boys clothes inspiration
February 11th, 2013
My youngest has recently decided he wants nothing to do with button pants–anything other than elastic and it’s a fight to get him dressed in the morning. I, on the other hand, want nothing to do with the track pants most boys live in (or “fast pants” as my friend’s sons calls them). Fast pants can be stylish, but are usually not; and they are always made of that slimy, synthetic fabric that gets pill-y and gross when you wash it. Picky mother => picky son.
I haven’t been sewing much lately, but this pants situation has to be remedied somehow. So I’ve been looking for pants I can sew for my sons that are comfortable and stylish. There are surprisingly few clothes out there for boys that fit the bill. I discovered the Japanese brand, mol and they seem to get it right. The pants pictured above are my absolute favorite: a little stripe action, a random patch, some fuzzy pockets, and boom! your pants are awesome.
They also have pants with pockets that look like bear paws, which any kid is going to love. Often times children’s clothes are just a mini version of boring grown up clothes. But kids are hilarious! and they like to wear hilarious clothes, like snake socks and swan dresses and hoods with teeth and hats with whiskers.
I like the idea of a capri length, comfy, elastic waisted pants with cozy leg warmers attached at the bottom. Is that too weird? There is a pattern in Carefree Clothes for Girls which is exactly what I’m talking about: sweatpants with knitted leg warmers sewn to the bottom. The photo above is a lovely version by Sew Nancy from a few years back. I have been meaning to make this pattern for years–how is my to sew list possibly that long? I even have one leg warmer crocheted.
Help me out here people! Are my children going to look like crazy people or the most stylish kids on the block?
I love those bear pockets! I think those are totally wonderful.
glad to know I’m not completely crazy :)
kids ARE crazy people. style is an ever-changing term for most kiddos, sometimes many times a day. we paint bugs on their whitey tighties, why not bear paw pockets sewn onto pants? (i also really like the top pair of pants… and the leg warmer ones are cool, but look like they might also become the floor sweepers of your house (ya know, good in theory, animal hair furry plus lint, in reality).
I just love how loose they are at the crotch – so comfy and PJ like, while still being something you can wear outside…I would absolutely love to have a pattern that looks something like that
I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who doesn’t like those “fast pants”- my son has a few pairs and they just always look kinda sloppy.
He would rather be in Jammy bottoms any time than “real pants” so these pants have that comfy feel but are way cooler. That first pair is just so cute!
I think they are both fun. I’m also totally entertained by the bear pockets. It may be headed to my to sew list.
Duuude – anything you make will be super hip. I love the first one and the bear pockets too. My daughter is the same though – she refuses to wear jeans or anything that’s not “stretchy.” She basically does this test every time we dress her to make sure her pants are acceptable – it’s something like doing the splits to make sure they’re stretchy enough (she’s 2 and a half!). Hard to be stylish when she only likes sweat pants, but this seems like a fun challenge! Accepted! :)
It is a challenge! one I have to take up soon, because my boys’ pants are quickly becoming shorts!
The most stylish, definitely. My son would only wear awful sweatpants, unfortunately starting at a much older age than I expected (i.e. after I reasonably felt like I could tell him what to wear, without a better reason than it was tacky), and lasted until he was 16 and started working in real offices, with fashionable guys in their mid-twenties. They set him straight where I had not been able to. :-) I wish I had been sewing much more when he was younger. My girls, btw, love to put on capris in winter to drive me crazy then prove to be sensible and wear warm boots or leg warmers with them.
Oh, please just get to it and share the pattern. We have the same track pants fight ALL THE TIME in our house. Why did I ever cave and buy them??? You will be doing me a great service if you only will please pass on the pattern.
I’ll see what I can do ;)
Surely one of the great things about having kids is the fact that you can get experimental with your sewing and dress them in pretty much anything! That’s my approach anyway. What might look ridiculous on an adult will always look cool and funky on a kid. Go for it I say! :-)
Love the mol clothes! Where do you get it from? I ran their website through Google Translate but could only find stockists in Asia. have you had a look through Sewing For Boys? I think they have some trackpant type trousers that you could try in non-trackpant fabric.
