What colors do you consider gender neutral and does the age of the person matter? Just curious because we have one family member that loves to buy purple clothes for my sons and as they get older I wonder if I should say something or not. Some items are totally fine, like a long sleeve tee with a cute neutral picture on it. But others like overalls with flowers and a sweatshirt made with a shiny material I just don't love dressing my boys in. To be clear - I don't care if it is something my sons love and really want, but I didn't think purple was generally considered a neutral color to buy for boys as a gift. Does anyone have thoughts?
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That is a weird thing to do if you or your kid have never expressed a love for purple.
Personally I would just continue to thank them politely and put the outfits straight in the giveaway pile. If they ever ask I would say something like ‘DS’s tastes are a bit more traditionally masculine.’
I can see some people hearing that a 2 year old boy’s favorite color is purple and holding onto that for years assuming it’s still true. That’s the only explanation that makes sense to me.
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@JCCovi: I truly think that she is 100% of the opinion that purple is a neutral color and she likes it. The problem is that these are actually nice clothes and I feel badly just giving them away and wasting the money. We were shopping together once and she picked out a purple snowsuit and I played it off like, not purple for a BOY but it didn't phase her in the slightest. Our second purple snowsuit I might add! My nephews have also been the recipients of all things purple including bunny purses for Easter.
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@skipra: Does she not have any little girls to buy shiny, floral purple stuff for?
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@crazydoglady: ha she does not! She has 7 boys to buy shiny purple stuff for instead lol
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My husband is from Louisiana so purple is definitely a gender neutral color in our house. There isn’t any color I wouldn’t put on my DDs. I don’t know how I would feel if I had boys, but I don’t.
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I don’t think there are any colors per se that I wouldn’t consider my boys wearing but it’s the style. Like flowers and shiny screams girl to me, purple itself is fine though not my first choice.
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@Mrs. Pickle: @Jennibenni: it is probably more style than color that is my issue. I have bought several pinkish/salmon clothing items for my boys and in fact one of my favorite outfits was that color. There is no color I would refuse to dress either sex in but I do not normally consider purple to be neutral enough to buy it as a gift for a boy.
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My husbands favorite color is dark purple. He wears dress shirts in that color all the time and he looks super handsome in it. So I guess he’s taught me to think of it as gender neutral. granted his shirts are solid, stripes, or plaid - no flowers ever at all.
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Colors don't have gender. All colors are appropriate for all genders. It's the style that makes the difference.
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@skipra: at some point, your boys will decide what they want to wear, and they might have strong preferences. My son won't wear things he doesn't like, so I simply let my son do the talking. Some people don’t get subtlety.
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@skipra: I mean I find it super weird that someone would gift your son a purple outfit with flowers. Like you said, if your son picked it out that would be one thing but to give as a gift is odd.
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@Meowkers: This. It’s all about style. That said, gifting him everything in any one* color is a bit odd!
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@Meowkers: I totally agree that either sex can wear any color but if your friend is having a boy baby, I highly doubt you would normally buy plain pink onsies or sleepers. Even without flowers or whatever. This is how I feel about purple too. Just because boys CAN wear it, is it really a color that you would choose over all others when shopping for a boy? Like if you saw a purple shirt would you be equally likely to buy it for a boy or a girl?
@looch: at what point does a boy wearing girl clothes become a teasing offense? I know my sons don't care what colors they wear but some friends already refuse to have anything pink. Honestly curious about this but it's a different topic!
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I was a bit baffled when my husband shamelessly stole my purple bathrobe and started wearing it around the house, as I was hoping it was girly enough that he wouldn't do that. Then I realized he's color blind and it just looks navy to him
That said, I would find it strange if a relative gave these sorts of clothes to a boy. I know flowers or shiny purple being girls' clothes is just a social construct, but I'd leave it to the parents/kids to decide if they want to break those and go for something nice and neutral for gifts.
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@skipra: I agree with you about the tee! The overalls wouldn’t be my favorite. I’d just say hey DD loves gray, blue or whatever color.... maybe suggest or mention their favorite color to people who love to buy things for them.
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@skipra: I really noticed the "mean" kids behavior starting at around age 5.
I hate to delineate between boys and girls, but what I noticed is that girls tend to use their words as weapons and the boys tend to be physical.
With respect to clothing, my son was pretty vocal from an early age about what he wore. He favors comfort, won't wear jeans and button down shirts and loves a shirt with a truck or dinosaur on it. When we go into a store, he will gravitate towards the things he wants. I let him pick to give him a sense of control. The only thing I am picky about is clothes with writing...I avoid it.
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@looch: kind of wish all kids clothing with idioms would be banned from the earth. the worst is ascribing adult sentiments as if the child is saying it: "I love my aunt" "hello world" "hi my name is HANDSOME" blahhhhhhhhh
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@LCTBQE: @looch: the worded clothes are the worst.
@looch: My oldest is 5 and it was only recently that his friend flipped out over receiving something pink so that sounds about right.
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@skipra: Perosnally I would not consider purple a gender neutral colour.
When I think gender neutral I immediately think of white, beige, and muted yellows and greens. -
I think all colors are gender neutral. Because of the Ravens (
), purple is very popular here in Baltimore, for men and women.I think what you have is a style mismatch with this gift giver. I wouldn't put my daughter in flowered overalls or a shiny sweatshirt, because those just aren't my style, but we do have family members who gift us items like that. If I were closer to them, I would say something (at least about the stuff I find actually offensive), but it's mostly aunts-in-law and the like, so I just enthusiastically gush about anything that they give us that I DO like, and send lots of pics of LO wearing it. Everything else goes in the donation pile.
That said, I would find it strange if a relative gave these sorts of clothes to a boy. I know flowers or shiny purple being girls' clothes is just a social construct, but I'd leave it to the parents/kids to decide if they want to break those and go for something nice and neutral for gifts.
), purple is very popular here in Baltimore, for men and women.Reply
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