To think boys clothes are mostly ugly?

[4boys1978]

Random shower thoughts (or bed thoughts, whatever) at 2am.

I have 4 DS’s. Their ages range from 6 months to 8 years.

I’ve noticed I really struggle to find bright, colourful clothing that I actually like for them. I mostly have to order online from next, frugi, JoJo and similar brands.

Whenever I just pop Into primark quickly I can never see ‘nice’ things for boys. Girls have tonnes but never boys! What’s that all about.

Boys seem to be stuck with camo, cars, dinosaurs or really dark colours. It’s all a tad strange.

AIBU? Has anyone else noticed this too? It drives me crazy

totally agree. i don't like obviously gendered stuff, i despise the pink girly "be nice" crap twee junk brainwashing on girls stuff, and i detest the camo donis rockets "i am a big stwong tough boy!" guff on boys clothes.

slogans, cartoon characters, all that shite? as gross as designer labels. kids are kids, not bilboards. so much kids clothing is vile but boys clothes have way more a share of the dreck

I actually feel the opposite. There are plenty of ways to dress boys nicely, but I just can’t believe how limited the range of things for girls are. DD is 7mo and so often it is unicorns or nothing. I just despair. DS is 5 and I always think he looks smart when I have done a shop.

In primark the selection was either overly babyish for kids up to 4 tops- then black!

It gets worse as you get into teenage. Sludge colours, awful cut and nasty materials.

DS is slim built and hasn't had trousers that fit him for years. H&M is closest but he still has 20cm of fabric bunched up around his waist.

I've found some fleeces and sweaters for him at budget level equestrian clothing brands. County fairs can be good for t-shirts and jackets although there haven't been any for two years.

@Spearpeas girls selection is definitely unicorns! I only glance at as cute as I don't have a girl but your right it's very unicorn girly girl orientated

@MintJulia

It gets worse as you get into teenage. Sludge colours, awful cut and nasty materials.

DS is slim built and hasn't had trousers that fit him for years. H&M is closest but he still has 20cm of fabric bunched up around his waist.

I've found some fleeces and sweaters for him at budget level equestrian clothing brands. County fairs can be good for t-shirts and jackets although there haven't been any for two years.

something to look forward to :D good shout on the equestrian clothing though, we both ride :) i'd not even thought of that but what a good idea

I agree! A few years ago neon must have been 'in' and I got some multipacks of brightly coloured t-shirts for my son from 2 different supermarkets, but now I can only find grungy colours. My son looks so much better in bright colours!

It can be equally tricky for girls though... in H&M EVERY YEAR their multipacks of t-shirts are the same/similar combo of a not very nice light pink, navy, and white. Maybe stripes and maybe some khaki green thrown in. I'm not averse to pink and I love navy but a bit of variety would be nice!

And I totally agree on the prevalence of unicorns for girls!!

I have a Children's clothing store. When we buy stock for the store we are told by suppliers it should be stocked 70% girls to 30% boys as apparently parents won't pay the prices for boys clothes/expect boys to ruin their clothes/ want wearable staple pieces (hence the dark colours)

I have to be honest and say I do notice it. I love boys in white chinos/ shorts in the summer- they don't sell as every person says 'oh no he would have them dirty'

Same with the pricier shirts/ jumpers a lot of the time I hear ' I'm not paying that he'll only wear it once, he lives in tracksuits and football shirts'

It's a tough one I personally would like to sell a lot more boys clothes but the reality is they just don't sell anywhere near as well as girls clothes it's such a stereotype but I'm not sure as shop owners what we can do. I do try to bring as many 'different' boys bits as I can but often they end up reduced to try and get rid of them.

I agree OP. I mainly buy from Next but I was in M&S the other day and was pleasantly surprised by the current selection. I get stuff off eBay too.

DS adores vehicles and this has helped because there are a lot of vehicles on boys' clothing but I mind less now I know he genuinely cares about the topic!

@user123654 yes whites not a good option really, but there's so many brighter colour tops, jackets etc options that would be great

@rolllan but my problem is white sells out in shorts and leggings for girls every spring/summer and it's always white tights wanted in the winter. Why is the assumption always boys will ruin them but it's fine for girls to wear?

I only ever hear this on mumsnet. Apparently ever mumsnet poster is heartbroken because all stores only offer camo and dinosaur clothing for boys and nothing else.

In real life every time I pop into H&M, Primark, Next, supermarkets etc I see plenty of lovely blues and oranges and purple and greens etc, lots of colours. Obviously some places will do the pink and sparkly vs grey and sludge but it’s far from impossible to get colourful clothes for young boys.

@user123654 my boys without a doubt will ruin any white in seconds so your not wrong. I don't have girls but they must be the same, but I don't buy the boys white so you aren't wrong, they don't look clean and smart for long 😂

@Kanaloa there's less options the older they get. And even younger clothes in primark it's still so pink glittery unicorn for girls. If a girl likes marvel or plays Minecraft thats only boys section

I don't even really buy white t-shirts anymore, never mind shorts!

