Borrowing From The Boys

Thursday 24 April 2014




I'm not going to lie - before I had my boys, I would have loved a girl. A girl to go shopping with and with whom I could share clothes providing I hadn't turned in to a heffer moose by the time she reached teenagedom. But as it is, I have been blessed with two lovely boys when they behave and are not bickering or fighting or killing each other on Minecraft and in real life. But the clothes sharing and the shopping is not really happening (big sigh).

However, last week when I was doing a playground stint at the York Outlet, I managed to have a nosey in the Gap outlet store. And I happened on a blue stripe cotton sweatshirt for Ben. I picked the age 8-9 years as befitting a boy just turned 8, paid my £7 and left the shop. 

At home, I took it out of the bag and thought - hmm - it looks rather big. It actually looks big enough to fit me. Could it be that Ben has reached the age where maybe we can share clothes? By that I mean, I wear them first, when I tire of them, I hand them over. Not the other way round. I see what he does to his clothes and some of those stains ain't coming out for love or money.

So I tried it on and well what do you know? It fits!


Gap Boys Sweatshirt (outlet), Zara chopped skinnies (old), Carvela sandals (old)


However, it is really big on Ben (comes mid thigh) so I think I'd better look after it for him till it fits him - get my moneys worth and all that. 

Makes sense right?   :o)





45 comments

  1. Makes total sense, it looks fab and you wouldn't want Ben to look silly! I would go back if I were you to see what other gems you can get for £7.

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    1. I didn't actually like anything from the adult section so I had a nosey through the boys as they were doing one of their special 30% off sale prices and Ben is growing out of some of his clothes. You know how they have one of their growth spurts and suddenly everything looks shrink wrapped on them? That just happened. I think they also have plain grey ones as well but I really cannot bring myself to buy another grey sweatshirt - I'm even starting to bore myself.

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  2. Lol! I wear gap kids too - fab idea - you look amazing. Hx

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    1. And there is also the bonus of VAT free clothes isn't there? I admit I've snaffled a Hackett rugby shirt for Ben ages ago which I fit in to with the intention of handing it down. Share and share alike :o)

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  3. It looks great & you'd never know it was kids or boys. How oversized do they think 8 year olds wear their sweaters though?!

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    1. This was really big. I'm a size 8-10 on top depending on the cut of a top. I don't think the girls tops are cut quite so roomy. I tried squeezing into a girls Gap fur gilet once and had to admit the arm holes were a little tight but a cm more and it would have been mine. I used to be guilty of buying clothes which fitted my boys at that precise moment but I've started to size up a little recently because they are growing so fast and they're out of the clothes before you know it ... but this did look ridiculously big on him.

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  4. Gap sizing is just so strange sometimes. The baby clothes are tiny. My 10 month old has been in 12-18 months stuff for the last 3 months and my friends babies are the same. Then the adult tops are massive - even an XS is pretty roomy. I can't believe that is meant to fit an 8 year old boy. It looks great on you!

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    1. It can be - the baby sizes are really small and then the toddler ones are really big. Or should I say wide but short or they have been in my experience of buying for my boys.

      And thank you!

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  5. A heifer moose? Heaven forbid any of your readers aren't pretty or are larger than you. Beauty comes in all shapes and sizes. But vanity is terribly, terribly ugly.

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    1. I think Sue was being tongue in cheek...

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    2. I'm positive she was!!

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    3. Joanna, Kat - I was being tongue in cheek and glad you get it.

      Sara - there was no intention to insult anyone of any size or shape. We all age and change as we go.

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  6. Susie so cool! Go girl. Us little un's have to have some bonus's in life, and if being able to wear kid's size clothes is one of them, so be-it! xx

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    1. Well for those who weren't blessed with height, we get tax free clothes!

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  7. Brilliant! I was in Gap this week trying on the skate shoes for kids (which are almost identical to adults but half the price) ... and some of them fit. They didn't have the denim colour I wanted. But I will persevere ... if I don't see them in Manchester next week, I shall hunt them down online. Definitely some perks to being a littler person!!

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    1. I do that as well - look through the kids shoes section. My friend has these from Next girls and they look fabulous on http://www.next.co.uk/x53710s1#875565x53 but sadly sold out in my size. See there are others who have cottoned on to this as well.

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    2. Oh Lordy, they're gorgeous! This was the first time that I'd looked in the kids section for shoes ... a whole new world of possibility has just opened up :)

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  8. The time to get worried is when your children suddenly have clothes and shoes that are too big for you! That happened to me at some point over the last year - not exactly sure when, but my eldest now has size 10 feet at age 13 and wears the same size trousers as his dad :( Growing up too fast - making me feel so old. X

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    1. I am getting to that point actually. Ben is one shoe size down from me now. Having said that, if I get tired of my NB's in the next year or so, he can inherit them and they won't go to waste.

