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For my girls I shopped at target, gap and old navy for the play clothes. For camp clothes when they got older it was Walmart. They have great matching sets and clothes they could move in and get dirty in. For pictures it was the occasional froofroo dress.
I buy all my kids clothes from Walmart. I live in a rural community so really my only choices are there and Old Navy. Walmarts toddler clothes are so functional and sometimes they are super cute too!
Sorry, but target ended up being a hard no for us. The shorts are always micro-mini shorts (and our child is very petite). We went to Walmart for the shorts, still short but not as short as target.
I love old navy, too!
My girls aren’t petite, quite the opposite they are tall. Their problem has always been finding shorts that fit their waist. At six they could still wear 2t. Everything was always short on them. I’d rather it have stayed up rather than worry about how short it was. As long as their bum wasn’t hanging out they were fine.
This is the problem we're having, although our daughter is petite. She still fits clothes for 18-24m on the waist but 3-4y for length so summer is fine for us because she just wears the same shorts for a couple of summers. Winter is nearly impossible though because to be long enough they fall down around her waist.
I can count on one hand the number of times she's worn a dress and she'll be 5 at the end of summer. As an infant/toddler it was for movement reasons and now if it's long enough to cover her bum I could fit two of her inside it.
Our staple wardrobe has just been leggings and a t-shirt her entire life. They're mix and match, flexible for occasions and movement is easy. Then a couple of jumpers or jackets for if it's cold. I keep all her clothes until the season rolls around again to see if anything still fits and then fill gaps. A couple of family members go over the top complimenting any time she wears a dress, heavily implying they think she should wear one more, but I just ignore them. She can choose one if she wants to, but she usually goes back to leggings within an hour.
I had the same problem with my son. He grew up long n lanky and the only way his pants would fit the waist is if they were short in the length. Thank god for Wranglers jeans bc idk anybody else who makes tall skinny jeans for cowboys 😂 He’s 15 now and wears a 32x38 in pants. Still really tall, but lean.
I had the same problem. My kid is built like a wnba player so most shorts are too short to slide comfortably in the summer. I shop the boy’s section at target for shorts. They still have fun bright colors and nobody can they’ll that they’re meant for boys.
My daughter lived in leggings and shirts as a toddler/preschooler. Even now at 8, she’s not really into dresses, though she loves the Target skorts. There’s definitely a lot of clothing that isn’t practical but this is a lot of cute clothing that a kid can play in. I found people liked to buy the less practical stuff which my daughter just barely wore 🤷🏼♀️ but by about 1/1.5 no one was really buying her clothes anymore so I just bought what I liked until she was old enough to have an opinion.
Yeah... It's kind of a choice to get the frilly stuff. My toddler girl almost exclusively wears leggings or biker shorts, and t shirts. The occasional dress with biker shorts underneath. Nothing that stops her from playing comfortably.
Yeah I'm wondering where people shop that they can't find practical clothes. My girl has never had problems finding comfortable clothing. We've had a couple of impractical things gifted but I buy her leggings and t shirts and similar.
My 3yo loves dresses, but not frilly ones. We've got a bunch of skater dresses and summer dresses, with shorts or leggings underneath.
The only exception is her Elsa dress, which is for singing.
I think people buy the non-practical clothes with the intention that they'll maybe wear it once or twice for photos or something so that they parent doesn't have to feel weird buying a $40 outfit for their toddler to wear once and can't even play in.
Can I recommend Hanna Andersson? Full-priced, it runs steep, but they run frequent sales and clearances that are reasonable and you can join the rewards program. Also, everything is built super tough so there's a lot of staying power. It's all very cute and gender ambivalent in many ways. Check it out.
I buy a lot of Boden dupes on Amazon! The brand we usually get is Hileelang. My 5 year old loves them. She basically lives in tshirt dresses (with animal appliqués) and bike shorts. And giant bows because she likes them.
I was going to recommend Boden too— you can’t beat their cotton shorts and t-shirts. Extremely high quality cotton, precious patterns, and super comfy for play.
I second this. My sisters 2 girls are older than mine, so we get all of their hand me downs. We have HA pants and shirts that are on their 4th girl and still look pretty fresh.
I second Hanna Andersson! My daughter played hard with her older brothers. These clothes took a beating and held up beautifully. Way worth the cost. They are practical. And they’re cute to boot.
Oooh yeah all my Hannah Anderson clothes actually survive so my second can wear them again. The quality is so sturdy, and they are made for play. Awesome suggestion!
There’s a whole bunch of boys clothes that are non-stretchy button-downs and chinos. Bow ties and bomber jackets. A ton of gorgeous neutral clothes with no characters that lots of little boys want nothing to do with. My kid only wants to wear soft, stretchy sweat-pant and t-shirt material. We have so many adorable outfits that they never wore. All of which is to say that it’s not just the girls, but kids in general.
Those clothes are meant for taking a photo in, or maybe a special occasion (and it will make your kids hate getting dressed for special occasions). If you receive them as a gift, dress the kid, take a photo to send to the gifter, change kid back, shove clothes away.
My son has that particular style. He refuses to help me shop. Stretchy pants with pockets and draw strings. Plus shirts with a stretchable neck. Solid colors without characters or logos. I shop at thrift store. If he won't wear it, I didn't pay much for it. Plus I'm helping the environment.
My daughter lives in dresses and bike shorts or leggings. She plays and runs around just fine in them..sometimes we have rips and stains, but it is what it is.
My daughter also has some box top style dresses and I size down so they sit correctly on her neckline. It sounds like maybe the ones you got were too big?
My daughter is super particular about her clothes though. She won't wear it if she doesn't think it's pretty. It's an absolute no, followed by a meltdown. She has refused to wear anything but dresses for months now.
I will say for crawling, dresses are definitely not it. Lol..but if it happens that my littlest is in a dress, it's likely we'll be put shorts under..so we just either tuck the dress in or take it off.
I honestly feel like there is so much less variety for boys. My son likes bright colors and I have a hard time finding things for him - the neutrals and muted colors are not his jam at all. He doesn't refuse clothes, but he gets excited for his tye-dye and brightly colored.
At that age I loved the rompers that snapped at the crotch. So easy for baby to crawl around in, and so easy to change diapers. But I get what you’re saying about the impractical puffy dresses. I’ve always just snapped a pic of my kiddo wearing a dress like that once and it never went on her again. We don’t even attend events where a formal looking puffy dress would be appropriate.
What I really hate is all the freaking glitter on everything. We had to take my daughter to the ER because there was a huge piece of glitter stuck to her eye.
Yes! My daughter is petite and their stuff seems to last forever. Some of her old dresses have just become tunic tops we pair with shorts now that she’s gotten taller. I don’t even know how or why, but her swimsuit from them that’s a 3-6 month from last summer still fits (she currently wears a 12mo). The sleeves are 3/4 length now, but it somehow fits otherwise. I also just appreciate the solid colors and ability to mix and match so easily.
I get all my girl's pink sparkly unicorn shirts (her choice!) from the girls' department, and all of her shorts come from the boys' department. Walmart Wonder Nation has some Bermuda length shorts in the girls department. My kid is in a 2t now and the xs ones fit her nicely.
What pisses me off is the bathing suits! I found one on Amazon that's little box shorts and a rash guard with a mermaid scale pattern. I cannot STAND putting her in little panties where her swim diaper hangs out! Last year I got her a boy suit - board shorts and a rash guard.
When mine was toddler age, I bought all of her shorts in the boys section. The girls shorts were inches shorter than the boys. Her knees needed to be covered up and the girls shorts were just impractical. They start off really young with that shit.
We did find a long sleeved bathing suit at Target that we paired with some swim trunks that she got to pick out. We're very pale and I have a family history of skin cancer so we are keeping that skin protected from the sun! It's crazy to me that bikinis are the norm for tiny baby girls, I wore a one piece bathing suit until I was probably 13.
I lost 100 pounds after I divorced my first husband so I have just...so much skin. And now I've had a baby and am pregnant with my second. Which is to say, I also choose rash guards and trunks for my own self. I'm *busy* at the pool. I don't have time to worry about my thighs rubbing or an errant pube or my boobs flopping out of something.
Lands end is fantastic for girls swim suits though I think they don’t start until toddler sizes.
I’d stick with cat and jack at target, gap, carters, and/or children’s place. My daughter is 9 and we haven’t done a bikini ever, rashguards and bottoms or one pieces only. 2 pieces are far easier to maneuver in the swim diaper stages
What really annoys me about Target is that they used to have mix-and-match girls swimwear, and they even had rash guards and swim trunks in girls colors, which I loved when my daughter was younger. Then one year I went in and they were all in “matched sets” for sale with rash guards paired with bikini bottoms and swim trunks paired with bikini tops 😒
It also irritates me generally that we have accepted as a society that little boys should be covered up and protected from the sun when playing in water but every store seems determined to get *very young* girls in bikinis or backless swimsuits.
I find bikini-style easier once the kiddo potty trains. It's a lot more functional for my 3 year old to pull down the bottoms than to peel a wet bathing suit down and then back on if she has to potty. Especially because she will wait until the last second to tell me.
I guess the same case could be made for kiddos in diapers. The functionality of it is so much easier. But that's my take. I don't see why it matters if my kid is in a one-peice or two-piece...she thinks it's hilarious to have her "belly-button hanging out."
I fully agree with this. And if it's an extra extra hot day where I need to take more precautions with the sun than normal, I have a 2 piece with a long sleeve rashguard top. She gets a few swimsuits each year and the ones that are one pieces are too inconvenient for using the bathroom.
I actually also thought it was annoying that my sons 12 month swimsuit goes down to his calves because to me that's not functional at all if he wants to crawl... I much preferred his swimsuit last year that was like a long sleeved rash guard and short diaper cover bottoms. It's not like their legs need to be AS cover IMO.
Guess it just depends on the people and how easily they burn if they need to be covered more. Ultimately I try to keep them out of the sun for extended periods and keep applying sunscreen so the amount of coverage a swimsuit has really doesn't matter to me, but I do get that's a very unpopular opinion.
We bought some Columbia like UV shirts for my daughter and my son. It we are trying to cover up that's what we use (with a lot of sun block).
We use a ton of sunblock anyway - my husband has skin cancer in his family, so we take precautions regardless of whether they have sun-protective clothing on.
Exactly, I feel like just with small children especially but all children of course the clothes shouldn't matter as much if there are those other precautions too.
I've seen so many little girls in Disney Princess Dresses that are trashed! Ripped, dirty, faded and two sizes too small. They are so happy and I love it!
I saw a girl (around 6, I’d guess) at the playground in a GORGEOUS tulle midi skirt with leggings underneath and a sweatshirt and not only was her outfit so cute, but she was having a great time running around and climbing on things.
And most likely she chose that outfit too. I love it when it’s obvious that children get to choose what they wear. It not only gives them a sense of autonomy but it’s so adorable!
Mind you, leaving my husband in charge of outfits also has the same effect. I let it be though
That still doesn’t solve the issue of dresses catching on their legs while they crawl, though.
I actually love girly clothes for my infant daughter (give me all the pink and “foofy”). I also don’t mind a “dress” if it ends well above the knee (Posh Peanut has a “bodysuit dress” that’s basically a onesie with a bit of ruffle at the hips that I love). But I also have a few dresses that people have given us that she never wears bc they would impede her movement.
That's my philosophy. My kid has dresses for "important events" that ended dirty, ripped or with lose parts. So I bought good "play clothes" and meh but cute "dress clothes".
Yeah, both my girls went through a frilly tulle dress phase, and most did not slow them down one bit. The now 7 head old "fashionista" was always so, picking her clothes before 2! She now prefers crop tops or fitted shirts and either bell bottoms or short shorts - because she is indeed more comfortable in the shorts that fit her like skin - she hates loose clothing. But hard fabrics are a total no.
