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]

I think it's easy to find brightly coloured boys' coats up to 5 or 6, but it does get more difficult after that.

Next have By Product%26quot%3b%26nbsp%3b%26gt%3b%26nbsp%3bBoys%26nbsp%3b%26gt%3b%26nbsp%3bCoats%26nbsp%3b%26gt% a green fleece at the moment, if that's any help?

[ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave]

Bother. Messed up link. They have a green fleece at the moment, anyway.

Viking kids also have green coat up to a 7-8yo size.

[ProfessorLaytonIsMyLoveSlave]

But there is generally stuff available, even when most things are sludge-coloured/TV character tie-ins/sk8r chic or have slogans.

Take Mothercare, for example (because someone was complaining about their boys' stuff on another thread)

For 3-8yo boys you can get
stripy polo
yellow polo
hibiscus shirt
stripy T-shirt
red "polo" that just looks like a T-shirt if you ask me
red T-shirt with car graphic
stripy fleece
stripy T-shirt

Trousers are mostly jeans or grey/sludge colours, but they have some bright red jeans and some checked shorts (and I will admit that sludge is actually a very practical colour for a 3-8 year old's trousers).

And IMO it's a similar story in most shops.

[BornToFolk]

H&M are good for colourful coats. I got DS a turquoise one last winter and they had lime green too.

M&S have got lots of multi-packs of plain or striped t-shirts. I may get these for DS for autumn

I agree with ProfessorLayton that sludge is a v practical colour for small boys' trousers. I like camo for the same reason.

[majafa]

You see thats what I really dont get Salfresco, how can they say there is less demand for boys clothing?

Prehaps all who agree that the choice and lack of boys clothing in shops is diabolical, should email the Head Offices and make our/their veiws known, as well as petitioning them?

Just a thought

[bullethead]

It's true, I see loads of imaginative and colourful clothes for girls but just boring clothes for boys. It's like the shops aren't even trying.

[EmmaTulip]

I totally agree with this.

I looked on John Lewis website today for socks. Under 'baby socks and tights) there are 16 options for girls (inc. tights), but only a paltry 5 for boys. Even 2 of the 6 unisex socks are clearly for girls as they have lace on them.

[hidetheelephant]

There needs to be more choice for baby clothes in general I think.

I like brightly coloured and patterned sleepsuits or dungarees with feet until they can crawl, then romper suits and dungarees without feet.

[edemame]

I've been seeing the same thing. Baby boy is due in 6 weeks so I've been trying to get things he can wear from hospital and sleepers, little outfits, ect.

What I have found is pretty much for every one rack of boys clothing there are 3 for girls. I'm also finding there are so many little vests but no little comfy trousers for over them. I had to look at different shops for things that could go over his vests, ended up at GAP and Jojo Mama. Pumpkin Patch is bad, they have so many cute things but even their gender neutral section is very feminine. In Kingston, for baby boys, they have one section at the moment and a million things for little girls. It makes me so annoyed. Mamas and Papas has lovely clothing but again, so many options for girls and perhaps half as much for boys.

I dont care if the shops feel boys dont care about fashion, babies are dressed by their parents anyway. Does he need something new for every day? No, but I would like to be able to change him if he gets messy and not have it be one of the same 3 baby grows every time.

[seaturtle]

I'm in. Had to do an emergency purchase in Asda 6 months ago. It was a big Asda and I remember circling the kids' clothes section several times just to check that there really only was one aisle for boys 1-5.

Have done most of my shopping at H&M, Next and Gap. H&M have usually been good but I think they haven't been so good this year. I take DS abroad to see his GPs twice a year and it was the only shop in my town with a wide selection of sleeveless tops for boys(GPs live in tropics.

Was in Next today trying to find non jean, non tracksuit winter trousers. Selection for girls 1-5 is vast compared to boys 1-5.

