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AIBU?

Fed up with tiny boy clothes section, in the drabbest colours possible, in stores.

51 replies

Olympiathequeen · 22/10/2016 11:31

Half the size of the girls clothes section and almost exclusively in blue, black and grey.

Girls clothes mostly the inevitable pink, but also plenty of bright primary colours.

The the drab colours that pee me off the most.

Boys 3 and 8. Ok so older boys are more conservative, but 3 year old doesn't notice whether he has clothes on or not, so I could have a lovely red or yellow jumper or shirt and pick him out in a crowd!

Am I alone in this?

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BravoPanda · 22/10/2016 11:40

Next clearance had a lovely range of brights in the boys section last week, but you're right, generally it's all blue grey and black. I think Primark and Asda do some much brighter stuff a lot of the time, and I noticed peacocks do too. But it's getting as bad as all the girls stuff being sodding pink. Almost impossible to buy unisex clothes anywhere now.

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WildDigestive · 22/10/2016 11:42

No, not alone. I remember meeting a friend for a coffee just after I had discovered I was pregnant with a boy, and she went into a shop to buy clothes for her son, and I was aghast at the line of sludge-coloured clothes with macho slogans/diggers/male superheroes. It seemed to be saying 'Boys, here's your lot - you're stuck with minimal self-expression, compulsory machismo and khaki, blue or brown. Don't even think about any other bit of the colour spectrum.'

There are actually alternatives (DS is now four and today is wearing a bright, striped handknitted jumper, a red t-shirt with a campervan and green trousers) but you do have to look harder, and often pay more. But I agree it's depressing.

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deathandtaxes123 · 22/10/2016 11:46

I agree but I do love Zara for DS who's 3 and Cos for a special occasion.

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Pineapplemilkshake · 22/10/2016 11:46

I agree, as DS got older I found that Next, H&M etc all had v dull colours for boys, so I started buying from Boden, Name It, etc. Now he's 9 and won't wear Boden as he thinks it's babyish, so I'm back to square one.

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sleepyMe12 · 22/10/2016 11:48

Sainsburys and tesco is where I get my boys clothes from. Lovely greens, oranges, yellows etc

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wobblywonderwoman · 22/10/2016 11:48

M&S have the occasional brighter top. My ds is wearing and orangey/red grandad style top today with no diggers or whatever on it.

I agree - too much grey about!!

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EnthusiasmDisturbed · 22/10/2016 11:48

Ds now longer fits into younger boys clothes and the colours this year are really dull I don't want him wearing grey, mustard and bottle green

I have always had to hunt around for bright clothes. I found the best shops to be Sainsburys (but awful dull stuff at the moment), asda, h&m and gap (the sales are very good) and boden but they are expensive (again good sales)

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TheHubblesWindscreenWipers · 22/10/2016 11:50

Where are you shopping? Polarn y pyret, Asda, Tesco, boots, next.. lindex etc... all have great brightly coloured stuff. Tkmaxx and matalan too

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VestalVirgin · 22/10/2016 11:50

What age are we talking here? Toddler age? Why not just shop in the girls section? If, as you say, there's stuff there that's not pink ... though of course boys can wear pink, too. (I would just refuse to buy pink that is marketed to girls out of principle)

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AudreyBradshaw · 22/10/2016 11:54

Frugi do some lovely bright coloured stuff. Bit dearer than supermarket stuff but from what I've heard washes well and lasts ages. Can't comment on it personally because the dc who is to be clothed in frugi hasn't been born yet.

Fed up with tiny boy clothes section, in the drabbest colours possible, in stores.
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scrivette · 22/10/2016 11:55

I find, especially in the Autumn, all the Reds and greens and yellows are very sludgy colours, not bright ones and I find them so dreary!

