[burritomama]

A theme about camo diapers from a thread in TAO got me thinking (sorry about porr syntax) about camouflage-theme clothes for kids. It's certainly more popular now than ever and I wonder how folks feel about it and how they deal with it with their children -- and with their families.

Perhaps this is related to other discussions we've had here about children's clothing in general: corporate logo and character-themed clothes; dresses for boys; princess-themed clothes for girls; overly spohisticated or sexualized clothing for kids; etc.

I have been thinking about this ever since last December when I went looking for some warm jammies for my little guy and was directed to a rack of camouflage pajamas. It disturbed and unnerved me in ways that surprised me...

 

[alegna]

I just don't like camo. Then add to that that around here camo means hunting. I'm not big on hunting (theoretically okay with it when done for food and the kills are eaten) I can see (kind of) where the camo colors are cute. But it's not something I'm ever going to buy...

-Angela

 

[UnschoolnMa]

I have no problems at all with camoflauge

My kids can wear whatever they want to. I don't really like to put my issues onto my kids. They have the right to their own :LOL

 

[momtoTnT]

I don't have anything against it personally - but I have never bought anything camo for my ds, I kind of think it's ugly. MIL buys it for him though - so he does wear it. MIL and DH hunt together, and I think in her mind, DS will be joining them as soon as he's old enough (that's up to him though) so he needs the gear to go with it (the same holds true with Harley Davidson stuff with her too

.

 

[PancakeGoddess]

I hate it, my kids like it but aren't nuts over it. I avoid it but if they pick it out, they pick it out. They're not babies though. No camo on my babies.

 

[sleet76]

My kids are still young to express opinions on camo. Well, DD (24 months) is starting to have opinions on her clothes, but she usually doesn't shop with me, just picks from what I have in her closet. I won't put camo on any of my babies, but if they choose it for themselves someday, I guess they will wear it.

 

[shelbean91]

My ds has a camo short/shirt set that was a gift. I wouldn't have chosen it myself, don't care for it much one way or the other, so I wouldn't spend my $$ on it, but I put him in it when he needs something to wear and it's clean.

 

[meowee]

I noticed tha camo stuff started to get popular after 9/11 when the military incursions started... Hummers too... I don't know if anyone else noticed that. I think it's very sad. I did buy DS one pair of camo pants b/c he liked them but won't again. Although where I grew up, camo was associated with hunting, not the military, and lots of kids wore camo to school because they were hunting clothes that they used to go hunting with their dads.

 

[Maman*Musique]

My 4yo does not have any interest in camouflage. I am very thankful for that. He does, however, have a great interest in shirts with superheros on them. While I am not happy about this, I find that my respecting his autonomy when it comes to choosing his own clothing is more important than my dislike of superhero images, etc. I might have to draw the line at a shirt with a gun or tank on it but so far we haven't come to that bridge....

 

[sweetfeet]

Sophie has pink camo eye patches. It came in a box with 3 other cute girly styles. So I let her wear them just for the fact that if she has to wear an eye patch I want it to be fun for her. We mostly wear the pink camo on inside days or when she's dressed punk. :LOL Camo on a whole I don't really like.

 

[emmaline]

my oldest ds used to love camo when he was maybe 9 - 12 yo but now he prefers to avoid it because he is a pacifist

when he really wanted to wear it I preferred to let him do it rather than make a big deal, he got over it in his own time

besides, he is very shy and I think the camo helped him feel, well, inconspicuous

I would never choose it for my younger kids, esp not babies

 

[kate~mom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by UnschoolnMa I have no problems at all with camoflauge My kids can wear whatever they want to. I don't really like to put my issues onto my kids. They have the right to their own :LOL

hmmm...i *personally* have problems with camo - i don't like hunting or war, and would have a tough time if either of my kids wanted to participate in either. that said, if they want to get camo items, i would be ok with that. dd hasn't expressed any interest in camo - but we shop mostly at gymboree and hanna for her, so there aren't too many camo opportunities. ds doesn't talk. :LOL so neither have camo presently.

