Attention thrifters! Availability of boy's sizes 7 and up?

[E_Monkey]

We've been very lucky finding boys' clothes in sizes up to 5 so far at thrift stores and garage sales. I hear that the larger sizes are hard to find. Should I stockpile when I find them? Or wait until he's closer to the size?

[Zamboni]

It does get thin at size 7 and up for boys. Their growth rate slows down to the point where their clothes end up trashed more often than not. Try to find out when the local city's Mothers of Twins clubs have their sales, as they tend to sort by size, which is nice.

At some point for the larger boy sizes it does often work out better to get things on super clearance at the end of season and save for the next year. Eventually your son(s) will get to be men's small or medium size, and then the pickings at thrift stores get good again.

[Bob W]

Its impossible around here.  You could try sourcing on the used clothing sites?

[LiveLean]

What you'll find as your boys -- boys, not girls -- get older is that they need fewer clothes. We buy next to nothing for our 10 and 12-year old.

As infants, toddlers, and in the 5 to 8 range, they had tons of clothes between gifts (way too many), and hand-me-downs from cousins and neighbors (way too many). When they get to the 8 to 10 range, they're content to wear the same clothes every day and you have to force them to change clothes. Our 10 year old tried to get through fourth grade last year without wearing long pants. (He made it to February and were it not for an unseasonably cold winter here in FL might have done it.)

Whenever I evaluate minimalist/capsule wardrobe recommendations I can't help but wonder if the author was inspired by tweenage boys.

[Trifle]

Yeah, it gets really thin for boys pants after age 7 or so -- they just wear them out.  This is really the only article of clothing for our whole family that we have a hard time finding in thrift stores.   I agree with LiveLean, though, that most boys don't seem to need/want much.

We are lucky because one of our local thrift stores keeps a rack of school uniform pants -- plain khaki and plain navy blue pants -- all sizes for $1 (!)  Unlike regular boys' pants, those don't get worn out, and are all in perfect condition.  Good brands too -- Lands End, LL Bean, etc.  DS -- 9 years old -- tried them on and liked them, so we bought four pair.  He wears the navy ones for playing (navy is great for hiding grass stains) and the khaki ones when he wants to look nicer.

Other than these trousers, I will probably buy him a pair of jeans and a pair of sweat pants at Target, and call it good for the year. 

[ELE_Erin]

I stockpile at those sizes, especially pants without worn knees. everything past size 4 has been harder to find on the used market for boys, so when I see something in good/great condition in a style that appeals I buy and have bins for bigger sizes. I also have a spreadsheet for each bin marking how many of what size I have (ex. 5  pairs of jeans, 2 sweatshirts, 5 long sleeved tops, 1 swimsuit, etc) so when I go to the big consignment sale I can look at the lists and tell at a glance what I'm missing for the larger sizes (ex, boots/snowpants needed in size 8) and can concentrate on looking for them so I don't end up with a lot in a particular size. (the inventory sheet idea was detailed in one of the Tightwad Gazette books by Amy Dacyczyn)

[MayDay]

Nothing around here.

But 2 hours away at MIL's I found a great consignment store that had nearly new boys pants in all sizes!  I bought DS 3 pairs of name brand jeans (not that brand matters when you are 8) for 7$ each.  Not exactly garage sale prices but still cheaper than Target on clearance.

I no longer stock up on pants because my kids have needed slims, then not, then slims again, then suddenly grow and skip a size completely (DS just went from size 5/6 to size 8 over one summer, his size 7 pants will hardly get worn, what a waste!).  Shirts and dresses can be stocked up on because they will always fit.