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Target Shopper Reveals A Startling Difference Between Girls’ And Boys’ Clothing Functionality At Target, Goes Viral On TikTok
Interview With Author
As a parent, one of our missions is to provide what’s best for our little ones. Be it the kryptonite of every 7-year-old, veggies, or comfy clothing. But perhaps there’s an underlying reason why kids love to fight over getting dressed every morning? Why this universal little-kid behavior turns every parent’s morning into a 35-minute negotiation about what they should wear and what’s appropriate for their rapidly blooming identity?
While theories range from the “it’s what the kids just do” phrasing to deep-level cognitive behavior, Meredith Alston, a TikToker with 12,700 followers, may have found yet another culprit. On her recent run to Target, this mom noticed there was a stark difference between boys’ and girls’ clothing — not only in their gender-specific pastel colors but also the difference in durability and functionality.
Seeing that no one has raised this point before — besides the occasional mention of the infamous ‘Pink tax‘ — Meredith published a now-viral video where she calls out one of America’s largest retailers for encouraging parents to (subconsciously) enforce gendered ideals on their kids from early on. Not surprisingly, the video quickly caught the attention of over 2 million TikTok users and ignited an important discussion.
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Noticing a stark difference between the durability of girls’ and boys’ clothing at Target, this mom decided to make an in-depth comparison video which quickly went viral
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Image credits: naptown_thrifts
Gone are the days when gender dictates the way people dress. World-class celebrities like Harry Styles and Kid Cudi are confidently going on stage rocking dresses; some, particularly Celine Dion, are dedicating entire clothing lines to gender-neutral clothing. And then there are stores (John Lewis) that, unlike Target, get rid of gender labels from their children’s clothing altogether. No surprise that gender-fluid clothing and the share of the number of products labeled “genderless, gender-neutral or unisex” has more than doubled in the US since 2020, according to the latest data by the leading online fashion trend-analysis company WGSN.
Still, some of these choices are hidden behind a ‘pay-wall’ that not all families can afford — the culprit that inspired Meredith Alston, the Indianapolis-based mother of two little daughters, to create the viral TikTok. Speaking about it, she told Bored Panda she became aware of this issue many years before gender-neutral clothing made headlines. “I noticed it when I was pregnant in 2013, making my baby registry,” Alston told us. “As my children get older, it has just become an increasingly consequential issue for us because the consequences become more severe.”
One of these consequences, she tells us, became apparent when children, “mostly girls,” were being removed from classrooms due to schools’ dress code policies. “It isn’t just an inconvenience for parents — there are real-life implications. Until now, I just haven’t had to platform to really bring this issue to light.”
What started as an accidental viral video with over 2 million views quickly became a three-part series
@naptown_thrifts Don’t even get me started on the text that’s on little girl’s clothes vs the boy’s clothing 🙃 #targetstyle #target #thrifttok #targetfinds #targettok ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
@naptown_thrifts Reply to @kristabrewer this is not unique to @target as we all well know. #targethaul #kidsclothes #targetfinds #targetrun #targetstore #shopwithme ♬ Crazy – Patsy Cline
@naptown_thrifts Reply to @victoria_loves_lotr to be fair, no one likes dinosaurs. #targetfinds #shopwithme #targetrun #kidsclothes #target #genderneutralclothing ♬ Roxanne – Instrumental – Califa Azul
Other parents noticed this as well and shared their own experiences with this large-scale problem
Many will know Meredith from her passionate thrift shopping videos — a past-time activity that was ingrained in her since the early days. “My dad used to take me thrifting with him all the time,” she explained. “I was so embarrassed that we could only afford to shop secondhand, especially because my other friends didn’t have to.”
Today, Meredith and her dad are “thrifting best buddies” and this activity largely remains Meredith’s main content on TikTok.
“When this one took off,” Alston said, “I was actually quite nervous because I did get a lot of negative pushback. What really surprised me though was that the pushback seems to be coming from mothers who don’t have daughters who are upset about the lack of variety they encounter when shopping for their sons.”
The solution, she believes, is to start making clothing for children that are “equally functional, durable, and practical.” “For small children, especially kids who must adhere to a dress code, it only makes sense to separate their clothing by size, function, and season,” Alston told. “But it isn’t a radical idea that girls are just as active as boys. It’s time that their clothing reflects that reality.”
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What do you think ?
Ozacoter 2 years ago
They really need to make it illegal to separate clothes for children by sex. Kids have the exact same body shape until puberty, there is nobreason (except sexism) to have two different sections. Just have them separated by type (sweater, skirt, jeans...) and let people chose which colour and shape they want
Mike Crow 2 years ago
One of the reason they do this is to make a lot more money.
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Chich 2 years ago
I fail to see why manufacturers do not recognize that if they made girls/womens clothing with proper pockets, etc that they would get a larger part of the market. Are they that clueless? What am I missing?
