Nick Postagulous
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Baby Clothing Gender Code 101
Yesterday, Alison's mom had a doctor's appointment or something so Alison got a Nina break from work. They went to Wal-Mart, as Alison is having a hair crisis without her Friz Eaze, and when they got there Nina was out. Like as in totally asleep.
Nina stayed asleep and Alison wheeled her around in the cart, supporting her head with her hand, and getting all the things that she needed to buy.
People were commenting, "Oh, she's precious." But it really bugged Alison when someone obviouisly took the safe road and said "It's just a darling."
Alison told me this over the phone. So I asked what Nina had been wearing. Purple turtleneck with frills, jeans, and her Nikes. Ah, I see the problem. The lady couldn't tell if Nina was a boy or girl. Alison said that the frill on the turtleneck should have been enough. But no, before we got Nina I was all about dressing her like an adult female would be able to dress, but it's just not true until you get some gender specific hair (meaning longer hair for a girl.)
You have to follow the code. Pink is the big one that everyone knows. Or any shirt with a vehicle on it is a boy's shirt. Some basics:
Color
Pink is definately a girl color. Yellow and purple are more girl colors that boy colors, but if it is a bold purple, it could be considered boyish. Denim, though it should be neutral, is boyish. White is neutral, as is black. But a baby dressed all in black (and yes, Alison has done that) looks like the boy child of Andy Whorhol.
Pattern
Broader horizontal or vertical stripes on a shirt is a boy thing. Tight horzontal stripes on a shirt is usually a girl thing. Tight vertical stripes is usually a boy thing. Tight stripes on leggings, usually horizontal, is a girl thing. Broad stripes on pants is a carnie, clown, or hobo thing.
Texture
Fuzziness and fake fur are for gals. So is glitteryness. Extremely broadly woven sweaters, I at least like to think are female, but I've seen a Gap ad with a boy wearing the rainbow sweater. And really, 18 months old is too young to label the kid as a crossdresser.
So, when I picked up Nina, sure enough, she was dressed like a boy. The 2 mm micro ruffle would require you to lift Nina's chin to see it. Once we got home, I changed the jeans out for a tightly horizontal striped legging with both a lighter purple, pink, and a heathered magenta in it. Then she looked like a female.
And then, she threw a fit. Mainly because she has two molars coming in at once and I wanted to give her tylenol and tooth gel. Ends up she was hungry too. Oops. By the time Alison got home, I had Nina watching a Blue's Clues on sign languange, which was really cool, actually. If I hadn't been able to get Nina to stop crying, I would have put her in her crib and then gone and sat out on the driveway waiting for Alison to get home.
