One of these things

is NOT like the other!  After doing the happy dance that I finally found a brand and size of jeans that my son approved of, my high hopes of being able to "buy off the shelf" were quickly dashed. 

{really long} Back story:
You see, my middle child does not like, nor wear, labels or band-name anything.  I don't know why, and I am happy that he doesn't have to wear the latest fad to fit in, believe me.  However, it makes purchasing on his behalf {without him} almost entirely impossible.  Recently he has had a growth spurt and needed some new jeans.  oh joy.  In the past couple of years, the only jeans he liked were the Sears brand, and the only location that had the denim wash and size he liked was at the MOA.  Remember, I didn't claim he wasn't picky. 

Because he is in no-man's land between youth and men's sizes, the hunt was on...  again.  We spent many Saturday mornings trying on jeans.  Him tossing them back over the top of the dressing room door, me running back to find another size or colorwash. I'll spare you the "child injured by security tag without a proper cap: story at 10" story.  Imagine my surprise and excitement when he suddenly appeared, door flung open, a smile on his face and we found a WINNER!!  Levi's. Great!  29x30. No belt necessary.  No exposed underwear.  Medium denim colorwash.  Something standard.  He could remove the label if it really bothered him, but this Momma was elated that we finally found something that almost every store in the 'hood would carry.  This particular pair of jeans was discovered at Sears.  On sale.  I would have liked to purchase two of the very same jeans, right then and there, but as luck would have it - no other pair existed.

Fast-forward to a couple weeks ago.  I thought I had struck gold again.  Levi's were on sale at Kohl's.  Bonus!  I could run an errand over my lunch hour, hopefully find the correct size and color and voila, a second pair of jeans {so the first pair didn't have to stand up on their own in the corner or be peeled from his body to wash}.  I digress.  That's a whole other post.  First trip.  I got the 550's instead of the 505.  Rookey mistake.  Last week, I am thrilled to report I was able to find the 505's, per above-stated requriements. 

A few days go by and I finally get him to try them on.  Well, let's just say...  my mouth hung open when he declared, "they don't fit!  I cannot even button them".  WHAT?!   {insert some frustrating comments from Momma here}  Certainly that cannot be true.  I check the size. Again. Brand and number. Again.  I just don't get it.  Until I check the tag, thinking that perhaps they were mislabeled.  They certainly were not, according to the label, but get this....  they were made in two different countries!!  and the USofA was not one of them.  Levi's.  American label.  Made in America, right?  Guess again.

Colombia and Egypt.  Yep, same stupid pair of jeans, one trademarked and the other registered.  Same fabric and style.  Wrong fit.  One very, very frustrated Momma.

...to be continued.