Martha Meyer 2 years ago
They do this on purpose so people don't reuse clothing for their next child when it's of a different gender. And they profit from using less and more flimsy fabric for girl's clothes, yet making it more expensive.
Load More Replies...
Jayne Kyra 2 years ago
Like with pockets. If women get any, we can barely fit a piece of gum in there. Men´s pockets can fit their phones, keys, a can of Monster Energy, a medium-sized cat, the entire LOTR trilogy, a new microwave, and snacks. And they would still have another pocket for another large cat and a wallet.
Ovata Acronicta 2 years ago
I specifically started going with Levi's due to them having okay pockets in women's jeans. Then they shortened the f-ing pockets. I still buy them because the fit is *chef's kiss* but like...come on. More than half of my stupid big phone hangs out of my pocket and I have to take it out when I low squat to grab something off the bottom shelf. Or sit. Or exist. My phone's pocket is my hand.
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Monday 2 years ago
And then they'll say "well just buy from the boys' section" which is fine and well until you hit puberty but after that boys' or men's pants just don't quite fit right since our hips are shaped differently....
lenka 2 years ago
It's not even an option before puberty. My daughter wants purples and yellows in her wadrobe. Not an option in the boys section (which also sucks for my son by the way who hates dark blues and blacks). Wearable gender neutral clothes is not rocket science. I would love to see kids gendered clothes vanish. My idea of clothing utopia is to walk into the kids section and see a shirt with a dinosaur in every colour and a shirt with a unicorn in every colour and durable pants in every colour and no mention anyone of boy or girl. Just kids.
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Ivana Bašić 2 years ago
Same frustrations with my daughter's clothes. And no, we can't buy boys' clothing anymore because the length and waist proportions aren't the same, the stuff that is long enough is usually too wide.
MizAdeleM 2 years ago
Wait until she looks at the childrens' bathing suits. Long trunks for the boys, and little bikinis for the girls. Start 'em young!
Lady Goldberry 2 years ago
I remember when ASDA started selling black lacy bras for little girls.
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Biofish23 2 years ago
Absolutely! There are two major problems with kids clothes. Girls clothes are absolutely shorter, tighter, flimsier fabric and all and all less functional. I have 3 kids, the older two are boys and the youngest is a girl. Her wardrobe is at least half hand me downs from her brothers and it so clear how much better it is. The boy clothes are often in decent shape after being worn by 3 kids, but new things bought just for her I often have to toss because of holes. Some of the replies hit on the other problem with kids clothes though. Clothes for both genders suffer from very narrow stereotypes. Boy clothes are mostly dark drab colors and limited to the themes of sports, dinosaurs, trucks and videogames. Girl clothes are almost exclusively pastel and heavy on the themes of hearts and unicorns. Both genders deserve more options!
over it already 2 years ago
The struggle is real. I was appalled when my oldest girl first moved from the toddler sizes to the big kid section (size 6 +) and suddenly it was a flood of very short skirts, shirts that showed midriff &/or slouched off the shoulder, and nearly impossible to find a swim suit that wasn't a bikini. I stopped shopping at some stores entirely because of it. The quality issue is serious, and the sexism in designs and colors (& POCKETS!!!) is annoying, but blatantly sexualizing little girls is just gross. I'm looking at you, Kohl's.
alloutbikes@yahoo.com 1 year ago
Daughter was 8 at the time. Tried to buy a sweatshirt for Christmas. Everything was crushed velvet and off the shoulder. I stood in line to ask. I asked for regular sweatshirts not s**t clothes. Shocked the whole line behind me who were drinking the koolaid of sexualizing their girls.
Load More Replies...
Firstname Lastname 2 years ago
I try to buy up a size to make cropped tops cover my gut and pants cover my butt, but then they don't fit elsewhere. Grant us modesty without sacrifice, designers.
Ozacoter 2 years ago
Indeed. I barely every buy womens clothes because they tend to be tight, flowery and impractical.
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howdylee 2 years ago
I absolutely agree. Just please don't completely take away the leggings for girls... one of my daughters is a tiny string bean, and those leggings are the only thing she can wear! But, yes please make the shorts a bit longer so I don't have to teach them to sit "lady-like" so that their underwear isn't visible when they want to sit criss-cross-applesauce!
Leslie Harris 2 years ago
This is disgusting, Target is sexualizing girls at a young age, telling them they should be wearing crop tops and booty shorts. They are children, the clothes should not be any different in length - tops should be full length and shorts should be. And the leggings should only be an option, there should be other choices - loose fitting pants like the boys with reinforced knees. Change up the colours if they need to differentiate between genders.
Biofish23 2 years ago
It's not just Target though. It is EVERY major clothing retailer in the US. Target is actually often better than most in offering more gender neutral options. Really the only way to get away from this is a handful of higher end online only stores.
