To buy my son a cardigan for his school uniform

[clemetteattlee]

I was asking some friends about this last night and was surprised at the strength of some reactions so I thought I'd ask the Mumsnet jury.
My son is 4 and due to start full-time school in September. i have started to think about which bits of uniform to start getting him and thought I might look around for a boy's cardigan for him. In my head this is not that different to the hooded cardigan things he wears now, it just wont have a hood. It would be easy for him to get on and off, and might look quite cute.
Anyway there were lots of raised eyebrows when I suggested this last night.
Would you buy one (actually this would be tricky as no-one seems to sell them, but in principle...?)

Cross-post ER.

Does DH wear cardigans?

I think boys look great in plain cardigans, it looks cool if they're nicely fitted. I really can't understand why anyone would think it's odd for a 4 year old boy to wear one.

He does not. More's the pity.

I don't think that the aim of 4yr old boys is to 'look cute'! I suppose you might as well make the most of it before they stop humouring you.

I don't know, mine was quite keen on looking cute. Anyway, when he was in reception I sent him in a regulation logo-d sweatshirt. Then he spent most of the day raiding the dressing up box, there is a picture of him in his Early Years report thing wearing a pretty dress with "JuniorEndo likes dressing up as a princess".

They will probably look back at photos when aged about 12yrs and ask why you sent them in a cardigan - hopefully they will just laugh at the answer of 'looking cute'.

D'ya think Exoticfruits? ds1 sometimes looks at his first school pictures (where he is wearing a tank top) and I can honestly say he has never queried why he is wearing a tank top. Do you really think that 12 year boys will look back at old pictures of themselves and the first thing they would register is that they were wearing a cardigan?

I think they will laugh and humour you-mine know I am slightly mad anyway!

I thought of this thread today when DH texted me to say he had bought a cardigan and a jumper for DS1 at the school uniform sale. By the time I got home he had been back to change the order, as DS had complained that he would look like a girl. He is 5!

I wanted to get DS a cardigan when I ordered his schooluniform on parent's open evening. The PTA woman looked at me like I was trying to order him a studded collar and PVC trousers for his uniform. She said something like "Well, they come under girl's uniform. No other boys will be wearing them but if you really want to get him one..."

Made me feel crap so I didn't.

My DH has some cardigans and he looks great but I wouldn't buy one for a little boy I'm afraid, I do think it would open him up to teasing. x

Is this mn taboo of boys wearing cardigans only with regards to school clothes (not that I have ever seen it myself) because looking through ds2 clothes (1.6) he has loads of cardis, although none of them are schooly, most of them are stripey or patterned.

Only buy a cardigan for your ds to wear to school if you dont mind his tears when the other kids pick on him.
I made the mistake of buying a knitted jumper for ds to wear to school - apparently only girls can wear them, a cardigan is definitely worse (and not cute)

Baby boys look cute in cardigans.
Older boys look good in fashionable cardis.
School cardis on boys are NEVER a good look.

Also dont make the mistake of thinking a shaun the sheep lunch bag is okay for a boy when in year 2 - apparently 7 is too old to like sheep :(

It is hardly defying convention to buy him something from the list.

It is defying convention if he is the only boy in the entire school wearing a cardigan. I doubt he will thankyou when the observant kids notice. (not his class perhaps but the older kids will)

Why make your son look foolish just because you want to make a point?

one of ds's friends started primary school with cardigans (school uniform/sweatshirt type material/v neck/unisex).

Nearly every girl in the class was wearing them and just this one little boy. Within a couple of weeks he was in sweatshirts. The kids weren't purposely unkind, just curious and asking him why he was wearing a "girls" cardigan.

He did look cute in it, just think it was unfortunate no other boys were wearing them, and it was a bit much for a 4 yr old to explain they are for boys and girls every day.