I haven’t the faintest idea where you can actually buy their clothes–that’s why I’m making them!
They will be absolutley stylin’. Go for it.
I vote crazy people. ;) I remember as a kid hating pants with baggy crotches because they rubbed against the insides of my thighs. I would love a pair of those legwarmers for myself, though! I have a couple sweater I am planning on turning into leg warmers before the winter is over…hopefully!
yeah, I’m on the fence about the baggy crotch thing. I mean it can easily read, “oops, I just pooped my pants!”
boys are tricky to sew for. i like the idea of the pants, but i think understated whismy for boys is better than over the top. you have to be careful to not cross that line of becoming too cutesy, and offending their boyish sensibility which they develop sooner than we think. Good luck! I will be curious to see what you come up with!
Your sewing is awesome, but I think these pants are just too out there for the average playground. Kids can be cruel to each other and the stylist kid in the designer pants his mum made could well become a target. From a sewing mother of two sons. It’s a tricky balance!
Well, that’s the right question, all right. There’s a fine line in the fashion world between crazy and brilliant. You just have to know which side to be on. Check out fashion designer of the moment Thom Browne in his shrunken suit in the New York Times, and you’ll know what I mean.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/10/fashion/the-designer-thom-browne-is-in-his-moment.html?ref=thombrowne&_r=0
Oh yeah, I definitely think you can pull this off. Slimmer cut but stretchy, patch-y, fun pockets – all seem like a good plan to me! Sophie from Cirque du Bebe has that Sarouel tutorial (or Low and Lazy’s when she posted them for you) that seem like they’d be pretty darn cute on your little guy. Fabric is the thing, right? If you’re making these out of your husband’s old sweatshirts, no worries if they don’t quite work…pajamas!
old sweatshirts, of course! I have a hard time finding knit fabric that has the right weight for pants. Actually I have a hard time finding the right weight fabric for a lot of kids apparel. Guide me, oh britex one :)
Those pants looks awesome! I need to get my overlock out of its box soon.
I like the first look!!!
My oldest also only wants elasticated waist and will deliberately wear his trousers back to front so I’m trying to think of a way to get round that when I sew him some. I love mol too and those pockets are so cool I would quite like some for me. Is it just that the waist has to be elastic or does it also have to be stretchy fabric too?
…just elastic is fine. He has a few skinny jeans and cords from h&m that are so flipping cute on him–it pains me that he won’t wear them. There is a lot you can do with elastic wasted pants, though. Of course, the comfier they are the more they will be worn.
I’m totally with you here. As long as your kids like to wear it, go with it! (They might rebell though with super-boring clothes during adolesence.. ;-))
oh no, they might! you’re right!
I think they can be crazy AND stylish and the coolest kids in town x
that’s what I’m hoping :)
Left to their own devices, children dress like crazy people. Or maybe crazy people dress like children! Mine has been layering patterns as long as she’s been picking out her own clothes (I swear, since just after birth, when she would pull on her ensemble and grunt her complete displeasure). Her current favorite outfit is a butterfly print tunic with striped sleeves and zebra print leggings.
I say go for it.
oh=totally stylish! do it do it! my son will only wear handmade skirts these days (they’re faster to make than pants-so that’s a plus) forget my kcwc pants-there’s no putting those babies on…i should look for a kilt pattern…
Meg my son will not wear anything that doesn’t turn him into a superhero. Do you have any idea how hard it has been to make him wear my PR&P stuff for photos? Yeesh! Lucky I keep putting lego pockets in everything!
Those paw pocket pants are totally on my to do list
you could work with superhero…
My daughter won’t wear anything restrictive which means jeans and many shorts are out and skirts are in. I don’t know at what point people become willing to suffer for fashion but 7 is not it. I love the pants you’ve shown, they all look like such fun! Sadly for girls whimsical seems to involve lots of ruffles – I’d rather have bear paws!