Load More Replies...
Eli Klimentova 2 years ago
The whole idea of gendering kids’ clothes is a marketing trick anyway. For most of history, small boys and girls would wear the exact same clothing, oftentimes passed down the generations. In the 20th century, with the emergence of modern medicine, people started having less kids because the childhood mortality rates were going down and you didn’t need eight children to make sure at least one of them survives. To make up for the drop in profits, clothing makers decided to start gendering clothes to make it harder for them to be passed down and recycled. And this is where it got us
Aslan 2 years ago
I'm glad these peeps don't control my house cause I bought my initial baby clothes without knowing what I was having(a surprise for myself when I popped them out. My dad ruined/made my moment when I was supposed to announce what my kiddo was). Anywho I bought with the intention of making sure I can carry over the clothes be it boy or girl. Like greens, blues, yellows and grey's... Still have a whole ass box of clothes down in the basement with boy clothes as that I plan on using for male or female child.
Load More Replies...
Bethany Heller 2 years ago
My brother was outgrowing his pants, so mom asked him if maybe he'd accidentally grabbed mine since I'm smaller. He checked by shoving his *entire hand* in his pocket. He can legitimately fit a book in there. Why can't I carry a copy of Mistborn in my pocket?
JelliTate 2 years ago
This frustrates me to no end! My oldest is 29 my youngest is 5 and there are 4 more in between. Clothes now are AWFUL. The girls clothes are so tiny and thin and the boys clothes are all made for boys on the slim side. I wish Sears or JC Penny would bring back “husky” sizes. Then the regular sized kids would be able to find clothes without them being so long they need hemming!!!!!!!!
buttonpusher 2 years ago (edited)
One thing that pisses me off is those fake drawstrings. I find it hard to get kids clothes with proper drawstrings. Belts are nowhere to be found either. I've that problem where my kids are tall and thin so with trousers the length would be fine but the waist is too big. Although recently my 8 year old has realised she can wear the same size t-shirts as me so she's already stealing my clothes.
Vivian Ashe 2 years ago
People think it's cute to dress little girls in skin tight leggings, minidresses, and short-shorts because of course they don't attach any sexuality to it at that age. But imagine how confusing it is for girls that the moment they start to grow hips and breasts, their same cute clothes are suddenly being called inappropriate and trashy.
Jennifer Dibble 2 years ago
Here's an interesting thing I just discovered in at least one women's clothing brand. I was looking online for a new pair of jeans from a company I've purchased from in the past. I like their style, so I want to stick with them. I'm right at a size where I can choose to buy in the regular sizes or at the bottom of the plus sizes, since those give a little more curve. I ordered four different pairs of jeans; two plus sized, two in the same said, but "regular", if you get what I mean. The jeans all fit great and I liked each for different reasons, so I kept them all. Over the next couple weeks, as I rotated through the jeans, I noticed an interesting phenomenon. With the two "regular" size pairs, I could barely fit my phone in my back pocket and barely fit my keys in the front. However, with the "plus" sized (again, all fit the exact same body pretty much the exact same way), I could fit my whole phone in the back pockets without it sticking out or occasionally falling out of I was sitting and I could put my keys in the front pocket and have room in there for a credit card wallet and not have it look bunchie. So, what I've learned is that this company either thinks that 1) someone who identifies as "plus" must require more pocket space for some reason (maybe all our hidden snacks and shame treats), 2) women who don't want to wear "plus sizes" don't want anything in their pockets to take away from their smooth silhouette, or, heaven forbid, 3) designers honestly think that big girls don't deserve real fashion and, for some incomprehensible reason, small pockets are considered by these designers to be fashion necessities. I don't understand it. I really can't come up with a rational reason for the size difference of pockets on essentially the same size jeans.
Martha Meyer 2 years ago
The fact that 30 years ago when I was a kid, this wasn't such an issue, shows that we've really regressed in gender issues, at least when it comes to clothing. And it's creeping into adult clothing options too.
Kitty Jordan 2 years ago
I was mostly appalled by shopping in the 2T section for my 8-month-old (she's a big girl, alright) and they have "skinny fit" jeans. For the still-pretty-much-a-baby stage. 1. Have you seen babies? Most of them have adorable chonky thighs at that age. They do not need skinny fit. They need "will still fit over a diaper without wrestling them" fit. 2. A kid wearing 2T does not need skinny fit fashion jeans. They need functional jeans with pockets and padding and ample space for diapers. /rant
Nunya Bus 2 years ago
I think her observation also highlights the bull in the fashion industry in general. The shorts that have much more fabric are cheaper then the ones with less. So.......I thought the industry charged more for plus sized people because extra fabric needed to be used and thereby was more expensive. But they're making a crap ton of larger clothes and charging less.....Its all fishy
Reading-under-Sequoias🫶🇺🇦 2 years ago (edited)
Currently, I am wearing a crop top to school with a spaghetti strap tank top under it. My legging has holes, and fake pockets, and is really uncomfortable because they are so tight to my figure. It sucks to have to wear "girl's" clothing. I know I can just wear "men's" clothing, but I like girls' clothes. They are pretty. They are my style. People that say "Just wear men's clothes" You aren't helping. That style of clothing will never be what I like. I want flowers, I want pastels. ...sorry about that rant but I feel like this just needs to be said. Thank you for reading!!!!!!!!!! (I am talking to york tan and the people like them.)
