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.

[CrazyPlateLady]

Haven't read the whole thread but couldn't agree more!!

I am fed up of going into shops and finding 1 rail of crappy boys clothes that are hideous character stuff or really dark clothes. What is it? Its winter so boys only want to wear horrible bright reds and really dark browns and navy blues etc? I would like to see some more cord trousers as oppose to jeans or crappy jogging bottoms. Some nice light tan colour would be nice. The sort of thing I could get when DS was under 18 months. That seems to be when the nicer clothes ended. I haven't been able to find a decent shirt for him for the Christmas season either.

[Unprune]

Zara have cords and really nice tops atm. HTH

[Unprune]

The thing with Monsoon is that their sizes are so wrong (teeny tiny) and the cost so high, plus the merchandising is really poor: but the market is there - we are crying out for nice boys' clothes and they do make them.

If they could sort out their size labelling and show the clothes off more, and inevitably bring the price down a bit, they wouldn't have to sell it all in the sales, which would surely have a knock-on effect on their business.

I think they are out of touch with their market where children's clothes are concerned. Monsoon is not a high-end label, yet for children's clothes, they charge above what they're worth: they don't price their women's clothing in the same way. The women who buy their stuff are not going to go downstairs into the back corner and go 'wow: tiny trousers for £20 - I'll take three pairs." They are going to go downstairs into the back corner and be a bit confused.

[BeenBeta]

Unprune - yes Zara is very good for boys In fact its pretty much the only place we go now. I went and bought some slightly more expensive/cool T shirts from Animal but that is it last year. Everything else was Zara for DS1 (Age 10) and DS2 (age 8).

We go to Zara precisely because it has a far far better selection for boys. The other shops seem to focus entirely on girls. Zara generally a really nice variety of colours as well as jumpers, shirts and trousers for boys while other shops do a bit of sludge grey/blue hoodie and jeans for boys and not much more.

[CrazyPlateLady]

I'll be taking a trip to Zara then. Thanks. I never think of there.

[Awitch]

zara actually has much nicer clothes for boys than for girls, funnily enough. if i'm buying clothes for my pals' boys i always look in there. and the jumpers wash well, i am told.

girls stuff there too frou-frou imo.

[mistressploppy]

I agree with the OP and lots of other posters - boys stuff is so often sparse, ugly and naff!

[mistressploppy]

Oh, and since when was purple a girls colour?

[Unprune]

yy we buy a lot from Zara. Their skinny jeans are fantastic for ds (he's a skinnymalink) and really well cut. We have one pair that is just wearing through at the knee - they were about £20, which I paid because they really were the only high st ones to fit him at the waist - and they have fitted him for 2 years as they have a good bit of length in the leg. Really good value.

They work hard on merchandising as well, and by and large it's all quite stylish and metrosexual and they have made it easy for me - a style-free zone - to do a quick job. I like that they do colour for boys, too. Lots of duck-egg or purple, not just slurry and camo.

[QueenGigantaurofMnet]

It is impossible to get boys clothes for the over 12's or younger larger boys like ds.
Asda sell girls clothes up to age 15 and then they have a teen range too. The boys clothes go up to age 12 and no such teen range.

Thoroughly pissed me off that ds is forced to wear expensive scruffy sports wear as that is all I can find.

[LublieAva]

completely agree with the OP.

H&M do a nice range for boys (and as a result they rarely have anything left for the sales) but many other places seem to think that boys as young as 2 should be dressed in chavvy clothes or as mini-soldiers. And jeans are fine but not all the time.

[Lurpak]

Fat Face often do more of a boys range than they do girls...

On the whole though boys clothes tend to be a poor show. Monsoon most definately the worst. My local one devotes the whole back section of the shop to girlswear, whilst the boys range is crammed into a hidden corner.

[BeenBeta]

Purple is a girl's/woman's colour surely. It was the 'in' colour last year.

[Eglu]

Will add to this, probably not saying anything anyone else hasn't already said but here goes.

I hate seeing two rails of boys clothes and 10 of girls clothes, Next is also quite bad for this.

I hate camo/khaki/black.

I don't want skulls on everything particularly for toddlers.

I want bright clothes. Red, orange, green (not khaki sludge colour)

H&M used to be quite good at doing a few bright clothes, but even they don't now.

I love to see my boys on red or orange trousers.

[Eglu]

Forgot to mention some smarter trouser options would be nice too.

[Dracschick]

Ive had 17 years and 3 sons worth of this .

SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING

[Unprune]

Purple is surely unisex? Well, ds has worn a fair bit of purple over the years. Royal purple and maroon, not lilac.

[BeenBeta]

It is unisex. I wouldnt do purple cords but purple jumper/shirt/tie is nice.

[Unprune]

Purple cords = Johnnie Boden. You are right to avoid.

[melikalikimaka]

I AM SO ANGRY THAT THERE IS VERY LITTLE BOYS CLOTHES IN THE SHOPS. YANBU.

[twolittlemonkeys]

Definitely need more choice, especially with regards to smarter outfits, eg for a special occasion like a party or wedding. It's just jeans, jeans, jeans, khaki combats and jeans. Oh and I hate all the slogan stuff like 'Little Monster' or 'Number 1 football fan'. My DSs are neither of these...

Unfortunately my budget pretty much only stretches to supermarket clothes but there is so much more choice for girls - I can find 10 girls outfits I like for every 1 boys outfit.

[Lazylion]

YANBU. John Lewis is terrible for this when they get beyond 3 years old. Under 3 = sweet clothes, bright colours. Over 3 = revolting dark blue everywhere. I have 2 DS, 5 years of crap clothes so far.

[melikalikimaka]

What about 10-14 age for boys, they don't want to look cute, but they are too young to dress adult style. Somewhere in between. Next finish at 12 years but I'm sorry my DS would not like wearing what a 3 year old wears. There is a definite problem here that needs to be addressed by major retailers. Are they listening???

[melikalikimaka]

I wish I had seen Zara before this, they are really nice boys clothes and not too expensive.

[Scaredandalone]

The op for this campaign had to leave but if anyone else wants to take over I am sure that would be ok