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AIBU?

To think baby boy clothes designers are lazy?

31 replies

PhoebeGeebee · 28/08/2016 16:08

Pregnant with first baby (a boy) started to look at some items to start buying and am struck by clothes designers obsession with baby boys and items of transport. Trucks, cars, buses, planes, boats - you name it, it's on a t shirt or a babygrow.

I don't mind the odd item, and I get that boys do like trucks and cars etc... the older they get, but why surely there could be some variation for babies!

Girls clothes tend to be quite pattern heavy, and I don't see why this can't be the case for boys too. There's something about the whole gender assumption thing that bothers me - and I know I sound like a bit of a twat. AIBU?

OP posts:
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MrsTerryPratchett · 28/08/2016 16:10

Boys and girls are pretty much the same for years. Just buy clothes from the 'girls' section if you like them more.

I wish there were just children's clothes. Would solve all this nonsense.

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MimiSunshine · 28/08/2016 16:11

No I agree. I had a girl but when I was pregnant I was looking at boys clothes and wondering why they all had to be shades of blue with just the occasional red and green thrown in.

There's a whole spectrum of colours that could be used even [whispers] pink 😳 That would be lovely on a boy and not remotely girly

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yougottheshining · 28/08/2016 16:15

Agree with you. French clothes are nice - really lovely things that are specifically for babies without being for either gender and not too cutesy either. Just a warning - if you think it's bad now, in a couple of years it gets even worse - sludge sludge and more sludge, plus army commando patterns. Yeah, because I really want my child to be in the armed forces, just because he's a boy. Hmm

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BubsAndMoo · 28/08/2016 16:15

Maybe boys like cars and trucks and stuff because they're socialised from birth to believe they should like them, because even their baby clothes have them appliquéd on.

Crazy idea I know.

Dress your baby however you want :)

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sandylion · 28/08/2016 16:16

I thought boys clothes were terrible but now I have buy frugi, kite, picallilly, little bird, maxomorra and other Scandinavian brands. Love a bright baby!

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ElspethFlashman · 28/08/2016 16:16

Boys clothes are disastrous. They can either look like preppy little Ralph Lauren types with pullovers and braces, or cartoon characters.

But girls clothes are worse tbh. It's ridiculous when even a plain white top has to have a ruffle or a puffed sleeve. God forbid they don't look girly at all times.

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ElspethFlashman · 28/08/2016 16:17

Little Bird is my favourite too.

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Iguessyourestuckwithme · 28/08/2016 16:18

We dress Dc2 in some of his older sisters clothes. So he has bright colourful leggings, some nice plain/striped/patterned tops, a few warm cardigans.

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yougottheshining · 28/08/2016 16:19

This site has some really nice colourful stuff for babies and children of both genders: www.loveitloveitloveit.co.uk/

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SlinkyB · 28/08/2016 16:20

Try the Little Bird range at Mothercare (Jools Oliver's brand).

Totally agree though. Last Christmas Boots had a clothing catalogue out which had a page with the headline "Clothes fit for a princess (or prince!)"

Or something like that. Just confirmed the designers always think of boys as an afterthought Angry

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neonrainbow · 28/08/2016 16:21

sainsburys have some nice gender neutral things/not sludgy boy clothes. stuff with koala bears and things.

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SimplyNigella · 28/08/2016 16:21

I agree, it's harder to find lovely clothes for boys but they are out there. DS generally wears unisex clothes, the Scandinavian brands are great (Smafolk, Maxomorra) as are Tiny Cottons, Bobo Choses, Beau Loves and on the high street Zara are good, some H&M and Little Bird at Mothercare.

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yougottheshining · 28/08/2016 16:21

Agree about Scandinavian brands. But then Scandinavians in general seem to have things pretty sorted, so it's probably no surprise that their kids clothes are great too.

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Spudlet · 28/08/2016 16:21

I agree. I don't mind the odd tractor but it gets repetitive fast!

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5minutestobed · 28/08/2016 16:23

I agree OP I actually took this pic in Boots the other day as I couldn't believe that literally everything was blue!
Try some Scandinavian clothes, maxomorra are fab. Polarn o pyret(sp?) or frugi all do lovely colourful stuff.

To think baby boy clothes designers are lazy?
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Jammiesrock90 · 28/08/2016 16:25

I hate that there is hordes and hordes of girls and a small amount of boys asda is the worst for it. Your lucky to make it out of the girl sections not covered in pink glitter

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MrsJoeyMaynard · 28/08/2016 16:25

I wonder how long it would take the clothes designers to stop making baby clothes with transportation on if everyone just stopped buying them?

There are less gender specific baby clothes out there - or at least there were a few years back - but they're harder to find.

Having said that, my almost 3 yr old son will almost always pick a t-shirt with a vehicle on it when he's picking out his clothes for the day, if there's a vehicle option available to him.

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Moonrocks6 · 28/08/2016 16:26

I personally prefer boys clothes. Can't be doing with the varying shades of sickly pink that all girls clothes seem to be in.
I have really struggled with nice gender neutral baby clothes without spending a fortune or sticking to grey/beige.

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crayfish · 28/08/2016 16:28

I think girls clothes are worse to be honest, everything is pink and flowers and ruffles and quite impractical stuff - why would a four month old need a frilly dress?!

Boys stuff is criminally boring though. All DS ever has on is joggers/jeans and t-shirts and the t-shirts are mainly animal print based or the usual trucks/cars/tractors. I love patterns like stripes and stars and thinks but it's always just a blue t-shirt with a picture of a tractor on it. Sigh...

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SlinkyB · 28/08/2016 16:29

Oh, Monsoon are the worst for having a "Children's" section which is 90% girls! We have a store nearby which does NO boys stuff, but lots of nice girls stuff. It's like they assume women with boys won't want to spend a bit of money on them Hmm

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crayfish · 28/08/2016 16:30

Jojo Maman Bebe have some nice stuff though actually, DS has some lovely things from there and Zara isn't bad for more neutral things in non-sludge colours.

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BillSykesDog · 28/08/2016 16:31

Sainsbury's do really nice boys clothes. They seem to have a bit more imagination about the patterns and have animals and stuff as well as the usual cars etc. It frustrates me that the choice for boys is much narrower though.

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sandylion · 28/08/2016 16:34

Boots are normally a better high Street choice so disappointed by that photo! Sainsbury also decent!

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PhoebeGeebee · 28/08/2016 16:42

Thanks for all the suggestions! That's my rainy Sunday afternoon sorted.

I've bought a few bits from Sainsburys, and JoJo seems pretty good but been quite shocked at everything else. I'm not looking forward to age 2/3/4 where everything is vehicles or slogans telling me how much trouble/how noisy/ he is. Grrrrr.

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roseteapot101 · 28/08/2016 16:44

i noticed this to it seems you need to really look to find the nice stuff

i really like mothercare

www.mothercare.com/newborn/little-bird-by-jools-good-night-sleepsuit/LJH350.html?cgid=clothing_little_bird_newborn

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