Amanda Parker Pierson 2 years ago
This is why i learned to sew. Because sometimes you have to make what you want. I happen to be an overwate person. And i have even less selection of clothes.
Inga Paškevičiūtė 2 years ago
The only thing I disagree with her is the comment where she said space, dinosaurs, and insects suck, but with the rest...Spot on.
Biofish23 2 years ago
I don't think there is anything wrong with space, dino's or insects, but I think there needs to be more variety for both genders. Girls should have access to space and dinos, boys should have access to cupcakes and kittens, and buying a plain red or yellow t-shirt should be easier for both.
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Shan Terese 2 years ago
My mom had to sew pockets into my work pants. They didn't come with pockets. Crappy design to blame.
Trillian 2 years ago
I agree it sucks but you can always buy stuff in the boys‘ section (anyone remember the time when it was just the childrens‘ section?). I buy especially pants and short pants for my daughter there. Stuff marketed for girls is impossibly tight and short.
MellonCollie 2 years ago
And that is exactly what has to change. Stuff marketed for girls is impossible tight and short and impractical and all lovey-dovey-coloured. Girls need practical, durable, not skin-tight fitting clothes too, in other colours than cupcake icing. For the same reasonable prices as boys clothes, because many, many people cannot afford the fancy unisex brands that do exist.
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Gyngr Minchew 2 years ago
This is tragic. We are conditioned from a young age to believe that are clothing is "special". It must be, it costs so damn much! As an adult woman try finding a decent swim suit lessthan 50 bucks that lasts more than 1 summer. It has to stop!
Miguel justino C 2 years ago
It’s all consumer driven research and these are the clothes they come up with. I applaud you for leading the charge over this stupidity. On the other hand 98% of boys will destroy their clothing before a girl. I’ve had both and my sons clothes were always trashed and my daughter is always clean. I know that’s not everyone’s story but the norm.
Katinka Min 2 years ago
Stop buying this s**t. Dress you girls like boys plus a few nice dresses for special occasions. If we keep byuing this overpriced, sexist crap, they will keep making it. I have never bought a pair of trousers without decent pockets and I never will. Most women in my country think similar, ergo: our pants have pockets! (Dresses is a different story)
Brandy Grote 2 years ago
Yep, nothing changes. At Target, I buy men's clothes because they fit and are half the price.
L. Murphy 2 years ago
This is a peeve with women's clothes too. Lack of quality and pockets. see through material forcing you to buy more items to "layer". Until women quit buying this crap largely designed by gay men(seriously, what do they know about women's bodies or what looks good on their bodies?), they will keep making shitty clothes for us.
A Jones 2 years ago
This is why I always wear pants as a child to adulthood. The shorts are too short and drafty. Also they're never modest. I was a 90's kid and their clothes have kind of gotten worse in the modesty debt.. Also I buy dude shirts and trousers, they're way more comfortable and have pockets. The most lass thing I get are shoes and modest buttoned collared tops (since their pattern is made for the bust).
KurtCobainofficiallmao 2 years ago
same with adults like I always shop in the men ( even though im a female) because the mens have good band shirts and designs and the girls have like nothing :/ TARGET JUST MAKE A CLOTHES SECTION
Glirpy 2 years ago (edited)
I mean, places do this for the same reason that salons charge 5 times more to cut girls' hair than boys' hair. It's called target marketing (no pun on shopping at Target intended). For clothing, girls' clothes don't have big pockets like boys because typically girls are more concerned with how the clothes fit their body. Big pockets make clothes look bulky. If everyone shopped for comfort and ease, no one would ever buy high heels again and everyone would be wearing Clogs. You're being tricked into shopping in the girls' section of the store because you have a girl. Children don't need different clothing at that age. Boys and girls can wear the same stuff. So, why not buy boys clothes for your girl? It seems like a perfectly logical solution regardless of how you think clothes should be designed. Alternatively, why not take it upon yourself to start your own company and design the clothes you want to see in stores? This is the age of Kickstarter.
Amy S 2 years ago
Try making a 5 year old girl wear boys clothes, she isn't going to. Nor should we send the message that to be practical and comfortable she has to be masculine. She wants girls clothes with pockets and she doesn't give a fig of it makes her clothes bulky.
