Kids gender neutral clothing...

Heyho2

So this article in the age…

https://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/fashion/beyond-pink-and-blue-say-goodbye-to-old-ideas-about-kidswear-20210405-p57glm.html?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&fbclid=IwAR1yjmyThPJHREMq6kP84tZED_B-YUtkAEMmY96H21pPHz3jtCekbaHROnE#Echobox=1618106265

I read this and then I read the comments on Facebook and oh my!

I was one of those parents that went to great effort to make sure my kid had gender neutral stuff. I do think a lot of stereotypes are largely cultural and many are harmful.

But the comments! There is a lot of reinforcing stereotypes in there. Like, really digging in their heels entrenching those stereotypes and I thought we’d made some progress around this? Not all girls like pink, not all boys like guns… My 9 year old girl shops in the ‘boy’ section because of the more practical options, but would probably like some more colours…

Dunno, rambling thoughts, would be keen to hear other….

Sabrina

Lol haven’t read the comments yet but one thing I’ve noticed as DD gets older is the shorts they advertise as for girls are absolutely atrocious, as in basically super short, no pockets, not anything she can wear normally or do anything physical in. Was walking round the usual shops and all I could find was cut off denim shorts; she’s 11! My go to for her stuff now is Uniqlo.

SeaStar

I agree on the the shorts. I’m keen to find some shorts for my DD that aren’t so short. So is Uniqlo a good option? I’ve never shopped there before.

I never found out whether I was having a boy or girl when I was pregnant, so all my kids started off in gender neutral stuff. But once they were here, I was given so many gendered clothes (especially for my girls as they have older girl cousins, and I didn’t want to waste it) so the girls do wear a lot of pink, which wouldn’t have been my choice.

I had to buy a new winter wardrobe for my DS as he had grown out of everything from last year. I was disappointed with the pile of clothes I got when I realised every item was dark blue, grey or black. No bright colours at all, which he would like.

ALittleBitter

SeaStar I had to buy a new winter wardrobe for my DS as he had grown out of everything from last year. I was disappointed with the pile of clothes I got when I realised every item was dark blue, grey or black. No bright colours at all, which he would like.

I find this too! DS is 5 and loves colourful clothes but they are hard to find sometimes. Next usually have a good range

LadySybilVimes

In the 70s kids clothes were unisex. Is it the 90s when every toy started being manufactured in a pink version and a blue version? Kids clothing has become so rigid since then.

I found DD became very fixed on pink, sparkly clothes when she went to preschool. It takes a lot of work to get her to consider anything else.

Sabrina

I love Uniqlo for the kids because whenever we go they seem to have stuff that’s really comfortable to wear and things that are practical; like shorts with pockets that are a good length, sturdy fabric, with a fair selection of colours, puffer jackets, heat tech gear, some cute girls dresses, more outdoor stuff though, but just things that are easy and comfortable to wear.

Gum-boots

I noticed at Christmas that my 5 year old nieces shorts were so much shorter than my 5 and 6 year old sons. It’s ridiculous. If I had a daughter I’d be buying a lot from the boys section.

Both my kids love colour so I buy across both sections but also shorts and pants from the boys as they are so much more practical.

CallMeAl

Gum-boots If I had a daughter I’d be buying a lot from the boys section.

The problem with this is that the sections in the shops aren’t the only influences on the kids. Early on they start to internalise what girls ‘should’ be wearing - i.e. they internalise that that is what looks nice. So I cannot for the life of me persuade my daughter to wear shorts from the boys section, or even longer shorts from the girls section. All I can do is veto a certain length as ‘too short’ and we have to try to find something in between.

And then she grows, and I have to ban them!

I hate how insidious it is.

Camokat

I’d like to see less sexualised clothing styles for girls, at the very least. I wandered through Kmart awhile ago and the clothes for little girls, ie 5-12yos, were so short, had cut outs everywhere, shirred boob tubes, that sort of stuff. Yuck. There were little matching bra and undies sets in a size 5, which was just a whole new level of ick.

Girls and boys should both wear clothes that are hard-wearing and suitable for active childhood play like tree-climbing and monkey bars.

