Wednesday, May 19, 2010
My Infant Boy Clothes Search
Is it just me or is there really a lack of good quality, affordable infant boy clothes around? My son was born six weeks early and weighed only 4 pounds. Finding anything to fit him in those initial days was near impossible. For the first few months of his life he drowned in nearly everything we put him into. Little did I know that this was actually the beginning of the battle to find clothing for him. It was easy shopping for my daughter who is two years older. I have never struggled to find her clothing for any occasion. I have the stores I visit for affordable everyday wear and then other stores for clothing that is a little nicer, dresses for special occasions. There is usually more than one store in every price range and the variety of clothing is vast. I have however had a completely different experience when shopping for infant boy clothing and toddler boy clothing. Initially I brushed this off and thought that perhaps I just hadn't found the right stores yet. But now two years down the track I have searched and searched and I am still struggling. Yes there is great infant and toddler boy clothing available but anything that is half decent seems to have a ridiculous price tag attached to it. I have found that when shopping at retail outlets, boys clothing can often be almost twice the price of girls clothing. Hence I have turned to the internet and have begun my search online for quality, durable, affordable clothing. My goal is to cover all spectrums, to find clothing for boys of all ages that is suitable for all occasions.
Firstly I'm looking for everyday wear, the type of clothing that is relatively cheap but definitely durable. Shorts, T-shirts, jeans and jumpers that can withstand 'boyish' behavior such as climbing, jumping and rolling around. This is the type of clothing that I would choose to send my son to daycare in and if it came home with a little paint on it it really wouldn't matter. I'm looking for an array of cuts and styles of infant boy clothing. Even at a young age, boys have different body shapes and for the sake of comfort need clothing that fit them correctly. I'd also like to find clothing that is a little nicer that can be wore for special occasions. I'm pretty sure that this type of boy clothing must come in an array of price ranges too and so I'd like to find pieces at both ends of the spectrum and then everything in between too. Finally, I'd like to add a little fun to the equation and discover the best boy dress-ups available. I've walked into numerous dress-up stores to find racks and racks of fairy and princess outfits and then maybe, if you're lucky, one or two boy dress-ups, usually superman and inevitably they don't have the size I'm after. I'd like to locate an array of different infant boy clothing that can be wore for Halloween or parties or just for fun. My mission has been stated, let my journey begin.
Vicky Kuriel is a mother of two, business owner and fitness fanatic. Interests include living life to the full, enjoying the great outdoors, triathlon, enjoying time with my kids and good food.
South African Boys' Clothes
We have not yet been able to address the topic of South African boys' clothes in detail, but have begun to collect information. Boys clothes in South Africa have primarily been set by English fashions. Dutch styles were less important because until after World War II the country was controlled by the English and English fashions became the accepted standard. The mild climate was another important factor. We have a basic history of South Africa. South Africa is an ethnically diverse country. The racial composition in 2000 was about: black (75 percent), white (14 percent), colored (9 percent), and Indian (3 percent), although there are other varies estimates. There are many strata levels in South African society which in itself is interesting. Due to the temporate climate, some boys (especially in the rural areas) run about in short pants (albiet grubby) and a "T"-shirt and of course barefooted. In the cities boys have generally become more sophisticated and dress well in varying degrees. South Africans speak a great diversity of languages. The two principal European languages are English and Afrikaans. The latter language is easy to understand by Dutch people. HBC at this time does not have detailed information about trends in South African boyswear over time. We have very few historical images in the HBC archives. The limited information we have suggests that since the British seized control of the Cape Colony that South African clothing styles have closely followed British styles. We are less sure about the Bohrs who moved inland and attempted to ditance themselves from the British. After the Bohr War (1899-1902) the images that we have noted suggest that the Bohrs also adopted British clothing styles. We have little informatio on how school uniforms and children's clothing in general has changed over time. We would be interested in any insights and information HBC readers might have to offer.
Overview
Boys clothes in South Africa have primarily been set by English fashions. Dutch styles were less important because until after World War II the country was controlled by the English and English fashions became the accepted standard. The mild climate was another important factor.
Numerous Reasons For Not Complaining About Too Many Baby Boy Clothes
One can find numerous reasons for not complaining of having too many baby boys clothes but they grow quickly and are hard on their clothes. Moreover these can be passed to another member of your family or friends.
It's good to have load of these baby clothes than not having enough. One can notice that one goes through boy's clothes faster than that of girl's clothes as they get older. It's really fun to see things flipping around. Initially boys run through their clothes like fanatical and then when girls become teenagers they get in to fashion and hence it's their chance.
As Lads play hard hence they are rough on clothes. This is one of the reasons why you should consider when buying baby clothes for boys. Tots play hard and have food stuffs and stains on their clothes thus creating scarcity of clothes for them. Many have loads of stains and it's difficult to find clothes with no stain for them.
