NEW YORK — It takes a lot more effort to get that "I-don't-care" look than teen and tween boys let on.

Disney Channel Worldwide noticed it when courting teen boys with its just-launched network Disney XD — the boys they studied noticed whether pants were slim-leg or boot-cut, and if T-shirts tout the right extreme sport.

"As much as kids like to be 'individual,' there's a conformity among the group they're in," says the show's costume designer Shelley Mansell of Disney XD's "Aaron Stone." "For boys, there's an eternal search for the best jeans, coolest T-shirt and best pair of sneakers they can find."

That attention to detail makes teen and tween boys just as fashion-conscious as the girls their age, and retailers are tapping into that market by creating a studied casual look.

Moise Emquies, founder of Mo Industries which includes the labels Ella Moss and Splendid, recently launched a boys collection called Splendid Mills JR based on the success of its hipster menswear collection.

Meanwhile, mass retailer The Children's Place has put an increased emphasis on "fashion" for boys, even adding pink to its upcoming offerings, because boys — just like everyone else — seem to have an appetite for what's trendy, says A.K. LaMonica, senior director of apparel.

"Boys are more complex than entertainment companies have given them credit for," says Kelly Pena, vice president of Disney Channel Worldwide brand research, who interviewed, watched and tracked preferences of boys around the globe for 18 months. "They are highly influenced by what their friends like, what their older brothers like, athletes and role models."

And don't forget girls.

"You're around your peers every day and always trying to impress the girls," says Kelly Blatz, the emerging heartthrob who plays younger than his 21 years as high schooler Charlie Landers and his super-spy alter ego, Aaron Stone. "It's easier now that I'm by myself a lot, but I remember me and my younger brother ... we'd sit there for half an hour trying to figure out what looks cool."

David Lambert, on-screen little brother Jason, is in the midst of that struggle now.

A mere year ago, he says, he couldn't have cared less about his look. That's changed now that he's a high school sophomore, sporting a little bit of a Euro look he picked up while filming in Toronto.

"I think almost every guy would say they dress for the girls, but when I'm with my buddies, I still try to look good," says 15-year-old David.

On this day Blatz is wearing white boot-cut cords, a red-black-and-white flannel shirt and clunky leather shoes.

It takes longer than you'd expect for him to get ready in the morning, he acknowledges. "You have to think about not thinking about it. You'll say 'just threw it on' but you always threw it on for a reason."

Boys will roundly reject anything considered girlie, but they'll go far to make sure the sticker on their skateboards live up to the standards set by their friends, Disney's Pena says. They just don't want you to know how much attention they've given to the details.

Mansell says the wardrobe department researches a variety of sources to find out what's "cool," from Teen Vogue to NBA games — and anything relating to surfers and skateboarders carries the most weight.

Surf polos with a well-washed vintage look are a key part of The Children's Place spring and summer collections, says LaMonica. "We had been more conservative in what we were offering to them, but we're finding they are more open to fashion risks."

Pena thinks boys are a demographic with growth potential.

"I think there's a huge opportunity for boys, especially in personal grooming," she says. "I don't know if companies have tapped into that yet."