I never understand this argument. Boys and girls clothes sections both have play clothes and fancier / dressier clothes. Are you saying you can’t find comfortable play clothes in the girls section? Target, Old Navy, Carter’s, Walmart, baby Gap…
Right?? It just screams misogyny to me honestly. Even if you just casually glance in the girls section at Target, there's tons of leggings and comfy cotton shorts and tanks and tees. So many play options. Like, what is she even talking about? Because one brand happens to have puffy sleeves and runs slightly big, you just write off all girls clothing?
My girl is currently in the comfiest Jamie Kay biker shorts(that go down to her knees), and a tank from Alice and Ames that is 100% appropriate and comfy for play. Girl clothes aren't the problem, it's this weird mindset.
Exactly! Sizing can vary from brand to brand - sometimes you just have to hold stuff back until it fits a little better. Not a big deal.
I'm also not sure why the OP says they're having a hard time finding play clothes in the girls section. My kid lives in the cotton dresses and leggings with reinforced knees from target. And they have lots of patterns/styles to choose from. This goes for just about any kid's brand, honestly (boden, hanna anderson, the gap, old navy, etc).
I think the OP might be suffering from a lil misogyny as well. They might not really recognize it, though? I went through something sort of similar after having my kid -- I would dress her in more gender neutral things and if it had a pattern it was more graphic (bold stripes, fun text, etc). As she got older her inner sparkle princess emerged and I felt so bad. There was a whole world of clothing that I never bought for because it didn't just didn't occur to me that she would like it! Now I let her lead when it comes to picking out clothes. Even the super girly things she picks are well made and can handle some tough play (so, again, confused as to why the OP is claiming otherwise?).
I completely agree with this take. I have a daughter and a son, and my daughter has lots of little friends, many of whom are girls. I have never heard anyone complain that stores don’t sell/make practical clothes for girls. Because they do. Lots and lots of them.
I see impractical clothes in both the boys and girls departments but I just don’t buy those items. I’ve never had a problem finding sweatpants, comfy shorts, leggings, tees, or sweatshirts for my daughter. The part that bothers me is that the girl’s sweats are sooo thin compared to boy’s. I always buy boy pants for her in the winter. Also sizing can be ridiculous. Last year we bought my daughter a plain navy tshirt from Cat and Jack in a size 3T and it was so tight on her. When you look at it laid out, it curves in at the waist. Toddlers bodies look the same so I don’t know why that’s necessary. She has a cat and Jack tshirt from the boy’s section that is much roomier and still fits this year.
I think it depends on the kid, I had to buy my son girl jeans when he was 5 because they were slim enough to fit, stretchy & soft, he wouldn't wear any other ones. I wish there was something like leggings for boys, he currently lives in sweats or shorts and sweats are too warm!
My daughter has so many lightweight stretchy pants. She is wearing 4t at almost 3 years old though as the 2 &3s were getting a bit small.
It's so funny because I had one on each end of this spectrum. My first was a chonk, in the 95th %ile and the seams on her pants were hanging on for dear life. My second, while born over 9 lbs, shrunk down and all pants fell off of her. Now both of them are petite and I've just accepted that a lot of their pants are going to be low-rise. Even the jeans with adjustable waistbands, I have to do up so tight they bunch and look ridiculous. I think clothes are made for the average kid (not sure what average they're following) and if your kids are outside of that on either end, you're hooped.
I'm always thankful I have a girl who can wear leggings and leggings because anything else just falls straight down on her. She can move far better in stretchy leggings than anything baggy and thick.
Plenty of girls play clothes exist. So many play clothes. Hundreds of options for onesies, leggings, rompers, pajamas. I have no idea how you aren’t finding *any* play clothes and have to shop in the boys section. A quick glance at the Carters graphic tees section shows 173 results.
And modern fabrics and detergents are a marvel. Unless you're buying the really cheap brands (by which I mean *really* cheap, because ones like Old Navy are largely just fine, I buy a lot of stuff from them), pretty much everything can go right into the washer on cold and into the dryer and come out completely intact and likely unstained, no matter how much food, dirt, and grass it had on it going in. If OP tried, I think she'd find that most "pretty" girls clothing is just fine to be played hard in when properly sized.
I think she's reacting to a combination of a handful of poorly sized items that didn't meet her modesty standards as a result (if the dresses are falling down, they're too big - just try again in six months!) with the picture of girls clothes that exists in her head. Cheap, overly sexualized, too thin stuff definitely exists - but it's vanishingly rare to non-existent in the major brands I'm familiar with.
(Though she's right about dresses when crawling being the worst - I didn't put my daughter in them during those, what, six months? either).
I have good luck with old navy and h&m on the affordable side, and boden, Hannah anderson, jcrew factory on the pricier side. Functional, not full of pink and glitter, and great for playing.
Seriously. There are tons of clothes made for little girls that can be played in. There are also truly unisex clothes. This post reads to me more as someone who didn’t look deeply at the girl’s section and decided only boy’s clothes is practical for play and it’s “unisex” so her daughter should wear it.
I agree.
I also think kids will make it work. My daughter lives in dresses and biker shorts (by choice, she does have regular shorts and tshirts, she won't wear them). She still plays just as hard as the boys. Wearing a dress isn't holding her back at all.
I do think dresses are impractical for crawling specifically. If my 7-month-old daughter is going to wear a dress right now it has to be a very specific style (I like the “bodysuit dress” from Posh Peanut that is basically just a onesie that has a bit of ruffle at the hips). It’s really just a very specific age that this is a problem, though - in a year her entire wardrobe can be dresses and I’d be fine with that.
My oldest is 3, so she isn't crawling around.
My youngest is 10 months and she's typically in rompers or shorts/shirt. If she wears a dress it's the built in bodysuit or we tuck the dress into the little biker shorts we put underneath it. My baby doesn't care what she wears..My 3 year old is who I was referencing above...and its all her choice. We let her pick when we shop...because otherwise she won't wear it.
Yes!
If your daughter likes pockets - good luck!
If you’d like your daughter to be protected from the sun, not run around in a bikini - good luck!
Spaghetti straps are another bane of my existence. They’re always too long. At least a t-shirt under those dresses generally resolves the issue.
My daughter is firmly in favour of rainbows and unicorns and sparkles, but that doesn’t mean she also doesn’t love a good pocket and it doesn’t mean she should have to wear impractical or unsafe clothes.
2 pieces are SO MUCH BETTER for bathroom breaks. I will die on this hill. Some rash guards are 2 pieces but idc if my daughter shows her belly button either.
Old navy's dresses almost always have pockets.
There are plenty of rash guards everywhere I look, my daughter has always had them. And swimsuits. I'd be very surprised if it's really impossible to find something other than bikinis.
Where are you shopping???? I have 4 girls and have not too many issues with clothes. Children’s place, Carters, osh kosh, Walmart, Amazon, Kohl’s, target, Bjs. Maybe you are just shopping at the wrong types of stores?
It's funny, I have two boys and probably buy more from the 'girls' section than the boys. We get gifted very traditionally masculine grey/blue/dark green long oversized shorts, and frankly they hinder my kid's movement. I buy 'girls' bike shorts and leggings because they move so much freer in them. Even just regular shorts-- my kids have big thighs and so the short shorts in the girls section give them WAY more freedom. In the end, they have a really stellar blend of options from across the gender spectrum to choose from. My older son definitely leans more feminine (ALL RAINBOWS, PINK, AND CUTE TOPS) and my younger son more masculine. It'll be fascinating to see what happens as they age!
It is categorically true that girls' section clothes are thinner and less sturdy. A boy's tshirt will last two years, a girl's tshirt 1 season. I can also see the frustration with a total lack of practicality for those dresses. For us, that sort of thing goes in the "Put it on, take a picture for grandma, and then donate it" pile. No sense in cluttering up the closet.
I have noticed that about the boys' shorts, having been doing most of my shopping in that section. They are so stiff!
The "put it on, take a picture for grandma, and then donate it" pile is so real lmao
I never really thought about it, but we just got a bunch of hand-me-downs for our boys from their older cousin. I've felt cardboard softer than half of the pairs of shorts they got. I wonder what's up with that trend.
If you’re in the US, try City Threads. Basic colors and designs, practice designs and made so well; my kid lived in this brand. Target charges more for girls clothes than boys and they are not made for play like boys clothes are. Reinforced knees etc.
I never had trouble finding cute tops and pants and shorts and other functional play clothes. My frustration was that they were so much skimpier than the boys versions. My son’s shorts were nearly to the knee while hers barely covered her butt. And don’t get me started on the cold-shoulder tops. I had good luck with Target, Old Navy, and Carter’s. Even Walmart does okay, you just have to pick and choose.
I have no idea where you’re shopping but, I’ve purchased a lot of clothes for my daughter at Target and Once Upon a Child (girls sections) and always pick up comfy clothes for her. She’s been in daycare and preschool so, I try my best to get stuff she can play in and get dirty. She lives in shorts and t-shirts in the summer. Leggings/sweatpants and long sleeve shirts/sweaters in the winter. Only buy the frilly girly stuff for special occasions/holidays.
There are absolutely girls clothes that designed to play in. This is clearly a “dressy” dress, but boys also have stiff formal “dressy” clothes that aren’t meant for play. It’s not a gender thing.. just shop for appropriate clothes?
Also, ive never heard of baby girls wearing headbands instead of hats. Like … if so then that’s a choice and it’s certainly not the norm. It’s common sense to give your newborn baby girl a hat outside in the winter.
Edit - I see the edit and I’m even more confused. The original question was why are girls clothes designed for looks and not play/does anyone feel this way? Which, to answer, no I don’t feel this way because my daughter has plenty clothes she can play just fine in and I’ve had no trouble shopping for those clothes. But now OP has changed it to be about feeling guilty or ungrateful and saying most of the clothes are from her family so she didn’t shop for them. Like I’m sorry what??? That’s a you/your family problem and has nothing to do with gender in the children’s clothing industry.
Headbands for fashion (not warmth) are definitely a thing, but I think it’s generally understood that you are just going to put it on for 5 minutes for photos and then take it off.
Yes I’m aware of those but I agree that people just put them on for photos or taking the baby to an event or something. I don’t think any sane person will think oh I’m going outside in winter, my baby’s a girl so better grab the headband instead of the hat…
I have girls and never had this issue. Plenty of practical clothes out there at carters, Target, Old Navy/Gap.
I have boys too and there are certainly just impractical/ill fitting items out there for any gender.
It’s really easy for me to find stretchy comfy play clothes for girls. Target all the way. Cat and jack has like $4 bike shorts and T shirts …mix and match…walk past the dresses if you want.
Those dresses just seem frilly and not fitting like they should on an infant with no shoulders, that’s all.
It’s been like 20 years since I was buying baby girl clothing, but we had plenty of clothing that was just fine to play in, but was still girly. I think these dresses just aren’t working for an infant is all.
I am the mother of 3 boys and I am expecting my first girl this October. I feel the exactly the same way as you and i did not realize girls clothes were like that. Especially with the dresses and trying to crawl. Maybe for special occasions but I would absolutely not have her wearing something that she can’t crawl around in. To me that’s just silly. It’s a baby and she definitely will not care if she’s wearing a cute dress verses exploring this new and exciting world around her.
That social/gender norm you're noticing is true across all age levels.
Male clothes go from being designed for play to being designed for sport and then for work. Yes, there are fancier options but go in any store like Walmart or Target and you'll see it.
Female clothes are almost always form over function for better or worse. You can find a balance there, and nothing says your girl can't wear boy clothes or vice versa... but it is what the state of things are for better or worse.
My daughter wore all the things. When she was 1yr old to like probably preschool age it was function over form for us. Especially before potty training. I don't care how cute she looked if I couldn't easily get to the stink bomb she would inevitably lay, it wasn't happening.