Many a times you will find that lots of baby boy clothes don't fit them as they grow quickly hence it is advisable to buy clothes that are a size bigger than their. But buying too big clothes is also not advisable as they will not be too comfy I n them.
It's always advisable to keep your baby clothes in case your baby has grown out and if they are not stained as another member from the family or friend can wear them.
Moreover since people love trendy stuff for their baby but think ten times before buying them second hand clothing is in fashion and you very well give them or sell them to others if they are in good shape or still got the tag on them.
Moreover Baby boys grow very fast hence their clothes are bound to be grown out. It may even seem that you are continuously buying clothes for them as they really grow fast and are harsh on their clothes. Moreover due to the continuous washing of stains is hard on those boys' clothes.
It is fun to receive Boy clothing at your baby shower but at times it's not the handiest thing for your baby. In case you have the chance to write a list of the things you desire to receive for your baby shower than you better do it as it will make sure that the gifts handy.
Boy clothes are a lot of fun to receive at your baby shower but sometimes it is not the most practical items for your baby. If you have the opportunity to make a list of the things you want to receive at your shower, you should. This will ensure the gifts are practical.
Why You Can Never Have Enough Boy Clothes
There are many reasons why you can never complain about having too much baby boys clothes. Boys are hard on their clothes and they grow quickly. You can always pass down the clothes to another family member too.
It is better to have a lot of boy clothes than not enough. You will notice you go through boy clothing faster than you do girls until they get older. It is funny to see how things flip around. At first the boys go through clothing like crazy and then when girls become adolescents they are into the fashions and it's their turn.
Boys are rough on clothes because they play hard. When you consider baby clothing for boys you should think about this too. Toddlers play just as hard and they get their clothes stuck on things, food all over their clothes, stains, and more. You can never have enough clothing. Most of the toddler boy clothes you have probably are loaded with stains and it is difficult to find something without a stain on it.
Little boys also grow quickly. You will find when you have a lot of baby clothing for boys your baby probably won't wear half of the outfits before he grows out of them.
If you like to buy a lot of clothes then it is always a good idea to buy clothes a size up so there is room to grow into them. Don't buy clothes too big though because they will be uncomfortable for the baby.
If you have boy clothes that your baby has grown out of and it not stained then you can always pass it down to a family member. People love trendy outfits and some of the cutest styles on their baby. Because of the prices of clothes today, second hand clothing for babies is common. You should never throw out your baby clothes if they are in good shape or still have tags on them.
Baby clothing for boys goes quickly. It might seem like you are constantly buying new outfits. This is because boys grow so fast and they are really hard on their clothes. The constant washing of stains is hard on boy clothes also.
Boy clothing is a lot of fun to receive at your baby shower but sometimes it is not the most practical items for your baby. If you have the opportunity to make a list of the things you want to receive at your shower, you should. This will ensure the gifts are practical.
Boys' Clothes - Trends
Trends in boys' clothes have followed the same trends in fashion generally. There are wonderful collections based on sports gear that is primarily worn as fashion items rather then for specific activities though the influence within that sector has been through the sports celebrities and the recent coverage of the Olympic games. Just as men's clothing copies the style and fashion of frequently photographed sports stars, so does boys' clothing. Cycling gear and running gear that incorporate integral pockets for gadgets like MP3 player or iPod headsets are attracting buyers who neither run nor cycle.
Football kits have been a major influence on boys' clothing. Not only is the current shirt a must-have for a football fan of a particular club but merchandise that includes T-shirts, trainers with the club crest, track pants from leading sports brand manufacturers and sweat top, fleeces and hoodies are all available in team colours and players' numbers. Beckham, Ronaldo and several others are often seen emblazoned on the back of a boy's shirt. Other sports personalities outside football like Tiger Woods and Roger Federer too have influenced the types of clothing hitting the rails for those who want a smart but casual look where they can claim their attire is just like 'that famous golfer/tennis player' who does the razor ads.
Outdoor wear has become popular as skateboarding and surfing clothes have joined the ranks of hikers and mountaineers in specialist shops providing reinforced, durable clothing with features that include sweat wicking layers, socks with anatomical pads for greater comfort and protection against blistering from rubbing or crinkling, jackets in lightweight microfibre and footwear that can cope with rocks, concrete and hostile environments. Bright colours have evolved not only as fashion statements but also as a high visibility safety component. Industry names like Billabong, Animal and Bench have a certain cachet; their use of striking contemporary artwork makes their items stand out and many who like to relate to the laid-back easy-going attitude of the daredevils who practice the sports associated with their products seek them out. There are still the naturals and neutrals for those wishing to blend into the environment they are exploring, whether it's the mountains or the forest and woodlands or the sea and these have also influenced the military/camouflage look that is currently so popular with many boys who like to recreate the 'skins' of their heroes from console games.