[emilyxxxx]

well asda have plenty of trousers "other then jeans"

[CupcakesHay]

I agree - expecting my first child - a boy - and have already noticed that for every boys outfit, there's 10 girls ones! Plus the colours always seem to be blue and red.... can't we have a bit more excitement please??

[cassie75]

I completely agree. When my eldest son grew out of the range supplied by bHs (which wasn't extensive anyway) about the age of 9 he spent 5 years in tracksuit bottoms from JJB before he was big enough that we could buy things from adult men's stores. He now can't stand the sight of trackie bottoms! Such a huge gap in the market for pre-teen and teen boys.
Also as an aside, when my youngest son turned 1 last month I went to get a blue number 1 balloon only to be told they had stopped doing blue - only pink, silver and gold! Why!?
Boys are definitely catered for less than girls!

[happyoverhere]

I find loads of clothes for clothes in Next, Mini Boden, Jonnie B, Lands End, Fat Face. I would never consider going into mothercare with an 8 year old asking for clothes. John Lewis in Bluewater have loads of suitable clothes as do M&S. I would not shop for myself in Asda so why on earth would I shop their for children!

[oldraver]

I went into Next last week and there were 5 hats for my DS (4.10) in differing shades of grey, one beige and a lighter royal blue toddler design one. One the other side of the display unit were 15 girls in lots of different colours and designs. I asked the assistant why the didn't have a better range and she said they were always being asked

[earwicga]

slushy - Where do you get tall skinny trousers from?!? I can't find any this year and like you live in a rural area and have no sports shops or much of anything. Tesco has some which are as thin as a pair of tights. I don't want to keep ordering unsuitable ones from the internet with delivery charges. School trousers are ok if I pay more to get the adjustable waists (until the poxy things get undone and disappear)

[omnishambles]

I feel as uncomfortable about this campaign as I did the last time it was raised. I dont like asking for extra consumables - I think we have enough - nor do I want my ds to be dolled up and really fashionable - he has more than enough clothes as it is and who cares if they are sludge coloured?

Clothes are just something to keep them warm - no more and no less. Why teach dcs that they are more important than they are? All we will succeed in doing is breeding a new lot of super consumers.

We should be recycling clothes among ourselves and shopping in charity shops etc not petitioning clothes shops to make more children make yet more new clothes for our dcs. How about a campaign against child labour or sweat shops.

Different sizing would be good as all the clothes seem to be made for large, short boys and not tall skinny ones but thats my only bugbear.

[anotherbrickinthewall]

agree with omni. a bit of a non-issue tbh.

[GoldenGreen]

You've summed up how I feel omni. We just don't need more stuff for the sake of stuff.

[earwicga]

'petitioning clothes shops to make more children make yet more new clothes for our dcs.'

My understanding is this is about different clothes, not more and personally I don't want to raise sludge or pinkified natured children.

'How about a campaign against child labour or sweat shops.'

Absolutely! But for that Mumsnet would have to take on capitalism...

[Knackerelli]

I'm in! After having dd I was used to being spoilt; now have ds and I hate clothes shopping for him. I hate slogan tops anyway but no, he doesn't need to announce that his top used to be clean or he takes after his dad or that at 11 months the 'chicks dig me' (ffs). And what is with the transport obsession?

I would like, as others have said, bright colours, interesting designs, patterns, so not what we have currently!

[happyoverhere]

Tall skinny jeans for boys at next

search.next.co.uk/search?p=Q&lbc=next&uid=512096759&ts=v8&w=skinny%20jeans&af=gattgender:olderboys&method=and&filter=subset:4201&nxtv=4700&nxti=3

[earwicga]

cheers happy.

[MumNWLondon]

Actually I feel the opposite. I have a 4 YO boy and a 7 YO girl. I can buy my son great stuff in primark, asda, tesco but the girls clothes is so trashy there that I just had to spend a fortune in next.

[cairnterrier]

Sorry I haven't read all the thread but count me in too! Mothercare do some nice packs of 7 longsleeved vests which look colourful under dungarees.