How and where do you find the perfect fit for your husky boys? Here’s a complete resource, from shirt to pants and more.
While you are all reading this I’m praying that my son didn’t go up a size. There are lots of articles out there what to do with an overweight child, and how to stop the epidemic of childhood obesity, but there is absolutely no help in how to shop for such a child. While I understand that dressing an overweight girl is more challenging I, baruch Hashem, only have experience with a husky boy. For those of you who have that challenge, this article will hopefully make that shopping process easier.
I’d like to think that the boys are fine wearing husky sizes; it’s the mothers that have a harder time.
Feel free to add your comments, shopping tips, and ideas in the comments below.
Underwear:
Since you usually have to size up so that the underwear elastic doesn’t dig into the waist, knit boxer briefs such as Gap’s work well since there is no leg opening that gets too wide.
These striped ones from the Gap, have the elastic in the knit fabric, making them more comfortable.
Pants:
The problem with husky pants is that stores don’t carry them. And since every child carries their weight differently, every company will fit differently on each child. The best thing to do is order from every single option in multiple sizes (sorry!) and try them all on. Once you find pants that fit, order more of them.
Pants must be ordered in “husky,” since sizing up doesn’t work well. Don’t be scared to order skinny husky pants (it sounds like an oxymoron) because most husky pants that aren’t skinny are terribly wide by the ankle (how fat do they think the ankles are?).
And remember: always search for coupons online before purchasing!
My favorites: For price and quality I prefer Children’s Place and H&M (though skip H&M navy since it’s not a good color. They do occasionally carry a great gray, but it’s not always in stock).
Note: H&M runs bigger. An Old Navy Husky 18 is like a 13-14 H&M
Children’s Place: Boys Skinny Chino Pants in Blue or Black (the jeans aren’t jeans, just a thicker fabric).
Old Navy: Built-in Flex Skinny/Slim khakis. These are available in classic uniform colors.
Tops:
For most tops it’s not necessary to look for husky sizes; you can usually size up easily.
Polo Shirts:
Crewcuts and Zara long sleeve polo shirts are usually too narrow for husky kids once they are over 10 years old. Short-sleeved shirts at Children’s Place, Gap, and Target are great options. For long-sleeved shirts, there are fewer options.
If you need solid-colored or striped polos with sleeves and without words, you have three options (as always, look at for coupons and sales).
Tommy Hilfiger – There are lots of choices usually in the outlets or online. Usually, you can find great deals on the striped polos, though the cuffs stretch out quickly.
Polo Ralph Lauren – Great options in solid colors up to size 18-20.
Brooks Brothers – These run the widest; size XL (age 15-16) is bigger than RL 18-20
Button-Down Shirts:
Shirts usually look better on big guys, but not all kids are comfortable in them. Colored husky-sized shirts for weekdays tend to be very wide. Usually, regular shirts fit fine and are cheaper.
You can buy colored shirts at Children’s Place, Old Navy, and Gap.
Once your guy outgrows those brands but isn’t ready for men’s shirts you can try Brooks Brothers or Ralph Lauren. They’re pricier but they run wider and bigger.
Sweaters:
Please no ribbed, no cable, nor crew neck sweater…it makes them look heavier! V necks, half zip, henley or button-down sweaters are better options.
These are the three best options for quality and style:
Brooks Brothers (for when you outgrow the other brands)
Swimsuits:
Surprisingly, this isn’t easy. If you size up the swimming trunks get too long.
But there’s great news!
If you have a guy that outgrows Gap and Target, you can buy these Old Navy Mens 8″ inseam trunks since they run shorter.
thanks leah!!
i want to add that old navy and landend carry husky size tops, which is great for long sleeves, as you dont land up with ridiculously long sleeves.
Can you help with Shabbas shopping? how to fit a suit, and whats the best white shirts that look good on the husky ones?
I find the sleeves of the husky shirts are very wide. Haven’t bought them in a while, I should try them again.
Shabbos Clothing will be’h be a different post 🙂
This post is gold! Just found it now – better late then never because this is very helpful even years later. Did you ever create an article for husky shabbos boys pants / shirts.