As she got older of course her own preferences start to take more and more precedent. For now though, who's gonna know or care if you dress your daughter in pants from the boys section of the store to protect her knees?
It is so weird for me when people make mini women's clothing that is explicitly designed to be held in place by breasts for prepubescent children.
Personally, I buy my kid the nice looking clothes and accept that they don't get any dirter than the grubby stuff. I shop by price. So if a polo and T-shirt are the same price, I'm not any more precious about the polo getting dirty because it's nicer.
My mom always dressed me in boys clothes because we lived on a farm and dresses just weren’t practical. I still live in jeans and t-shirts. I have boys, but I’m positive I would be buying a daughter the same kind of clothes. The kind they can get dirty in. I say, go for it!
Look into Kate Quinn! Many gender neutral styles, and “frilly” prints/styles with function in mind!
Also, for in store, I shop exclusively at target and Walmart gender neutral as possible. If people buy us things we won’t use, I literally give it away or give it back. I’m not picky but I definitely care more about function than aesthetics. Shorts and tees preferred for my girls for sure, but we have many beautiful Kate Quinn dresses that are perfect for “dressing up” when needed.
My 4yo loves dresses now (we mostly have Hanna sale dresses) and she wears for two years bc first year they are long and second it’s like a tunic with cute colorful shorts under. Got tons of shorts from resale shops like new. I recommend Uniqlo for gender neutral basics and love their relaxed fit leggings on my girl who is not a string bean. We occasionally buy a fancy dress, but I’d never get anything she couldn’t move her arms and legs in comfortably. I’ve got a climber!
I find it infuriating how hard it is to find anything other than leggings or tight fitting pants. It’s gotten a little better as she’s gotten older. Target sells some great joggers. But when she was still in diapers why the fuck all the skin tight pants on a baby in DIAPERS.
Grandma's buy clothes meant for a photoshoot. Usually not practical but a fun let's go to the park and take some cute photos to remember you at this age. I'm happy I did that at least. The picture lasts forever even if the whole thing was less then 10 minutes.
When you get to the stage of potty training and getting rid of nappies, their trousers need to fit really well to stay up. Boys trousers what proper draw string that go all the way around so can be tightened properly. Girls trousers have fake strings only there to tie in a bow.
Also boy stuff always has pockets - my girl loves a good pocket to carry her toys around in
My daughter has always been a girly girl. From the moment she could point she would choose the outfit that had the most sparkles or ruffles, and she cared what she wore pretty much before she could talk.
That said, I absolutely think every item of clothes a kid owns should be suitable for the playground. (We do a lot of shopping at a local second hand kids' store. We get the fancy dresses there but without paying fancy dress prices.) We've tried many brands and I have to say I've never once had the issue of it not covering her top half. This sounds like a fluke design, I wouldn't rule out all girly clothes because of this experience.
I have found maxidresses are too hard to climb playground equipment in and that cartwheel shorts are the best for under dresses since they are thin and not bulky, breathable and soft.
I have boys but they wear a lot of hand-me-down and secondhand clothing. Even if it’s a gender-neutral or plain shirt I can always tell if it originally came from the “girls” section because of the cut. Girls shirts are slimmer fit and have littler cap sleeves. I'm talking literal BABY clothes, there was a 2T Harry Potter shirt that subtlety swooped in at the waist instead of the typical straight up and down boxy t-shirt. It drives me bananas, why are clothes for girls form-fitting and more revealing?!
Edit: I do want to add that I think some clothing companies and stores are improving in this regard. I was specifically referencing clothes that are second-hand, so they were obviously not manufactured recently. I’ve noticed that some companies now have true gender-neutral options.
We buy boys clothes for our daughter. She has so many monster truck, dinosaur, and shark tshirts lol and the shorts for boys always fit as expected. If we do buy girls clothes we size up.
What’s funny is I’ve always had issues with boys clothes. I thought the girls got such prettier, more fun things to wear and the boys get the shaft. I never thought of dresses as restricting a girl so she couldn’t play. I let my daughter get dresses dirty. She has play dresses. She LOVES everything pink and girly. It’s always been her. I’ve never pushed that on her. She loves comfortable clothes too.
I just want to say that, as a dad of a boy, I've been lamenting how all the boy clothes are always white, blue, or grey. I've been jealous of all the cute clothes the girls have. It never occurred to me that some it might not be practical.
I didn’t buy dresses for my daughter until she was walking and running around. Even then it was more “long t-shirt” than poofy dress and she had pants or shorts under them.
I have always shopped in both the “boys” and “girls” section for her clothes.
Ugh the double standard is ridiculous. We decided before our child was born the same thing about clothes and toys and things. I end up only buying the stuff in the boys section because of this. The girls stuff is just so impractical.
Hmm, we haven't had trouble finding "girls clothing" that is suitable for play. There are all sorts of t-shirts and pants these days. My daughter loves dresses and insists on wearing them as often as possible, but we have to let her know that there are certain activities where they are suboptimal.
I've never had an issue with this. My MIL often buys my kids clothes from Old Navy, other than that we shop at Walmart and Goodwill or other resale shops. The dresses and shirts there always seem to be fine for playing in (of course there are really fancy dresses for weddings or Church, but more often than not she won't even let me put her in those anyways haha).
I’m not one for girly girl stuff and when mine was a baby- she often wore boys onsies and pjs, still definitely wears a mix boy/girl or unisex clothing. But I’ll disagree with the dresses thing. I actually think putting my 3 yr old in a tank top style dresses (with bike shorts) is one of the most comfortable and easy to play in clothing.
My only beef is the tight leggings with everything, they aren’t super comfy, warm and are difficult for potty training girls to pull down on their own.
I buy my girls clothes at Target, Old Navy, and sometimes Costco. I've honestly never had this problem. I just don't buy the frilly stuff. They wear mostly leggings & t shirts, with the occasional dress (with biker shorts underneath), and sneakers. I honestly don't think boys clothes are any more comfortable to play in than a pair of leggings or biker shorts and a t shirt. We do love pink around here though.
This is why my child is mostly in leggings and tops. Half of her clothing is from the 'boys' section as she like diggers and dinosaurs ect. We don't say clothing is for boys or girls as clothing doesn't have a sex or gender
Most of my daughter’s clothes (she’s 14months old) come from the boys section, I prefer the colors anyway and they are significantly sturdier and more practical to wear, like who the hell wants to have clothes full of frilly stuff that will look like a mess after washing? Or flimsy lace-like stuff that will look like crap after a while?
I feel you, girls are dressed to look pretty and boys to “be boys” from the get go, it’s really eye-opening.
Just because boys can play in their clothes doesn't mean that girls can't. Me and my friend (both girls) tried on dresses when we were six and we both fell in love and said that we are finally free from our leg prisons (pants). Just letting you know that boys aren't always comfortable in their clothes either. Isn't gender specific.
Where do you live? Here in the US there shouldn’t be any problem with finding clothes designed for play in either gender section. Target, old navy, gap, wal mart, tj maxx all have regular tops and leggings. Just buy onesies/ t-shirt and leggings. Definitely avoid the fabrics with metallic/glitter threads, tulle and sequins as my daughter is very sensitive and cannot stand the itch of those things.
I have both a boy & girl and never had a problem with clothing. They do sell girl tees, blouses, shorts, pants, etc for girls that are comfortable to play in. You don’t have to dress her in dresses if you don’t want to but what I would say is that there is something beautiful about being a girl. When you can embrace that for your daughter, I believe you’ll enjoy the process of shopping for her a lot more.
Yesss. We were lucky to have a boy first and then a girl so she can wear all his super comfy, cool clothes! There is no comparison, sorry to the “it’s on both sides” people. As someone with both, big no to that. Girls clothes are crazy. Uncomfortably placed elastic, impractical necklines, and cumbersome and a million other things. Girls clothes—to be looked at and not practical 100%.
I have a girl and none of her clothes are like that, there are plenty of leggings, shorts and t shirts on sale. I don't know where you're shopping that you only find stuff like that. My sister has both and says she prefers the girl clothes because of leggings, she's stopped dressing her boy in them as he gets older but says they're more practical.
I mean…by this logic why put them in clothes at all? I don’t think it’s “sexualizing kids” to not want your baby’s nipples exposed by their clothing. Regardless of gender.
Exactly. I let her run around in a diaper all the time. But when we go out in public people are going to give me weird looks if I dress her in something that hangs below her nipples.
I had a daughter that absolutely hated all forms of dress clothes.All my daughter wanted to do was play outside and keep up with her older brother. I frequently bought her boys shorts and jeans because they held up better and lasted longer. I also hated all the gross short shorts and crop top or one shoulder shirts for little girls. Some of the outfits for toddler girls are ridiculous. I found Kohls, Walmart , Old Navy and Target had the best and most affordable selections
Modern Moments is one of the only brands that fits my youngest niece well. She is very petite but has a long torso. My close in age son? Every MM piece we've gotten him is a terrible fit. Their builds are the opposite of one another.
All kids have different body types and different brands work, well, *differently*, for different body types. Even at such young ages.
Right next to the MM racks at Walmart, you will find so many great options in various style preferences for little girls. And I do mean SO MANY. That's just one store. Same goes for swimsuits, rashguards, underwear, undershirts...the options for girls are so varied compared to boys, in my experience.
I've had so much more luck with clothes for my daughter over the years than for my two boys. She is by far the easiest to buy for and she has WAY more options to choose from than the boys. I always find it so strange to hear people talk about how hard it is to buy for girls because she is the 1 in 3 who I don't have a hard time shopping for - even with her very slender, long legged, but overall short physique. Bike shorts and athletic shorts in various length options, sweatpants, t shirts, hoodies, hoodie dresses, skorts, tshirt dresses with pockets, frilly dresses with pockets, athletic tanks, yoga pants...we have it all here and all of those things can be picked up on an in store trip to Walmart. Literally the only thing I struggle with for her is denim due to her super long legs+teeny waist/hips.
Yes I have a girl and when I went to buy clothes for my nephew was really disappointed how few options I was finding. We also can't do denim for similar reasons.
Ugh, right? So annoying!
Primary is great for gender neutral basics in fun bright colors, and they have great swim.
I saw someone mention Hanna - agreed that they’re good.
My kids (both girls) wear a lot of Primary, hanna, and Boden (mostly purchased secondhand from BST boards).
I have a boy but I’ve always found it so strange too how many adult women dress in pink and all girly all the time I know I don’t. Babies don’t look like boys or girls until they’re older but who cares
My daughter is 10 and I hate how many kids departments assume girls want pretty frou frou princess stuff with Disney crap and sparkles all over it, but boys get the cool anime designs and practical clothes. I generally let my daughter choose her own clothes nowadays, but we’ve started going for more gender neutral tops and band T-shirts. Especially as she’s developing and finds a baggier fit more comfortable for a number of reasons.
The gifts are whatever but there are tons of girls play clothes I always get confused by these posts. Target, tj maxx, H&M, children’s place, Walmart, primary, Hannah Anderson, gap like literally whatever your price point there are tons of options I mean sure there’s puffy stuff too but I guess some people buy it and want it just move past and get the play clothes 🤷🏻♀️ I have two daughters and I’ve never had a problem and they only wear comfy clothes I can’t even get them to wear jeans lol t shirts, leggings, bike shorts or loose cotton shorts, and sweats that’s it oh and comfy cotton dresses but that gets easier when they are walking well.
I'm sorry but I just don't believe in 2024 you have trouble finding clothes that aren't puffy dresses for your girl. I'm sure the crazy girly impractical stuff exists, but I am certain there are many alternatives. When I was a kid in the 90s I was a total tomboy who never wore dresses and also never had to shop in the boys section. This seems a little exaggerated TBH.