Heyho2

The thing I found interesting 10 years ago, was the gender neutral stuff was pricey. I shopped at boden on occasion (on sale) and it was good quality. My kid often shops from the boy section, she’s starting to get called a boy at school as a way to tease her 😒

Eta, she largely wears plain clothes, shorts and a t-shirt in primary colours.

Eta again. I get very little say over her clothing now, she chooses it (though I certainly enforced practical clothing when younger)

LadySybilVimes

When my FYOS DD comes out of her gymnastics class I really notice how many girls her age are in very, very skimpy gym clothes while the boys are in loose t-shirts and shorts. It starts early.

WidowWyncke

Just on the pockets thing.

It is a really oppressive thing that hampers women being able to work efficiently and is just a plain nuisance.

Men have pockets all over the place.

There is a book that I’ve thought about buying that looks at womens’ pockets historically.

https://www.amazon.com.au/Pocket-Hidden-History-Womens-Lives/dp/0300253745/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=pockets&qid=1618197488&sr=8-4

Camokat

WidowWyncke

What a beautiful cover!

LadySybilVimes

That looks great.

Camokat

This thread never gets old:

https://www.boredpanda.com/women-demand-pockets-memes/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

wannabefree

Camokat #15 has the daughter resorting to putting things down her top. This is my daughter! Except she uses her socks as pockets. I’ll be walking behind her and notice this massive bulge. When asked, 9 times out of 10 she replies “oh its a rock I found” lol.

Luna

The problem with so many gender neutral clothes is that they are as boring as…..

There are some $$$ that are a bit better - pictures of fruit etc.

My son sometimes buys from the girls sections when he likes the design. I have more ting him to buy girls clothes than getting my daughter to wear boys clothes as she wants something on the front to entertain her that isn’t a ball or commercial advertising.

CallMeAl

True. There’s still a perception I guess that gender neutral means it can’t look too ‘girly’ or boys won’t wear it - so not too colourful, not too frou frou.

CassandraNORI

CallMeAl

CallMeAl True. There’s still a perception I guess that gender neutral means it can’t look too ‘girly’ or boys won’t wear it - so not too colourful, not too frou frou.

This is the rub - clothes need to appeal to all different personalities. So gender neutral doesn’t have to mean bland and boring. For kids anyway the cut of clothes doesn’t need to be differentiated to suit male/female body types. So a giant kids section - not a boys and girls section. With a range of colours and styles to choose from - including frills and bows and spots and sparkles and dinosaurs and dragons. But no coding of boy/girls stuff. That would be the ideal anyway.

IcyPole

Gender neutral would mean boys’ clothes in brighter colours because of course males are the default.

When my DD was younger I bought a fair amount of her things from the boys’ section because it had pictures of things she liked, like dinosaurs and dragons. As she’s gotten older I’ve bought less from there because her tastes are changing. She does currently have two pairs of pyjamas from the boys’ section. One has dinosaurs on it and one has some sort of Komodo dragon type of lizard on it. She likes them.

I too insist on shorts that are a decent length. I refuse to buy ones that are going to be basically showing the bottom of the bum cheeks. The crotch needs to be more than a tiny scrap of fabric because this child will sit comfortably and not “like a lady”, so knees will be spread.

I also won’t allow the wearing of cropped lengths for tops. She’s 11. She doesn’t need to be showing off her belly button or midriff. So many tops were cropped this summer. It was frustrating.

Heyho2

IcyPole i guess it depends on what you mean by boys clothes. I will admit I liked the boys section because they were longer short and t-shirts, so more sunsmart. And I do prefer pants and shorts over skirts or dresses for everyday, as they are safer and more comfortable for running, climbing etc. And I do like cotton, rather than fragile fabrics like netting, or polyesters that don’t breathe. Dressing up occasions, bring all that stuff out, but it does seem to me that boys clothes are more suited to what all kids need for day to day wear. I’d like more choice and practical options for all kids.

NightHawk

Heyho2 I bought plain navy track pants recently for DD. The girls ones were mostly polyester and the boys ones were mostly cotton. Bought the boys ones.