Do you let your little boy wear dresses?

Without starting unecessary stress/drama - I would start to introduce the idea that whilst in theory we can wear what we like... there are certain expectations.

You can talk him through uniform for school or certain jobs he'll have seen people do, clothes for mucky play, dressing up clothes and costumes for certain games (and bring in that actors do all sorts of dressing up if he's seen pantomime at all or tv shows where characters are obviously in costume) - party clothes... formal smart clothes for smart places...

Just drip feed this idea that clothes really go with the activity more than the person/gender (tailor that as necessary!) and why the wrong clothes for the activity can spoil your fun - as that is currently what is most important to him!

My son age 4 was obsessed with having a pink dress with butterflies. This was in the late 90’s. I relented and bought him a second hand dress which he absolutely loved - he danced around and twirled away despite the mocking of his big brother. He wore it once to creche and I suffered some very disapproving looks from the other mums!

Well he grew out of that phase within a few weeks and today he is a wonderful husband and father on a 2 year old with another on the way 😊

My dd and her male cousin were born a few weeks apart. My dd loved frozen and dressing up and we’ve loads of photos of both of them wearing dresses. They’re both teens now and no harm done

My sons wore lots of dresses from the dressing up box when little . I took them shopping wearing whatever they wanted .

I think mocking little boys for wearing feminine stuff is part of how society teaches them subconsciously that feminine things and girls are ‘lesser ‘ .

My daughters were / are interested in cars and dinosaurs .Why wouldn’t you be ?
The girls dressed as male superheroes too , especially as Spider-Man when on the climbing equipment in the playground…

Everyone did like a cape ! The capes got fought over … 😂

I the context of dressing up it's absolutely fine and no different to a little girl dressing us as spiderman. Personally I wouldn't provide dressed as daytime day clothing.

My nephew around the same age loved playing with his sister princess dresses. He’s now a wonderful teenager who basically lives in joggers.

He also played with most of her toys, mix of pushchairs, dolls, train sets and cars. He was 3 it’s meaningless it’s only us adults that believe girls /boys toys. Children just want to play and enjoy.

Aww my lovely boy was a fantastic chubby and stout Anna for a while when he was 3/4. His older sister was Elsa obsessed and they'd reinact scenes from the film. Loads of school pick ups I'd take him dressed as heavy Anna. He's 7 now and I've not seen him in a dress for a while but does occasionally dress up as his sister. He's quite stereotypically 'boyish' in most ways atm, not that I give a shit.

He’s only 3 there’s nothing wrong with him wearing fancy dress when he’s out and about with you, including to the supermarket or on the train to London.

Mine wore his sparkly dress out on a country walk with me recently. We got lots of smiles and hello Elsa comments from passers-by.

Chances are this phase will pass very quickly, enjoy the cuteness while it’s here!

My manly engineer brother spent a solid year when he was 4/5 obsessed with my Snow White costume and plastic high heels. It was a phase, he was copying his big sis and he was allowed to explore that phase safely and in a loving environment where he was not made to feel ashamed or like he needed to question why what he was doing was wrong. Even if ds does grown up gay or questioning his gender, that will have nothing to do with playing around with his cousins in a dress… your DH is projecting.

Why are you posting under a different username OP?
@FanofLeaves

I think the Trans issue has really changed how I feel about this sadly. My youngest DS went through a Frozen/ glitter / princess dress phase when he was about three. I just let him have fun, it lasted about six months and he's now a very happily male 11yo. But now I think I'd worry that people would start foisting 'born in the wrong body / you must have a girl brain' gubbins on him so would probably feel more cautious.

I have one DS and two DDs.

It’s a less common occurrence now they are a little older, but for a long time, DS just wanted to play with his sisters 🤷🏻‍♀️
So if they were dressing up in princess dresses and having a pretend tea party, he’d absolutely throw on a princess dress and get involved. Zero problem - it’s just kids playing together.
I treated DS no different to my girls when it came to costumes outside of the house - if it’s appropriate for the occasion? Fine. If he wanted to be a princess for Halloween, or had been invited to a princess-themed birthday party for example. Again, it’s just kids dressing up.
If we are going out for dinner, or it’s a special occasion like a family party, everyone is wearing proper clothes. No one is going out in a dress up costume regardless of their sex.

Give your DH a copy of The Boy in the Dress

Mine used to often prance about in dresses and little plastic sling backs when he was playing make believe games with his friends. No problem at all. Other days he’d wear a lion outfit or be Buzz Lightyear.
The only problem I have with it is when people start saying nonsense such as “he may be born in the wrong body”.
Kids can dress up however they like and it doesn’t need to be a big deal, it’s just pretend.

My eldest went through a very short phase of dressing up as Cinderella. I let him wear the dress in the house. He asked to wear it out, I said no. That phase very quickly passed and now he wouldn't be seen dead in a dress.

As long as my 2 year old is clean and it's weather appropriate, he can wear what he likes. Sometimes he doesn't care but other times he really, really wants to wear a certain top or whatever and I just shrug and let him.

I think it depends on the child. There are children who wear what you put them in, and there are children who have VERY strong opinions about what they will and won't wear. If you have the second kind, you pick your battles - he's clean, warm and dry, but I'd personally prefer joggers to leggings (more hard-wearing), and the 'no short-sleeved t-shirts' phase was annoying. Basically, though, if it doesn't actually matter, I'm not going to make it into a battle.

No, to be honest. Dressing up probably wouldn’t bother me but I definitely wouldn’t be skipping down the street in a Frozen dress!

My boys wear dresses, tutus and fairy wings. Usually to dress up at home, but occasionally when we're out and about. They also wear knight, dragon and spiderman costumes etc.

My adult brother used to do the same and is a "conventional man" these days.

Children like to play and make believe. It's only harmful if you approach it in a harmful way.

To be honest this is completely alien to me and wouldn’t have been allowed in our house. My brother would have had the piss ripped out of him had he done this where I was brought up. Times clearly have changed.

It’s all a lot easier when you have dc of both sexes around the same age. They both played with everything. Ds wore whatever he wanted at home (or didn’t - we had a full nudity phase too) but I wouldn’t have encouraged princess dresses etc at church, or among people who would have commented negatively. That was actually the point I dropped a few people from my social circle. I was wary of the school yard too because that was the kind of thing that could “stick” to your reputation when I was in school but I think it’s much more acceptable now, and I doubt anyone would bat an eyelid on the school run.

I’ve no idea how he’s turned out - he’s yet to show any interest in either girls or boys. 😂

I have no issue at all with the dress but these kinds of threads always amaze me with the amount of parents who let their 2,3,4,5yo's who pick their own clothes.

We'd have been leaving the house with non weather appropriate / non practical / dirty (😮) / dress up clothes if I let mine decide at those ages.