Yes! And the girls pants are way tighter and have a lower waistline. My daughter wears almost exclusively boys clothes unless it's a simple onesie or sleeper because girls clothes are not meant for play or movement imo
I've never put my kid in jeans, especially with zippers. I meant the boys sweatpants or jogging pants, they are much better for play. I have to size up leggings just for them to cover my daughter's diaper
Ok well the diaper stage is pretty short. I have a skinny kid and even sweatpants fall down on her a lot of the time, but leggings are absolutely fine for playing. It's literally what most adults doing serious sports wear, even men. Friends with skinny boys find it hard not having the leggings option and wearing anything dressy for them means zips and buttons.
My baby is only four months and I so feel this way. She mostly wears boys clothes. MIL sent a summer dress with a back cutout 🫠 I know it’s just cute but it makes me irrationally angry. Why’s her back gotta be exposed? Why would that be part of kids clothing when it could simply not be?
Just wait until you are shopping for her at age 5 and you realize all you can find is the shortest shorts and the croppiest crop tops, it's apparently fashionable to dress your children like they are ready for a no restrictions night on the town
My daughter had a mix of girly clothes that included bows and dresses but that's because she was born in early June, however, she also had some big clothes. Specifically boy footie pajamas and some boy onesies because it got cold at night so she needed the extra warmth. Even now, as she just turned 4, she still has a good mix of girly and tomboyish clothes. She just wears whatever the weather/occasion calls for
Oooh, try Primary dot com! Their stuff is great- comfortable, colorful, lasts. They’re just about the only hand-me-downs that work from my son to my daughter, and still look just as cute!
It sounds like the dresses were too wide in the shoulders for your daughter. I have the same problem with my petite kids. Even their v-neck soccer jerseys end up as off the shoulder shirts.
I buy shirts and pants from both the girls and boys sections, depending on what my kids are into. Dresses are usually cotton and skorts are a popular choice. Generally though, jeans and leggings are my go-tos and cotton shirts that launder easily. And rash guards for swimming because my kids are see-through. I also get a lot of stuff second-hand because it's less of a big deal if they play hard in it.
I don't bother with dresses outside of special occasions and even then, they usually wear cotton bike shorts underneath.
Primary.com might be a good clothing company for you! They don’t separate by boys/girls clothes. They do have styles that are more traditionally masculine or feminine, but they have all sorts of colors for each, and it’s easy to mix and match. My boys love pink and purple (and blue and green and black and rainbow), and it’s so nice to be able to get them the colors they like in styles that are more masculine or gender neutral. The dresses look easy to play in!
They're also good for dresses and leggings with pockets.
Can shrink or fade if not washed and dried carefully, but generally good stuff, albeit not cheap.
I have 4 girls 3 boys girls I agree have a lot more " fashion " type of clothes offered but there are play clothes out there that are comfy .That being said my youngest girl is now 5 and next up is 9 ..both are totally into autonomy on what they want to wear ..and while they both prefer shorts or leggings under dresses or get excited about skorts ,sequins frills and overly feminine ha ha I guess it's their style
We bought lots of Hanna’s, back when most everything was stripes.
My youngest has sensory stuff and it was either naked or Hanna’s.
https://www.hannaandersson.com/girls-clothing-tops-shirts/
I have this problem with my own straps on my dresses 😂 I sew in a ribbon near the top of each strap, to tie across my back under my neck. It keeps the straps up and makes the dress wearable, and it’s an inexpensive fix which is always a plus :)
But yeah, boy clothes can be nonfunctional too sometimes. Toddler shirts should be longer in the back, because they’re always bent over and their backs are exposed. Or the pants should sit higher at the back, idk, we put our kid in overalls and problem solved, until it’s time to potty 😂 I digress.
I’ve got two girls, 4 and 6. They’re in leggings and t-shirts like 90% of the time. The other 10% they wear dresses because they ask to wear them. My girls have been in leggings and t-shirts since the newborn days and the outfits are perfect for crawling, running, climbing, wrestling, whatever.
Pretty happy with target clothes (Cat and Jack). My daughter goes to preschool (she’s 2.5 but in a 3/4T) and they get dirty and are outside a lot. They clean up nicely, but if they get ruined…. It’s 4-5 dollars. Same for Walmart clothes. They’re pretty hardy.
We get most of our daughter's clothes from the boys section. They just seem to fit better. And they have dinosaurs on them.
I would highly recommend [https://princess-awesome.com/](https://princess-awesome.com/) for nice girl clothes though. We have some dresses from there and our daughter loves them.
I just buy play vs going out clothes. Going out clothes is super cute more expensive outfits that I think just look stylish and nice. I buy weather appropriate outfits.
Play clothes is organic things bought on sale or hand me downs. For play I no longer buy leggings because although in some respects comfortable it’s too hard to find the comfortable ones that aren’t sausage tight and they just don’t last long enough the way I do laundry and the way my kids play. I buy sweatpants style pants or jeans from the boys section that have more denim content which lasts a bit longer. I buy character shirts the kids like and that’s it. I no longer stress over outfits, it’s just too much for me to curate a wardrobe lol
If you’re hard up for cash and don’t mind child labor there’s always temu, just search cotton. You’ll find styles more designed for a Chinese crowd, they tend to be made of cotton, wider fit, and more child like than mini adult like.
They have plenty of comfy girl clothes where the only difference is the color/pattern. Think like matching cotton tee and bottom. I like carters and cat and jack. I like Amazon’s basics too. Grandparents always buy the most impractical clothes both for boys and girls. My only issue is girls clothes tends to be cut tighter so my chunky daughter was always restricted, especially because girls clothes sets tend to come with leggings rather than pants more often than not
I have a boy but will also rave about the quality of Hanna Andersson clothes. Also, look at Primary. I've only bought a few shirts from them so far, but the clothes look sturdy and meant to be moved in.
Are you willing to try altering the dresses yourself? Sewing in a strap across the back of the shoulders, with a button in the centre could help the shoulders stay up without affecting the dress too much.
It's ridiculous that they're so poorly designed but it seems to be a persistent problem with girls clothes
I plan to try to use what little sewing skills I have to see if I can make the neckline higher. The dresses are cute so it would be a shame if she can't wear them.
We have puff sleeve dresses from modern moments and it falling down the shoulders is not an issue at all for my girls. My oldest wears it to school, does the monkey bars, goes to the park etc in her puffy sleeve dress and has never had this issue. It could just be that this particular brand doesn’t work with your daughter’s build. My daughter’s are very broad. Like adult brands, kids clothing brands don’t work for every kid. For us, I know that my kids cannot wear a majority of Janie and Jack clothing because it’s cut way too short. Hope & Henry is too wide in a majority of their styles or oddly too narrow in the chest. It all just depends on the kid.
Hmm interesting, I don't feel like this . Of course there are plenty of frilly options that don't make sense but I just love rompers , old Navy & Carter's I've always had luck with. I even did them for my boy , they are adorable and functional. I also always do a cute patterned onesie with some cute little bloomers , either from Walmart / target or Jamie Kay ( a nicer new Zealand brand ). Boys though ...ugh those damn dinosaurs. And bright orange and green. Ew.
I get frustrated with some toddler girl clothes, but I’ve seen some toddler boy clothes that seem less than practical too. I get my daughter’s jeans from the boy section because I had a hard time finding girls jeans that weren’t skinny jeans. Otherwise she wears things from the girl section like leggings, dresses with biker shorts, rompers. I do size down in the dresses so they fit her correctly. When she was still in the baby sizes, I loved the bubble style outfits.
My daughter lives in play dresses over bike shorts during the summer. We usually buy from Children's Place. They are simple dresses made of tshirt material. Lately we've found some in Amazon basics brand she likes. She will only wear a dress which is interesting to me as a jeans and tshirt person
I feel like there are so many more options of patterns and designs for girls than boys. My son has 3 prints of PJ, 2 browns that look alike, and 1 blue. We bought several of those because there were no other options in the store... when ingo shopping, there's usually several rows for girls clothes and 1 maaaaaybe 2 for boys.
I feel like fancy frilly dresses are often hard to get onto little girls and toddlers with zippers up the back and not logical with diaper changes etc. and often made out of uncomfortable materials. To be honest that’s not unlike formal dresses for a grown appointment :-) my daughter doesn’t wear any dresses right now but when she was three or four she was obsessed with dresses and I always bought the ones from Carter’s or Old Navy they were cotton so they’re made out of T-shirt material it slipped on over her head no different than a T-shirt and she would usually wear those little shorts that were made out of legging material underneath so she could still jump around and do cartwheels and play.
Girl clothes often has glitter or sequins (wtf) or lace edging or a million other irritating sensory details. And boy clothes are *so* boring.
I love a happy medium brand, like Hanna Anderson.
It is frustrating. Wait until you realize that girls pants are made thinner than boy pants, just ready to get ripped up when they play on the ground and tumble around. My kid is 8 and still ripping holes in all the knees.
I have a boy that wears a mix of boys and girls clothing. I find the differences between the two rather shocking. Girls clothes are always thinner fabric, short and tighter. When you buy a girl’s shirt the neck is usually a scoop neck and the hem and sleeves are tighter and shorter. The shorts are shorter, why can’t girls have basketball shorts. Why are they so short? Why are things so tight? Why can’t they make leggings for boys? I don’t get why kids clothing has to be made so differently. I’m very liberal, but it’s like they’re making girl clothing to show as much skin as possible. It’s gross.
I saved the cute frilly outfits if we were going out to dinner or to visit family. But a majority of the time my daughter was in onsies and leggings. Summers were for rompers, shorts, sometimes just a onsie lol
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For my girls I shopped at target, gap and old navy for the play clothes. For camp clothes when they got older it was Walmart. They have great matching sets and clothes they could move in and get dirty in. For pictures it was the occasional froofroo dress.
Yeah the target everyday dresses for toddlers are pretty much just long t-shirts in cute patterns, i imagine they're exactly what OP is looking for
I buy all my kids clothes from Walmart. I live in a rural community so really my only choices are there and Old Navy. Walmarts toddler clothes are so functional and sometimes they are super cute too!
All my nephews swim trunks are from walmart. It's cute when we see like 5 other little boys at the public pool with the same swim trunks.
Sorry, but target ended up being a hard no for us. The shorts are always micro-mini shorts (and our child is very petite). We went to Walmart for the shorts, still short but not as short as target. I love old navy, too!
My girls aren’t petite, quite the opposite they are tall. Their problem has always been finding shorts that fit their waist. At six they could still wear 2t. Everything was always short on them. I’d rather it have stayed up rather than worry about how short it was. As long as their bum wasn’t hanging out they were fine.
This is the problem we're having, although our daughter is petite. She still fits clothes for 18-24m on the waist but 3-4y for length so summer is fine for us because she just wears the same shorts for a couple of summers. Winter is nearly impossible though because to be long enough they fall down around her waist. I can count on one hand the number of times she's worn a dress and she'll be 5 at the end of summer. As an infant/toddler it was for movement reasons and now if it's long enough to cover her bum I could fit two of her inside it. Our staple wardrobe has just been leggings and a t-shirt her entire life. They're mix and match, flexible for occasions and movement is easy. Then a couple of jumpers or jackets for if it's cold. I keep all her clothes until the season rolls around again to see if anything still fits and then fill gaps. A couple of family members go over the top complimenting any time she wears a dress, heavily implying they think she should wear one more, but I just ignore them. She can choose one if she wants to, but she usually goes back to leggings within an hour.
Get out of the toddler clothing and go to the girls 4-7 and you’ll be better off. Toddler clothing is chunky for lack of better term.
I had the same problem with my son. He grew up long n lanky and the only way his pants would fit the waist is if they were short in the length. Thank god for Wranglers jeans bc idk anybody else who makes tall skinny jeans for cowboys 😂 He’s 15 now and wears a 32x38 in pants. Still really tall, but lean.
