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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hate most kids clothes these days (lighthearted)

234 replies

TeenTitans · 27/04/2019 08:13

Babies and toddlers in ripped jeans, demon jackets, leather jackets and girls with huge bow headbands on to loudly proclaim THIS BABY IS A FEMALE CHILD. It looks ridiculous. Leggings, slogans, it's just all so tacky. I hate most kids clothes I see. It's so ugly.

Anyone else?

OP posts:
Original poster
TeenTitans · 27/04/2019 08:36

I am currently trying to find dungarees for my toddler boy which are not navy blue or grey.

Marks and spencers have a red pair currently if that's any good

OP posts:
Trinpy · 27/04/2019 08:39

What's wrong with leggings? Confused

I see this problem talked about a lot on MN but my dcs clothes are mostly from Next and George and I've never had a problem buying them brightly coloured plain clothing or fun prints. Although I only have boys, maybe it's different for girls.

Youvegotafriendinme · 27/04/2019 08:40

I couldn’t agree more. Poor kids look so uncomfortable. DS is 2.5 and I really don’t like slogans/character clothing so buying clothes is then so hard as all that’s left is plain dark colours. Next has been good this year for us though.
I have a friend who changes her baby’s outfit 3 times a day and he looks so uncomfortable dressed in shirts and jeans at a few weeks old.

ParadiseLaundry · 27/04/2019 08:40

YANBU about head bands in babies and anything uncomfortable like jeans on a small baby.

Yabvvvu about leggings, they are the most comfortable and practical clothing choice for babies and toddlers imo. I always put them in DS 3, usually bought from the girls section. Really practical or toilet training too.

I do put ripped jeans (girls jeggings actually!) on him but only when they have been ripped naturally by him Grin

Controversially (On mumsnet at least) I quite like dressing him like an adult, well, a brightly coloured adult I suppose. Most clothes are plain tee shirts, hoodies and he does have a denim jacket! My pet hate is bloody tractors, dinosaurs ands cars on anything that's for a boy and unicorns on anything for a girl.

Bodicea · 27/04/2019 08:43

I've never found it that hard to avoid all that. Boden, fruigi, joules- all in the sale out of season to keep the costs down.
Sainsbury's has lots of nice affordable stuff too. Their new baby range seem to have lots of Scandi inspired pieces with cute animal prints and lots of lovely grey cottons.
No slogans in this house.

borntobequiet · 27/04/2019 08:46

For some reason I missed your second post and kept reading to find out about the demon jackets, glad they’re not a thing.

MarvinMarvinson · 27/04/2019 08:47

'... either dress like a 5 year old in pink sparkly rainbow unicorns or she can dress like a hooker in a bum flashing mini skirt and tit flapping crop top.'

Where the actual fuck are you looking??? I have a 14 year old and a 9 year old and haven't had any problems avoiding any of these scenarios despite only shopping on the high street or in supermarkets.

I mean, fair enough if you can afford and prefer all the expensive brands mentioned in this thread, but to make out that where the rest of us paupers shop is awash with teeny hooker style outfits is ridiculous. I've just taken my kids shopping and found plenty of appropriate, comfortable and affordable clothing.

I mean, I'm sure expensive scandanavian/Italian clothing looks nicer but it's hardly a choice between that and looking like an underage pole dancer.

anitagreen · 27/04/2019 08:51

@MarvinMarvinson I have to agree with you my sister is 9 and doesn't dress nothing like what the op has stated she can only see. Matalan is also quite good for nice kids clothes and adults

IceRebel · 27/04/2019 08:51

DS is 2.5 and I really don’t like slogans/character clothing so buying clothes is then so hard as all that’s left is plain dark colours.

Really? I would have thought most shops on the highstreet, Primark, Tesco, Matalan, Asda and Morrisons would have plenty of bright colours without slogans to suit this age range.

Things like this

direct.asda.com/george/kids/tops-t-shirts/neon-yellow-zebra-print-short-sleeve-t-shirt/GEM654739,default,pd.html?cgid=D25M1G1C1

www.matalan.co.uk/product/detail/s2704321_c47q/kids-3-pack-t-shirts-9mths-6yrs-multi

direct.asda.com/george/kids/tops-t-shirts/white-ice-cream-print-t-shirt/GEM687532,default,pd.html?cgid=D25M1G1C1

cliquewhyohwhy · 27/04/2019 08:54

Next and M&S have lots of plain colourful clothes. I shop from a range of shops, even primark for nursery days! My DD only 3 picks out a lot of things, if she likes it and a t shirt is covered in unicorn glitter I Iet the girl wear it because she likes it. Clothes are clothes if we like something no matter what shop it's from it gets bought.

SarahTancredi · 27/04/2019 08:55

Its re
ally essy to just pick up leggings and tank tops/vest tops/t shirts . What's wrong with leggings?

H&m do 3 for 2 on stuff.

Dont get the issue with leggings a t shirt and a hoody. All easily available.

