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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think there's nothing wrong with character shoes and clothes for children?!

93 replies

Teeandee · 29/12/2018 15:43

Yesterday I saw an aggressive Facebook status from a fellow mum criticising others for buying their children paw patrol / spiderman shoes and clothes from cartoons that they like.

She was ranting away about how she'd not be seen dead putting her little boy in such things and labelled other mums "bums" for doing it. She's a single parent but never worked a day in her life so frankly i don't know how she can afford that attitude.

Shes insistent that her 15 month old only wears designer trainers and top brand clothes.

Aibu to think she's a bit of an idiot and not see the problem with character clothes/shoes as children grow so quickly it's ridiculous spending £60-70 on a pair of shoes they'll grow out of in a month or two.

Thoughts?

OP posts:
DanielRicciardosSmile · 29/12/2018 15:45

YANBU. Well, except for not picking up that she was stealth boasting about how rich she is, anyway.

ShalomJackie · 29/12/2018 15:47

Each to their own - I too disliked character shoes/clothes but also did not go to the expense of designer stuff for kids who grow out of them within a couple of months!

brusselsproutfan · 29/12/2018 15:48

Personally I hate it when people say kids grow out of stuff quickly. My DD is a size 9 and has been since July so that's already 6 months her feet have been that size. I don't buy cheap shoes anyway. I personally think character clothing is better for pyjamas and slippers rather than clothes but she does have a Frozen top and plenty of character dressing up.

Original poster
Teeandee · 29/12/2018 15:48

The thing is she isn't wealthy in the slightest. I know her and she's claiming income support, child tax and child benefit and getting by on just that. Unless she's up to something dodgy or extremely irresponsible with the money she does get then I don't understand how it's possible.

We're a working couple and couldn't afford to buy designer everything for the DC.

OP posts:
Thisonewilldo · 29/12/2018 15:49

I don't know how anyone finds time to worry about what other people's kids wear.

Mine have the odd character piece and pretty much all pyjamas are. It makes them happy.

Original poster
Teeandee · 29/12/2018 15:50

I absolutely agree with each to their own btw, it's the fact she was so nasty about parents who do buy character/cheap clothes that's annoyed me.

DS doesn't have alot of character clothes but he's certainly not in designer either

OP posts:
HighwayDragon1 · 29/12/2018 15:50

Ah so this isn't about character clothing, you're making a dig at benefits.

sunshineandshowers21 · 29/12/2018 15:53

i wouldn’t dress my kids in character clothes or shoes because i personally find it tacky, but they do have character pyjamas. my kids wear a lot of designer stuff but that’s mainly because my sister works in a kids designer clothes shop and gets 50-60% off - but you can get designer clothes relatively cheaply at designer outlets and shops like tk maxx.

Original poster
Teeandee · 29/12/2018 15:54

No not at all because we claim tax credits ourselves, I've also relied on income support in the past.

I just don't agree with the attitude toward parents who don't waste a small fortune on clothes and don't know how it's possible to even be that way inclined when on a small budget.

OP posts:
SmallBee · 29/12/2018 15:55

Yanbu, I personally don't like character clothes, or any clothes with loads of writing....

BUT my DC love them, are more likely to wear them, they're affordable and last for a while so I buy them for DC and don't wear them myself.

I don't judge other people for what they wear, mostly because I don't care but also because we all have different tastes. Facebook Mum is being a massive wanker.

ChristmasTwatteryDoesMyHeadIn · 29/12/2018 15:57

If everybody looked the same, we’d all get tired of looking at each other.

I don’t like many of the brands lauded on here, they’re not my or my kids’ style. Does that mean I think nobody should wear them? Of course not.

Stupid woman looking to put others down to validate herself. Block and move on.

whatsthepointthen · 29/12/2018 15:57
Biscuit
NaughtToThreeSadOnions · 29/12/2018 15:58

Yep each to their own. Bit that applies to her too. She doesn't have to like character clothing, she doesnt have to dress jer kids in it, calling other parents names for doimg so And her judging other people enough to rant about iy does make her a bit of an idiot and fairly unreasonable.
And yes given the finacial circumstances you describe i might be a little Hmm at how shes affording all her designer clothes. But you can get none character stuff from peacoks etc...

Lauren83 · 29/12/2018 16:01

Personally I agree on the fact they are really tacky and I dislike them but I don't give a second thought to what others dress their kids in. Not sure how you know she has never worked a day in her life though

Dothehappydance · 29/12/2018 16:05

All mine have or have had character clothing.

I don't like it all, the trainers are usually very plasticy and a lot of the images on tops very quickly fade and crack.

Lonecatwithkitten · 29/12/2018 16:07

Personally from about 15months I was just glad DD had clothes on regardless of what they were she spent so much of her time naked.
I could never and still can't get worked up about what children are wearing. Though as I allowed DD to choose her own clothes from about 3 it was a good thing. However, despite the random outfits she would dress herself from that point.
But then I don't own anything designer and spend all my working days in chinos and trainers so maybe it's me that's the odd one.

Original poster
Teeandee · 29/12/2018 16:11

@Lauren83 I know her well and have since secondary school.

There's styles of clothing I'm not keen on for little ones but I wouldn't dream of calling other mum's a bunch of bums and shitty parents if they chose to buy them for their children.

She was called out on the status and swiftly deleted it this morning replacing it with one saying just "phffffft mum bums"

OP posts:
Oysterbabe · 29/12/2018 16:11

I don't really like them. But my DD's flashing PJ Masks shoes make her ridiculously happy and I think a 3 year old should be allowed to wear shoes that make her happy.

Printerneedsink · 29/12/2018 16:12

I don't buy character clothing as it's more expensive than non-character clothes.

MoaningSickness · 29/12/2018 16:13

I don't like the merchandising at kids from TV shows etc, so I won't be putting my kids into character clothes until they demand them. Couldn't care less what other people do. But lots of people are judgmental about anyone who makes different decisions (as you are about £60-70 shoes). It's no different, you both need to learn to live your own life and let others make their own decisions.

Personally I phase people who are always judging others out of my life. I just don't need the negativity.

DaphneDiligaf · 29/12/2018 16:14

I would just reply it's so nice for the children to co-ordinate with the characters when we go to Florida. ;)

DowntonCrabby · 29/12/2018 16:15

Honestly in parenting there will always be some strong opinions. Most people get on with their own thing and leave other’s to do the same but there will also be a small group who try to impose their ideals on everyone else.
I never personally chose character clothing for my own DC but couldn’t have given a crap what other’s dressed their kids in.

It sounds like a lot of her own inferiority issues which a lot of these projection parenting opinions usually are.

Original poster
Teeandee · 29/12/2018 16:15

@MoaningSickness I don't judge people for spending £70 on shoes for their DC, I just don't like when people who choose not to do that are lambasted on social media and called bums as not everybody can afford to do that, or want to.

Its the attitude toward people who don't buy designer shoes that bothers me, not the fact people choose to.

OP posts:
Sowhataboutthat · 29/12/2018 16:22

How is kids wearing character outfits ‘tacky’? I don’t get it? They’re kids.

Snotonmyshirt · 29/12/2018 16:25

I actually cannot believe some of what I’m reading here. People not buying their kids a t shirt with their favourite character on it because it’s tacky?!?! Kids do not care about what looks expensive or cheap! My kid has a paw patrol jacket that she’s in love with and it wouldn’t matter in the slightest if I didn’t like it - it’s her bloody clothes and she’d choose it a million times over anything you’ve rummaged around in a tk maxx to find (so you can pretend to your pals it was expensive). You’re a stuck up asshole if you only dress your kid in a specific style. Let them be colourful