Very helpful web site and very much appreciated ! Thank You!
lands end has a very large selection of husky – even shirts, which i find to work really well bec. going up a size in shirts means the sleeves are too long.
Good to know. Thanks for sharing!
My problem is pants too long! I have to go shopping this weekend, my 4 yr old’s 10 husky not fitting!! He is somewhat over weight but really y’all too. But pants in that size just to long!
Yessssss! I need short and wide! Lol But seriously the length would be too long for me
Did you get an answer regarding finding pants husky and short? I’m in the same boat. He wears a 12 husky but he is short.
I have had really great luck at JCPennys boys husky clothing. My son is 12 and short. He has been wearing husky for a couple years and the Arizona brand doesn’t seem to be cut as long as others.
I just found this show with true husky sizes my grandson son y yrs needs 34 waist and 18 inseam. Impossible but at this shop they say he’s a 6h. No adjustments should fit almost perfect. Daniel Jacob, Husky Fashions. I’m so excited. A bit pr but if they fit with no seamstress great
Try Daniel Jacob Husky Fashion. My 6 yr old is 34 waist and 18 inseam. The size he wears and I sew it too fit is a men’s medium. At this store a Boys 6h.. no sewing either and waist should fit. Almost cried. Pricey but so is seamstress
to momof3
don’t know where you live, but in lakewood, His Place sells boys husky sizes in suits and shirts. they are reasonably priced, washable, wear well, and even let you mix and match jacket and pants sizes.
All pull on cargo pants at Jcrew are working so well on my 7 year old he’s currently in size 10. We also love the Uniqlo pull on pants.
Shabbos suits from Jcrew have been working amazingly so far as well- those are sold as separates so you can do a 12 jacket and 14 pants.
Try ordering a pair of husky pants, it might sit much better. And great tip about Jcrew sizing. Thanks for sharing!
Kohl’s has many options for husky tops and bottoms.
Lands end has great husky bathing suits as well.
I’m looking at them now. When the size says M (10-12), I look at the size range on the chart and it can vary from the size 10 to the size 12, so where does the 10/12 fall?
Used to b a Flatbush store called Touchdown. The proprietor Mrs Zaks was famous for fitting husky boys and not making them feel self conscious. Wish such a place existed nowadays!!
In Boro park, in Regency Men’s wear, I watched a husky boy get fitted with a suit. It was done with such tact. He walked out feeling great about himself regardless of the size.
Hats off to Regency Mens wear for working with this young man and making him feel great ! In today’s society kids that are of husky size are made fun of , especially in school . Every kid wants to feel accepted and liked. Often these children portray a mad attitude , for not being able to dress in cool clothes like other kids , not wanting to initiate a conversation with other kids for fear of being ignored . We, parents/grandparents( like myself) would love to see a store that caters to our husky kids. To help and show them how to dress in all kinds of cool clothes . Self- esteem is a must in our kids ..they are tender and vulnerable..today’s society , especially in school , is not kid friendly . Clothing is a big part of their lives. Again , Hats off to Regency Mens wear for making a difference ..Thank you for being so kind .
Touchdown was legendary and predated all of today’s stores! It was the only place to shop for clothing when my boys were growing up! Bebshi Zaks was in a class of her own! Every child was treated with the utmost respect and she genuinely cared that the boys should walk out feeling good about themselves. She also was a genius with the fit. I miss that store!!!
Ah..touchdown with the famous book covers that they would give the kids, don’t think I have seen a book cover in many years:). The store was a legend and Mrs.Zaks was a queen in how she treated each and every customer. It was as if you were royalty when you shopped. The sensitivity exhibited to my brother who was quite husky and Down syndrome and easily excitable was unprecedented. My parents until today speak about the Midos that Mrs. Zaks has and it’s been almost 35 years since we literally grew out of Touchdown. They don’t make people like that anymore.
Bebshi Zaks is a role model for how all store owners should treat their customers. She had the uncanny ability to look at a boy and size him with her eyes. She remembered the boys previous suit sizes. The most exceptional thing about her was the way she treated every customer. The respect, genuine kindness and time and effort she accorded each customer was in a class by itself. Every boy and mother walked out of Touchdown feeling like a million dollars. She ran her store in a way that was inspirational to everyone that shopped there. She would direct customers to other stores when she felt that she could not properly fit the child. Shopping in Touchdown was an experience that I have never come across again. It is a privledge to know her.
