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mom of boys club.

It's not a secret that I started my bow tie business, Lipstick and Legos, because I was sick and tired of going to all these fun places and seeing cute stuff for girls and garbage for boys.  Why can't dressing boys be as fun as dressing girls? Guess what... I think it's more fun.  And like ridiculously easier.  I can get three boys ready in the same amount of time it takes a mom to get one girl dressed.  Tights, shoes, skirt, top, cardigan, bow, jewelry... KNOCK. IT. OFF.  Since I know as much about make up and such as a third grader, I'll take dressing boys.

Once I figured out where to find cute boy clothes--you know... the kind that wasn't covered in characters, skulls, cartoon sports gear, or camo--I fell in love with dressing my boys.  I've decided to compile a list of all my favorite places to locate cute boy clothes, and a few tricks of the trade.

1. Old Navy
Let's get real here... 80% of the clothing in my house comes from Old Navy.  The quality is good, the price is right, and the clothes are darling for everyone.  Old Navy runs killer sales, and being on their email list notifies me of when those come up.  I got Rhett's school clothes this year--which consisted of 19 different items--for under $100.  My boys HAMMER their clothes, or they grow out of them in like three days.  If I'm spending less than $12 on a pair of cute jeans, I find I care way less when they have a grass stain within the first hour of being worn.  The Old Navy employees know me by name, and I'm almost sure that if I went missing they would be the first ones to notice.  My favorite things to buy here are basketball shorts, tshirts, jeans, and coats.  And the thing I praise the most in their clothing is the adjustable waist bands.  Why doesn't every store have those?

2. Ross
Shopping at Ross gives me anxiety.  I feel like I've walked in to a glorified Deseret Industries.  The lack of organization ANYWHERE gives me hives.  A piece of my sister-in-law's soul just died a little.  Sorry, Gentrie. And you too Sheri.  However, I will brave the mess and elbow my way to the back of the store to find my boys brands like Nike, Adidas, Air Jordan and more.  I love Ross for hats for my boys, too.  Little boys in a flat brim? Come on.  I like that Ross carries brand names for a cheaper price, and I get a lot of shoes for my boys there.  The downside of Ross is that it is definitely hit and miss.  Don't go on a weekend, because everything is gone, but if you go on a Tuesday afternoon you're golden.  They restock everything Tuesday morning, so you'll be able to pilfer through all the latest and greatest.  I'm only kind of ashamed that I know that.

3. H&M
I get all my boys dress clothes from H&M.  You can't beat church pants for $10. The fit is awesome, and I love that they have in between sizes that other stores don't.  I can't find pants for a 2-3 year old anywhere, but pants for a 2 OR a 3 year old are everywhere.  The dress shirts are darling, the shoes are amazing, and I'm not going to lie... I base my bow tie designs around the clothing I find for my boys there.  Secret is out.  So when you go, jump on my instagram--@lipstick.and.legos--and find a bow tie to match.  Jump on amazon and find some matching suspenders, and your kid is GQ ready.  I also love their jogger sweats for boys.

4. Gordmans
Gordmans is an excellent place for name brand hoodies.  Air Jordan, Nike, Adidas, Puma... you get it.  They are my go to place for hoodies, and my boys get a few every year.  Gordmans turns me off except for little boy hoodies and select home decor.  I rarely by anything else there, but the hoodie selection is totally worth the extra stop.

Let's talk about every mom's Mecca for a minute... Target.  I have a love/hate relationship with Target's clothing for little boys.  The prints, selection, and quality are great.  The sizing, however, is not.  For some reason, Target clothes fit my boys weird--especially the shoes.  They are extremely narrow and apparently my kids have Fred Flinstone feet.  The shirts fit my kids fine, but the pants are weird, and don't all have that adjustable waist.  When are people going to start putting those in adult pants? Come on...

I'll be the first one to admit that I'm snobby when it comes to what I dress my boys in, and over the years I have identified a few staple items that every boy needs in their wardrobe.  First, a good pair of tan skinny jeans.  H&M always has these, and they make any outfit look a millions times better than regular blue jeans.  Next, high top shoes.  I usually get these in a color like navy or olive.  They add the perfect hipster flare to any boy's outfit, and they tend to last longer for some reason.  Suspenders... I don't know what it is about these, but I'm obsessed.  My boys don't wear them up on their shoulders like functioning suspenders, but let them hang around their hips.  I love them and they look awesome with bow ties--you know where to find those, right? **cough...@lipstick.and.legos...cough**  And finally, Old Navy crew neck plain tshirts.  They have every color, and the fit is GOLDEN.  They are cheap--I want to say around $4--and they hold up awesome.  I have every color in every size.  Maybe don't tell Dewy... Just kidding.  He totally knows.

DISCLAIMER: I am a big supporter of small shops, however the price is always more expensive than the big box stores.  I buy specialty clothing for my boys from small shops.  These are things like church ties, cool socks, dress clothes, etc.  Everyday clothing for school comes from the list above.  HAPPY SHOPPING!



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