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plain bOrEd not panda 2 years ago
It's funny how now society un-genders people and children from a very early age, but kids toys and clothes are so gendered it's disgusting. By the way, these kinds of forced gender on items seems to be much worse in the USA, in my country we don't have such negative genderness of clothes and toys. And I envy you for the reinforced knees on the boys trousers, I've never seen such ones here. But I've never seen a girl playing the kind of games that ruin their clothes like the boys either. Especially when the crawling days are over.
Pumpkin Spice 2 years ago
Is it bad that I *really* want the evergreen trees and layers of space shirts?
Reality Check 2 years ago
There are people dying on the other side of the planet and this rant is what you funnel your energy into? JFC.
Thomasin Grace 2 years ago
Most girls and women would complain if only the male version clothing were available to them.
Reading-under-Sequoias🫶🇺🇦 2 years ago (edited)
This is a sexist issue. Shut your trap and don't speak about things you don't understand.
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Amy S 2 years ago
A young girl doesn't want to wear boys clothes, trust me I've tried with my daughter. And we shouldn't sent the message that to be practical and comfortable she has to be masculine.
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Biofish23 2 years ago
You are absolutely right that boy clothes are usually drab and boring. But they are generally generally better quality. Girls clothes are almost as limited in color and theme, but also less funcional. I think as consumers we do need to complain about this.
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lenka 2 years ago
We CAN just shop in the boys section... except when you have a daughter who loves purple and yellow and such colours do not exist in boys clothes. Which is also very sad for my son, who also loves colours other than blue, green and black but doesnt want colour with unicorns. It's not rocket science. Gender neutral clothes in all the colours. You can make a shirt in every colour with a dinosaur on it - then girls get to enjoy dinosaurs and boys get to enjoy colours. You can make quality gender neutral shorts and pants in every colour. And she shops at target because that's all she can afford. It actually costs alot of money to make childrens clothes yourself - its not cost efficient at all for one or two children . I have tried and spend way more money on fabric and consumables than it would to buy a cheap target shirt.
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Ozacoter 2 years ago
They really need to make it illegal to separate clothes for children by sex. Kids have the exact same body shape until puberty, there is nobreason (except sexism) to have two different sections. Just have them separated by type (sweater, skirt, jeans...) and let people chose which colour and shape they want
Mike Crow 2 years ago
One of the reason they do this is to make a lot more money.
Load More Replies... Chich 2 years ago
I fail to see why manufacturers do not recognize that if they made girls/womens clothing with proper pockets, etc that they would get a larger part of the market. Are they that clueless? What am I missing?
Martha Meyer 2 years ago
They do this on purpose so people don't reuse clothing for their next child when it's of a different gender. And they profit from using less and more flimsy fabric for girl's clothes, yet making it more expensive.
Load More Replies... Jayne Kyra 2 years ago
Like with pockets. If women get any, we can barely fit a piece of gum in there. Men´s pockets can fit their phones, keys, a can of Monster Energy, a medium-sized cat, the entire LOTR trilogy, a new microwave, and snacks. And they would still have another pocket for another large cat and a wallet.
Ovata Acronicta 2 years ago
I specifically started going with Levi's due to them having okay pockets in women's jeans. Then they shortened the f-ing pockets. I still buy them because the fit is *chef's kiss* but like...come on. More than half of my stupid big phone hangs out of my pocket and I have to take it out when I low squat to grab something off the bottom shelf. Or sit. Or exist. My phone's pocket is my hand.
Load More Replies... Monday 2 years ago
And then they'll say "well just buy from the boys' section" which is fine and well until you hit puberty but after that boys' or men's pants just don't quite fit right since our hips are shaped differently....
lenka 2 years ago
It's not even an option before puberty. My daughter wants purples and yellows in her wadrobe. Not an option in the boys section (which also sucks for my son by the way who hates dark blues and blacks). Wearable gender neutral clothes is not rocket science. I would love to see kids gendered clothes vanish. My idea of clothing utopia is to walk into the kids section and see a shirt with a dinosaur in every colour and a shirt with a unicorn in every colour and durable pants in every colour and no mention anyone of boy or girl. Just kids.
Load More Replies... Ivana Bašić 2 years ago
Same frustrations with my daughter's clothes. And no, we can't buy boys' clothing anymore because the length and waist proportions aren't the same, the stuff that is long enough is usually too wide.
MizAdeleM 2 years ago
Wait until she looks at the childrens' bathing suits. Long trunks for the boys, and little bikinis for the girls. Start 'em young!
Lady Goldberry 2 years ago
I remember when ASDA started selling black lacy bras for little girls.
