A matter of fashion

[beetiger]

Because at this age, babies outgrow their clothes in approximately three and a half days, I've been buying a lot of things for the little one on eBay. I ended up bidding on something you don't see a lot of in baby clothes: a blue onesie, billed as appropriate for a boy or girl, with a cat face and a matching bib that said "My Kitty" on it. Slightly femmy in cut, but hey, I could deal with that.

It arrived today, and apparently the seller's camera was off, because it's not blue. It's lavender. It's very cute. It's unquestionably intended as girl clothes.

I'm conflicted about what to do about this. Your advice?

[Poll #230411]

Comments

[kibbles.livejournal.com]

I guess I would have to see it, but lavender isn't PINK -- you know? It's ok if done right. Since its a onesie cant you put it under overalls or a jumper or something more boyish if you think it is just too much? Or with those silly but cute little sneakers, or a little boyish cap -- or those stripey socks that look like gym socks, or a little denim jacket or boyish sweatshirt.

Remember though that you are talking to someone who spends time dressing people in free clothes, including helping someone feel comfortable with womens 505 jeans because they were the only ones in his size and he really needed something warm -- and just wanted the ok to wear them. So I can talk up just about anything. (But I seriously dont think lavender is excessively girly.)

[bookwurm.livejournal.com]

I was waffling between "Just have Rhys wear it" and "Proudly dress your boy in lavender." I went with the first, but having the option to embarass him with pictures later is a definite benefit!

Personally, I don't think that lavender is as girl-specific as pink is. Try him in it, and see how he looks. He'll probably outgrow it before you get tired of correcting silly people who equate color with gender anyway. ;>

[postrodent.livejournal.com]

> having the option to embarass him with pictures later is a definite benefit!
I smiled at that, but I really, really, really doubt that a teenaged Rhys would find it funny. Have a heart. :)

[bookwurm.livejournal.com]

Given his parents, a teenaged Rhys might find that it explains a lot about his tastes in clothes. ;> Having the pictures available is a benefit, even if they never show him the pictures until he's old enough to find them amusing.

[koogrr.livejournal.com]

Pink used to be a boy colour in the 1900s and flipped around at the turn of the last century.

[postrodent.livejournal.com]

If you're comfortable with him wearing it (and he doesn't seem allergic to it), I'd say it's fine. But it might be wise not to photograph him in it. :)
Also, I'm wondering if the ebay seller actually thought that the item was blue. Some people seem to have difficulty distinguishing purple and blue; Postvixen is one.

[beowabbit]

He's a little young for you to be certain what gender he is anyway. :-)

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

*grin* Once he is old enough to pick his own clothes, he can wear whatever he likes.

[en-ki.livejournal.com]

Nobody should wear lavender. It's a hideous, evil color.

[clauclauclaudia]

*grins at beowabbit's comment*

I see your readers are so far pretty unanimous in the gist of their answers. The one caveat I would have is if it's uncomfortable for you for any reason. If you'd feel far better giving it to some child in the playgroup, you should do that, but I wouldn't consider it a big deal. I have a rant on this subject (the color coding of babies) but this isn't really the place.

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

*smirk* I mostly wanted support for doing it. Which you all are offering in droves, thank you!

[rowyn]

Yeah, you can really see the sort of prim, socialy conservative, gender-conscious readership you've got. :)

[tuftears.livejournal.com]

(primly, socially conservatively, gender-consciously votes for answer 5)

I'm a cat, what did you expect?

[sydb42.livejournal.com]

With all this buildup, are you going to post a picture of it? :)

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

As you say at the start, he'll outgrow it in no time.

And at his age, when his playgroup's waterfountain gossip turns to his unusual accoutrements, he should answer that it's Royal Purple, and that he's the seventy-third in line to the Crown of Livonia. (Explaining the kitty might be more difficult.)

[rowyn]

Hey! That "kitty" is the heraldic beast of Livonia!

Sheesh.

:)

[candle-light.livejournal.com]

Hi. I came to you via friends friends. I think you should go for dressing Rhys in lavender. My son (now 4 years old) got dressed in dark pink onsies because we had them on hand, and he turned out to look really good in dark pink. He also had a wonderful lavender colored one piece summer jumper thingie. Now I have a five month old daughter and she's getting stuffed into a lot of blue stuff. :-)

It's not like people can tell gender by looking at a babies face anyways. Even when I had my son dressed head to toe in dark blue as a baby people thought he was a beautiful little girl.

Getting people to question their assumptions is always a good thing also...

One thing I loved

[allessindra.livejournal.com]

was talking to people about my children, and ignoring whatever gender pronoun they were using and just use the correct one. So *many* were absolutely horrified that they'd gotten it wrong.

Then there are the ones who'd ask. "Is it a boy or a girl?" "Are you going to change their diaper?" "Um, what does that have to do with it?" "Well, it really doesn't matter unless you need to know what to expect." "splutterspluttersplutter"

And then there was my mom, who refused, in a high dudgeon, to give me a baby shower, because I'd *had* the ultrasound, and deliberately did *not* ask what gender the baby was, and how could she buy me things for the baby if she didn't know what color to get?????????

aaiiieee. Dress him in whatever is convenient to grab at the point in time when he *needs* clothing. Leave him naked. Let him go barefoot as much as possible. And may he never have such bad diaper rash that you *HAVE* to let him go butt-naked around the house.

eeewwwwwww

As soon as I get over whatever it is that I have (yes, I've had it since December 1st, dammit!) I'll contact you about visiting with my pile of leftover baby clothes. Sorry it's been forever! But I Really Don't Think you want me anywhere *near* infecting you guys...

Re: One thing I loved

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

*hugs* Yeah, I hope you feel better soon. I'll let you know what size we are up to when you are ready to start organizing...

[schitzie.livejournal.com]

Other: they sell inking fabric markers at most crafty stores of various colors... so get a few and tiger-stripe the outfit to whatever shades you see fit. End of problem, and cuter outfit!

[cowboy-r.livejournal.com]

If I'd made a list of 27 people who I thought would develop issues about the gender stereotypes of the clothes they dressed their kid in, your name wouldn't've appeared on that list.

[beetiger.livejournal.com]

*grins* Nope, not worried, really. Just reality checking with the peanut gallery.

[schitzie.livejournal.com]

Wheeee!!!! Ima peanut!!!