The music scene, most recently hip-hop, has always been a great influence. Today low-rise jeans with baggy fit are still sought by boys wishing to emulate the fashion of their music heroes. Oversized T-shirts, baseball shirts and basketball vests are popular and accessorised with 'bling' jewellery, baseball caps or beanies. Headwear itself has taken off, apart from those items already mentioned there are various styles of baseball caps with different depths of peaks, bush-hats and cowboy hats, bandanas and dough-rags to wear on your head that replace the bobble caps of old.
Music, movies, games and sport provide the major influences that are on trend today with designers playing with new fabrics and going retro, nostalgic or futuristic as their whim takes them.
Baby Boy Clothes Accessories
Boys clothes may not be as pretty as girls, but it is still cute and decorated with animals and other things that will delight the heart of a little boy, such as trains, cars and TV heroes. So kids clothing can be considered a good gift for boys as well as girls. Kids' bags are also a practical gift. Little boys love to place their treasured toys into a bag and carry it around with them.
There are many different types of clothing that are suitable for baby boys. You can get romper suits for summer and winter, jackets, caps, gloves, socks, bodysuits, tops and pants of all sizes and shapes. There is underwear, outerwear, swimwear and snowsuits for those who live in the coldest areas. Then there are slippers, sandals, shoes and boots of all kinds.
Buying baby clothes online is a popular way to shop these days. When buying clothes or kids toys online, always be sure to choose a reputable website with the prefix https for extra safety. It may also have a picture of a padlock on the bottom right of the website that denotes extra security. Choose an online store that has a good returns policy, just in case the clothes or toys are not suitable, or the wrong size.
Baby boy clothing accessories make great birthday gifts for little babies who cannot yet play much. While we may like to think that the gift such as kids' toys we give will be used, it is more likely that they will be carted off by any older brothers and sisters, and be worn out long before the intended recipient is old enough to play with them. That is why clothing and clothing accessories are a good choice for baby gifts.
When buying boys clothing it is fun to get them to match up with any sporting interest that the parents have. For instance, baby boy clothing accessories that match up with various football or soccer teams can easily be purchased and will be sure to please the parents who are fans of that particular team.
Baby Boy Clothes and Experts' Important Advice For Buying
Newborn baby gift baskets can be different and diverse but baby girl&boy clothes and baby gifts usually found inside. And baby boy clothes are what you may consider compulsory attribution for gift baskets presented for baby boys.
Baby boy clothes differ from baby girl clothes not only in colors, but also in design. And I should mention that design of baby boy clothes is highly competitive with girl clothes.
Designers of baby clothing make them cute, comfortable and the price is acceptable.
As for colors the preference should be given to blue colors. If you don't know whether it is a baby boy or a girl, buy baby clothes of neutral colors as white or yellow.
Major attention of a giver has to be paid to quality of clothing. The best option is to buy organic and natural outfits. Organic clothes cannot cause allergy and is very gentle to baby's skin.
Avoid buying baby clothes with many zips, clips, buttons and ties. This staff can look cute on the baby boy clothes but it takes quite long time to button and unbutton and we know that sometimes it shall be done in seconds. Plus, zips can pinch and damage baby's skin.
The size is also one of the important things to mention. As many moms say it is better to buy an item of clothing one size larger than one size smaller. That's why don't be afraid to buy large baby boy clothes. If you buy one size smaller you will not improve the situation in no way. A baby will grow soon and up to that time you can roll up sleeves.
How to Find Quality Toddler Boy Clothes
The first thing most people do went got baby boy is go down to the store and start checking out all the cute baby boys clothes. There is so much to choose from, that it seems like you could buy up the entire store. But, before you do that, keep in mind that there are many different ways to get way more for your money by doing just a little shopping around. You don't have to, and never should, pay full price for any toddler boy clothes if you know what you are doing.
Boys are messy and they are tough on their clothes and if you pay full price for toddler boy clothes, you will hate it when your boy gets into the messes that he just can't help doing. So, by paying less than full price, and in many cases, less than half price, you will feel a lot more comfortable when he is covered in food or is crawling across the grass in his new outfit. Let him be a boy and get him clothes that you don't mind him destroying!
You may be tempted to buy designer labels from the name brand clothing stores, but if you pay full price for them, you are making a mistake. There are now so many different ways you can get the same high quality brands at discount prices that if you pay full price, you are simply being foolish. From your local discount store, all the way to the second-hand store, you can buy the same clothes at half the price.
Don't forget shopping online, either! There are many online stores that specialize in toddler boy clothes from some of the best designers. They are the same labels, the same quality, but available at an affordable price.
Are Baby Boy Clothes Hardwearing Enough?
It used to be that there was not much selection when it came to baby boy clothes and what was on offer was pretty standard stuff. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that men's clothes were also fairly limited in style and choice. Things were slowly changing in the late 1970's when I had my son but even then there was not a huge choice out there especially for those of us on a limited budget.
