Sexist girls' clothing

[CaitlynsCat]

DD is 11, still pre-pubescent, and notes:

1. girls' shorts are shorter than boys/mens. It's not the done thing to wear very shorts where we are (not in the UK at the moment, on holiday), but her shorts are from England. It is very hard to find longer shorts for girls her age.

Case in point:
girls: www.primark.com/en/product/older-girl-black-short,N35397174203296
boys: www.primark.com/en/product/older-boy-skinny-denim-short,N35397174255349

2. no, or useless, pockets, this is a problem for her as she has just got a phone and is very careful with it, but has nowhere to store it about her person

My daughter is 8. I just buy the shorts from the “boys” section for her as they’re usually longer and can be found with decent pockets. This year’s (supermarket) school trousers too; “girls” section were nasty stretchy polyester fabric tailored to be narrow of leg and form fitting whereas the “boys” had room enough to be comfy and able to run, climb etc.

Buying for a rough-and-tumble female toddler is a nightmare, so her clothes are from the boys' section.

Little girls clothes are too tight and form fitting. There are no fleecy tops to go over t-shirts, just shitey cardigans. And don't get me started on shoes......

DD has never wanted to wear shorts (or skirts) but I've never had trouble getting loose trousers or fleecy tops.
In fact, she's always loved fleecy tops.
I spend as little time as possible shopping (I hate it) and only go to cheap shops - Matalan and the like.
She also has jeans with pockets - the holy grail apparently.
I don't think I've ever resorted to boy's clothes apart from maybe the odd t shirt and that was because she liked the design rather than the fit.

I buy from the boys section for girls wherever I can because it’s better to play in and better quality. I don’t know how manufacturers get away with it tbh

I never found any difficulty in buying comfortable functional clothes for my daughter. Leggings, long loose tops, stretchy jeans, tracksuits, etc.
She never asked for pockets, personally I hate them because they tend to stick out. I prefer to carry my valuables in a small bag (so does my son as it happens. The only thing he puts in his pockets are snotty tissues).

"Skinny" everything. School trousers for my 8yo, jeans for me - it's really hard to track down anything that isn't "skinny" or "super slim" - what message is that sending out? Why do school trousers have to cling to your legs when you're EIGHT?

For shorts my two do ok in Decathlon, which tend to be fitted for sport rather than fashion - worth a look.

You could try John Lewis, who now display items by what item they are (so all shorts together)

And you'll need to move away from the very cheap clothing shops, because they really do only cater for the mass fashion trends.

Even Hollister had some longer shorts earlier this year (DD has some, so will to agree about lack of decent pockets.

But jeans, which used to be shallow pocketed now almost invariably have ones big enough for phones in teen and adult sizes. Perhaps manufacturers haven't yet cottoned on to the number of DC, even MNetters DC, who have mobiles? When they do, better pockets for children will follow.

Boys clothes are usually preditors/ carnivorous and girls clothes are generally prey animals. Drives my two dd mad. There are other options around and agree decathlon and other outdoor shops do better on this measure.

I've had to go the other way sometimes too - needed some black joggers, and some casual trousers for a tall/skinny boy, couldn't get anything that didn't have ridiculously baggy legs in the 'boys' section - ended up with beautiful soft, slim fit jersey trousers from sainsburies, and some lovely cords from Zara girls (where they were in more colours, cheaper, and had lycra so they were a bit stretchy which he preferred)

I think John Lewis goes the right way - just put all the shorts/trousers together and let people pick the ones that fit and are right for purpose - kids come in such different sizes, it's silly to split them up by sex as well.

Since having children I've been quietly fascinated by the things that are gendered in children's clothes. Almost everything you can think of is either coded feminine or masculine, way beyond the 'obvious' classic gender stereotypes (eg fairies on girls' clothes, tractors on boys' clothes, pink and purple for girls, blue and brown for boys).

Almost all animals are gendered. Girls have cats, mice, horses, ladybirds. Boys have lions, tigers, dogs (apart from poodles), frogs.
Almost all fruit is for girls, but boys are sometimes allowed pineapples. Pineapples are clearly the most masculine fruit.
Almost all vehicles are for boys, but girls are sometimes allowed bicycles (presumably due to their lack of manly engines).
Even certain patterns are gendered, with polka dots for girls and stars for boys.

It's all so utterly bizarre.

Yes cats are girls clothes despite being preditors- although we have two cats and the ineffective one who starved rather than catch anything before we go her is the type which would be on a t-shirt - cute and fluffy. Complete failure at doing cat though.

Dinosaurs are always boys clothes too, as are reptiles and amphibians usually.

Harry Potter seems in terms of clothes to be more 'girl' though. Girls get Paris too.

I was looking for clothes to buy for my new grand niece and the sale rack was full to the brim with girls clothing.

Then I browsed through the boy's clothing, she's only three months old, and the difference in the quality and style, even at that tender age, was astounding.

In the end I sent them some money. My youngest was born in 2001 and a boy. I never had that nonsense though with his two older siblings

two older siblings were girls.

My 6 year old keeps putting the same dress on over and over - it’s blue, white and black striped and has pockets (from H&M)

C’mon clothing manufacturers, full range of colours for girls and boys and pockets, in practical cuts and lengths, in hard wearing yet comfortable fabrics!

Campaigning organisation here: www.letclothesbeclothes.co.uk/
plus lots of examples

I prefer to carry my valuables in a small bag (so does my son as it happens

A cross body "pocket bag" with internal zipped pockets is in my view much more secure than sticking phones and wallets in jeans pockets.

I was watching some kids swimming at the leisure centre the other day. I noticed that even on pre-pubescent kids, swim attire is different. The boys wear long baggy shorts and no top. The girls wear smaller versions of women's swimwear with the high cut legs that create wedgies etc when getting out of the pool. Why do little girls need to be wearing swim suits that show off their butts?

Magic

Someone mentioned on here once that boys' clothes tend to have predators on them; girls clothes have prey....

Oh sorry shouldwestay said it

We need to get lionesses on girls' tops - they are the hunters

... and on boys' tops

A cross body "pocket bag" with internal zipped pockets is in my view much more secure than sticking phones and wallets in jeans pockets.

I prefer this when out shopping, or going to a social event, but in work I like a trouser or well structured skirt with pockets plus a good jacket.

However, the problem being discussed is clothes for pre pubescent babies, toddlers and children. Every one of my children liked pockets to put their favourite small things in and hated having back packs.

placemats

'a trouser'. Are you a secret Style and Beauty officianado? Do you 'curate' your 'looks'

Also- ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ colours, but anything ‘unisex’ or gender neutral is ‘boys’ usually. As in, red, green, blue, strong colours which tend to be the traditional boys things. It’s very hard to find true neutrals after about 6months, except grey and denim (and even these are often geared to one gender or another)