I recently bought 2 shirts from the “boy section” of mainstream clothing stores. One has robots and reads “built to love” and the other has a firetruck & dalmatian dog holding a heart and reads “love saves the day.” There are not usually 2 love options in the “boy section” but it’s close to Valentines Day. Here’s the thing: even with messages of love, the color remains red (or blue or gray) and the style remains the same boxy scoop neck.
Clothes are what we wrap our children in, and it matters that the choices designed for boys are greatly limited in content, style, and color. Today, the “girl section” is filled with many styles, images, and colors. You can choose from NASA, fierce animals or cuddly animals, “I am the future,” “Dream big,” pink dinos, hearts, rainbows, cupcakes – with every color represented.
You might be thinking, quit complaining and shop from the “girl section.” I do, sometimes, but it is hard because even as young as 6 months clothes designed for girls are cut differently – they are much smaller and fit differently.
Mitz Kids: Clever Clothes for Creative Kids strives to give more options within the realm of kids clothing.
Words from their website:
“We believe kids should be able to express their varying interests at all ages. Whether your little one is interested in dinosaurs, construction trucks, cooking or vegetables, boy or girl, there should be clothing available which allows them to showcase these interests. Mitz Kids makes children’s clothing that is designed with their interests in mind. Each piece of clothing is created to be developmentally appropriate for their age and reflects the changing interests. We also ensure that each design is free from gender stereotypes and can be worn by girls and boys!
When Co-Founder Amandine Liepmann’s daughter was just 15-months old, she became obsessed with dinosaurs. As a side project, Amandine made her daughter a dinosaur dress with spikes down the back to support her budding interest. When her daughter wore the dress it began conversations with other New York City parents about the lack of STEM-themed (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) clothing choices for girls. She decided to put the dress on her company website and it sold out within hours.”
Amandine Liepmann says she does notice resistance to putting boys in traditional “girl” colors. Noting, “We get a lot of homophobic comments [on our website], much more so than with any other girl posts. It’s more acceptable to introduce a girl to something traditionally masculine, but when you do the opposite: a boy can like the color pink or cats — boys love cats! — it seems like their heads explode.”
It matters that we only want our boys to express themselves in blue and red stripes and gray sharks. It matters when we say kittens are gentle and only for girls. It matters when a boy is interested in nature but confined only to wearing things with bug designs.
Clothes Without Limits, in their own words is: “a professional consortium of 13 independent childrenswear companies that challenge gender clichés in children’s clothing. We stand united in our belief that the options they see show them who they can be.
The entrepreneurs behind each company are all parents who began making children’s clothing because they felt the narrow selection of childrenswear available at mainstream retailers put limits on their children’s imaginations – and they decided to do something about it!”
Mitz Kids is joined by 12 other rad companies:
- Baby Blastoff
- Budding STEM
- Clever Belle
- Every Bean
- Free To Be Kids
- Girls Will Be
- Handsome in Pink
- Jessy & Jack
- Jill and Jack Kids
- Orange Clever
- Princess Awesome
- Quirkie Kids
- Smarty Girl
- Mitz Kids
Be sure to check out Mitz Kids blog and Clothes Without Limits website for meaningful commentary around these topics.
Two other places to head to:
Primary.com (score almost any solid color in all of the basic pants and tops you need)
Etsy.com (comprised of many different sellers making for endless search options: boho boys clothes, purple heart shirt, woodland harem pants, yoga panda bear romper)
I have a “boy clothes” Pinterest board if you’d like to check out some other finds.
The only drawback to many of these options is that they are more expensive than the $5 doorbusters you find at mainstream kid clothing stores. Of course those that hand-make and design clothes should be well compensated. Keep an eye out for sales by signing-up to receive email updates.
What are your go-to clothes shopping spots?
whatsaboymom 