Dressing up Boys
I admit that our family tends to dress a little more formal than others, it is just an inherent part of us that both my husband and I grew up with! With that being said, it is not for everyone!! I will say that more often than not, however, that people reach out to me to ask where I find these “formal clothes” especially for my boys! Darling clothes for girls are a dime a dozen! Even clothes for Baby and Toddler Boys are popping up much more frequently. Clothes for boys ages 4-14, however, are way more difficult to find! And then even when you find something, will your son even wear it!?!
My trick is finding and mixing in performance materials that are both lightweight and comfortable and most of the time are “tag free!” This is especially important ;-) My favorite brands for these items are Johnnie-O, Vineyard Vines and Peter Millar! All three brands offer performance material button down shirts and polo shirts that are not only nice looking, but incredibly easy to care for (wash and hang dry)! You don’t even need to iron them, although I usually iron the button downs for picture days ;-). They have also started offering performance pants which are also lightweight, easy to care for and usually young boy approved!
Once I have a base layer that is performance, I will mix in different brands based on the occasion. In almost every formal look, my boys always have on a Johnnie-O Dress Shirt which are lightweight and incredibly comfortable! My boys have never complained about these particular button-down shirts. The next layer differs based on age, but my go-to look for little boys usually includes a sport coat.
Appaman makes great lightweight and slim cut sport coats. trousers and suits. The price is right and the look is timeless! When my oldest son was little, Oscar de la Renta had a boys line that made the best pieces for special occasions. You can still find a pretty robust selection on The Real Real and Gilt. They had classic rompers for little boys and great coordinating pieces for older boys ranging from sweaters and blazers to classic pants, ties and bow ties. To be honest, I am still looking for a brand that compares in such an offering from newborn to size 14. I will keep you posted if I find it.
For a walk on the luxurious side, Il Gufo makes the sharpest looking yet softest trousers for young boys. They are a bit pricey for boys pants, but you will never get a complaint for having to wear them as they are as soft as butter. Armani Junior also makes a nice boys chino trouser that has a nice lightweight formal material and slim fit design. For the boys in your life that really don’t care for a stiff sport coat, Armani Junior also makes a very handsome knit option that can be easily dressed up or down. And then there is always Gucci to elevate any outfit. From their unique ties and classic belts to their infamous horsebit loafers…you can rely on those styles to be passed down for generations.
My go-to shoe brand for little boys has always been Atlanta Moccasin. The shoes are handcrafted in Portugal and are effortlessly chic! Whether being paired with a suit or shorts and a button down, you can never go wrong with these shoes. My sons especially love the drivers and are their shoe of choice regardless of activity. They would even wear them to the pool if I would let them. I have also always loved Janie and Jack dress socks. They go up to size 10-12 and are comfortable and not too thick. We have drawers and drawers full of a variety of patterns.
In the meantime be sure to look into the performance materials. The best part…removing stains is a breeze! Butter, pasta sauce, mustard and chocolate usually don’t even require stain treating. Just throw them in the washing machine and out they come! It’s like magic!
I love creating win-win situations...and this my friends is win-win if I have ever seen it!
- Love List -
1. Mod Suit, Appaman 2. Bow Tie and Tie, Brooks Brothers 3. Dress Socks, Janie and Jack 4. Prep-Formance Button Down Shirt, Johnnie-O 5. Penny Drivers, Atlanta Moccasins 6. Performance Breaker Pants, Vineyard Vines