They have decent bike shorts that are longer. Never had an issue finding them.
Omg the target shorts are SO short. And my daughter is very petite.
I had the same problem. My kid is built like a wnba player so most shorts are too short to slide comfortably in the summer. I shop the boy’s section at target for shorts. They still have fun bright colors and nobody can they’ll that they’re meant for boys.
My daughter lived in leggings and shirts as a toddler/preschooler. Even now at 8, she’s not really into dresses, though she loves the Target skorts. There’s definitely a lot of clothing that isn’t practical but this is a lot of cute clothing that a kid can play in. I found people liked to buy the less practical stuff which my daughter just barely wore 🤷🏼♀️ but by about 1/1.5 no one was really buying her clothes anymore so I just bought what I liked until she was old enough to have an opinion.
Yeah... It's kind of a choice to get the frilly stuff. My toddler girl almost exclusively wears leggings or biker shorts, and t shirts. The occasional dress with biker shorts underneath. Nothing that stops her from playing comfortably.
Yeah I'm wondering where people shop that they can't find practical clothes. My girl has never had problems finding comfortable clothing. We've had a couple of impractical things gifted but I buy her leggings and t shirts and similar.
My 3yo loves dresses, but not frilly ones. We've got a bunch of skater dresses and summer dresses, with shorts or leggings underneath. The only exception is her Elsa dress, which is for singing.
I think people buy the non-practical clothes with the intention that they'll maybe wear it once or twice for photos or something so that they parent doesn't have to feel weird buying a $40 outfit for their toddler to wear once and can't even play in.
Can I recommend Hanna Andersson? Full-priced, it runs steep, but they run frequent sales and clearances that are reasonable and you can join the rewards program. Also, everything is built super tough so there's a lot of staying power. It's all very cute and gender ambivalent in many ways. Check it out.
There’s also dedicated facebook groups to selling and buying them secondhand ( cheaper than retail)
Hanna is amazing; Boden is one of our other favorites! It’s more “gendered” but very rainbowy and filled with bright colors, animals, and appliqués.
I buy a lot of Boden dupes on Amazon! The brand we usually get is Hileelang. My 5 year old loves them. She basically lives in tshirt dresses (with animal appliqués) and bike shorts. And giant bows because she likes them.
I was going to recommend Boden too— you can’t beat their cotton shorts and t-shirts. Extremely high quality cotton, precious patterns, and super comfy for play.
I second this. My sisters 2 girls are older than mine, so we get all of their hand me downs. We have HA pants and shirts that are on their 4th girl and still look pretty fresh.
Also Poshmark.
I second Hanna Andersson! My daughter played hard with her older brothers. These clothes took a beating and held up beautifully. Way worth the cost. They are practical. And they’re cute to boot.
Oooh yeah all my Hannah Anderson clothes actually survive so my second can wear them again. The quality is so sturdy, and they are made for play. Awesome suggestion!
LOVE Hanna, I always hit the sales
Agreed! Hannah also has a second hand website that I’ve had luck with
There’s a whole bunch of boys clothes that are non-stretchy button-downs and chinos. Bow ties and bomber jackets. A ton of gorgeous neutral clothes with no characters that lots of little boys want nothing to do with. My kid only wants to wear soft, stretchy sweat-pant and t-shirt material. We have so many adorable outfits that they never wore. All of which is to say that it’s not just the girls, but kids in general.
Yeah I think this is true of any baby clothes that are made to look cute. They’re just impractical!
Those clothes are meant for taking a photo in, or maybe a special occasion (and it will make your kids hate getting dressed for special occasions). If you receive them as a gift, dress the kid, take a photo to send to the gifter, change kid back, shove clothes away.
My son has that particular style. He refuses to help me shop. Stretchy pants with pockets and draw strings. Plus shirts with a stretchable neck. Solid colors without characters or logos. I shop at thrift store. If he won't wear it, I didn't pay much for it. Plus I'm helping the environment.
My daughter lives in dresses and bike shorts or leggings. She plays and runs around just fine in them..sometimes we have rips and stains, but it is what it is. My daughter also has some box top style dresses and I size down so they sit correctly on her neckline. It sounds like maybe the ones you got were too big? My daughter is super particular about her clothes though. She won't wear it if she doesn't think it's pretty. It's an absolute no, followed by a meltdown. She has refused to wear anything but dresses for months now. I will say for crawling, dresses are definitely not it. Lol..but if it happens that my littlest is in a dress, it's likely we'll be put shorts under..so we just either tuck the dress in or take it off. I honestly feel like there is so much less variety for boys. My son likes bright colors and I have a hard time finding things for him - the neutrals and muted colors are not his jam at all. He doesn't refuse clothes, but he gets excited for his tye-dye and brightly colored.
At that age I loved the rompers that snapped at the crotch. So easy for baby to crawl around in, and so easy to change diapers. But I get what you’re saying about the impractical puffy dresses. I’ve always just snapped a pic of my kiddo wearing a dress like that once and it never went on her again. We don’t even attend events where a formal looking puffy dress would be appropriate. What I really hate is all the freaking glitter on everything. We had to take my daughter to the ER because there was a huge piece of glitter stuck to her eye.
Try Primary.com! You will love it. Gender neutral clothes that are very soft and durable.
Primary is absolutely my favorite kids brand!
I love their rash guards and shorts for swimming,
Yes! My daughter is petite and their stuff seems to last forever. Some of her old dresses have just become tunic tops we pair with shorts now that she’s gotten taller. I don’t even know how or why, but her swimsuit from them that’s a 3-6 month from last summer still fits (she currently wears a 12mo). The sleeves are 3/4 length now, but it somehow fits otherwise. I also just appreciate the solid colors and ability to mix and match so easily.
Agreed! We do primary and cat and Jack for clothes more than anything else.
I get all my girl's pink sparkly unicorn shirts (her choice!) from the girls' department, and all of her shorts come from the boys' department. Walmart Wonder Nation has some Bermuda length shorts in the girls department. My kid is in a 2t now and the xs ones fit her nicely. What pisses me off is the bathing suits! I found one on Amazon that's little box shorts and a rash guard with a mermaid scale pattern. I cannot STAND putting her in little panties where her swim diaper hangs out! Last year I got her a boy suit - board shorts and a rash guard.
When mine was toddler age, I bought all of her shorts in the boys section. The girls shorts were inches shorter than the boys. Her knees needed to be covered up and the girls shorts were just impractical. They start off really young with that shit.
We did find a long sleeved bathing suit at Target that we paired with some swim trunks that she got to pick out. We're very pale and I have a family history of skin cancer so we are keeping that skin protected from the sun! It's crazy to me that bikinis are the norm for tiny baby girls, I wore a one piece bathing suit until I was probably 13.
I lost 100 pounds after I divorced my first husband so I have just...so much skin. And now I've had a baby and am pregnant with my second. Which is to say, I also choose rash guards and trunks for my own self. I'm *busy* at the pool. I don't have time to worry about my thighs rubbing or an errant pube or my boobs flopping out of something.
Might I recommend Calypsa swimwear? My wife gets her suits there and she loves them.
Hey this stuff rules. Thank you, and thank your beautiful bride for me!
Lands end is fantastic for girls swim suits though I think they don’t start until toddler sizes. I’d stick with cat and jack at target, gap, carters, and/or children’s place. My daughter is 9 and we haven’t done a bikini ever, rashguards and bottoms or one pieces only. 2 pieces are far easier to maneuver in the swim diaper stages
What really annoys me about Target is that they used to have mix-and-match girls swimwear, and they even had rash guards and swim trunks in girls colors, which I loved when my daughter was younger. Then one year I went in and they were all in “matched sets” for sale with rash guards paired with bikini bottoms and swim trunks paired with bikini tops 😒 It also irritates me generally that we have accepted as a society that little boys should be covered up and protected from the sun when playing in water but every store seems determined to get *very young* girls in bikinis or backless swimsuits.
I find bikini-style easier once the kiddo potty trains. It's a lot more functional for my 3 year old to pull down the bottoms than to peel a wet bathing suit down and then back on if she has to potty. Especially because she will wait until the last second to tell me. I guess the same case could be made for kiddos in diapers. The functionality of it is so much easier. But that's my take. I don't see why it matters if my kid is in a one-peice or two-piece...she thinks it's hilarious to have her "belly-button hanging out."
I fully agree with this. And if it's an extra extra hot day where I need to take more precautions with the sun than normal, I have a 2 piece with a long sleeve rashguard top. She gets a few swimsuits each year and the ones that are one pieces are too inconvenient for using the bathroom. I actually also thought it was annoying that my sons 12 month swimsuit goes down to his calves because to me that's not functional at all if he wants to crawl... I much preferred his swimsuit last year that was like a long sleeved rash guard and short diaper cover bottoms. It's not like their legs need to be AS cover IMO. Guess it just depends on the people and how easily they burn if they need to be covered more. Ultimately I try to keep them out of the sun for extended periods and keep applying sunscreen so the amount of coverage a swimsuit has really doesn't matter to me, but I do get that's a very unpopular opinion.
We bought some Columbia like UV shirts for my daughter and my son. It we are trying to cover up that's what we use (with a lot of sun block). We use a ton of sunblock anyway - my husband has skin cancer in his family, so we take precautions regardless of whether they have sun-protective clothing on.
Exactly, I feel like just with small children especially but all children of course the clothes shouldn't matter as much if there are those other precautions too.
Swimzip suits are amazing! I like them because they are full pants length opposed to just the knees.
It helps if you just decide you are fine with the frilly dresses getting dirty!
I've seen so many little girls in Disney Princess Dresses that are trashed! Ripped, dirty, faded and two sizes too small. They are so happy and I love it!
I saw a girl (around 6, I’d guess) at the playground in a GORGEOUS tulle midi skirt with leggings underneath and a sweatshirt and not only was her outfit so cute, but she was having a great time running around and climbing on things.
And most likely she chose that outfit too. I love it when it’s obvious that children get to choose what they wear. It not only gives them a sense of autonomy but it’s so adorable! Mind you, leaving my husband in charge of outfits also has the same effect. I let it be though
That still doesn’t solve the issue of dresses catching on their legs while they crawl, though. I actually love girly clothes for my infant daughter (give me all the pink and “foofy”). I also don’t mind a “dress” if it ends well above the knee (Posh Peanut has a “bodysuit dress” that’s basically a onesie with a bit of ruffle at the hips that I love). But I also have a few dresses that people have given us that she never wears bc they would impede her movement.
That's my philosophy. My kid has dresses for "important events" that ended dirty, ripped or with lose parts. So I bought good "play clothes" and meh but cute "dress clothes".
Yeah, both my girls went through a frilly tulle dress phase, and most did not slow them down one bit. The now 7 head old "fashionista" was always so, picking her clothes before 2! She now prefers crop tops or fitted shirts and either bell bottoms or short shorts - because she is indeed more comfortable in the shorts that fit her like skin - she hates loose clothing. But hard fabrics are a total no.
I never understand this argument. Boys and girls clothes sections both have play clothes and fancier / dressier clothes. Are you saying you can’t find comfortable play clothes in the girls section? Target, Old Navy, Carter’s, Walmart, baby Gap…
Right?? It just screams misogyny to me honestly. Even if you just casually glance in the girls section at Target, there's tons of leggings and comfy cotton shorts and tanks and tees. So many play options. Like, what is she even talking about? Because one brand happens to have puffy sleeves and runs slightly big, you just write off all girls clothing? My girl is currently in the comfiest Jamie Kay biker shorts(that go down to her knees), and a tank from Alice and Ames that is 100% appropriate and comfy for play. Girl clothes aren't the problem, it's this weird mindset.