Load More Replies... Biofish23 2 years ago
Absolutely! There are two major problems with kids clothes. Girls clothes are absolutely shorter, tighter, flimsier fabric and all and all less functional. I have 3 kids, the older two are boys and the youngest is a girl. Her wardrobe is at least half hand me downs from her brothers and it so clear how much better it is. The boy clothes are often in decent shape after being worn by 3 kids, but new things bought just for her I often have to toss because of holes. Some of the replies hit on the other problem with kids clothes though. Clothes for both genders suffer from very narrow stereotypes. Boy clothes are mostly dark drab colors and limited to the themes of sports, dinosaurs, trucks and videogames. Girl clothes are almost exclusively pastel and heavy on the themes of hearts and unicorns. Both genders deserve more options!
over it already 2 years ago
The struggle is real. I was appalled when my oldest girl first moved from the toddler sizes to the big kid section (size 6 +) and suddenly it was a flood of very short skirts, shirts that showed midriff &/or slouched off the shoulder, and nearly impossible to find a swim suit that wasn't a bikini. I stopped shopping at some stores entirely because of it. The quality issue is serious, and the sexism in designs and colors (& POCKETS!!!) is annoying, but blatantly sexualizing little girls is just gross. I'm looking at you, Kohl's.
alloutbikes@yahoo.com 1 year ago
Daughter was 8 at the time. Tried to buy a sweatshirt for Christmas. Everything was crushed velvet and off the shoulder. I stood in line to ask. I asked for regular sweatshirts not s**t clothes. Shocked the whole line behind me who were drinking the koolaid of sexualizing their girls.
Load More Replies... Firstname Lastname 2 years ago
I try to buy up a size to make cropped tops cover my gut and pants cover my butt, but then they don't fit elsewhere. Grant us modesty without sacrifice, designers.
Ozacoter 2 years ago
Indeed. I barely every buy womens clothes because they tend to be tight, flowery and impractical.
Load More Replies... howdylee 2 years ago
I absolutely agree. Just please don't completely take away the leggings for girls... one of my daughters is a tiny string bean, and those leggings are the only thing she can wear! But, yes please make the shorts a bit longer so I don't have to teach them to sit "lady-like" so that their underwear isn't visible when they want to sit criss-cross-applesauce!
Leslie Harris 2 years ago
This is disgusting, Target is sexualizing girls at a young age, telling them they should be wearing crop tops and booty shorts. They are children, the clothes should not be any different in length - tops should be full length and shorts should be. And the leggings should only be an option, there should be other choices - loose fitting pants like the boys with reinforced knees. Change up the colours if they need to differentiate between genders.
Biofish23 2 years ago
It's not just Target though. It is EVERY major clothing retailer in the US. Target is actually often better than most in offering more gender neutral options. Really the only way to get away from this is a handful of higher end online only stores.
Load More Replies... Eli Klimentova 2 years ago
The whole idea of gendering kids’ clothes is a marketing trick anyway. For most of history, small boys and girls would wear the exact same clothing, oftentimes passed down the generations. In the 20th century, with the emergence of modern medicine, people started having less kids because the childhood mortality rates were going down and you didn’t need eight children to make sure at least one of them survives. To make up for the drop in profits, clothing makers decided to start gendering clothes to make it harder for them to be passed down and recycled. And this is where it got us
Aslan 2 years ago
I'm glad these peeps don't control my house cause I bought my initial baby clothes without knowing what I was having(a surprise for myself when I popped them out. My dad ruined/made my moment when I was supposed to announce what my kiddo was). Anywho I bought with the intention of making sure I can carry over the clothes be it boy or girl. Like greens, blues, yellows and grey's... Still have a whole ass box of clothes down in the basement with boy clothes as that I plan on using for male or female child.
Load More Replies... Bethany Heller 2 years ago
My brother was outgrowing his pants, so mom asked him if maybe he'd accidentally grabbed mine since I'm smaller. He checked by shoving his *entire hand* in his pocket. He can legitimately fit a book in there. Why can't I carry a copy of Mistborn in my pocket?
JelliTate 2 years ago
This frustrates me to no end! My oldest is 29 my youngest is 5 and there are 4 more in between. Clothes now are AWFUL. The girls clothes are so tiny and thin and the boys clothes are all made for boys on the slim side. I wish Sears or JC Penny would bring back “husky” sizes. Then the regular sized kids would be able to find clothes without them being so long they need hemming!!!!!!!!
buttonpusher 2 years ago (edited)
One thing that pisses me off is those fake drawstrings. I find it hard to get kids clothes with proper drawstrings. Belts are nowhere to be found either. I've that problem where my kids are tall and thin so with trousers the length would be fine but the waist is too big. Although recently my 8 year old has realised she can wear the same size t-shirts as me so she's already stealing my clothes.
