Let boys have clothes!!!!!!!!

[slushy]

Okay ladies I have started a mumsnet campaign a lot of ladies complain about the inequality of children's clothes. You know the fact that you go in ASDA to see 10 lines of girls clothes one line of boys clothes. Because boys don't really need clothes.

I personally would also like to see some trousers other than jeans. Post your idea and complains ladies, and perhaps if we get enough support Mumsnet will help out.

[ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave]

But most of the more expensive brands are made for children, by children, too. You have to be very very very careful if you want to avoid sweatshop labour, and even something that's OK one year may not be the next.

[PosieParker]

I trust JL. [please don't inform me if I'm wrong!!]

[ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave]

I don't really have a problem. DS is 5.5 and while I agree that much of the stuff out there is horrid I manage to clothe him quite happily by picking and choosing from a mixture of high street shops and supermarkets so that he's not forced to dress himself entirely in Ben 10 (much as he would probably love that).

[Flighttattendant]

I know what OP is saying - there is a sad lack of imagination in many shops re boys' stuff.

However we manage fine. I buy stuff from Asda, selectively though, or you can inadvertently end up with a small 'yoof' I don't know how it happens but it is insidious.

BHS is alright sometimes, H&M,

Mainly I detest the 'baby blue' stuff for little ones which is frankly hideous. Especially if it has Tigger on it.

[Flighttattendant]

Btw the things I really would like to see more of are plain, or stripy clothes in strong colours and sensible fabric.

Really basic stuff.

I suppose a bit Boden style, but Boden is far too ££.

[Flighttattendant]

And nice, thick, comfy jogging trousers - they are all that fitted ds1, especially when he was in proper nappies!

But they are really great for little boys - I detest putting mine in denim as it doesn't stretch.

[PosieParker]

Nice colours that are not mini adult styles would be great!!

[ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave]

Link for everyone except PosieParker

(actually, not doing too badly, but ten leading retailers including Gap, Tesco, Sainsbury's and Primark are doing better)

[Bigmouthstrikesagain]

I 'source' most of my kids clothes at car boot sales and therefore end up with mostly Next, M7S and H&M clothes as they tend to last longer than the supermarket brands. I have trouble avoidingCamo/ skulls as they are ubiquitous but manage to get some really great tee's (Dr Who and super hero's go down partticularly well) and jeans and shorts are easy to find so I don't generally have a problem clothing ds (nearly 6).

I would like a ban on military themed clothes for children and no more sodding skulls but I do like all the pockets you find in a pair of combat trousers (always interesting seeing what 'treasures' ds keeps in them). I find boys clothes are much better for playing in than girls and trying to find practical clothing for a toddler girl is difficult if I restrict myself to buying girls clothes. The more unisex a range looks the better in my opinion. I like bright primary colours and patterns on children there is no reason that all childrens clothing to be gendered anyway iyswim?

[PosieParker]

[sticks fingers in ears and blindfolded] la la la la la la la .

I did read it, oh poo.

[Lionstar]

Don't know if anyone else has pointed this out, but the thing that most gets me is the stupid 'fashion' designs of boys trousers, especially jeans. So they have buckles and buttons and darts and seams and loops and stitching etc all over the place. They look so uncomfortable, especially when the material is already stiff, as most denim is. All I want is a nice pair of plain trousers/jeans, preferably unisex (am actually buying for tomboy DD), in soft material and with an adjustable waistband. I don't think there is such a thing though

Makes me even madder when such embellishments are on baby clothing - babies don't even need pockets, let alone trendy 'rips' and uncomfortable buttons and buckles to sit on

[bleedingheart]

Oh I'm totally in on this. I get so fed up of the 'I'm a little monster/monkey/ my dad is...etc' slogan stuff. Trousers are so hard to find and shirts without crappy logos.

[HinnyPet]

So is this a proper campaign like let girls be girls? Do we get the official backing of Mumsnet Towers?
I'm in.

[slushy]

Not yet HinnyPet the other campaign was started by mumsnet but we will have to get enough support before mumsnet will help I think that is how it works anyway. if I am wrong happy to be corrected.

[mistlethrush]

I'm in - I like ds wearing red, orange, green - not navy, grey and black - and not lots of slogans or skulls and crossbones (he's 5).

omnishambles said "but Stealth - you can get navy blue cagoules in lots of places for boys. ds has got a good cost from M&S that he has for a couple of years and JL do them too."

That's just the point. I managed to find a wonderful yellow cagoule (oneof the over-the-head variety) which ds has been wearing since he was 2.5. OK, it was too big for him then.... and he can only just get his shoulders in and out of it now... but its SOOOO MUCH NICER than a navy blue one... Its more practical too - because you can see where he is more easily. Navy blue is dull. As are nearly all the winter coats you can get for boys. He had a lovely green pumkin patch coat when he was 4 - but they stop making the 'nice' coloured ones and go in for - you've guessed it - navy blue, grey and black - brown if you're lucky.

Boys' clothes need not be so boring! Give us more colour options!

[PosieParker]

My dcs have Norwegian rain wear.

In fact just take a look at any Scandinavian children's wear for great ideas.

[AandO]

I find that Zara do nice boys clothes. Lovely shirts and trousers. It would be nice to have more options though. Ds is in too small pjs at the mo because I can only find cartoon character pjs in the shops, I don't want to dress him in tv characters, even for bed and Zara don't do pajamas.

[AandO]

Ds mostly wears cords and stripy jumpers in the winter and plain shorts and a plain t-shirt in the summer. Getting a bit sick of stripy tops all the while, but they are better than the slogans and images on all the boys tops.

Also - all ds clothes seem to be brown or blue!

[AandO]

Yes - Next and H&M do colourful stuff. They often are stripy though, and the H&M stuff is of pretty bad quality and a bit brash sometimes, but at least they do lots of colours. Next is great though, very hardwearing.

[toccatanfudge]

my boys are 9,6 and 3 - not had a problem buying clothes - and I@m on a limited budget so can't even think about going into shops like Monsoon.

[omnishambles]

but why is it so much nicer to have a bright yellow one? its just a coat - it keeps the rain off. You mean maybe it says something to you and your identity?

Am not trying to be arsey but dcs arent dolls or clothes horses are they...

Does it really matter what they're wearing as long as its functional and hard wearing?

[CerealOffender]

i agree with omni, and most boys don't give a shite about wearing brightly coloured breton stylee tops. get a grip

[slushy]

Omnishambles my main argument is I hate jeans and combat trousers because ds is so skinny and tall in order to fit his height they flog his waist and fall down .

I find trackie bottoms very hard to find other than sport shops and they are expensive so he does not get many. Plus I feel guilty dd always looks nice and has loads of clothes but ds looks boring and scruffy a lot, because trousers that fit him are so hard to come by, the other mum's boys who can afford JL look nice and I want my ds to look nice to what is so wrong with that.

[abirdinthehand]

Ahem a little plug here for a brand I remembered while I was cooking the tea, that DOES have some nice simple plain boy's clothes - they are organic/ fair trade but HONESTLY are worth checking out as they don't carry the hefty price tag I usually associate with those tags - especially as they've got a sale at the mo. I've ordered from them a few times and really liked the quality / value ratio -

www.bishopstontrading.co.uk/shop/products.php?category_id=13

Scroll down past the lentil weaver trousers etc and they have some nice plain tees.