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When you enter a children's clothing store, you are usually greeted by two different designs. Pink, light, unicorn patterned clothing is for girls and blue, dark, patterned clothing is for boys. Of course, you may not see exactly the image we described, but what you see probably won't be much different. This isn't just the case in clothing stores. You can also clearly see this difference between the sexes in toy stores and in the children's book aisles. Gender stereotypes are roles that are assigned to men and women from an early age. These stereotypes limit children's true personalities by categorizing them into gender-specific patterns of taste and behavior. We can imagine that we don't want to limit our children's personalities, right? It's natural that some girls like the color blue and cars, or that some boys love the color pink and unicorns... When we try to limit children to such stereotypes, we take away their freedom to express themselves. How long have these stereotypes existed or have they always existed?

History of gender-specific children's clothing

What's interesting is that there were no such stereotypes in children's clothing until the 1800s. Until this time, babies, regardless of gender, typically wore white cotton clothing. These clothes wore out late and their cut made it easier to change diapers. In the 1850s, children's wardrobes began to be colored with slightly more pastel colors. At the beginning of the 20th century, colors in stores were now separated by gender. In contrast to today, however, until the 1940s, pink was considered a stronger color for men and blue as more elegant for women.

After the Second World War, this view was reversed and today's perception of feminine pink and masculine blue emerged. With the rise of feminism in the 1960s, the strict gender segregation in fashion loosened somewhat. But in the 1980s, knowing the sex of the baby before birth led to a re-popularization of the phenomenon of male and female colors. It's entirely possible that the gender-specific color-coded clothing was the result of a marketing strategy. For example, families with a boy and a girl began to buy clothes for both children separately due to gender-specific colors, which increased store sales.

What does gender-neutral children's clothing mean?

Gender-neutral children's clothing is clothing that is intended for all children, regardless of gender stereotypes. Gender-neutral children's clothing means rejecting stereotypes such as blue for boys and pink for girls. In this way, children break free from gender-specific social expectations and cultural norms so that they can express themselves authentically. 

As Walkiddy, we support the creativity and dreams of all children equally with our gender-neutral clothing and encourage them to be themselves. We want our clothing to liberate and empower, not restrict. Therefore, when you look at our collections, you will see fun, colorful, nature-inspired clothing that is suitable for everyone. In addition, our cuts are designed so that all children can move freely and play comfortably. We don't have a category for boys or girls because all patterns and colors are suitable for all children. Our priority is always to create designs in which all children feel comfortable, happy and free. We believe that gender neutral clothing will be the fashion of the future and we try to do our best to support it.

Why gender neutral clothing for children?

1.It supports the development of children

Babies have unlimited potential, they are like a blank slate. However, when we assign gender colors and roles to our children from birth, we limit their potential. By choosing gender-neutral clothing, we can let children decide who they are and want to be, rather than letting them believe that their gender sets boundaries. Rejecting norms that say girls should be delicate and boys should be strong, and fashion trends that adopt these norms, is a very important step in supporting our children's personal development. This allows children to concentrate on exploring the world around them and expressing themselves without rules or boundaries.

2.It's better for the planet

Gender-neutral clothing means that these garments can easily be shared with anyone, regardless of whether they are a boy or a girl. Clothes without color, style and pattern restrictions can be worn by children of different genders in the family until they wear out. This means less consumption, less production, less clothing thrown away and a smaller ecological footprint.

3.It is budget-friendly

The fact that gender-neutral clothing is suitable for both boys and girls is also easy on your family's budget. So if you have two children, a girl and a boy, you don't have to buy separate clothes for both of them. Your children can swap clothes, or one can wear an item of clothing that is too small for the other. This way, clothes are passed down between siblings and your children's clothing budget is reduced.

4.It increases children's freedom of movement

Gender-specific clothing not only restricts children's color and pattern choices, but can also restrict their freedom of movement due to uncomfortable cuts. Gender-neutral clothing is designed to allow all children to play vigorously and athletically. This clothing allows children to play and move in the way that is most comfortable.

5.It promotes creativity in the industry

Gender-neutral clothing has the potential to positively influence the future of many industries. The increasing demand for these garments is encouraging brands to create more creative designs that are free from gender stereotypes. Marketers need to produce advertisements that are more creative, original and support children's personal development. In addition, children who are raised independent of stereotypes will be freer in their career choices in the future. This could, for example, pave the way for more women to turn to engineering, for different perspectives to emerge in the field and for new inventions to be made.