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bruffin · 22/10/2016 11:57

Always got DS ( and DD) clothes from Verbaudet and La Redoute. Lots of nice bright tops etc although i dont get the angst on MN about different clothes for boys and girls. DS had mediterranean colouring and bright colours suited him best

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MrsKoala · 22/10/2016 11:58

I have got some lovely bright reds and turquoises from Boden this year for my 2 and 4 yo. And some bright greens/acid colours from Gap.

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InTheseFlipFlops · 22/10/2016 11:59

God yes!!! I love Toots a mcginty, polarno pyret, Frugi, and river island is hit and miss. But they are expensive. Now my eldest is approaching 7 I've noticed that the nicer clothes stop at 5 or 6. Its now 7-16 which is boring and dull. Why can't they extend their bright and 'fun' range until 9?

I was in sainsburys this week, half an aisle was boys clothes. Three were girls!!!!!!!!
Every shop seems to be the same, so i guess its due to people buying less clothes for boys?????????? There must be a reason they do it?

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liquidrevolution · 22/10/2016 12:00

Littlebird at Mothercare. Nice bright clothes - DD lives in this stuff and boden supplemented by the odd bright thing I pick up in supermarkets.

H&M used to do good bright basic tops etc but has gone all drab and grey for both girls and boys in the last year.

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InTheseFlipFlops · 22/10/2016 12:01

Ive looked at girls clothes before to buy for ds but they have little details that give it away, darting on the shoulders, little bows or daisies.

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bruffin · 22/10/2016 12:05

inthesefitflops
the verbaudet/la redoute stuff goes from 2yrs to 14yrs

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cherryplumbanana · 22/10/2016 12:17

I agree that the boy sections are ridiculously small, and there is very little choice.

However, I really struggle to find items I like for my boys. I hate bright colours, and everywhere is brash or garish colours, horrible tacky prints of spider/bat/super man or whoever is fashionable that week. ou can't even find decent shoes without prints and colours.

I absolutely would not dress my boy in girls clothes! What a ridiculous idea. My 2 yo already know the difference between boys and girls clothes!

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Olympiathequeen · 22/10/2016 12:37

I did actually try the girls section, but even the nicer unisex colours has girly logos (unicorn type thing) or pink bindings.

It's the little boy clothes I want more colour in, but even big boy stuff is mud coloured. T shirts seem to be fine and multicoloured but we need some jumpers, trousers and sweatshirts.

Maybe it's to depress us further as the grim winter approaches Sad

Tried primark and M&S and tesco but need to look more closely for the one bright spark!

I would love orange but can't find any. Cheap clothes are better here as 3 year old is always covered in glue and paint and I usually tumble dry shouldn't according to the label to save faffing.

At least I am not alone Grin

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OlennasWimple · 22/10/2016 12:47

I agree! It's so annoying walking into a children's section and finding two thirds taken up with girls clothes, with boys given so much less variety and interest.

European brands seem to be much better.

Comfort yourself with the thought that boys shoes are much sturdier than girls...?

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Chottie · 22/10/2016 12:55

I have this problem too. Racks and racks of girls clothes and then half a rack of boring camouflage sludge coloured clothes.

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TheTattoedHand · 22/10/2016 12:56

So buy the bright stuff in the 'girls' section.

Just clothes. Won't make his penis fall off.

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EsmesBees · 22/10/2016 12:58

Have a look at the Scandinavian brands: maxomarra, PoP, frugli (sp?). Bright colours and often unisex. They will seem expensive, but wash well but can be sold easily on FB or eBay.

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Artandco · 22/10/2016 12:58

I have never found this. Just shopbon different places? It's like how I wouldn't buy myself clothes from many stores as they are horrid but lovely in others. Mine are wearing age 5-6 clothing and haven't had an issue so far.

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ohidoliketobe · 22/10/2016 13:00

I think it's the season. Ds' (2) summer wardrobe was full of bright coloured tshirts and shorts which I didn't struggle to find - Next, H&M, Tu are our usual shops. But A/W stuff is very much dark blues, greens and browns in all the shops.

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