[quote rolllan]@Kanaloa there's less options the older they get. And even younger clothes in primark it's still so pink glittery unicorn for girls. If a girl likes marvel or plays Minecraft thats only boys section [/quote]
So just buy a Minecraft shirt from the boy’s section?

For what it’s worth my eldest is 11 and wears plenty of colourful clothes so we’ve not struggled too much. You need to look around a bit but I don’t find them impossible to find.

@Kanaloa where can you recommend for 11 year old at the moment. I have an 11 year old and would be great to know where To go 😊

@user123654

I have a Children's clothing store. When we buy stock for the store we are told by suppliers it should be stocked 70% girls to 30% boys as apparently parents won't pay the prices for boys clothes/expect boys to ruin their clothes/ want wearable staple pieces (hence the dark colours)

I have to be honest and say I do notice it. I love boys in white chinos/ shorts in the summer- they don't sell as every person says 'oh no he would have them dirty'

Same with the pricier shirts/ jumpers a lot of the time I hear ' I'm not paying that he'll only wear it once, he lives in tracksuits and football shirts'

It's a tough one I personally would like to sell a lot more boys clothes but the reality is they just don't sell anywhere near as well as girls clothes it's such a stereotype but I'm not sure as shop owners what we can do. I do try to bring as many 'different' boys bits as I can but often they end up reduced to try and get rid of them.

I find this really interesting and from personal family experience (sample size of 2), there is some truth in it. We have a 4yo boy and 4yo girl in our wider family. The grandmother of the 4yo girl is always buying lovely expensive outfits for the girl. The grandmother of the 4yo boy (different grandmother) rarely buys him more than a funny t shirt or a new pack of joggers from the supermarket, but spends a lot on treats and nice days out for him (zoo, trampoline park, adventure playground). They are both lovely, involved grandparents, but I guess buying for the girl is seen as more 'fun' compared to doing things with the boy.

H&M is my best option for colourful boys clothes. My boys love their yellow trousers from there. They go up to age 13/14 I think…

The amount of unicorn tat that was bought for my daughter was astonishing. Still, the boys H&M stuff will pass on ti her ;)

Mountain Warehouse is excellent for well made, colourful kids clothes, for boys and girls.

I always see people say this but I actually always personally find it much easier to find things I like in the boys' section - but it's down to taste, isn't it? I like muted colours, darker shades and clothes that are quite simple (that's also how I dress myself). I don't much like pastels and patterns, and I really hate it when clothes have random 'details' like frills, and that means I often don't find much catching my eye in the girls' section. The boys' clothes are almost invariably also thicker and more sturdy than the girls' clothing from the same brand, which I find a bit depressing.

Completely agree OP. I think there’s also a rush to have little boys looking almost ‘grown up’/ teenage way (in terms of colours and themes- loads of grey, khaki, camo) before there is for girls. Boys clothes are… often boring. I struggle to find bright animal prints etc, although they are out there! I guess I’d prefer this to the insidious, damaging messaging on girls clothes though- ‘born to sparkle’, ‘always smile’, cropped hoodies for little girls. Blergh.

It is definitely easier with girls. And there's less social stigma if my daughters chose stuff in the boys section... elder DD likes leggings/jeans and a t-shirt plus hoody. If the girls section is too pink/unicorny/naff she wanders over to the boy section for a bright tie die top with NASA on (real life example in Next last year).
Younger DD likes boys shorts as they tend to be longer and thicker material so 'they are less likely to rip when I'm climbing trees!'. But likes dresses and sequins too.

But in some shops the boys section seems almost non existent.

My daughters would definitely trash white! Older dd in particular manages to rip holes in the knees of every pair of leggings, jeans or tights she ever has and is attracted to mud or water like a magnet! No way would I buy her white. She also dislikes pink.
I also have boy/girl twins. I sell a lot of their outgrown stuff on Ebay. Several times I have listed the same item, same size, brand, condition etc but a boys' version and a girls' version. Examples are trainers, those velcro sandals from Mountain Warehouse, winter coats and pjs. Without exception the girls' version always sells for more so yes I do think people spend more on girls' clothing than boys'.

What I hate about boys' clothes is that now he is 5 there is no cute stuff, it all seems to have skulls or really aggressive dinosaurs, none of the cute dinos you get on toddler clothes. Or it is stuff based on things he is not old enough for like Marvel, Minecraft, Roblox etc. I hate that so much of this stuff is marketed to little children when the films/games are completely inappropriate for them.

I haven’t found this. Sure you can buy the sludge, but most places sell both so just buy the other things.

My toddler is currently lounging next to me in orange pjs with triangles on from John Lewis, with some h and m hedgehog socks.

I use some smaller brands for odd bits for a change, places like smallable sell nice things without huge logos or brands. But his basics are usually Zara, h and m, jojo, John Lewis. With other bits picked up from charity.