      I'm worried when Ben starts to tower over me. It won't be long now!

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  9. Sure does make sense - I bet they look good in lilac too:) LOVE Gangsta Granny but VERY sad:(

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    1. I've not read it yet - we got a boxed collection of David Wallams books for Ben's birthday. We've read the Bog Roll Billionaire but now I've got a child who thinks it's funny going round chanting "bum fresh boy!".

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  10. That looks amazing on you! I assume B's not getting it back?!

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  11. LOL...it makes perfect sense. Sadly for me I cannot ever shop in kids depertment...I mean, maybe I would manage to squeeze one arm in, but definitely nothing more than that.

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    1. I bet you could with this sweatshirt. Buy another size up from me - age 9-10 and you'll be sorted!

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  12. department. I do know how to spell.
    sometimes.

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  13. Ta for the tip off! I hadn't thought to look in Gap kids but I did buy a brilliant breton for 3 quid from H&M kidswear! This is a great top.....I would be keeping it too! xx

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    1. I was trying their girls "generous fit" shorts on a few weeks ago and I can just about get away with the largest size. But hey, when in the kids section, just go for it if you can!

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  14. Alternatively, shrink the hubby's cashmere jumpers. Works a treat. I have had several. Looking good Sue xx

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    1. Do you know what? He doesn't have any. But I have bought from the men's department and done that. Worked a treat and I wore the jumper loads this winter.

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  15. Such a selfless mom, taking careful care of his best clothes until he is grown enough to appreciate them... :) Seriously though, excellent find. Looks great on you and I am loving this whole outfit!

    www.nomadicd.com

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    1. Well it would be a shame to leave it in a drawer for another year or so really wouldn't it?

      I really should go back and see what else they have at the outlet.

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  16. Perfectly sensible in my book. Have you had a haircut? :-) H x

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    1. I have indeed. I had a few inches lopped off about 2-3 weeks ago. I'm still getting over it.

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  17. I love that top Sue - just the sort of thing I would have bought for my boy and then pinched! He's taller and bigger than me now though and my girl is nicking some of my clothes and eyeing up my shoes already! I'm lucky actually that I can fit into stuff from the teenage section of New Look and H&M so she'll be at it for a while! x

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    1. I've not tried much from the teenage section of New Look - now that does look small!

      If you look at it in terms of benefits - you can steal from her wardrobe too! But only if you want to.

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  18. can i ask you what size next skate shoes you bought? I think we are the same size , 36 in birks, I can be a 3, 3.5 or 4 depending...2.5 in converse. Tried on h&m size 36 which were to big so not sure have not bought shoes from next before

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  19. Hi Anne. I'm a size 4UK normally. The Next skate pumps that I have are a size 4 and feel true to size. I take a size 4 in Converse as well. However, with the Birks, I took a UK3 (36) instead as this felt more comfortable than the 4 because of the arch placement. I could have gone either way with them to be honest. I also tried on the skate pumps (snakeskin style) and I was actually a 3.5 or at least I think that's what it said on the label. I knew it was a size down from the UK4. Hope that helps you Anne.

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    1. thanks sue,....i think my feet are smaller than yours so, my cons are always kids 2.5, i think i will be need the 3 or 3.5 in the skate shoes thank for the info

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  20. I am totally with you on this. I 'borrow Xander's t-shirts and hoodies all the time now. I started when he was around 10 yrs old with the T's. I also inherited all his old trainers and winter boots he had hardly worn last year. Sadly, I get to keep all his old cool Holister hoodies this year, and there it ends. Next shopping size goes too big for me;( 13 years old and he will have overtaken me!

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  21. I'll have to keep on top of this because I have a feeling it won't be long before Ben overtakes me. But not to worry - I still have younger bruv bringing up the rear so I can indulge a little longer :o) However, what I buy might not be fashionable in their eyes by the time they fit in to them.

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  22. Aww - the end of an era. But that's not too bad - 3 years or so of an additional wardrobe it not to be scoffed at!

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  23. Hah that looks really cute! I am with you on the boy clothes front. I still look wistfully at girl's stuff ...

    My two year old's stuff is a bit too small to squeeze into although (sadly) I can fit on some of his ride on toys! So instead of getting to pinch his cute clothes at the moment I have to race him around the garden on his tractor.

    God knows what the neighbors must think and I end up so puffed out I nearly give myself a heart attack ;-) x

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Susie So So