scavenger hunts used to be fun

I've spent some time lately looking for good (non-thrift) deals on clothes for Malcolm. With "Back to School" items taking over most of the places we shop, I figured I could score some summer clothes to use on our upcoming Jamaica trip (in November) and/or to put away for next summer.

Unfortunately, the "deals" I was hoping to find have been few and far between ... And my luck has been quite poor.

I'm not sure if I'm shopping too late to grab up the last of summer's goodies, but one thing is blatantly obvious ... Boys do not get nearly as many choices as girls when it comes to clothing!

Here are a couple examples from my most recent trip where sales are concerned ...

In one store, there was an entire rack of girl's swimsuits but only two (TWO!) individual swimming trunks for boys ... Not to mention the other girls' sales racks outnumbered the boys' ones by about four to one.

In another store, the girls' clearance items took up the length of an entire wall, top to bottom, whereas the boys' section was a mere four feet (or less?) across.

Seriously ... What gives?

As the (proud) mother of a boy, I want my son to look good!

I want variety!

I want choices!

(And I definitely want more than just "Cars" themed clothing!)

Give me plaids.

Give me patterns.

Give me anything remotely science-related.

Give me something, though. Anything would almost be better than the nothing I've been contending with ...

Sure, my son may not care about what he is wearing from day to day ... But I certainly do! And, really (if we're being honest here), at this stage of the game, it is more about what I want than what he wants ... Although I do oblige him with a Sesame Street character every now and then!

I guess I'm just surprised that multiple retailers seem to overlook this "Mother Factor," the teeny tiny little fact that the mothers are the ones with the jobs, that make the money, that is actually spent on the clothing (not that fathers don't contribute in regards to kids' clothing, I know I've spent plenty of my husband's money on items for Malcolm, too) ... I mean, it certainly isn't the toddler whipping out his baby-sized wallet to make the purchase!

If that was the case, Malcolm wouldn't be spending any of his money on clothes anyway ... He'd go straight for food. Graham crackers and milk ... Maybe strawberries ...

But, I digress ...

Is it too much to want a little boy that is dressed somewhat fashionably? Or that gets compliments for having "cute (science-themed, of course) shirts?"

Would that really be so out of the question?

Outlandish?

Impossible?

I know that I can't be the only mother that strives to have a well-dressed son on a budget!