Vivian Ashe 2 years ago
People think it's cute to dress little girls in skin tight leggings, minidresses, and short-shorts because of course they don't attach any sexuality to it at that age. But imagine how confusing it is for girls that the moment they start to grow hips and breasts, their same cute clothes are suddenly being called inappropriate and trashy.
Jennifer Dibble 2 years ago
Here's an interesting thing I just discovered in at least one women's clothing brand. I was looking online for a new pair of jeans from a company I've purchased from in the past. I like their style, so I want to stick with them. I'm right at a size where I can choose to buy in the regular sizes or at the bottom of the plus sizes, since those give a little more curve. I ordered four different pairs of jeans; two plus sized, two in the same said, but "regular", if you get what I mean. The jeans all fit great and I liked each for different reasons, so I kept them all. Over the next couple weeks, as I rotated through the jeans, I noticed an interesting phenomenon. With the two "regular" size pairs, I could barely fit my phone in my back pocket and barely fit my keys in the front. However, with the "plus" sized (again, all fit the exact same body pretty much the exact same way), I could fit my whole phone in the back pockets without it sticking out or occasionally falling out of I was sitting and I could put my keys in the front pocket and have room in there for a credit card wallet and not have it look bunchie. So, what I've learned is that this company either thinks that 1) someone who identifies as "plus" must require more pocket space for some reason (maybe all our hidden snacks and shame treats), 2) women who don't want to wear "plus sizes" don't want anything in their pockets to take away from their smooth silhouette, or, heaven forbid, 3) designers honestly think that big girls don't deserve real fashion and, for some incomprehensible reason, small pockets are considered by these designers to be fashion necessities. I don't understand it. I really can't come up with a rational reason for the size difference of pockets on essentially the same size jeans.
Martha Meyer 2 years ago
The fact that 30 years ago when I was a kid, this wasn't such an issue, shows that we've really regressed in gender issues, at least when it comes to clothing. And it's creeping into adult clothing options too.
Kitty Jordan 2 years ago
I was mostly appalled by shopping in the 2T section for my 8-month-old (she's a big girl, alright) and they have "skinny fit" jeans. For the still-pretty-much-a-baby stage. 1. Have you seen babies? Most of them have adorable chonky thighs at that age. They do not need skinny fit. They need "will still fit over a diaper without wrestling them" fit. 2. A kid wearing 2T does not need skinny fit fashion jeans. They need functional jeans with pockets and padding and ample space for diapers. /rant
Nunya Bus 2 years ago
I think her observation also highlights the bull in the fashion industry in general. The shorts that have much more fabric are cheaper then the ones with less. So.......I thought the industry charged more for plus sized people because extra fabric needed to be used and thereby was more expensive. But they're making a crap ton of larger clothes and charging less.....Its all fishy
Reading-under-Sequoias🫶🇺🇦 2 years ago (edited)
Currently, I am wearing a crop top to school with a spaghetti strap tank top under it. My legging has holes, and fake pockets, and is really uncomfortable because they are so tight to my figure. It sucks to have to wear "girl's" clothing. I know I can just wear "men's" clothing, but I like girls' clothes. They are pretty. They are my style. People that say "Just wear men's clothes" You aren't helping. That style of clothing will never be what I like. I want flowers, I want pastels. ...sorry about that rant but I feel like this just needs to be said. Thank you for reading!!!!!!!!!! (I am talking to york tan and the people like them.)
Amanda Parker Pierson 2 years ago
This is why i learned to sew. Because sometimes you have to make what you want. I happen to be an overwate person. And i have even less selection of clothes.
Inga Paškevičiūtė 2 years ago
The only thing I disagree with her is the comment where she said space, dinosaurs, and insects suck, but with the rest...Spot on.
Biofish23 2 years ago
I don't think there is anything wrong with space, dino's or insects, but I think there needs to be more variety for both genders. Girls should have access to space and dinos, boys should have access to cupcakes and kittens, and buying a plain red or yellow t-shirt should be easier for both.
Load More Replies... Shan Terese 2 years ago
My mom had to sew pockets into my work pants. They didn't come with pockets. Crappy design to blame.
Trillian 2 years ago
I agree it sucks but you can always buy stuff in the boys‘ section (anyone remember the time when it was just the childrens‘ section?). I buy especially pants and short pants for my daughter there. Stuff marketed for girls is impossibly tight and short.
MellonCollie 2 years ago
And that is exactly what has to change. Stuff marketed for girls is impossible tight and short and impractical and all lovey-dovey-coloured. Girls need practical, durable, not skin-tight fitting clothes too, in other colours than cupcake icing. For the same reasonable prices as boys clothes, because many, many people cannot afford the fancy unisex brands that do exist.
Load More Replies... Gyngr Minchew 2 years ago
This is tragic. We are conditioned from a young age to believe that are clothing is "special". It must be, it costs so damn much! As an adult woman try finding a decent swim suit lessthan 50 bucks that lasts more than 1 summer. It has to stop!
