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The standard sizes in children's clothing assumes your child has an average build. But what if he or she doesn't? Fortunately, there are several children's clothing stores which in addition to the standard sizes, also offer sizes for those with slimmer or larger builds.
Such sizing is known as extended sizing. You do not need to shop at specialty stores get these extended sizes.
Names of extended sizes
Firstly, let's make go over the names of these sizing groups since they're different for boys and girls. For boys that are tall and slim (basketball player build) you'll want slim sizing. For boys who are built like a football player, you'll want husky sizes. For a slender girl, the sizing is slim. For a girl with a stronger build, the sizing is plus. That's the case across all children's extended sizing in the US.
If you shop at a place with extended sizing, a letter beside the size will reflect that. For example, size 6H for a boy means a size 6 husky. A size 7S for a girl means a size 7 slim. And so on.
Is average build labeled as such?
In a few stores yes, and in that case it will have an R after the size number (e.g. 5R). In most stores though, regular sizes aren't labeled so if a size does not have a letter after it (e.g. 5), then it's simply a regular size.
How do I know if my child needs extended sizing?
You'll probably already know if your child needs extended sizing because clothes in regular sizing simply don't fit right in all areas at once.
For example, both my boys are tall and slender. If I purchase pants in the size for their size in average build, it'll be OK in length, but the waist will be much too large. But if I go down a size to get the waist to fit correctly, then the pants length is too short. This is not a look you'll want for your kids, and I didn't either! So if regular sizes don't fit right in all areas at once, you'll want to get extended sizing for your child - it's going to be a much better fit.
Affordable kids clothes stores which offer plus, slim and husky sizes
There are many reliable, great quality children's clothing shops which offer both regular and extended sizing at cheap price points.
These are typically available in certain clothing items, usually jeans, pants and shorts. Some stores offer extended sizing for other items as well, like tops and skirts, but that's less usual.
My main go-to for extended sizes is The Children's Place. Most of their pants are available in extended sizes, and as an added bonus, these are even more likely to be in stock than the same product in regular sizing. You can go directly to their line of slim and husky sizes for boys here and girls slim and plus sizes here.
They tend to do a great job keeping their extended sizing in stock online, so if you're looking for something specific - boys husky jeans, for example - this would be my first choice.
Old Navy also has a good selection in extended sizes. Most of their boys shorts and pants are available in slim and husky sizes. Likewise, most of the girls jeans and long pants come in slim and plus sizes, although some shorts and skirts are available in plus but not slim.
If you're looking for girls plus size clothing, Old Navy is a good place to start with.
Regardless of whether your child's school has a uniform, it's worth taking a look at school uniform specialists French Toast because they do so many of the basic pieces so well - long pants, skirts, and so on. They have some extended sizing, although it's a bit more limited than the other stores mentioned above.
French Toast has boy's husky clothing and girl's plus clothing. Unfortunately they only have one or two styles in boy's slim and do not even stock girls slim sizes.
How to order extended sizing online
If you only ever bought regular sizing before, you may not have even realized that extended sizing was available. You can select this option on the product page, as shown in the pic below. It's a similar setup across all the US children's clothing stores which offer it.
Below we can see an example from The Children's Place, with their girl's Bootcut Jean.
Sizing will always default to regular, so if you need one of the other options, be sure to select it, as shown in the pic above. This sounds obvious, but there have been so many times I nearly ordered the regular sizing instead of slim for my boys. Double-check the sizing in your cart or at checkout (in fact that's a good thing to do anyway, even if you're just shopping regular sizes).
As mentioned earlier, not all items from every store will be available in extended sizing.
Active pants
Active pants that you'd use for PE or for after-school sports activities usually do not come in extended sizes. I did find some one time from The Children's Place, but it's rare. Don't worry! Some brands have sizes that just naturally happen to lean a little more in one direction or the other, so this is my guide for PE pants.
If your child has a slim build, shop at Carter's or OshKosh B'gosh. I find that the waist at both of those last two stores is narrow enough compared to the pants length that it's a reasonably good fit for your slim child.
If your child has a larger build, you'll want to get their PE pants from The Children's Place. Their regular active pants tend to have a looser waist.
The activewear pants from Old Navy are somewhere in the middle.
Conclusion
There are many affordable children's clothing stores mentioned above which offer slim, plus, and husky sizes to fit all builds. Whether you're looking for jeans for a husky boy, long pants for a slim girl, a plus size girls skirt, or anything else, you'll be able to find it online at the stores mentioned above.
In summary, for the most up to date information, the user should consult the original page at https://goodkidsclothes.com/childrens-clothing-stores-with-extended-sizing/