BikeRunSki · 27/04/2019 08:55

I also dislike the clothes (and the pink sparkly stuff aimed at girls) the OP describes. My dc are older now (DS(10) DD(7)), but I used to find plain brights and stripes/Scandinavia patterns from

  • Jojo Mandan Bebe
  • John Lewis
  • H&M (good for patternered baby clothes and great bright coloured chinos and striped Ts and PJs in the LOGG range for toddlers-8; also coats)
  • Next
  • Sainsbury’s
  • Asda - always used to have in striped hoodies for £3 ish. Cotton in summer, fleece in winter
  • Polarn o Pyret (investment shopping!)
  • Frugi (great patterns, generous fit for cloth nappies)
  • Kite (similar to Frugi)
  • No Added Sugar (TK Maxx)
  • Boden (always a discount round the corner)!
  • Seasalt (have started doing Breton tops for children again)
  • Mountain Warehouse (especially on
  • Gap ( sign up for emails, massive discounts all the time, use the website to filter out the tiny pseudo-collegiate/varsity stuff. Great for PJs and down jackets in the winter).
  • Tiny Vikings made to order, online, excellent fabrics
  • Toby Tiger
  • Bob and Blossom
  • Hatley
  • Maxomorra

For Next, John Lewis, Primark and Sainsbury’s, bear in mind, that that are targeting lots of tastes. Seek through the stuff you don’t like, there will always be something. Next tebd to have a range of gender neutral brights in the baby-toddler sizes for b/g twins.

H&M was my default shop for stocking up for DS for years. They cut for “tall and thin”. Unfortunately, now he’s 10 and into teen sizes (he is very tall), the clothes are all a bit grown up for him. Boden is a lifesaver in thus respect.

KateyKube · 27/04/2019 08:55

I buy quite a bit of stuff from Bonds (www.bonds.com.au/). It’s free shipping if you spend $100 (about £50) and there’s no customs to pay on kids clothes. Their Wondersuits are amazing for sleeping and lounging, and they do some great patterned leggings as well. They have regular offers, you can pick up leggings for a fiver.

I also buy Duns, Maxomorra, Frugi, Tobias and the Bear, etc as a PP mentioned. Usually wait for the sales. Loads of websites sell them with free delivery such as YesBebe, Babipur or Kidly. Mix and match with cheap plain T-shirts and leggings from the high street, H&M and Zara are good for those.

Also try Etsy, you can pick up some nice patterned clothes from shops like CottonBarn, MyMamaMakes and MonochromeMum. And again mix and match with cheap plain items from the high street.

If your kid doesn’t totally wreck the clothes and wear the knees out, there’s a good second hand market on Facebook for most of those brands too.

MeanMrMustardSeed · 27/04/2019 08:56

So pleased to see someone else who hates leggings! I can’t stands them and hope to avoid them.

DobbyTheHouseElk · 27/04/2019 08:56

H&M’s stuff is ok. JoJo maman Bebe is fab. But only goes to 5-6.

WeepingWillowWeepingWino · 27/04/2019 08:58

What’s the matter with leggings? DD has lived in them since she was tiny, they seem very practical to me and you can get (or you could, when she was younger) some great patterns. Thick, fleece lined ones for winter too.

bsc · 27/04/2019 09:01

I think my wannabe-goth 10yo would love a demon jacket actually! Grin

AlbusSeverus My 12yo girl also has similar issues- ended up with 3 pair of boys joggers and 4 long-sleeved tops from H&M boys' dept. But they're all grey/black/navy and she likes yellow! She chose comfort over looks, as that's more important to her.

TheFairyCaravan · 27/04/2019 09:04

I am currently trying to find dungarees for my toddler boy which are not navy blue or grey.

I've just done a Google search for "toddler boys dungarees" it camel up with red, yellow, checked, bright dinosaur print...

Kids clothes are so much better than they were 15-20 years ago when mine were little, especially the choice for boys.

Drogosnextwife · 27/04/2019 09:08

I agree about the bows on babies and SOME shops are producing clothing that is far to "grown up", especially for girls but I also hate clothes for kids that have patterns of dinosaur's, dogs etc covering the entire fabric, and I don't know why so many people want kids dressed in bright colours all the time. Why does it matter?

ScrambledToe · 27/04/2019 09:10

You're shopping in the wrong place OP.

Like emrys said there are some lovely clothes out there, online. My fave for tights atm is slugs n snails.

I refuse to buy slogan tees for my dc, or character images like disney.

Boden's not that bad, they do casual stuff to. Their shorts in the boy's section are always really good, both my ds and dd waer them.

BethanyGilbert · 27/04/2019 09:11

I don’t really get how this is light hearted? Do the brackets and meaningless word make it less silly that you are slagging people off for something harmless that does affect you?

Drogosnextwife · 27/04/2019 09:11

If people don't put leggings on their little girls, and I'm going to take a wild guess here and assume not many people are putting joggers on their little girls, what comfortable bottoms can little girls wear?

SarahTancredi · 27/04/2019 09:18

If people don't put leggings on their little girls, and I'm going to take a wild guess here and assume not many people are putting joggers on their little girls, what comfortable bottoms can little girls wear?

You raise a very good question!

I'm.assuming skinny Jean's
Joggers
Leggings
Leggings
Shorts

Are all out.

That's my kids entire wardrobe Confused

H&m do those heavy leggings which are thicker and dead comfy. Both mine live in them and are often on 3 for 2

WindsweptEgret · 27/04/2019 09:19

Why can't little girls wear joggers?

BikeRunSki · 27/04/2019 09:25

My DD(7) lives in joggers! She hates fabric tight against her legs, also anything too flappy! Slim fit joggers are all she’ll wear on her legs apart from shorts. Definitely to skirts/dresses.