Boy Clothes 101

this one's for the boys

Apr 19, 2025

When I first found out I was pregnant with a boy in 2019 and not a girl like I had always pictured for myself, I cried. In part because I envisioned smelly sports gear invading my space and the daunting lifelong task of not raising an asshole. But also, and this might sound silly, because of the clothes.

Have you seen your run-of-the-mill little boy clothes at Old Navy or Target? Best of luck finding something without a truck or a train or a Spiderman character on it. There is no “gender neutral” section either.

It took me a few weeks and some quality time on the internet, but I came around. Boy clothes can be cute and fun and sweet and great. You just have to work a little harder initially, and then you find your way.

Luke is five now and my friends get pretty excited about his hand-me-downs, so I feel like I have at least a few tips to share.

Styling notes

Here are some general styling notes (and these apply to girl clothes too, but that’s another post):

Especially if you have a boy, Zara Kids is your bff
Kids can be colorful
Kids can wear black
Keep graphics to a minimum
Have a couple “fun” (eg. tie-dye is almost always a “yes” in my book) and mix them with your more classic solids or stripes
Accessorize (eg. checkered socks or a bucket hat)
Don’t be too precious with anything
Buy them a cardigan each year: have them wear it in lieu of a sweatshirt for an instant coolness to their look. Zara has great ones.
Invest in one cool pair of shoes per season: they will get ruined (they all do), but having one aesthetically pleasing pair of shoes for your kid really elevates any outfit.
From my husband: “If you wouldn’t wear it, don’t buy it.”

The basics

Since we’re heading into true Spring / Summer, here’s where we’ll go for the basics:

Zara: This is our go-to and has been since he was about 9 months. We get all our basics here, plus a few fun pieces each season. I love their socks and hats too. If you see Luke on any given day, chances are he’s in head-to-toe Zara.
Oso & Me: Boy shorts tend to be way too long and baggy and I’m not into that look. I love love love Oso & Me’s shorts (their pants too). I got to work with their team a bit during my Lalo days — they are so kind. Their clothes run small. Cadets shorts look similar to me, but haven’t tried them yet myself.
Target: I like the Target Birkenstock dupes. We get a new pair each year. We also get most of our swim here (plain rash guards, shorts).
Gap: I like their plain gray sweatsuits, polo shirts, and jean shirts.
Vans: Love a checkered slide!!
Hanna Andersson: A classic for a reason and organic cotton! We do their pj’s and they have the best boys briefs. Wait for a sale.
Out & about: We love to keep our eye out for a fun t-shirt at a favorite coffee shop or on our travels.

The fun spots

And then a couple times a year, we throw in a few special items to elevate his fits. Some favorite spots for that sort of thing:

Tiny Cottons: I like to shop their sale at key moments in the year. Will keep my eye on this one!!
Hey Gang: A family favorite for so many reasons. Especially their embroidered chore coats and sweatshirts. Luke has been wearing his personalized sweatshirt since he was three. Buy it a couple sizes too big and just let them grow into it. (My daughter, Hazel, has one waiting in her closet).
Smallable: Great selection of various cool kids brands like Bobo Choses.
Mugwort Mugwort: This brother sweatshirt is to die for, but we missed the drop to get his size.
Milk Teeth: Luke needs these & then they’ll be Hazel’s.
Your local kids store: I love to support our local spot Little Seedling. Especially for Rylee & Cru / Quincy Mae.