Why is there not another store. like that . There are so many kids today that are of husky size , mostly because of no exercise.This is partially due because of kids not being able to play outside ( they can’t/ is not safe ) because both parents work.Todays society , and other kids ,are not kid-friendly. These kids are so tender and vulnerable and self-esteem is a major part of their lives . Dressing in clothes that fit are a big part of their existence. Plus it’s one area that we ( parents/ grandparents like myself) can help , given the right tools and expertise of folks that know what to do in this field .. being compassionate and friendly..Again , a store like this would greatly appreciated especially from all of us in south Louisiana! Thanks again to Regency Mens store for taking their time with this young man and making him feel great !
To the mother who said that she needs shorter and wider- I bought my son the target brand (cat and jack) husky pants and then took them to a tailor to shorten them. The size that was the right length wouldn’t really close on him, so we had to go up a size. Someone advised me to do this with t shirts too, but I haven’t done so yet.
Great idea depending on how much. My issue is waist and hips fit nothing else does. Inseam is almost 15 .inches too long and crotch length wrong. Seamstress are expensive too with so many alterations
I like going to The Suit Shoppe in Lakewood for that same tactful and friendly service you are describing here. My son is on the husky side and with lots of patience (and expert tailoring) the team at The Suit Shoppe always manages to make my son feel and look handsome.
Would love to see an article like this for “slim” boys.
Zara fits super well for slim kiddos.
Landsend is a great place to shop for husky sizes for boys as well as for girls
I have also found that for my preteen son who carries his weight not only in his waist but also in his behind, that Levi;s Husky jeans fit his body well. The waist and inseam are conveniently printed on the label like adult jeans.
Thanks for sharing this!!
Ok my grand son wears an 8 in the waist in regular sized jeans so what size in a husky would I get?
Zara makes some slim trousers that have an elastic waist but can pass as a uniform pant
I also size up and hem
The local boys clothing store in Crown Heights, Boytique, sells Adam Baker school pants in husky. Works perfectly for my 6 year old. They also have Shabbos suits with husky waists and skinny legs that fit really nicely.
1. Stay away from Skinny/slim fit no matter the size. Same goes for horizontal stripes they just draw attention to the wrong parts of the body. Dressing properly for body type can shave pounds and add inches.
2. You can easily to go TJMaxx (same thing at factory outlet just cheaper example my chinos MSRP $110 TJMaxx $10 sale/outlet $80) by WELL MADE men’s chinos that will last decades (in a waist or 2 sizes bigger and length) and have them tailored. . at the very least hemmed (I hem my own chinos). You can have 1-2 inches extra in waist and let the cuff out of the pants as he grows. Proper cuff has 4 extra inches to be let out.
3. A belt will keep the pants up and on the waist. Tucking the shirt in will also allow you to buy longer shirts which he can grow into (rolling up the sleeves when too long or too short will also help lengthen life span)
4. Mainly just buy well made clothing and stay away from trends and fads. Dont be afraid to thrift shop. Shop smart end of the season/quater sales.
Great article, comments and tips. Just wanted to add a couple of things and ask a question. For budget conscious shopping and a grandson (10 years old) who is hard on clothes (smile), I’ve found some good buys shopping on line @ Walmart. I just ordered “boys husky school uniform short sleeve polo, 2 pack value bundle” @ $9.88 each, in size XXL (18-H) in both white and navy. I also shop @ Lands End (the high end affiliate of Sears) but best to buy early (before the school season) as their sales disappear a week or so before school starts. My question – any suggestions for crew socks that don’t cut off ankle circulation (smile)? I realize I could just buy ankle socks, but in the winter (since I live in New England), it would be great to find a brand of crew and knee socks designed for the bigger boy. Thanks.
Great suggestions! Thank you. I currently bought him Memoi crew socks and sized it up 2 sizes. Once its washed they fit him great.