 

[Bearsmama]

Okay, I'm going to put the bag over my head now, just to get it outta the way

: BUT my older DS has a lot of things that have camo print. Shorts, pants, sneakers, etc (and NO, he doesn't wear all of it all at once!). I have no problem with it at all. We are a vegetarian house-so VERY far from being hunters-about as far as you can get. I never thought I'd say this, but camo has been "in-fashion" again for about 5 years or so, and since my DH is a bit of a fashionista, I don't even think about it. I think it goes with all the more utilitarian clothes that have staged a comeback in recent years like heavy twill pants, cargo shorts, work-wear & gear, etc.

I am fearing a small flame, but these are my two cents.

 

[Mama2Bug]

My DD is only 6 months old, but she already has a camo onesie. Our family associates camo with camping and observing nature, so no biggie in my mind. We don't generally wear it unless we are camping or doing yardwork, though.

My extended family does wear camo to hunt. I am not a hunter myself and neither is DH. My dad and brother hunt, but they always eat what they kill, so I don't have a problem with it.

I don't immediately associate camo with the military or with war, I guess.

 

[Jennifer3141]

Camo clothes for children disturbs me too. I don't want my child growing up and going to war particularly and I don't want her to pretend to be in the military as a CHILD either.

Jen

 

[Bearsmama]

I just want to reiterate that camo is also seen as an "outdoorsy" pattern, not necessarily military.

For the record, I don't want my boys going to war, either. Should we all stop wearing cargo pants? These were inspired by "battle" wear. What about pea coats for kids? Should they not wear them b/c they are part of the original uniform of the US Navy? "Barn" Jackets are based on a hunting jacket. The list goes on and on and on.

BTW, my DH is wearing camo shorts right now and is a vegetarian and does not believe in war, either (I realize this is about kids' clothes, but I needed to share). DH is also in the fashion/design industry, and he's mentioned before that the casual American wardrobe is primarily inspired by 3 things: workwear, military wear, and sportswear.

 

[UnschoolnMa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bearsmama I just want to reiterate that camo is also seen as an "outdoorsy" pattern, not necessarily military. For the record, I don't want my boys going to war, either. Should we all stop wearing cargo pants? These were inspired by "battle" wear. What about pea coats for kids? Should they not wear them b/c they are part of the original uniform of the US Navy? "Barn" Jackets are based on a hunting jacket. The list goes on and on and on.

I totally agree. There are so many things inspired from other things in fashion.

 

[because]

There are many styles of camo.

The desert print ones do bother me because I have a problem with making war (especially THIS war) fashionable. It's subtle and icky, IMO.

The hunting ones, Mossy Oak Breakup for example, do not bother me because they are fairly realistic-looking prints of leaves and branches, etc. The association for me is of being outdoors, watching wildlife, getting some great photos, and, yes, hunting. (The only meat we eat is the venison my family gets). DD did have a camo suit last year (but it was actually a gift to DH).

Now, if my kids wanted to wear some scent-killing Still Steamin' Buck Semen I would have a problem with that!

:LOL

 

[Kirsten]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kate~emmasmom i don't like hunting or war, and would have a tough time if either of my kids wanted to participate in either. that said, if they want to get camo items, i would be ok with that. dd hasn't expressed any interest in camo - but we shop mostly at gymboree and hanna for her, so there aren't too many camo opportunities.

My twin! I knew you were out there! Do you like tator tots...

I must confess though - dh has a few pairs of camo pants... and a camo jacket (actually I think he "outgrew" that as it was from a LONG time ago), a pair of camo shorts, and a camo bandana. He was never in the military but did like to hunt pre-me (I just cannot deal). Now that I have some say in his wardrobe, the camo is worn to mow the lawn and when he goes on his annual boys' weekend canoe trip.

However, dd2 is a bit of a tomboy. When I was in Target a few months ago and saw a camo skirt (with the pleats like a cheer skirt), I just had to get it.

: She wears it with her pink shirt that says "girl power" and a pink bandana on her head. I am not a camo fan myself but dh says (not in front of her of course) that dd2 is "his boy" (we have three girls). The poor guy gets so little choice in the way the house is decorated, his clothes (you should SEE what he picked for himself before I came on the scene!), etc. that I thought he deserved the smile over dd2's camo skirt.

Camo does say military/hunting to me - not something I want to promote with my kids (no offense to military families!! I would just be scared to death if my kid joined).

 

[Elphaba]

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