Miguel justino C 2 years ago
It’s all consumer driven research and these are the clothes they come up with. I applaud you for leading the charge over this stupidity. On the other hand 98% of boys will destroy their clothing before a girl. I’ve had both and my sons clothes were always trashed and my daughter is always clean. I know that’s not everyone’s story but the norm.
Katinka Min 2 years ago
Stop buying this s**t. Dress you girls like boys plus a few nice dresses for special occasions. If we keep byuing this overpriced, sexist crap, they will keep making it. I have never bought a pair of trousers without decent pockets and I never will. Most women in my country think similar, ergo: our pants have pockets! (Dresses is a different story)
Brandy Grote 2 years ago
Yep, nothing changes. At Target, I buy men's clothes because they fit and are half the price.
L. Murphy 2 years ago
This is a peeve with women's clothes too. Lack of quality and pockets. see through material forcing you to buy more items to "layer". Until women quit buying this crap largely designed by gay men(seriously, what do they know about women's bodies or what looks good on their bodies?), they will keep making shitty clothes for us.
A Jones 2 years ago
This is why I always wear pants as a child to adulthood. The shorts are too short and drafty. Also they're never modest. I was a 90's kid and their clothes have kind of gotten worse in the modesty debt.. Also I buy dude shirts and trousers, they're way more comfortable and have pockets. The most lass thing I get are shoes and modest buttoned collared tops (since their pattern is made for the bust).
KurtCobainofficiallmao 2 years ago
same with adults like I always shop in the men ( even though im a female) because the mens have good band shirts and designs and the girls have like nothing :/ TARGET JUST MAKE A CLOTHES SECTION
Glirpy 2 years ago (edited)
I mean, places do this for the same reason that salons charge 5 times more to cut girls' hair than boys' hair. It's called target marketing (no pun on shopping at Target intended). For clothing, girls' clothes don't have big pockets like boys because typically girls are more concerned with how the clothes fit their body. Big pockets make clothes look bulky. If everyone shopped for comfort and ease, no one would ever buy high heels again and everyone would be wearing Clogs. You're being tricked into shopping in the girls' section of the store because you have a girl. Children don't need different clothing at that age. Boys and girls can wear the same stuff. So, why not buy boys clothes for your girl? It seems like a perfectly logical solution regardless of how you think clothes should be designed. Alternatively, why not take it upon yourself to start your own company and design the clothes you want to see in stores? This is the age of Kickstarter.
Amy S 2 years ago
Try making a 5 year old girl wear boys clothes, she isn't going to. Nor should we send the message that to be practical and comfortable she has to be masculine. She wants girls clothes with pockets and she doesn't give a fig of it makes her clothes bulky.
Load More Replies... plain bOrEd not panda 2 years ago
It's funny how now society un-genders people and children from a very early age, but kids toys and clothes are so gendered it's disgusting. By the way, these kinds of forced gender on items seems to be much worse in the USA, in my country we don't have such negative genderness of clothes and toys. And I envy you for the reinforced knees on the boys trousers, I've never seen such ones here. But I've never seen a girl playing the kind of games that ruin their clothes like the boys either. Especially when the crawling days are over.
Pumpkin Spice 2 years ago
Is it bad that I *really* want the evergreen trees and layers of space shirts?
Reality Check 2 years ago
There are people dying on the other side of the planet and this rant is what you funnel your energy into? JFC.
Thomasin Grace 2 years ago
Most girls and women would complain if only the male version clothing were available to them.
Reading-under-Sequoias🫶🇺🇦 2 years ago (edited)
This is a sexist issue. Shut your trap and don't speak about things you don't understand.
Load More Replies... Amy S 2 years ago
A young girl doesn't want to wear boys clothes, trust me I've tried with my daughter. And we shouldn't sent the message that to be practical and comfortable she has to be masculine.
Load More Replies... Biofish23 2 years ago
You are absolutely right that boy clothes are usually drab and boring. But they are generally generally better quality. Girls clothes are almost as limited in color and theme, but also less funcional. I think as consumers we do need to complain about this.
Load More Replies... lenka 2 years ago
We CAN just shop in the boys section... except when you have a daughter who loves purple and yellow and such colours do not exist in boys clothes. Which is also very sad for my son, who also loves colours other than blue, green and black but doesnt want colour with unicorns. It's not rocket science. Gender neutral clothes in all the colours. You can make a shirt in every colour with a dinosaur on it - then girls get to enjoy dinosaurs and boys get to enjoy colours. You can make quality gender neutral shorts and pants in every colour. And she shops at target because that's all she can afford. It actually costs alot of money to make childrens clothes yourself - its not cost efficient at all for one or two children . I have tried and spend way more money on fabric and consumables than it would to buy a cheap target shirt.
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