Play clothes?

[crl]

Ds, age 8, has never had "play" clothes. Everything is pretty much fair game for playing. But he wears though things so fast now. And he is wearing the same size for so long. And I am seriously thinking about designating the worst stuff for outdoor play and making him change after school before he heads out to build forts and climb trees and whatever else it is he does that results in destroyed Geox shoes in 2 and 1/2 months and trashed Gap jeans in 4 months. . . .

Catherine

[hanaum02]

I don't expect to do that for my kids (of course they are in after care, so I don't see them until dinner anyways). But, I always changed into "play clothes" when I came home from school as a kid.

Michelle

[jgenie]

We do lots of mud play here so we have yard clothes and other clothes. DS1's outside shoes are LE mocs - Target / WalMart for the clothes.

[hillview]

Our boys wear almost exclusively LE Climber pants. Their shirts are a combo of Boden, Gap and Target. I do try to keep the boden stuff away from dirty play. DS1 loves some of his rugby shirts so that he plans when to wear them (eg not on a day when he has art, etc) and usually he wears them on rainy days.

[crl]

He trashed LE climber pants in about six months last year-- both layers of the knees all the way through. The Gap jeans lasted the full school year last year, but this year, nope, already through the knees in December. Sigh.

The shirts aren't a problem. He just goes through the knees of his pants at an incredible rate. I want him to play and generally run around like a heathen outside, but the clothes are looking so shabby to send him to school. . . .

Catherine

[AnnieW625]

My mom had to that with my brother. Shoe wise we mainly had Payless or Target shoes (some time Stride Rite) because my mom refused to buy $$$ shoes until our feet stopped growing, although with my brother once he was in jr. high he was in New Balance because he had a size 13 shoe. My mom figured that even if she had to buy 4 pairs of sneakers a year it was still cheaper than 2 pairs of name brand shoes. New Balance shoes wear like iron. I bought DD1 a pair if Stride Rite sneakers last January and they barely made it to May before the stitching started coming out.

[hillview]

He trashed LE climber pants in about six months last year-- both layers of the knees all the way through. The Gap jeans lasted the full school year last year, but this year, nope, already through the knees in December. Sigh.


Um wow. Impressive. I'd do play pants for SURE

[crl]

Yeah, I don't want to discourage the play and I have a pretty low threshold for how nice he needs to look for school. But I think every day with the pants ripped out at the knees, not to mention the 2 and 1/2 month old Geox with a hole in the toe is just below even my standards.

Okay the new pair of shoes I just ordered is for school only. And maybe I'll throw some new pants under the tree at Christmas for school only too.

Anyone seen a deal on decent jeans or pants in size 8 slim?

Thanks,
Catherine

[Staraglimmer]

Doesn't Sears have a program where if they destroy the clothes/shoes while they still fit, they will replace them?


-Stephanie
Mommy to Hailey Michelle 4/08
& a new addition due 6/12

[wellyes]

Doesn't Sears have a program where if they destroy the clothes/shoes while they still fit, they will replace them?


-Stephanie
Mommy to Hailey Michelle 4/08
& a new addition due 6/12
LL Bean will, too, if you are dissatisfied with the resiliency of the pants.

[crl]

Yeah, LE has a guarantee too. I just feel like it isn't reasonable to take advantage of those things. Not when ds is clearly way beyond the norm in his ability to trash clothes. If the LE climbers last six times as long as ON pants, it's hard for me to honestly claim that I'm not happy with how they held up, yk?

Catherine

[wellyes]

Yeah, LE has a guarantee too. I just feel like it isn't reasonable to take advantage of those things. Not when ds is clearly way beyond the norm in his ability to trash clothes. If the LE climbers last six times as long as ON pants, it's hard for me to honestly claim that I'm not happy with how they held up, yk?

Catherine

I get that. I honestly wouldn't return pants under those circumstances either.

The thing is, I think of "play clothes" as being cheaper brands. But what you want is something more resilient. For adults men who have very physical jobs, they sell jeans with extra fabric at the knees.... OK, I googled it, they're called "double knee" or "work" pants. Like this :http://www.walmart.com/ip/Dickies-Boys-Double-Knee-Twill-Pants-2-Pack/12523055 or http://www.mysears.com/Toughskins-Boys-4-7-Reinforced-Knee-Jeans-reviews Maybe that would work?

[crl]

Thanks. I remember my mom used to buy toughskins for my brother--in the 70s! Unfortunately they top out at size 7.

I decided to order some pants off the LE overstock page and used a code to bring the cost down a bit more. I'm going to have him wear only pants that are already trashed to play after school and hope that the new stuff is thus preserved until he outgrows it. Same with shoes, the new pair he has coming is only for school.

Catherine

[hillview]

I'm going to have him wear only pants that are already trashed to play after school and hope that the new stuff is thus preserved until he outgrows it. Same with shoes, the new pair he has coming is only for school.

Catherine

That is what I'd do.

[Simon]

Someone mentioned in a recent thread about reinforcing the knee with patch material on the inside of the pants before they get worn. The idea is to add a layer at the beginning so they will wear better/longer.

I haven't tried it yet but Ds1 is suddenly going through jeans like water so its on my list of things to try.