Any parent who has a boy will tell you how hard it is to find nice clothes for a boy. Even if you don’t have children, a walk through any kids section, in any department store will show you that 3/4 of the section is pink and frilly. While the boys section is limited to a few racks.
I think my bank account is probably pretty glad that I don’t have a girl.
Why aren’t there more fashion finds like this!?
There is many different dresses, skirts, shirts and cute little shorts that you can buy for a little girl. For a boy, there is only so many pairs of denim or dress shorts you can buy before it just gets boring. My son has a ton of clothes, all of which are pretty much the same. There are polo shirts…or shirts with a collar. That is the only real variety.
Boys clothes also tend to be damn ugly. Two years in a row now I have bought my sons track pants from the girls section because the boys track pants are just plain ugly. I don’t begrudge anyone who buys them, but I am not a fan of the pants with banded ankle bands. I already live in bogan town, I don’t really want to fit in too much.
There is some great online stores with different takes on the boys styles. Unfortunately it’s not always possible to spend the extra money. I just can’t justify spending $30 on a shirt for my ever growing son. He’s grown almost 20cm in the last 12 months!
I walk through department stores such as Big W, Kmart and Target and see row upon row of beautiful, affordable girls clothes. I then trudge over to the boys section which usually has all of about 4 rows for sizes 1-14. The selection usually ranges from denim shorts, jeans, check shorts, cotton shorts to various coloured polos with differing construction, animal or vehicle designs. It is almost impossible to find a shirt above a size 7 that doesn’t have a skull on it. My 4yo is a size 7 in shirts and I often have no choice but to put him in shirts with skulls on them.
My son usually has 1 or 2 ‘good’ shirts. Not because that is all he needs but because that is all I can find! Dress shirts are usually white (anyone with a boy will tell you that, that is just asking for trouble) or ridiculously shaped so they only fit for a few months. He is far from dressed in rags but I just wish there was more variety.
This is a call out to the people wondering where the best market is…it’s the parents with boys! We are so desperate for nice clothes for our boys as a reasonable price. We’re sick of the boring and same, same that the market is currently providing us.
Do you have boys? Are you sick of not being able to find decent clothes?
Linking up with Jess for IBOT.
So true!! I love buying clothes for my nephews and while there is some cute stuff around the girls stuff is just so much more gorgeous!!! I don’t mind the Cotton On stuff for boys – they often have some cool things!
Boys clothes can be great – you just have to look a little harder – there was this European warehouse going bust so I used to get heaps for really cheap clothes that no one else had when the boys were little – now it’s all the US geek shirts, now that they’re older…but just walking into the big shops will get you now where!
I’m so with you! My eldest is 4 and wears a size 5 and all I can find is skulls and skateboards and monsters! He’s obsessed with Frozen and I’d love to see an Olaf or Sven t-shirt out there! Let’s start a campaign:)
I hear you.
The majority of my boys clothes come from kmart followed by best and lass then target!! I refuse to pay shit loads for something which will be covered in shit in record time.
I usually do an end of eseason run and stock up for the following year. At the end of last winter I got a tonne of stuff marked down. I have a problem with baby clothes at the moment. Everything is light colours which is fine for a small baby but not for bigger bubs . Also I hate onesies with no feet. None of my boys can keep socks on!!
Try op shops or if you have a local buy swap sell on facebook. A ll my kids brand names stuff comes from the salvos!!
I HATE the frills and tutus. It might look like more, but so much of the girls’ stuff is from Tackville. Give me tractors, dinosaurs and monsters anyday.
Have you tried Next online? Free delivery from the UK, and because of the opposite seasons you can usually get what you need on sale.
I have two girls and am frustrated with the girly girly items that are available. Neither one are into them at all. On a side note due to my kiwi husband we bought them those shirts lil man has on. They rock in them. I just rolled up the sleeves a little and put a stitch in them and shortened the eldests to make it more girly with leggings for her.
I hear you! It is just so frustrating when you walk into a store and find yourself surrounded by girls clothing and accessories and then tucked in a corner you find a few racks of boys clothes (ok, so I may be exaggerating a little..) One of my biggest gripes is the variation in sizes between stores. My 2 1/2 year old is tall and slim, he needs size two tops/shirts for the length but I find most brands are ridiculously wide and he looks like he is wearing a tent. I am a huge fan of the adjustable waist pants made by pumpkin patch/best and less and target and we own quite a few pairs of these.
We buy a lot from Cotton on Kids, as they do have a bit more of a variety of clothing. I would like it if they had a few more footwear options, they have whole walls dedicated to shoes for girls and then just a few choices for boys…. Best and Less also has some good finds.
It may be different in the baby section, but I fully think theres heaps more cool boys clothes that are cool! Its probably because Im not a fan of tutus, lace dresses or frilly and floral anything so I skip half the girls section anyway. I spend all my money on cute leggings (with the occasional ruffle bum) for her. Maybe we just always want what we dont have? I wish I had a little boy as well so I could buy the cute lion, bear and moustache tees.
You’ve hit the nail on the head there!! I find that there is no ‘middle’ gap for boys either. My 7 year is too young for the teenage fashion but he is also too old for disney and dinosaurs!! It’s definitely much harder shopping for boys that it is girls. Gap in the market there I think!!
Oh I so hear you! With four boys to clothe, it has been a challenge. I find I have to spend a fortune to buy the style I prefer on them – plain!
I hate black clothing for boys with rubbish written on it like ‘Life Plane Challenge’ (random stuff you know?!)
I love the 1950’s look of horizontal stripes and things without cars and trucks and skulls. (Unless they are very trendy skulls!) I buy plain pants and tees in colours as I really don’t like the fashions – they make boys look rough.
Etsy is the place to shop or Ebay for specific things where you can get one-of items.
I live in bogan town too – and hate it!!! 😀
I have to agree, what is it with skulls and all those character things! My 4.5yo isn’t that keen on them! And without spending a fortune it’s hard. I’ll be coming back to see what people suggest!
YES! It was the same when Mr 20 was small – and what is it with skulls on boys’ clothing? That’s been a fad for at least 10 years now, it’s about time it went out!
Visiting today from #teamIBOT xxx
So true! And don’t get me started on boys shoes – there is only ever a choice of 2 styles, provided you go shopping when they first hit the shelves otherwise you can never get a pair to fit.
Yes, what’s with all the skulls? My 5yo is enough of a daredevil, putting him in death symbols feels like I’m courting disaster…
4 girls here, so haven’t had that problem! I did always used to look at the boys section in Pumpkin Patch and think the clothes were so gorgeous though.
I’ve had a fair bit of success at Cotton On for kids, but I totally agree, it is pretty limited for boys. I am going to check out Next online which was mentioned earlier!
I haven’t had to worry about this with two girls, but I know that my sister has complained of this. Never enough boys clothes and never enough variety!
There is a solution – H&M! Rumour has it their online Australian store will launch at the end of the year – I went bananas for my boys when I went a few weeks ago! Awesome stuff for boys and at prices that put even Kmart and BigW to shame – I don’t think I’ll shop anywhere else for my boys – their stuff is awesome, awesome prices and a great range!
I hear you, my friend has a little boy and it is so hard to buy clothes for him! They are all skulls and crosses.