To be starting to think that girls clothes are shit?

[Sockstealer]

Basically I've been looking at clothes for my nieces, I'm also pregnant so I've been thinking I could be having a daughter this time.

I buy most of my ds' stuff from Next or H&M, there's loads of cool, trendy and practical stuff. Functional coats and shoes, tshirts with Lego, dinosaurs, super heroes and funny pictures or slogans, sensible trousers.

I'm looking at the 'girls' sections and most of what I can find is what looks like somebody has vomited a load of pink, glitter and sequins, pictures of birds and cats, daft slogans like 'think pink'. Leggings and more leggings (I mean they're not going to keep your legs warm), shiny fluffy coats with leopard print or sickly pink that's going to show up every mark. And what characters are there, frozen or hello kitty?

Is there a shop that I don't know about that sells better stuff?

I had to give up looking because all the pink was hurting my eyes, and even the stuff that isn't pink is smothered in hearts or fairies.

Expensive but cool

Says Girls but totally unisex

And yyy to 'girly' being a derisive term. I spend a lot of time saying to DD 'pink is just a colour'...

It has to do with your comments about not wanting men's jeans which would be too baggy of course.

And conversely...many parents on here complain about t shirts aimed at boys with things like "Here comes trouble!" on them and nothing bu images of monkeys and robots!

When really there are loads of things out there.

Well, if you give your own child the message that clothes are clothes and it doesn't matter what the shop says it's "for", then they won't care.

DD will often head straight for the boys' section in Next when we go in there and will choose her own stuff from there. She knows that shops label stuff but doesn't care. And if people say to her 'it's for boys' she says right back at them 'it's just clothes'. Same with toy ads. She notices that some ads only show boys playing with the toy (cars, gross magic, nerf guns, ordinary lego) and some only show girls (MLP, Lego Friends, bakery stuff), and we have chatted about how labels are ridiculous and limiting and 'stuff' is just 'stuff' and it's for everyone who likes it.

I shop in the men's section sometimes depending what I want -eg a fleece - hate the fitted impractical pastel coloured things for the 'ladies'.
And my girls have too ...I agree I hate lots of the girls clothes -too many sequins etc - get plucked easily or printed on designs that don't survive the tumble drier well - or when I used to iron I'd always catch with the iron.... I know one of my DD's friend's mums complaining about the same thing - wanted plain clothes to go and muck out horses - not pale pink and sparkly.
I remember when my DDs were crawling and wanting cheap joggers for them in the house. The boy's cheap ones - navy, the girls pale pink..pale pink for crawling ...I'd be insane! Same when older DD1 was playing football - pale pink tracksuits for girls!!! Sensible navy ones for boys.
DD2 (7) likes wearing plain hoodies - with a black or black and white striped t-shirts and black leggings. Plain hoodies, not pink were impossible to find until I came across them in the boys section in George in Asda. (And then they replaced them with ones with brown shoulder pad things -so they do look like 'boys' - grrrr)
DD1 (13) has a top from Primark - a grey fleece pull on thing. It was a boys and it was on the sale rail for £1. We were buying things for guide camp (so warm and you are happy to get wrecked) -it was too big really but ok for a camp. She has worn it every camp/activity weekend etc for the last 4 years - when I picked her up from the last one, I noticed it is now more fitted and actually looked really good on her...
H&M used to be ok - I got some really nice things for mine over the years - bit sad to hear that they aren't anymore...DD1 now buys her own clothes mainly with her friends and goes to Primark or New look etc - and as I said I can't get DD2 out of black at the moment so not really shopping around much!

I don't really get your point. My dds dress in what they like. Boys joggers, unisex Timberlands or Docs or Converse, skinny jeans, t shirts with a stripe, character from something they like etc, hoodies, leggings with denim shorts over, jersey dresses, cords. mainly from h&m and gap. They don't look like a box of glitter exploded over them, but they do have floral prints, Sofia the first stuff, a couple of Frozen tops. (They do boys Frozen stuff too).

I get the 'pink stinks' is something people feel strongly about, but I say that it is simply enforcing the view that a girl child who likes to wear Next or River Island's particular style of tutu skirt and glittery top type clothes, is somehow wrong and needing to be saved from themselves and put in bloody sacred Polarn O Pyret or whatever so they don't - god forbid - grow up to be obsessed with their image and become something hideous like a beautician or something
yes, because wearing a top with a few sequins and a cat on teamed with leggings and a hair bow directly affects their brain and makes them shite at maths and unable to read
But if you put them in BOYS stuff from the BOYS section they will be clever like a BOY and do BOY stuff like science and engineering!!!!