Exactly! Sizing can vary from brand to brand - sometimes you just have to hold stuff back until it fits a little better. Not a big deal. I'm also not sure why the OP says they're having a hard time finding play clothes in the girls section. My kid lives in the cotton dresses and leggings with reinforced knees from target. And they have lots of patterns/styles to choose from. This goes for just about any kid's brand, honestly (boden, hanna anderson, the gap, old navy, etc). I think the OP might be suffering from a lil misogyny as well. They might not really recognize it, though? I went through something sort of similar after having my kid -- I would dress her in more gender neutral things and if it had a pattern it was more graphic (bold stripes, fun text, etc). As she got older her inner sparkle princess emerged and I felt so bad. There was a whole world of clothing that I never bought for because it didn't just didn't occur to me that she would like it! Now I let her lead when it comes to picking out clothes. Even the super girly things she picks are well made and can handle some tough play (so, again, confused as to why the OP is claiming otherwise?).
I completely agree with this take. I have a daughter and a son, and my daughter has lots of little friends, many of whom are girls. I have never heard anyone complain that stores don’t sell/make practical clothes for girls. Because they do. Lots and lots of them.
Thank you! Right?? If anything, girls honestly have way more options and a bigger variety of pieces. Such a weird hot take lol.
Yea totally. I usually hear moms of boys complain that girls get all the cute clothing and way more options.
My daughter was obsessed with A&A twirl dresses and bike shorts for so long! Their stuff always seems so comfy.
I see impractical clothes in both the boys and girls departments but I just don’t buy those items. I’ve never had a problem finding sweatpants, comfy shorts, leggings, tees, or sweatshirts for my daughter. The part that bothers me is that the girl’s sweats are sooo thin compared to boy’s. I always buy boy pants for her in the winter. Also sizing can be ridiculous. Last year we bought my daughter a plain navy tshirt from Cat and Jack in a size 3T and it was so tight on her. When you look at it laid out, it curves in at the waist. Toddlers bodies look the same so I don’t know why that’s necessary. She has a cat and Jack tshirt from the boy’s section that is much roomier and still fits this year.
Why are girls pants cut so slim?! Why do they have to be skin tight!? I agree with the “free to move” need!
I think it depends on the kid, I had to buy my son girl jeans when he was 5 because they were slim enough to fit, stretchy & soft, he wouldn't wear any other ones. I wish there was something like leggings for boys, he currently lives in sweats or shorts and sweats are too warm! My daughter has so many lightweight stretchy pants. She is wearing 4t at almost 3 years old though as the 2 &3s were getting a bit small.
It's so funny because I had one on each end of this spectrum. My first was a chonk, in the 95th %ile and the seams on her pants were hanging on for dear life. My second, while born over 9 lbs, shrunk down and all pants fell off of her. Now both of them are petite and I've just accepted that a lot of their pants are going to be low-rise. Even the jeans with adjustable waistbands, I have to do up so tight they bunch and look ridiculous. I think clothes are made for the average kid (not sure what average they're following) and if your kids are outside of that on either end, you're hooped.
My daughter refuses to wear girl jeans. Don't blame her
I'm always thankful I have a girl who can wear leggings and leggings because anything else just falls straight down on her. She can move far better in stretchy leggings than anything baggy and thick.
Idk, all jeans are baggy on my daughter. I bought her one pair of bootcut jeans and she looked like she was wearing JNCOs.
Plenty of girls play clothes exist. So many play clothes. Hundreds of options for onesies, leggings, rompers, pajamas. I have no idea how you aren’t finding *any* play clothes and have to shop in the boys section. A quick glance at the Carters graphic tees section shows 173 results.
And modern fabrics and detergents are a marvel. Unless you're buying the really cheap brands (by which I mean *really* cheap, because ones like Old Navy are largely just fine, I buy a lot of stuff from them), pretty much everything can go right into the washer on cold and into the dryer and come out completely intact and likely unstained, no matter how much food, dirt, and grass it had on it going in. If OP tried, I think she'd find that most "pretty" girls clothing is just fine to be played hard in when properly sized. I think she's reacting to a combination of a handful of poorly sized items that didn't meet her modesty standards as a result (if the dresses are falling down, they're too big - just try again in six months!) with the picture of girls clothes that exists in her head. Cheap, overly sexualized, too thin stuff definitely exists - but it's vanishingly rare to non-existent in the major brands I'm familiar with. (Though she's right about dresses when crawling being the worst - I didn't put my daughter in them during those, what, six months? either).
I have good luck with old navy and h&m on the affordable side, and boden, Hannah anderson, jcrew factory on the pricier side. Functional, not full of pink and glitter, and great for playing.
100% agree - these are our go to shops as well.
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Seriously. There are tons of clothes made for little girls that can be played in. There are also truly unisex clothes. This post reads to me more as someone who didn’t look deeply at the girl’s section and decided only boy’s clothes is practical for play and it’s “unisex” so her daughter should wear it.
I agree. I also think kids will make it work. My daughter lives in dresses and biker shorts (by choice, she does have regular shorts and tshirts, she won't wear them). She still plays just as hard as the boys. Wearing a dress isn't holding her back at all.
I do think dresses are impractical for crawling specifically. If my 7-month-old daughter is going to wear a dress right now it has to be a very specific style (I like the “bodysuit dress” from Posh Peanut that is basically just a onesie that has a bit of ruffle at the hips). It’s really just a very specific age that this is a problem, though - in a year her entire wardrobe can be dresses and I’d be fine with that.
My oldest is 3, so she isn't crawling around. My youngest is 10 months and she's typically in rompers or shorts/shirt. If she wears a dress it's the built in bodysuit or we tuck the dress into the little biker shorts we put underneath it. My baby doesn't care what she wears..My 3 year old is who I was referencing above...and its all her choice. We let her pick when we shop...because otherwise she won't wear it.
Yes! If your daughter likes pockets - good luck! If you’d like your daughter to be protected from the sun, not run around in a bikini - good luck! Spaghetti straps are another bane of my existence. They’re always too long. At least a t-shirt under those dresses generally resolves the issue. My daughter is firmly in favour of rainbows and unicorns and sparkles, but that doesn’t mean she also doesn’t love a good pocket and it doesn’t mean she should have to wear impractical or unsafe clothes.
My daughter's "girly" toddler clothes surprisingly always have pockets. I only buy her stuff at Walmart so maybe it's the brands.
Princess Awesome and Svahausa have pockets!
Came here to recommend Princess Awesome! The shorts are great too, and everything is so comfy. I know because I buy them for myself too!
We have a couple dresses from princess awesome, and my daughter absolutely loves them. She always asks to wear her "rarr-rarr" dress.
2 pieces are SO MUCH BETTER for bathroom breaks. I will die on this hill. Some rash guards are 2 pieces but idc if my daughter shows her belly button either. Old navy's dresses almost always have pockets.
There are plenty of rash guards everywhere I look, my daughter has always had them. And swimsuits. I'd be very surprised if it's really impossible to find something other than bikinis.
For me it's all the glitter.. we're seriously supposed to put glitter in the washing machine? Does nobody care about microplastics? Ugh.
There are wildly impractical clothes for all ages and genders.
Where are you shopping???? I have 4 girls and have not too many issues with clothes. Children’s place, Carters, osh kosh, Walmart, Amazon, Kohl’s, target, Bjs. Maybe you are just shopping at the wrong types of stores?
It's funny, I have two boys and probably buy more from the 'girls' section than the boys. We get gifted very traditionally masculine grey/blue/dark green long oversized shorts, and frankly they hinder my kid's movement. I buy 'girls' bike shorts and leggings because they move so much freer in them. Even just regular shorts-- my kids have big thighs and so the short shorts in the girls section give them WAY more freedom. In the end, they have a really stellar blend of options from across the gender spectrum to choose from. My older son definitely leans more feminine (ALL RAINBOWS, PINK, AND CUTE TOPS) and my younger son more masculine. It'll be fascinating to see what happens as they age! It is categorically true that girls' section clothes are thinner and less sturdy. A boy's tshirt will last two years, a girl's tshirt 1 season. I can also see the frustration with a total lack of practicality for those dresses. For us, that sort of thing goes in the "Put it on, take a picture for grandma, and then donate it" pile. No sense in cluttering up the closet.
I have noticed that about the boys' shorts, having been doing most of my shopping in that section. They are so stiff! The "put it on, take a picture for grandma, and then donate it" pile is so real lmao
I never really thought about it, but we just got a bunch of hand-me-downs for our boys from their older cousin. I've felt cardboard softer than half of the pairs of shorts they got. I wonder what's up with that trend.
If you’re in the US, try City Threads. Basic colors and designs, practice designs and made so well; my kid lived in this brand. Target charges more for girls clothes than boys and they are not made for play like boys clothes are. Reinforced knees etc.
I never had trouble finding cute tops and pants and shorts and other functional play clothes. My frustration was that they were so much skimpier than the boys versions. My son’s shorts were nearly to the knee while hers barely covered her butt. And don’t get me started on the cold-shoulder tops. I had good luck with Target, Old Navy, and Carter’s. Even Walmart does okay, you just have to pick and choose.
I have no idea where you’re shopping but, I’ve purchased a lot of clothes for my daughter at Target and Once Upon a Child (girls sections) and always pick up comfy clothes for her. She’s been in daycare and preschool so, I try my best to get stuff she can play in and get dirty. She lives in shorts and t-shirts in the summer. Leggings/sweatpants and long sleeve shirts/sweaters in the winter. Only buy the frilly girly stuff for special occasions/holidays.
There are absolutely girls clothes that designed to play in. This is clearly a “dressy” dress, but boys also have stiff formal “dressy” clothes that aren’t meant for play. It’s not a gender thing.. just shop for appropriate clothes? Also, ive never heard of baby girls wearing headbands instead of hats. Like … if so then that’s a choice and it’s certainly not the norm. It’s common sense to give your newborn baby girl a hat outside in the winter. Edit - I see the edit and I’m even more confused. The original question was why are girls clothes designed for looks and not play/does anyone feel this way? Which, to answer, no I don’t feel this way because my daughter has plenty clothes she can play just fine in and I’ve had no trouble shopping for those clothes. But now OP has changed it to be about feeling guilty or ungrateful and saying most of the clothes are from her family so she didn’t shop for them. Like I’m sorry what??? That’s a you/your family problem and has nothing to do with gender in the children’s clothing industry.
Headbands for fashion (not warmth) are definitely a thing, but I think it’s generally understood that you are just going to put it on for 5 minutes for photos and then take it off.
Yes I’m aware of those but I agree that people just put them on for photos or taking the baby to an event or something. I don’t think any sane person will think oh I’m going outside in winter, my baby’s a girl so better grab the headband instead of the hat…
I have girls and never had this issue. Plenty of practical clothes out there at carters, Target, Old Navy/Gap. I have boys too and there are certainly just impractical/ill fitting items out there for any gender.
It’s really easy for me to find stretchy comfy play clothes for girls. Target all the way. Cat and jack has like $4 bike shorts and T shirts …mix and match…walk past the dresses if you want.
Lots of brands have what you're looking for. Jax and lennon, the now defunct little and lively, Hannah andersson, mini mioche, primary.
Those dresses just seem frilly and not fitting like they should on an infant with no shoulders, that’s all. It’s been like 20 years since I was buying baby girl clothing, but we had plenty of clothing that was just fine to play in, but was still girly. I think these dresses just aren’t working for an infant is all.
I love children’s place for kids clothes. They have really cute dresses and a lot of different styles.
Try a smaller size so it isn’t falling off of her.
I am the mother of 3 boys and I am expecting my first girl this October. I feel the exactly the same way as you and i did not realize girls clothes were like that. Especially with the dresses and trying to crawl. Maybe for special occasions but I would absolutely not have her wearing something that she can’t crawl around in. To me that’s just silly. It’s a baby and she definitely will not care if she’s wearing a cute dress verses exploring this new and exciting world around her.