When you look round the stores or shop on line for baby boy clothes there is a huge choice ranging from the more traditional to the trendy designer clothes. Obviously when men started taking more of an interest in fashion, especially when it came to casual wear, designers realized that baby boys deserved to be better catered for. I admire those parents who are creative and have started their own baby boy clothes line because they couldn't find clothes in the stores that reflected their lifestyle or met their needs.
People say you need more baby boy clothes because boys are harder on their clothes than girls are, this was certainly true of my son. I wasn't used to this as my eldest child is a girl and although not the daintiest, she seemed to attract dirt, she didn't wear her clothes out. I saved the unisex items such as neutral sleep suits, dungarees, tee shirts etc. for my next baby. Unfortunately my son was so hard on his clothes, even as a baby of 6 months old, that I could never pass them on to any one else.
My sister-in-law had two boys who were older than my son so she used to pass baby boy clothes on to me that were nearly new. My brother was the manager of a well known high street store that was introducing baby clothes into their store and so he was often asked to try out new lines of baby clothes to see how well they wore, washed etc. My nephews were obviously not hard on their clothes because there were some really gorgeous outfits that looked as if they hadn't been worn although I new they had because I'd seen my younger nephew in them.
I know you expect wear and tear on toddler clothes as they explore the world around them especially when they are playing outside but how can a six month old baby boy wear out clothes before he's grown out of them? Even before he started crawling somehow the knees on sleep suits and trousers always seemed to wear thin. When he started to crawl the problem got worse. I'd get him baby boy clothes that I thought would last for the season only to find in a matter of a few weeks he had worn holes in the knees! I used to long for the summer and hope it was a warm one so he could wear shorts. They were the only pants he never wore out! Even when he started walking he would always manage to somehow wear holes in the knees of long pants even denim jeans.
But I don't think all boys are the same. When my daughter had our grandson her best friend passed on lots of beautiful baby boy clothes that she had had for her two sons and some of which had been passed on to her from other friends. New babies outgrow their clothes long before they wear them out so with careful washing they should last a while but as they get a little older and more active you expect their clothes to begin to show signs of wear. However, my daughter's friend has passed on clothes right up to the toddler stage that my grandson has had lots of wear out of and they are still in good condition when he's grown out of them.
So is it that baby boy clothes are made of more hard wearing material these days than when my son was a baby or did I just have a child with exceptionally bony knees?
Sue is the mother of two, a daughter and son now grown up, and she is grandmother to a three year old grandson. Since being a young girl she has always been involved with babies and children starting her working life in a hospital for babies and toddlers up to 5 years old. More recently she ran a pre-school before opening her own kindergarten.
Boys Clothes - More Freedom of Choice Nowadays!
For any new parents, their baby boy is a little bundle of joy that deserves to be dressed in the best of boys clothes. Thanks to a growing awareness that parents would like to dress their boys as well as girls are dressed, the choice of baby boys clothing has become wider and colorful.
No more boring Grey and blacks or blues only. Pep up your little boy's wardrobe with a multitude of colors and let him have fun experimenting with various designs, cuts and fabrics.
But, first things first; let's begin with the newborn baby boy who for obvious reasons cannot have a say in what he is dressed but that is no reason for the new mother to clothe him in dull, mundane clothes! So what, if the baby boy cannot be primped as much as a baby girl with laces and ribbons etc.?!
There are very cute boy clothes available for the newborn baby and the parent can take her pick to make her little boy attractively clothed. Overalls are the most popular choice at this age as they cover the baby entirely but come with ring snaps near the leg openings to make changing diapers easy.
For summers, one can go in for the short overalls which come up to the thighs and winters can see the use of long overalls coming up to the ankles. They also come in short sleeved and long sleeved variety and one can choose according to the weather. Cute animal prints or Disney prints make these baby clothes look very attractive as does contrast piping along the edges.
As the baby grows older and starts moving around, buy sturdier clothes like jeans or pants or denim shorts. Match them with funky tee-shirts in bright colors. Toddlers also look adorable in rompers or denim jumpers with maybe some embroidery of animals or cartoons on the pockets.
After twenty four months of age, one can go in for some smart shirts in checks or stripes for boys teaming it up with formal trousers or semi-formal pants for special occasions. Add a bow tie to the neck and see how smart the boy looks even if he doesn't have the advantage of all the frippery of the girls.
Little boys look very cute when wearing a jacket in winters; formal ones for occasions and normal jersey ones with or without hood for regular wear are good to add to their wardrobe. The normal jackets can be in vibrant colors with maybe patches on them or some prints of their favorite cartoon characters.
As we can see, boys clothes have come very far from the limited and restricted choice which one was stuck with earlier on.
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