It's sad

I also do not get this 'girls clothes are too tight and don't fit properly' ... What??? Buy a size up then? My dds are little slips of things, skinny jeans aren't actually skinny on them, they can't really wear tights because they look awful all loose around the ankles, they're in 2 years down from their actual ages in clothes - it's my experience that kids clothes both boys and girls, are way too generously sized!

Claw hands you're taking it that way, but that's not how it was meant. Believe me I'm the last person who'd say 'run like a girl', that phrase makes my blood boil. I've also used the term boyish. The only reason I might equate girly to lesser in speaking about clothes is because the so called girls stuff is imo far less practical.

And I can't believe some of you think that leggings are warm!

Seriously thank you for the replies and thoughts, it looks as though aibu although unfortunately I don't think I'm going to change my mind on this one, certainly not about the shops I've looked in.

I have a black clad dd too Unlucky and she's only 10! I had a few disagreements about it with her as it seems too grown up but we compromise on a splash of colour with each outfit.

I find this interesting as Next and H&M always seem to have loads of choice for girls where I am. I find Next do a few pinkish ranges, mini adult style and bright coulour ranges every year. Don't buy much from there as a lot of it is impractical/too grown up despite colour (in my opinion)

Boden do lovely warm trousers for girls (and for boys) - in every colour under the sun almost.
Gap and John Lewis do good, colourful clothes. As do H&M, and Sainsburys, though quality varies.

DD (9) bought herself a top from the "boys" section of Gap today, because she loved it.

Oh and another point. For Summer for girls it's either dresses or shorts that are too short.

I KNOW you can buy from any section that you like, and great to those of you who's ds/dds are happy to shop in the opposite sections. But I don't know many children who would/do. Ds knows that boys/girls stuff is bullshit, but he also know that there is pressure from other children and other adults.

The fact is that you shouldn't have to shop in the boys section for your dds because the 'girls' stuff is so crap. You shouldn't have to buy a size up because the girls tops are tight or the shorts too short. There shouldn't be gender sections and if there has to be then they should be better and more neutral.

Claw my DD2 is 7!!!! (it is DD1 who is 13) and I think it looks too grown up too - she is also a dress refuser...
best compromise I can get is a dark green or grey hoodie (but she still prefers her black one - sadly it seems to be 'in the wash' for a very long time !)
I put a few things of DD1's away for DD2 -eg a lovely purple striped hooded top - DD2 looks at them in horror..they aren't black!
Hoping she grows out of it soon... DD1 had a 'black stage' can't remember exactly when but she was definitely older and it didn't last long ....

There is plenty if you just ignore the shit. Which is pretty much how I shop for myself. Yes, there is some shit girls' stuff; all Little Princess and lurid pink. And, there is shit boys' stuff; Trouble and monkeys. But there is masses that is not like that.

DD won't wear anything but leggings and I find them practical (toilet, running), cheap, not tight/rubbing/chafing and warm enough. A long top and leggings covers all eventualities.

If you don't want to buy into the girls' and boys' shit, don't and buy your DS and DN clothes they would like from whatever section you want.

I've always found it ridiculously easy to buy clothes for my daughter ,mainly from Sainsburys, Tesco, asda, primarks. Some of it is pink, but then I just see pink as a colour, without any negative connotations.
Leggings are warm and very comfortable. I buy my daughter (and myself) the thick ribbed ones for winter, worn with boots and long jumpers.

I'm not even saying that there is anything wrong with pink. Just that there seems to be an overload of it. There were tops with slogans think pink, and, pink is not a colour it's a state of mind. It's some of the shades too, like pale pink coats.

I think I must be a strange lone voice, and I haven't even started on so called girls toys and the bloody gender role stereotyping. Although I think that one is easier to overcome.

I will have a look further afield although sometimes it's just a out cost and what's local.

Hmm I get all my DD's clothes in Next and she has never worn anything pink and glittery! Her winter clothes are all navy and yellow. Summer stuff was mainly red and blue. I've also got a lot of non pink stuff from H&M. Agree that it's sometimes hard to find warm trousers though, although DD has some lovely soft, fleece lined jeans from H&M. Jojo Maman also does nice navy clothing, Sainsburys has some non pink girls bits... I've managed to dress DD for 12 months!

