To have bought DS these trainers for school?

[AveAtqueVale]

DS showed them to SIL on FaceTime earlier and once he'd gone she gave me and DH a massive lecture about how he'll be teased and bullied for such girly shoes. Tbh I'd thought they were fairly unisex? They fit the school brief of 'mainly white,' and his teacher's brief of 'please no laces' anyway. Is purple now off limits to boys as well as pink?! He's six, he likes shiny things, and picked these himself out of 3 or 4 pairs I showed him.

I've been stewing on this all evening (clearly). To clarify, I'm not actually worried he'll be bullied. Just more wondering if my judgement is totally skewed!

Don't schools stipulate white as black soles can mark floors?

I think they’re retro not gender specific
The colours really remind me of runners we had in late 80s/early 90s 😂

I'm usually the one saying let them wear what they want, but these are girls trainers. I get now a days there's no more 'girls and boys things' but I wouldn't put them on a boy.

Yeah they're girls trainers, sorry. It shouldn't matter but it does. Kids can be cruel.

I think a child is welcome to wear whatever they like as long as it makes them happy.

In answer to your question, if I was to look at them, I'd assume they belong to a girl.

They're also bloody awful looking, boys or girls.

But if he likes them, he likes them. Kids can be cruel, though. I can see that he'd be a target for kids to call him a girl etc.

DS would wear those, definitely. They are absolutely fine!

They will get dirty in the first day no doubt. I don't think my 7 year old would be seen in them but everyone is different 🤷

They'd be totally fine either way in our primary school but my friend's kids go to one where this sort of thing is policed relentlessly by the other children. They're completely rigid about stereotypes and friend's dd was bullied for getting her hair cut above shoulder length.

I cant see what makes them "girly" but enough posters have commented that I'd assume in that sort of environment they'd be read that way.

God it's sad. If your school is less gender obsessed they'd be fine though.

I'd suggest to her that if it means so much to her, she can but him a new pair 🤷‍♀️

The pearlescent overlay on the side combined with the lilac does make them rather feminine. It shouldn’t matter, but if another child does notice...
Perhaps keep these for home?

To be honest I'd say they were more girls' shoes than unisex.

They are indeed "fairly unisex" - but not actually quite unisex, the pink shiny bits suggest a girls/women's trainer. They are also fine for a 6yr old boy to wear for PE.

The other kids will know these are for girls.
That's what matters, not what a bunch of women on MN think.

I know it's 2020, but I wouldn't have put those into the ones he could choose from as they are quite 'girly' , but he chose them, so just go with it. They might not like do girl IRL & on.

YOU are meeting YOUR schools criteria, it doesn't matter what other people's schools do or why you school want white. Honestly🤦🏻‍♀️

They definitely look like girl shoes. However, if my DS picked them i would buy them for him.
He used to love pink and lila (and red, orange etc. basically anything shiny).
A couple months before he turned 6 he started saying he doesnt want to being the purple or pink water bottle to school anymore because his friends said they are girl colours.
So now he doesnt bring those colours anymore. He wasnt really bullied over it, they just made some comments.
I think as long as DS likes the shoes and doesnt get comments or isnt bothered by comments just let him wear them.

FFS the views on this thread are why kids think they need fucking sex changes.

"The pink shiny bits suggest a girls/women's trainer"

Are 6 year old girls feet markedly different to 6 year old boys feet? We HAVE to stop perpetuating this crap!

Op they are fine. If your son is questioned on with idiots saying they are "girls" shoes teach him to ask why etc.

Sadly have to agree that other kids may view them as girls shoes. Also I don't think they fit the "mostly white" criteria, they don't look like any school shoes I've ever seen.

I hate the whole pink/shiny is for girls shit. Kids should wear what they want. But I Also live in the real world where all sorts of shit can bring you down.

I think he will be fine - I wouldn’t expect 6 year olds to care that much. Different story if he was 10.

OH is happily wearing these.
His reasoning? They were very cheap and comfy.

He's a 50 yo builder.

Let the kid wear them if he likes them. I actually work in a school and kids give much less of a shit what others wear than people on here/parents assume. Especially at 6.

Ps if a school tolerated a boy being taunted for those shoes I would come down on that school like a ton of bricks. Schools should not be allowing such attitudes to be so prevalent.

They're absolutely fine, all 3 of my nephews aged 2 to 9 would happily wear them. And I'd have no issue with my son wearing them if he picked them.
Why do people still insist on assigning colours to genders, it's ridiculous!

They look fine to me. My son would have worn them at that age.

They’re trainers, suitable for all 6 year olds regardless of sex. Why are so many posters thinking they’re for girls? What a load of sexist stereotype crap.
If your boy is happy, and the trainers meet school requirements, there is no problem and he should wear them

I don't understand how they are girl shoes? they look fine to me OP - my partner wears pink shirts and has purple polo shirts etc.

you've had some bizarre comments on here. hes not going to get bullied for those shoes. I dont remember associating lilac with being a girl at the age of 6.

If your son wants them and they fit the school brief then I say go for it.
Best case scenario, not a peep for any of his peers, maybe (gasp!) some other boys even like them.
Worst case scenario, he gets teased for wearing girls' shoes. Well here's a chance to explain a little bit about the way the world works (some people think purple is only for girls), how the way the world works doesn't always make sense (which is ridiculous because anyone can like any colour), how its up to him how much attention he wants to pay to that (but its up to you because boys can wear shiny lilac shoes if they like, there is nothing wrong with that). Of course, I'm envisioning low-level teasing among 5 year olds here, nothing more sinister.
The older my son gets the more I despair at the overwhelming majority of clothing and shoe choices for boys - navy, blue, khaki, grey. Skateboards and dinosaurs and sharks. Even the bloody pants are all grey and blue, stripes if you're lucky. Little boys like bright colours and shiny things and glitter and sparkles just as much as little girls - and who knows maybe there are some 4 year old girls out there pining for a set of 5 pants in navy and grey marl.
I digress - support your son, the shoes are fine