walked past this store with a name that I could not (and still cannot) pronounce.
Aéropostale. (I am still calling them Apocalypse just to annoy my children)
Why didn’t anybody tell me about this store? They call their two departments “Guys” and “Girls” for goodness sake! And because this store is for teens, there is no BASIC items, no STAPLES, no CLASSICS. You know what this means right? SALES. DRASTIC DISCOUNT, every season. Before the season ends.
$18 for a pair of jeans. 50% off of sales price.
AND they carry size 28*32 for jeans.
As I was grabbing at sweatpants, jeans, hoodies, shirts with the cut for gazelles, I was at the same time telling myself:
I am a good mother. I am a good mother. I will NOT wear matching clothing with my son esp. the way the clothes are emblazoned with the logo.
I did get a Peace bracelet for $6. And this:
Love the bag. It's now my favoriate bag. Only $15.
Love the fuzzy hoodie too. But…
I will not wear the same clothes as my son. I will not buy another hoodie for myself.
But, it is fuzzy. Did I mention that it is fuzzy. It’s like if you scalpe a teddy bear and line the hoodie with the fur. You head is cushioned by the dead teddy bear’s fur.
On top of that, once we got home, he repaid my kindness by pulling on his new jeans without unzipping first.
Zooom. The jeans were on him. Zooom. They were off.
Like a potato sack. It irked me to no end.
I am an adult. I will not wear clothes from the same store as my teenage son and his friends. I do not have anything to prove. I do not need to dress in clothes from “teen stores” nor will I covet those clothes. I am not going through some mid-life crisis. I will not (threaten to) steal my son’s cool new hoodie lined with teddy bear furs… (repeat the mantra)
I told him. I hate you. Seriously.
He beamed and demonstrated the ease with which he pulled on the jeans a few more times.
I said, “I love you. And that is why I will not wear clothes from this store so we won’t seem to be wearing matching clothes.”
He did not seem to appreciate the sacrifice I made for him.
* SHOES are the exceptions. Of course.
Its obvious we have the boys the same age. I have the same exact problem including, the pulling on/off without unzipping. His clothes are being purchased from American Eagle and it’s his father that shows up in an American Eagle pullover and shorts…My son looks mortified when his dad is wearing clothes bought from the same teenage store…
Velva recently posted…Bobby Flay Cookbook Giveaway and Vidalia Onion Soup with Blistered Vermont Cheddar-Topped with Parsley Pesto
You’re a good mom. Sacrificing and whatnot. And avoiding the floods and whatnot.
Parenting a Teenager. That word freaks.me.out. For several reasons. Pants is now another reason. Thanks.
😉
Naptimewriting recently posted…Stealing Beauty
I have the same problem with my 20yo. He’s tall and very thin. And a size 29 waist. Very hard to find a 29 waist jean. And he won’t shop just ANYWHERE. No Aeropostle, no PacSun, no Tilly’s, no Zumi’s. Boscov’s is the only place he’ll shop.
I have news for him.
I bought a pair of jeans at Zumi’s because I was there. He doesn’t know the difference.
But OMG, I LOVE the clothes for the girls. To be 18 again!! Why didn’t they have the lacy tops and cool tanks when I was that age? So I’m looking at these tops and there is no way I fit a even a “Large” size. I check the “extra large” size. Yeah, it might fit, but not in the boob area. I put the item back. Who the hell am I kidding? I’m 50, not 20. But I so love that lacey top over that cool tank!!!!
Irene recently posted…The Cover Letter
Just chuckling.
There are these weird moments / stages when kids seem to be in between every size invented by man or alien – and they look rather alien, too, come to think of it.
Fortunately, they pass through those awkward stages. (And I get their hand-me-down hoodies.)
Then again, there’s my boys department Hanes hoodie that I bought 5 years ago, and still love and wear. Why is it that my young men have grown taller (and leaner) and yours truly, um, not so much???
BigLittleWolf recently posted…Exit Strategies
Is there room in that hoodie for me too? I miss you and crave a cuddle.
Elly Lou recently posted…Protesting With Slutty Koalas
I have never understood that gap in jeans sizing. My older son, at 5’11” and about 130 pounds still has trouble finding jeans that are long enough when they fit his skinny frame. Aeropostale isn’t an option because they won’t wear things with trendy logos. So I end up paying more to get Levis.
secret agent woman recently posted…Back from my work break, but slowly.
don’t fight the cool. you got it, so own it.
ps: i used to love my daughter’s hoodies from there. who gives a rat’s ass. you’re not trying to prove anything, you’re just going with your taste and comfort instincts. ‘sides it’s good to mix it up in the wardrobe.
pattypunker recently posted…double whoa!
Fuzzy hoodie? WANT. He can’t blame you for that one.
Stacey recently posted…Dismissed
God, Lin, I covet that bag! I have bag-envy!
Hugs,
Kathy
Kathy recently posted…An Exciting-as-Bran-Flakes Life (Updating Sara’s Photo-a-Day Project)
I need to go there for Kaish. We are having the same clothing problems. He can still wear boys 18 though. I was nervous about that ending though! : )
Life with Kaishon recently posted…‘Rejoice with your family in the beautiful land of life!’ ~Albert Einstein
I love this. It was really fairly recently that I stopped being tempted by the clothes in stores that my daughter frequented. The last item was q top I bought for myself in a maternity store she was shopping in. Only one of us was pregnant and it wasn’t me.
Life in the Boomer Lane recently posted…Sex and the Sixty (Year Old) Pt 1
I bought a pair of pants their once, not that anyone cares but I once had a waist that responded to those that are manufactured to the malnourished under fed folks who shop in such places.
Sorry, almost went on a rant about how my 19 year old metabolism has been missing for years.
Jack@TheJackB recently posted…The Speech That Martin Luther King Jr. Never Wrote
There are times I imagine myself a long, lean carefree youth floating about in the wonderful clothes from this store. I still have THREE threadbare cardigans I got from there in college!
I love it! When my youngest sister was in high school, she worked at Aeropostale. We always just called it, “Aero.” We totally took advantage of her discout there too. AND . . . one of my older sisters ended up working there for some extra cash one season as well. And she was 40 at the time. Take that, teenagers!
Andrea recently posted…"Shake It Out"