Surprised by many of the message on this thread, I totally get where you are coming from.

I have a 4YO DD who adores pink and purple, and a 5YO DS who used to love them, but now doesn't go anywhere near them.

This very distinct colour division just didn't exist in my day.

Well, if you give your own child the message that clothes are clothes and it doesn't matter what the shop says it's "for", then they won't care.

LOL, if only. My DD would never be persuaded over into the boy section, no matter how much I tried to tell her 'clothes are just clothes'. She has her own opinion on the matter! And sadly, it's not just the message they get home, but the message they get from society as well, which can be a lot more powerful.

I hope and expect the whole pink thing is just a phase for my DD that she will grow out of, but I don't deny that I find the pinkafication / segregation of children's clothes and toys quite insidious.

I get it too. I bought my dd loads of stuff in h&m baby section but now she is 2, I find it really difficult to find things as girls section in h&m is just as you describe. I totally get why you would not want to venture into boys as a gift for niece as rightly or wrongly the boys label might put off your niece or their parents or both. There is some ok stuff if you look hard enough though.

I am very much against labelling toys for boys or girls but but boys and girls are different shapes (not so different as adults of course!) and it is perfectly reasonable to expect to find something not adorned with glitter for a girl in the girls section.

I am a bit tight so like to shop cheaper where I can but do love Zara childrens clothes and think they are a bit less bling in the girls section. They are online so worth a look?

Ignore the aisle, ignore the badly designed clothes. Buy the clothes that suit the purpose you need.

Example: When my DC were babies/toddlers girl pyjamas were mostly either pull over the head tops or had a button at the back of the neck. I thought that would be uncomfortable for a baby sleeping on its back.

However baby boy pyjamas did up with buttons on the shoulder and older baby/toddler boys had lovely tartan brushed cotton pyjamas with traditional button through shirts easier to take off a vomit covered child much nicer.

And I did stray into the boys section when I wanted navy jogging bottoms and the girls section had run out.

I avoid slogan tops because they a pita to wash.

I buy a lot of my DC clothes without them being with me so they wouldn't know what part of a shop they've been bought in.

Maybe try a larger store? I am not fond of pink glittery stuff either but I finds loads of cool stuff for DD in my local Next and H&M which are both quite large.

M&S sometimes has nice stuff too, although most of their collection will probably hurt your eyes!

Leggings are really convenient. They wash well, dry quickly, comfy for going about in and can be warm enough with some tights underneath.

I'm not that bothered about pink girls clothes, some of them are quite nice.

What pisses me off is things like pink cycle helmets, pink wellies, pink rain suits etc. The manufacturers know that these are the sort of items that parents pass down to other children, it would be nice if more companies made these sorts of items in a variety of colours - red, yellow, purple etc.

I'm with you in that I'm not keen on pink, frilly clothes or extreme gender stereotyping but my little girl is 2, has lots of lovely clothes and none of it I have bought is pink, frilly, glittery or leopard print. I'm also aware that she will come to an age where she may choose these styles for herself, so I'm making the most of this age! I think you're looking in the wrong places. Check our the scandi brands (I would include H&M in this), Little Bird at Mothercare (my favourite and probably the cheapest on my list), Gap, Sainsburys, Jo Jo Maman Bebe, Boden, Frugi. Some of these are a bit pricey but have great sales. Also, lots of jeans / cords / jackets are totally unisex anyway I think. I'm not sure what I'd dress my little one in during the summer if not dresses, skirts and shorts and I've never found any of them to be too short (and I have a tall girl). Oh, and leggings are great under dresses and skirts for warmth (I don't particularly like them on their own either). I reckon if you shop around a little you'll find the right brands for you.

Op, YANBU. I know exactly where you are coming from.
You've had lots of good suggestions already, but one more is TK Maxx. It's really hit or miss, but over the years I've picked up some great stuff, particularly Lego brand.
Regarding shorts, I totally agree. Girls shorts are very, very short. I got some lovely comfy ones in gap last year. Nice stretchy cotton, in a load of colours (even pink)

OP I 'think' leggings are warm because I wear them myself and I find them very warm.