To think boys clothing in high street shops sucks?

[Squareroot]

Two boys, 10 & 7. Am a firm believer in using our high street shops - use it or lose it and all that. But on a trip to Exeter this week (John Lewis, H&M, Next, Debenhams) I couldn't find anything COLOURFUL for my boys. Everything is drab - black, grey, brown, grey... there is NO colour. Contrast that with the girls sections and it just seems wrong. Girls get pink, red, yellow, blue, green, multi colours! I want to support our high street retailers but really struggled to find anything fun and just ended up coming home & going online. A friend recommended Five Boys & St Berts. Anyone got any other suggestions - apart from Boden, which I love but can't justify...

I find once they are above 8 or so it’s even worse. Pre teen and teenage boys clothes are virtually non existant in actual shops where you can try them on (as opposed to online) and where they do have then they are so boring and predictable!

The sort of stuff sold by UK high street shops vs the stuff stocked by Scandi kids brands and small Etsy shops. The high street has a bit more choice for girls but boys clothes are dull, dull, dull.

Ug I hate this too and am always complaining about it. So much grey and brown... And the worst is the army print, which seems super common here in the US.

I'd love to buy everything from this site... www.primary.com/

Surely they are just clothes. So what if they have signs that say 'boys' or 'girls'. They are just clothes

Made me wonder what the queen would look like in leggings!

Buy what you like

That's the issue - shops don't sell the type of clothes that parents want so we buy second rate as close as possible clothes which in turn keeps the shops churning out the same crap -

i actually disagree that girls clothes are all pink and sparkly, maybe the younger girls but older girls is the same as older boys (as in 7+) black brown dark green grey and all very grown up looking, my dd 7 loves pink and sparkles and its impossible finding anything other than really grown up preteen bland clothes.

I’m surprised so many are saying sainsbury have bright clothes for boys-ours today had shades of grey, sludge and murk.

I really like Kite and H and M.

I forgot George at Asda, have had some great colours from there.

I actually only buy cheap basics from high street shops, like socks and vests, or plain T-shirts and jeans. Anything nice and non-basic is bought online.

YADNBU! I hate most of the boys clothes with the dull colours! And wh6 dues everything have to have a bloody dinosaur on it?!!

Yup Sainsbury's primark H&M I like. Still find the odd thing in m&s too

Oh I totally agree with you! I much prefer buying for girls over boys as the choices are just nicer.

I don't like little boys having to dress like grown men.

Maxomorra, Duns, Kite, some Boden. My boys are 8 and 10 and still pretty bright

At least boys' clothes are designed so they can get them on and off. You' be surprised how many girls' dresses fasten at the back. DD doesn't have school uniform (English state primary) but needs to wear clothes she can change herself. That significantly limits the selection (at least at the price I'm willing to pay!) - she, at least, likes pink, else we'd be stuffed.

Especially true once you get to the "older boys" sections.

Threadless t-shirts are pretty good, if pricey. You can put them with the more grey stuff.

TBH DS1 who is 10 has refused to wear most colourful things for the last year or so anyway.

Sainsburys do lovely bright clothes that are very good quality and hard wearing. Next do so many, so so many lovely clothes for boys. All bright and colourful. Primark do tons too if you dont mind the poorer quality for 'expendable' bits and bobs.

Frugi (25% off right now) Maxomorra, Duns, Kite are all good.
H+M probably the best of the high st although still far from good.
Boden I buy on sale when there happens to be a £10 off that stacks with a 25% off.
I also buy lots of things in end of season sale in the next years size then stash away. This means I can afford organic ethical clothing as I wouldn't normally be able to pay full price.

Agree fully with Sainsbury's they're great and last ages. The shoes especially are fab wearing and 25% off at the moment makes it very worth while.

I too despair. My son turned 7 last summer and all our normal go to shops for bright colours go sludge from 7. I look in girls and boys sections but at 7+ the girls stuff tends to be really girly.

Scandi brands are good but expensive and there is a brand called molo which does funky prints.

At least boys clothing doesn't have BLOODY UNICORNS on them.

I make my own. I buy bright plain tshirts in Primark and DS and I design vinyl to go on them.

Sometimes we buy women's tops in Primark too as he loves some of the Friends/Disney ones. Children's girls tops are cut different and are very slim fitting which he won't wear.

Frugi has 25% off so I accidental ordered some colourful bits my son will love.

@needsanewname

My son has a unicorn top 😂

Pickbu,com is your answer.
Lovely bright colours, unusual designs, my boys look great in their stuff. Small family company based in Devon.

I really like Sainsbury’s clothes, and little bird by jools at mothercare is lovely for younger ones.
Polarn O Pyret (spelling?) is great too.
I have also found some smaller brands through my local market, Little Hotdog Watson and What Mother Made are incredible, but not cheap.

Boden does some nice, bright things for boys.