Gender stereotyping starts even before a child is born. As friends and family buy gifts for an upcoming birth, color choices are often limited to pale green or yellow if the baby’s gender is to be a surprise. If the baby’s sex is known, or after the child is born, pale pinks and small flowers adorn newborn girls’ clothing, while light blue with trucks and sports insignia adorn newborn boys’ clothes.
An attempt to find gender neutral clothing, unisex, or bright colored clothes for babies and toddlers can result in frustration. The clothing exists and boutiques do carry them, but the selections are often limited. Children’s clothing should represent the spirit of childhood: fun and exciting, colorful and unique. Children’s clothing should not begin to stereotype children prior to their ability to determine their own likes and dislikes. This does not mean dressing boys in pink lace and girls in black, it means providing a range of colors and options.
There are some wonderful children’s boutique clothing with colorful, unisex designs. It can take some time and perseverance to find these clothes, but there are sources available for busy parents and shoppers.
Finding high quality, gender neutral and unique baby clothes can be a challenge, but hopefully not as difficult as it once was!
Breaking with the current trends, while still being fashionable, Polkadot Patch Boutique opened in April 2006. Online at polkadotpatch.com, parents looking for unique, whimsical and bright colors, as well as fun gender neutral clothing will find a growing selection at one, convenient location. While you will still find pink and blue, black and brown, unless it is bright, whimsical or unique, Polkadot Patch Boutique will not carry it.
For fun bright colored baby clothes see the Cow & Lizard line featuring turtles, fish, and caterpillars. For something a little more funky, take a look at the “Zoot” the Bee or “Algernon” the Fox on the long sleeve shirts, with matching striped pants and hats from Tiny Tyrants.