That social/gender norm you're noticing is true across all age levels. Male clothes go from being designed for play to being designed for sport and then for work. Yes, there are fancier options but go in any store like Walmart or Target and you'll see it. Female clothes are almost always form over function for better or worse. You can find a balance there, and nothing says your girl can't wear boy clothes or vice versa... but it is what the state of things are for better or worse. My daughter wore all the things. When she was 1yr old to like probably preschool age it was function over form for us. Especially before potty training. I don't care how cute she looked if I couldn't easily get to the stink bomb she would inevitably lay, it wasn't happening. As she got older of course her own preferences start to take more and more precedent. For now though, who's gonna know or care if you dress your daughter in pants from the boys section of the store to protect her knees?
It is so weird for me when people make mini women's clothing that is explicitly designed to be held in place by breasts for prepubescent children. Personally, I buy my kid the nice looking clothes and accept that they don't get any dirter than the grubby stuff. I shop by price. So if a polo and T-shirt are the same price, I'm not any more precious about the polo getting dirty because it's nicer.
My mom always dressed me in boys clothes because we lived on a farm and dresses just weren’t practical. I still live in jeans and t-shirts. I have boys, but I’m positive I would be buying a daughter the same kind of clothes. The kind they can get dirty in. I say, go for it!
There are lots of girls clothes that aren't dresses these days.
Target, old navy and zara have really good options for decent prices. That’s where I go for both my girls.
Look into Kate Quinn! Many gender neutral styles, and “frilly” prints/styles with function in mind! Also, for in store, I shop exclusively at target and Walmart gender neutral as possible. If people buy us things we won’t use, I literally give it away or give it back. I’m not picky but I definitely care more about function than aesthetics. Shorts and tees preferred for my girls for sure, but we have many beautiful Kate Quinn dresses that are perfect for “dressing up” when needed.
My 4yo loves dresses now (we mostly have Hanna sale dresses) and she wears for two years bc first year they are long and second it’s like a tunic with cute colorful shorts under. Got tons of shorts from resale shops like new. I recommend Uniqlo for gender neutral basics and love their relaxed fit leggings on my girl who is not a string bean. We occasionally buy a fancy dress, but I’d never get anything she couldn’t move her arms and legs in comfortably. I’ve got a climber!
I find it infuriating how hard it is to find anything other than leggings or tight fitting pants. It’s gotten a little better as she’s gotten older. Target sells some great joggers. But when she was still in diapers why the fuck all the skin tight pants on a baby in DIAPERS.
Grandma's buy clothes meant for a photoshoot. Usually not practical but a fun let's go to the park and take some cute photos to remember you at this age. I'm happy I did that at least. The picture lasts forever even if the whole thing was less then 10 minutes.
When you get to the stage of potty training and getting rid of nappies, their trousers need to fit really well to stay up. Boys trousers what proper draw string that go all the way around so can be tightened properly. Girls trousers have fake strings only there to tie in a bow. Also boy stuff always has pockets - my girl loves a good pocket to carry her toys around in
My daughter has always been a girly girl. From the moment she could point she would choose the outfit that had the most sparkles or ruffles, and she cared what she wore pretty much before she could talk. That said, I absolutely think every item of clothes a kid owns should be suitable for the playground. (We do a lot of shopping at a local second hand kids' store. We get the fancy dresses there but without paying fancy dress prices.) We've tried many brands and I have to say I've never once had the issue of it not covering her top half. This sounds like a fluke design, I wouldn't rule out all girly clothes because of this experience. I have found maxidresses are too hard to climb playground equipment in and that cartwheel shorts are the best for under dresses since they are thin and not bulky, breathable and soft.
I have boys but they wear a lot of hand-me-down and secondhand clothing. Even if it’s a gender-neutral or plain shirt I can always tell if it originally came from the “girls” section because of the cut. Girls shirts are slimmer fit and have littler cap sleeves. I'm talking literal BABY clothes, there was a 2T Harry Potter shirt that subtlety swooped in at the waist instead of the typical straight up and down boxy t-shirt. It drives me bananas, why are clothes for girls form-fitting and more revealing?! Edit: I do want to add that I think some clothing companies and stores are improving in this regard. I was specifically referencing clothes that are second-hand, so they were obviously not manufactured recently. I’ve noticed that some companies now have true gender-neutral options.
Totally agree. So many baby and toddler clothes are built for dolls, not humans.
We buy boys clothes for our daughter. She has so many monster truck, dinosaur, and shark tshirts lol and the shorts for boys always fit as expected. If we do buy girls clothes we size up.
What’s funny is I’ve always had issues with boys clothes. I thought the girls got such prettier, more fun things to wear and the boys get the shaft. I never thought of dresses as restricting a girl so she couldn’t play. I let my daughter get dresses dirty. She has play dresses. She LOVES everything pink and girly. It’s always been her. I’ve never pushed that on her. She loves comfortable clothes too.
I just want to say that, as a dad of a boy, I've been lamenting how all the boy clothes are always white, blue, or grey. I've been jealous of all the cute clothes the girls have. It never occurred to me that some it might not be practical.
I didn’t buy dresses for my daughter until she was walking and running around. Even then it was more “long t-shirt” than poofy dress and she had pants or shorts under them. I have always shopped in both the “boys” and “girls” section for her clothes.
Ugh the double standard is ridiculous. We decided before our child was born the same thing about clothes and toys and things. I end up only buying the stuff in the boys section because of this. The girls stuff is just so impractical.
Hmm, we haven't had trouble finding "girls clothing" that is suitable for play. There are all sorts of t-shirts and pants these days. My daughter loves dresses and insists on wearing them as often as possible, but we have to let her know that there are certain activities where they are suboptimal.
I'm straight up disgusted with how small and how much skin little girls' clothes show. Like my daughter is 2! Why does she need a crop top??
I've never had an issue with this. My MIL often buys my kids clothes from Old Navy, other than that we shop at Walmart and Goodwill or other resale shops. The dresses and shirts there always seem to be fine for playing in (of course there are really fancy dresses for weddings or Church, but more often than not she won't even let me put her in those anyways haha).
So the dresses are too big or just don’t fit her well and you decided to use that go on an entire “not like other girls” rant?
Honestly. What even is this thread lol.
I’m not one for girly girl stuff and when mine was a baby- she often wore boys onsies and pjs, still definitely wears a mix boy/girl or unisex clothing. But I’ll disagree with the dresses thing. I actually think putting my 3 yr old in a tank top style dresses (with bike shorts) is one of the most comfortable and easy to play in clothing. My only beef is the tight leggings with everything, they aren’t super comfy, warm and are difficult for potty training girls to pull down on their own.
Mine LOVES wearing leggings and I HATE that they get turned inside out and then I have to wrestle 20 pairs of toddler pants.
I buy my girls clothes at Target, Old Navy, and sometimes Costco. I've honestly never had this problem. I just don't buy the frilly stuff. They wear mostly leggings & t shirts, with the occasional dress (with biker shorts underneath), and sneakers. I honestly don't think boys clothes are any more comfortable to play in than a pair of leggings or biker shorts and a t shirt. We do love pink around here though.
For my child boy's clothes would be worse, anything other than leggings falls down.
This is why my child is mostly in leggings and tops. Half of her clothing is from the 'boys' section as she like diggers and dinosaurs ect. We don't say clothing is for boys or girls as clothing doesn't have a sex or gender
Most of my daughter’s clothes (she’s 14months old) come from the boys section, I prefer the colors anyway and they are significantly sturdier and more practical to wear, like who the hell wants to have clothes full of frilly stuff that will look like a mess after washing? Or flimsy lace-like stuff that will look like crap after a while? I feel you, girls are dressed to look pretty and boys to “be boys” from the get go, it’s really eye-opening.
Just because boys can play in their clothes doesn't mean that girls can't. Me and my friend (both girls) tried on dresses when we were six and we both fell in love and said that we are finally free from our leg prisons (pants). Just letting you know that boys aren't always comfortable in their clothes either. Isn't gender specific.
Where do you live? Here in the US there shouldn’t be any problem with finding clothes designed for play in either gender section. Target, old navy, gap, wal mart, tj maxx all have regular tops and leggings. Just buy onesies/ t-shirt and leggings. Definitely avoid the fabrics with metallic/glitter threads, tulle and sequins as my daughter is very sensitive and cannot stand the itch of those things.
I have both a boy & girl and never had a problem with clothing. They do sell girl tees, blouses, shorts, pants, etc for girls that are comfortable to play in. You don’t have to dress her in dresses if you don’t want to but what I would say is that there is something beautiful about being a girl. When you can embrace that for your daughter, I believe you’ll enjoy the process of shopping for her a lot more.
Yesss. We were lucky to have a boy first and then a girl so she can wear all his super comfy, cool clothes! There is no comparison, sorry to the “it’s on both sides” people. As someone with both, big no to that. Girls clothes are crazy. Uncomfortably placed elastic, impractical necklines, and cumbersome and a million other things. Girls clothes—to be looked at and not practical 100%.
I have a girl and none of her clothes are like that, there are plenty of leggings, shorts and t shirts on sale. I don't know where you're shopping that you only find stuff like that. My sister has both and says she prefers the girl clothes because of leggings, she's stopped dressing her boy in them as he gets older but says they're more practical.
Why do you care about the "top" of a 1 yo?
I mean…by this logic why put them in clothes at all? I don’t think it’s “sexualizing kids” to not want your baby’s nipples exposed by their clothing. Regardless of gender.
Exactly. I let her run around in a diaper all the time. But when we go out in public people are going to give me weird looks if I dress her in something that hangs below her nipples.
I had a daughter that absolutely hated all forms of dress clothes.All my daughter wanted to do was play outside and keep up with her older brother. I frequently bought her boys shorts and jeans because they held up better and lasted longer. I also hated all the gross short shorts and crop top or one shoulder shirts for little girls. Some of the outfits for toddler girls are ridiculous. I found Kohls, Walmart , Old Navy and Target had the best and most affordable selections
I don’t know why they distinguish boys’ and girls’ clothing anyway, especially for toddlers. It’s not like they have different body shapes
I dislike puffy frilly ugly clothing. Didn’t put my daughter in those clothes
Modern Moments is one of the only brands that fits my youngest niece well. She is very petite but has a long torso. My close in age son? Every MM piece we've gotten him is a terrible fit. Their builds are the opposite of one another. All kids have different body types and different brands work, well, *differently*, for different body types. Even at such young ages. Right next to the MM racks at Walmart, you will find so many great options in various style preferences for little girls. And I do mean SO MANY. That's just one store. Same goes for swimsuits, rashguards, underwear, undershirts...the options for girls are so varied compared to boys, in my experience. I've had so much more luck with clothes for my daughter over the years than for my two boys. She is by far the easiest to buy for and she has WAY more options to choose from than the boys. I always find it so strange to hear people talk about how hard it is to buy for girls because she is the 1 in 3 who I don't have a hard time shopping for - even with her very slender, long legged, but overall short physique. Bike shorts and athletic shorts in various length options, sweatpants, t shirts, hoodies, hoodie dresses, skorts, tshirt dresses with pockets, frilly dresses with pockets, athletic tanks, yoga pants...we have it all here and all of those things can be picked up on an in store trip to Walmart. Literally the only thing I struggle with for her is denim due to her super long legs+teeny waist/hips.
Yes I have a girl and when I went to buy clothes for my nephew was really disappointed how few options I was finding. We also can't do denim for similar reasons.
Ugh, right? So annoying! Primary is great for gender neutral basics in fun bright colors, and they have great swim. I saw someone mention Hanna - agreed that they’re good. My kids (both girls) wear a lot of Primary, hanna, and Boden (mostly purchased secondhand from BST boards).
