Boys & Girls Clothes and Shoes
Many stores enforce different sections for toddler clothes. You will find that boys have their own clothes section and girls have their own clothes section.
Girls are considered prettier, cuter, and softer than boys hence their clothes and shoes are different from boys’ clothes and shoes to communicate this. While there are still some common and uniform clothes for boys and girls such as t-shirts and pants, most girls’ clothes and shoes are different from clothes and shoes for boys.
From the two clothes sections, you will notice that girls’ clothes and shoes are always bright, flowery, and generally cute, mostly in bright colors such as white and pink. On the other hand, boys’ clothes are dull, often in one color and not flowery.
Girls’ clothes are more fitting and curvier while boys’ clothes are boxy and less fitting for the same size. Girl clothes have lighter and nicer options compared to boys which are thicker. Girls’ pants and shorts are tighter, lighter, and shorter compared to boys’ pants and shorts.
Shoes are also different because they are designed to conform to gender norms.
Why Kids Love Cross Dressing
Some boys love to wear girl dresses and shoes while girls want and are obsessed with wearing boy’s pants, t-shirts, sweaters, or shoes. Some of the reasons why toddlers love the clothes of the other gender include;
- Attractive of the Clothes– The girl’s clothes are more visually attractive and appealing than boys. Many boys want to dress in girls’ dresses and look prettier like a princess. Some boys are especially obsessed with dressing up like a girl if they have a sister.
- Equally some toddler girls love wearing boy’s clothes. Some girls always want to be dressed in boys’ pants or sweaters because they think they are cute.
- Comfort of the Clothes- Another reason why boys love girls dresses is because they feel more comfortable in them. Also, some girls find that boys’ pants are more comfortable, especially to play in. For this reason, you girl may always want to dress like a boy.
- Excitement of Trying New Styles. Girls love boys clothes when bored with dresses. Equally boys get excited on trying new dresses than their own pants.
How Common is Cross-Dressing among Toddlers
Girls dressing in boy’s clothes and boys dressing in girl’s clothes is becoming more and more common. As long as it’s weather appropriate, this should not be a problem. There is nothing wrong with a boy dressing like a princess when in public or not. There is equally nothing wrong with a girl dressing like a tomboy.
While it may be too earlier for a toddler to be sure of their gender identity, something may instinctively make them attracted to the other gender baby clothes.
Kids get confused when we try to push society’s gender rules and norms on them. It robs them of opportunities and imagination of dressing up the way they want. Let them wear and express their individuality through the clothes they want to wear.
There should be room for a child to express their individuality. Nonetheless, as a parent, it is up to you to set limits and boundaries for your child and not let them run wild. They need guidance and discipline, and you as their parent should provide that.
Also, your toddler will probably come across adults and other kids, especially in daycare who will mistake them for the other gender. You should prepare your toddler to be firm about their responses and correct kids and adults who mistake their gender from how they are dressed.
Good Reasons for Cross Dressing your Child
1. All Clothes are Good, As Long as they Fit
As long the dress, pants, t-shot or sweater fits our child, you should not be worried about them going to public looking like that. You should let your child wear whatever they want, it does not matter what the clothes or shoes look like or whose gender it has been designed for.
2. Allows Kids Versatility in Dressing
You should not deny or restrict your boy to only wearing boys’ clothes. If your boy looks obsessed with wearing dresses do not deny them. Also do not forbid or refuse your girl to wear boys’ clothes either at home or even in public.
4. Cross Dressing is Part of Expressing Individuality
The obsession of the girls to wear boys clothes can be part of them expressing their individuality. It allows your baby to be a baby without weighing with gender norms and how they should dress. Babies are babies, gender norms are created by adults
5. Gendered Clothes Don’t Mean Much for Kids
If you have both boy and a girl baby, at some point you will find there is no difference at all when the boy dresses like a boy or a boy dressed in girl clothes. If your girl is a tomboy and hates to dress in girls’ dresses, it is totally fine and you should let them wear boy pants.
6. Allows Kids to Dress in Favorite Colors
Also let your child wear clothes in colors they love, whatever those colors represent. If your boy loves pink clothes such as pants or sweaters, let them. On the other hand, if your girls love metal or dull colors such as blue or green, or grey let them wear them.
Cross Dressing your Child to Daycare
It is not inappropriate and you should not be ashamed to allow your toddler to cross-dress to daycare as there is absolutely nothing wrong with cross-dressing. A girl or boy can dress in any cloth that they like. This can be either at home , in public or daycare.
For instance, if your baby girl messes up her clothes at daycare, the daycare can dress them in any boy clothes they find such as pants as this is not a big deal at all. Equally you can dress your boy in girl’s clothes such as girly flowery pants to daycare if they like the clothes.
Daycares should not be bothered with boys dressed in girly clothes or girls dressed in boy’s clothes. Toddlers are still learning about their identity and it is totally ok to allow them to cross-dress. As such your daycare should not send your child home, because they have dressed in the other gender’s clothes.
Just make sure the school doesn’t have a dress code issue with it. Some daycares may restrict what you can wear your child. Some daycares accept or allow boys coming in dressed as girls or girls coming to daycare dressed as boys while other daycares do not accept or allow it.
If your daycare has a dress code, ensure what you are wearing for your boy or girl is within their policy description.
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