Does Husky mean the waist will be bigger? My 5 year old is in a 7 but going into a 8. The length of a 7 is perfect but the waist of an 8 fits. Please help!
Yes. However sizing is always trail and error. Some brands run longer than others and I’ve had to cut and hem lots of pants over the years.
Hi! Great article…I buy my husky son suits by that’s my boy in Flatbush and I find that she fits him really nicely and with respect.
Question. When ordering from H&M how do you know you are ordering husky? I’m not finding an option for this. Also thanks for this article there should be way more out there on this.
Also JC Penney’s sells husky underwear. My son said he loves them.
Agreed! My sons favorite!
I’m sorry, it looks like H&M discontinued the husky line.
H&M still carries a ‘generous size’ line as well as skinny fit generous size. Great article with lots of useful information. Thank you.
H&m pants fit nicely when you size up. My 10 year old wears thier reg size 14 and is an 18 husky in different brands
Hey, I want to purchase a baseball jersey for my husky son, would you like to suggest any?
I know this is an old thread but it was helpful to me and I want to add my own advice. My son is super tall as well as husky and he wasn’t fitting into any boys husky sizes. I started looking into men’s sizes but they all start at 28″ inseam which is too long for him. Then I discovered the store Under 5’10” (cedarhurst, they are online too) which makes clothing for short men-or tall husky boys 🙂 Pants look great and fit is very slim and flattering. They are not cheap but if you get 3+ it’s less, similar price to David Oliver (also great husky pants btw…they run a little wider than most but still fit like skinny pants). Good luck to all in pants shopping and the new school year!
We used to buy our son husky pants, shorts, and jeans from Gap and paid to have every single pair hemmed. Thankfully, Landsend allows you to select the inseam on their uniform pants so we can order them to height and save a step!
I appreciate you taking time to write and share this article!
Thanks for the tips. My 9 yr Old is already red headed and freckled… In the past two years he has had a huge froth apart. Going into 4th grade he is 62.5 inches (5’2.5″) tall and 150 pounds… He is a January baby, so he is in the middle of his age grpup/rank. It is so hard to find clothes. He loves statement clothes and bright clothes, lol.
*growth spurt…. Dang auto correct on my phone is so weird.
Been having a really hard time finding shabbos pants for my very built 4 year old. Tried a bunch of the links above but most not available anymore or not available in his size, as husky seems to start around size 8. I Tried literally every company out there and nothing fit right even with sizing up.. but just found pants on zara! If anyone else out there is looking for a wider cut shabbos pants for a wider waisted child.. checkout Zara.
-elastic trim chino pants black
-plain dark gray pants
My boy is 170 lbs and 5’3″ I’m having trouble finding husky pants and actually for me too cuz we can wear same pants.any suggestions and be respectful plz.ty.
Following this thread. Anyone can share updates for boys husky underwear?
Thank you for this article! I have a 5 year old boy who wears a 10/12 husky, and has a long torso and short legs so it’s super hard to find shorts, swimsuits, underwear, and pajamas to fit him (pants can be hemmed). I have only found a few pairs of husky pajamas and am about to go crazy! Surely other boys are his size and wear pajamas? So far Walmart has some but all are out of stock. Found 2 pairs at JC Penney, but that’s it. Amazon search gives nothing! Any tips for this mama?
I have two husky boys and want to give everyone a great tip we stumbled on if you’re in Florida. We went to visit family in North Miami Beach for a simcha and went to the big local frum clothing store, and they have husky suits and white, button down shabbos shirts!!! We were treated so nicely and my kids didn’t feel badly about their size! They and I all felt so good when we left the store. Such nice people. It’s called Clothes n Bows (not just for girls. It’s really a giant family dept store, alsmot like Macy’s but tznius). It sounds like the Touchdown store everyone was talking about above in the comments.
Sooo I didn’t realize that husky sizes were a thing until finding this post. My son is on a medication that makes him gain weight, and we had been buying him size 14-16 pants to fit his waist (he’s tall but he’s still only 7 years old!). Now he wears Children’s Place husky size 12 — not only do they fit like a dream, they’re so much less expensive than where I was shopping before (for the same or better quality). THANK YOU FOR THIS BLOG POST! New biggest fan!!