Sometimes, Big Boys are still Little

Mama Kat is an inspiration for post ideas for many bloggers, but today she's hit on a really good topic, telling about how her "little guy" is now growing up and how this makes her interactions with him a little more grown-up, too.

It struck me, as I was commenting on her post, that this is something that all parents go through, and really, anyone who interacts with your child.  They reach a new stage of development and suddenly, everyone quits addressing your child in baby talk. They are now "big kids," learning "big kid" things like potty training and riding a bike.

One thing that doesn't work for me, though, are the styles of clothing available for boys.

I'm talking boys here, not young adult men, or even nearly pre-teen boys.

davincicrib.com

My "little guy" was one of those large kids right from the chute.  At nearly ten pounds at birth, there was no way he was ever going to be wearing those dinky little newborn diapers.  At least, though, he was still "baby" enough to be able to wear all those cute little baby outfits - even though he started out wearing them in a 3-month to 6-month size. 

The problem with boys clothing enters around age 7, for the larger-than-average boy.  By age 7, my "little guy" was wearing a size 10/boys.  I don't know if that's so unusual, but I found that the fashions available for a 7 year old, size 10 boy were not necessarily what I wanted my son to be wearing.

Maybe it was the stores I shopped.

Maybe it was a lack of understanding on the part of those who manufacture the clothing.

Maybe it was an issue with whoever purchases the clothing for each store.

I don't know.



astore.amazon.com



I just know I was frustrated that the selection in my son's size consisted mainly of items like this t-shirt.

Now, skull & crossbones are fine if you're a pirate in training.  It's even fine for "now and then" wear. But, this was what I'd find, place after place after place - some variation of skull and crossbones.

For some 7-year-old-boys, maybe this is a dream come true.  For my 7-year-old-boy, it was a reason to wrinkle his face in bemusement and say, "Really, mom?"  As if purchasing this shirt would even be an option for him.



bizrate.com



cafepress.com



In many stores, the "little boys" department ends at size 7, and thus ends, typically, character shirts like Spiderman, Batman, the latest animated movie or television series characters.  You move into generic stripes or solids, because we know that most size-8 boys either wear this stuff or - skulls & crossbones. Right?

Not.



kohls.com



I happen to have a litte guy who likes Snoopy. But, try finding Snoopy in anything but the mens department, usually around Fathers Day.  Snoopy might exist in the baby and toddler department, but not in little boy or bigger boy departments.  It's downright frustrating.   I understand perfectly that no matter what our preferences, we'll never find exactly what we want when we go shopping.  I have to admit I'm grateful that the animated shows that my son likes are also popular with the older set, so he can enjoy such garments as this "Phineas & Ferb" t-shirt.

Little boys, though they may be big "size-wise," don't always want to wear what styles are available for them.  I really wish that clothing manufacturers would quit believing that any boy who is a size 8 or larger must surely enjoy having grown out of character shirts, and into skeletons, etc.  Is it so difficult to have a wider variety of clothing available for younger boys who happen to wear bigger sizes?

My child might wear a size 10/12, but that doesn't mean he is already that age. For pete's sake, can't he be a kid while he's a kid?

I see lots of elementary-aged boys wearing the wide-legged, loose-cut jeans - the kind it is fashionable to wear without a belt, so the crotch of the pants hangs to the knees, and the waistband hangs almost below the buttocks. Imagine the pants of "Pants on the Ground" fame.

walmart.com



spirithalloween.com



I've got nothing against being stylish, though heaven only knows that I could use some help in that area, myself. However, it's oh so refreshing to see elementary-aged boys also wearing jeans that fit - the pair pictured here can be found at Walmart, and they have an adjustable waist - which is still a great option to find in jeans even if your kids are out of the toddler sizes.  They don't fit quite like the gems our grandfathers wore, but sit higher than the bottom end of the . . . bottom, at least. 

What are your issues with the clothing available for boys? Where do you find decently priced, decent and age-appropriate clothing for your kids, boy or girl?