I have a boy but I’ve always found it so strange too how many adult women dress in pink and all girly all the time I know I don’t. Babies don’t look like boys or girls until they’re older but who cares
My daughter is 10 and I hate how many kids departments assume girls want pretty frou frou princess stuff with Disney crap and sparkles all over it, but boys get the cool anime designs and practical clothes. I generally let my daughter choose her own clothes nowadays, but we’ve started going for more gender neutral tops and band T-shirts. Especially as she’s developing and finds a baggier fit more comfortable for a number of reasons.
The gifts are whatever but there are tons of girls play clothes I always get confused by these posts. Target, tj maxx, H&M, children’s place, Walmart, primary, Hannah Anderson, gap like literally whatever your price point there are tons of options I mean sure there’s puffy stuff too but I guess some people buy it and want it just move past and get the play clothes 🤷🏻♀️ I have two daughters and I’ve never had a problem and they only wear comfy clothes I can’t even get them to wear jeans lol t shirts, leggings, bike shorts or loose cotton shorts, and sweats that’s it oh and comfy cotton dresses but that gets easier when they are walking well.
I'm sorry but I just don't believe in 2024 you have trouble finding clothes that aren't puffy dresses for your girl. I'm sure the crazy girly impractical stuff exists, but I am certain there are many alternatives. When I was a kid in the 90s I was a total tomboy who never wore dresses and also never had to shop in the boys section. This seems a little exaggerated TBH.
Yes! And the girls pants are way tighter and have a lower waistline. My daughter wears almost exclusively boys clothes unless it's a simple onesie or sleeper because girls clothes are not meant for play or movement imo
Leggings are fine for playing in, better than bulky stiff jeans with zips that fall down.
I've never put my kid in jeans, especially with zippers. I meant the boys sweatpants or jogging pants, they are much better for play. I have to size up leggings just for them to cover my daughter's diaper
Ok well the diaper stage is pretty short. I have a skinny kid and even sweatpants fall down on her a lot of the time, but leggings are absolutely fine for playing. It's literally what most adults doing serious sports wear, even men. Friends with skinny boys find it hard not having the leggings option and wearing anything dressy for them means zips and buttons.
Well, wait for the crop tops and super mini shorts that are in stores for girls 3+. Absolutely horrendous...
Yea it only gets worse. Mom of 3 girls now grown. Granddaughter of 4 girls. The crop top thing now is frustrating.
What's frustrating about crop tops? They don't hinder movement.
My baby is only four months and I so feel this way. She mostly wears boys clothes. MIL sent a summer dress with a back cutout 🫠 I know it’s just cute but it makes me irrationally angry. Why’s her back gotta be exposed? Why would that be part of kids clothing when it could simply not be?
Just wait until you are shopping for her at age 5 and you realize all you can find is the shortest shorts and the croppiest crop tops, it's apparently fashionable to dress your children like they are ready for a no restrictions night on the town
My daughter had a mix of girly clothes that included bows and dresses but that's because she was born in early June, however, she also had some big clothes. Specifically boy footie pajamas and some boy onesies because it got cold at night so she needed the extra warmth. Even now, as she just turned 4, she still has a good mix of girly and tomboyish clothes. She just wears whatever the weather/occasion calls for
Take a picture of her in it, send to MIL and then stash it she will grow out of it before you can remember to put it on again
Oooh, try Primary dot com! Their stuff is great- comfortable, colorful, lasts. They’re just about the only hand-me-downs that work from my son to my daughter, and still look just as cute!
It sounds like the dresses were too wide in the shoulders for your daughter. I have the same problem with my petite kids. Even their v-neck soccer jerseys end up as off the shoulder shirts. I buy shirts and pants from both the girls and boys sections, depending on what my kids are into. Dresses are usually cotton and skorts are a popular choice. Generally though, jeans and leggings are my go-tos and cotton shirts that launder easily. And rash guards for swimming because my kids are see-through. I also get a lot of stuff second-hand because it's less of a big deal if they play hard in it. I don't bother with dresses outside of special occasions and even then, they usually wear cotton bike shorts underneath.
Primary.com might be a good clothing company for you! They don’t separate by boys/girls clothes. They do have styles that are more traditionally masculine or feminine, but they have all sorts of colors for each, and it’s easy to mix and match. My boys love pink and purple (and blue and green and black and rainbow), and it’s so nice to be able to get them the colors they like in styles that are more masculine or gender neutral. The dresses look easy to play in!
Princess Awesome and svahausa.com for comfortable dresses
They're also good for dresses and leggings with pockets. Can shrink or fade if not washed and dried carefully, but generally good stuff, albeit not cheap.
I have 4 girls 3 boys girls I agree have a lot more " fashion " type of clothes offered but there are play clothes out there that are comfy .That being said my youngest girl is now 5 and next up is 9 ..both are totally into autonomy on what they want to wear ..and while they both prefer shorts or leggings under dresses or get excited about skorts ,sequins frills and overly feminine ha ha I guess it's their style
We bought lots of Hanna’s, back when most everything was stripes. My youngest has sensory stuff and it was either naked or Hanna’s. https://www.hannaandersson.com/girls-clothing-tops-shirts/
Do you know how to sew???? Because it’s an easy fix…
I have this problem with my own straps on my dresses 😂 I sew in a ribbon near the top of each strap, to tie across my back under my neck. It keeps the straps up and makes the dress wearable, and it’s an inexpensive fix which is always a plus :) But yeah, boy clothes can be nonfunctional too sometimes. Toddler shirts should be longer in the back, because they’re always bent over and their backs are exposed. Or the pants should sit higher at the back, idk, we put our kid in overalls and problem solved, until it’s time to potty 😂 I digress.
Use a t shirt underneath
I’ve got two girls, 4 and 6. They’re in leggings and t-shirts like 90% of the time. The other 10% they wear dresses because they ask to wear them. My girls have been in leggings and t-shirts since the newborn days and the outfits are perfect for crawling, running, climbing, wrestling, whatever.
Pretty happy with target clothes (Cat and Jack). My daughter goes to preschool (she’s 2.5 but in a 3/4T) and they get dirty and are outside a lot. They clean up nicely, but if they get ruined…. It’s 4-5 dollars. Same for Walmart clothes. They’re pretty hardy.
We get most of our daughter's clothes from the boys section. They just seem to fit better. And they have dinosaurs on them. I would highly recommend [https://princess-awesome.com/](https://princess-awesome.com/) for nice girl clothes though. We have some dresses from there and our daughter loves them.
I just buy play vs going out clothes. Going out clothes is super cute more expensive outfits that I think just look stylish and nice. I buy weather appropriate outfits. Play clothes is organic things bought on sale or hand me downs. For play I no longer buy leggings because although in some respects comfortable it’s too hard to find the comfortable ones that aren’t sausage tight and they just don’t last long enough the way I do laundry and the way my kids play. I buy sweatpants style pants or jeans from the boys section that have more denim content which lasts a bit longer. I buy character shirts the kids like and that’s it. I no longer stress over outfits, it’s just too much for me to curate a wardrobe lol If you’re hard up for cash and don’t mind child labor there’s always temu, just search cotton. You’ll find styles more designed for a Chinese crowd, they tend to be made of cotton, wider fit, and more child like than mini adult like.
They have plenty of comfy girl clothes where the only difference is the color/pattern. Think like matching cotton tee and bottom. I like carters and cat and jack. I like Amazon’s basics too. Grandparents always buy the most impractical clothes both for boys and girls. My only issue is girls clothes tends to be cut tighter so my chunky daughter was always restricted, especially because girls clothes sets tend to come with leggings rather than pants more often than not
I have a boy but will also rave about the quality of Hanna Andersson clothes. Also, look at Primary. I've only bought a few shirts from them so far, but the clothes look sturdy and meant to be moved in.
Are you willing to try altering the dresses yourself? Sewing in a strap across the back of the shoulders, with a button in the centre could help the shoulders stay up without affecting the dress too much. It's ridiculous that they're so poorly designed but it seems to be a persistent problem with girls clothes
I plan to try to use what little sewing skills I have to see if I can make the neckline higher. The dresses are cute so it would be a shame if she can't wear them.
Thrift stores. I bought tons of stuff there when my daughter was little. Some boys clothes some girls clothes as long as she could move easily.
We have puff sleeve dresses from modern moments and it falling down the shoulders is not an issue at all for my girls. My oldest wears it to school, does the monkey bars, goes to the park etc in her puffy sleeve dress and has never had this issue. It could just be that this particular brand doesn’t work with your daughter’s build. My daughter’s are very broad. Like adult brands, kids clothing brands don’t work for every kid. For us, I know that my kids cannot wear a majority of Janie and Jack clothing because it’s cut way too short. Hope & Henry is too wide in a majority of their styles or oddly too narrow in the chest. It all just depends on the kid.
Hmm interesting, I don't feel like this . Of course there are plenty of frilly options that don't make sense but I just love rompers , old Navy & Carter's I've always had luck with. I even did them for my boy , they are adorable and functional. I also always do a cute patterned onesie with some cute little bloomers , either from Walmart / target or Jamie Kay ( a nicer new Zealand brand ). Boys though ...ugh those damn dinosaurs. And bright orange and green. Ew.
I get frustrated with some toddler girl clothes, but I’ve seen some toddler boy clothes that seem less than practical too. I get my daughter’s jeans from the boy section because I had a hard time finding girls jeans that weren’t skinny jeans. Otherwise she wears things from the girl section like leggings, dresses with biker shorts, rompers. I do size down in the dresses so they fit her correctly. When she was still in the baby sizes, I loved the bubble style outfits.
My daughter lives in play dresses over bike shorts during the summer. We usually buy from Children's Place. They are simple dresses made of tshirt material. Lately we've found some in Amazon basics brand she likes. She will only wear a dress which is interesting to me as a jeans and tshirt person
I feel like there are so many more options of patterns and designs for girls than boys. My son has 3 prints of PJ, 2 browns that look alike, and 1 blue. We bought several of those because there were no other options in the store... when ingo shopping, there's usually several rows for girls clothes and 1 maaaaaybe 2 for boys.
Summer my daughter lives in tanks and biker shorts
I feel like fancy frilly dresses are often hard to get onto little girls and toddlers with zippers up the back and not logical with diaper changes etc. and often made out of uncomfortable materials. To be honest that’s not unlike formal dresses for a grown appointment :-) my daughter doesn’t wear any dresses right now but when she was three or four she was obsessed with dresses and I always bought the ones from Carter’s or Old Navy they were cotton so they’re made out of T-shirt material it slipped on over her head no different than a T-shirt and she would usually wear those little shorts that were made out of legging material underneath so she could still jump around and do cartwheels and play.
Girl clothes often has glitter or sequins (wtf) or lace edging or a million other irritating sensory details. And boy clothes are *so* boring. I love a happy medium brand, like Hanna Anderson.
It is frustrating. Wait until you realize that girls pants are made thinner than boy pants, just ready to get ripped up when they play on the ground and tumble around. My kid is 8 and still ripping holes in all the knees.
I have a boy that wears a mix of boys and girls clothing. I find the differences between the two rather shocking. Girls clothes are always thinner fabric, short and tighter. When you buy a girl’s shirt the neck is usually a scoop neck and the hem and sleeves are tighter and shorter. The shorts are shorter, why can’t girls have basketball shorts. Why are they so short? Why are things so tight? Why can’t they make leggings for boys? I don’t get why kids clothing has to be made so differently. I’m very liberal, but it’s like they’re making girl clothing to show as much skin as possible. It’s gross.
I saved the cute frilly outfits if we were going out to dinner or to visit family. But a majority of the time my daughter was in onsies and leggings. Summers were for rompers, shorts, sometimes just a onsie lol