Aussie mum calls out Best & Less for 'shocking' difference in kids clothing

"I don’t believe that I’m drawing a long bow when I say that this type of messaging is extremely problematic," the mum rants. 

When Big W changed the layout of their kids' clothing department in late 2024, Aussie parents were divided. They couldn't understand why boys' and girls' clothing had to be grouped in a unisex category. 

Now, another retailer is causing a stir - this time for making kids' clothing too different. 

Adelaide mum, Lisa, was recently visiting her local Best & Less store in Fulham Gardens when she saw a few items on the rack that stopped her in her tracks. 

"I’ve always been aware of the atrocious offerings on t-shirts for plus-size women and have been posting about this for years," she told Kidspot.

But this time, it wasn't so much the offering for women but more the slogans written on some of the children's items that left her feeling frustrated. 

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Brands continue to make patronising slogans

In a video uploaded to her Curvature Clothing TikTok account, the passionate mum highlights the differences between t-shirts marketed to boys and other items on offer for girls. 

"Let me show you this... these are little boys' tees: fearless, strong, build, unbeaten, danger..." she points out, clearly unamused. 

"And these are the girls' tees... Be happy, be kind, cute kids club, flower party, cute and curious, smile. The language on the girls' tees is so submissive in nature and so appearance-oriented, but it's so common place and so easy to dismiss," she says. 

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Speaking to Kidspot, Lisa says she posted the video, which has been viewed by over 71K eyeballs, to show other parents how messed up language like this is for our children. 

"My issue has never been with the people who choose to wear them, but the brands who continue to make such patronising slogans. It’s laughable," she insists.

"Apart from the usual trope of French sayings and American cities for women, there are often slogans of a passive nature, such as: ‘be happy,’ ‘be grateful’ etc. The same day that I was in Best & Less, I noticed a men's tee that had ‘superior’ printed on it.

"In a country where one woman a week is murdered at the hands of her partner, I don’t believe that I’m drawing a long bow when I say that this type of messaging is extremely problematic. No matter how trivial it appears," Lisa adds. 

What's on offer for the boys... Image: TikTok / @curvatureclothing

Girls can be 'fearless' and 'strong' too

Lisa hopes that by sharing the video, other parents will think twice about purchasing items with such opposite messages for their boys and girls. 

"I would encourage people to think deeper about this. I have never paid much attention to the kids' clothes before but happened to walk past them this day and saw what I did," she said. 

"My daughter is 9 years old and I remember when she was younger, I would have dressed her in cheap t-shirts like this- they’re perfect for kindy and child care to get messy in. I get it, being a parent is such a tough gig and sometimes you’re just looking for cheap clothes that fit for a few months until they grow out of them."

But Lisa insists retailers can also do better. 

"My gripe is with what Best & Less is printing on them, not with the people who are buying them. I think to all children, the messaging is pretty clear about societal expectations- it’s written right on the tee," Lisa adds.

"The tone it sets for both boys and girls is unfair, and to me, it’s a reflection of society’s expectations of boys/men and women/girls. Not only the words that are written but the images used- apex predators for boys (dinosaurs/lions etc) and the opposite for girls (butterflies/flowers etc)."

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What's on offer for the girls... Image: TikTok / @curvatureclothing

The messages are unsettling

Lisa's video had many parents hitting the comments thread in agreeance. 

"Totally agree. Subliminal messaging," someone commented. 

"Yes it conditioning," another added. 

"Boys clothing has predators on it (tigers, dinosaurs etc) while girls clothes as prey on it (bunnys, birds etc). It’s so unsettling," another shared. 

Meanwhile, boy mums also joined the conversation saying that they hoped for kinder words printed on their little ones' tees. 

"Yes, I agree with your point, but it's concerning on both sides. Boys don't need to happy/ kind? To smile or be curious? Concerning on both sides IMO," someone wrote. 

"I wish we taught boys to be happy be kind," another agreed. 

Others said they couldn't believe this argument was still occurring after so many years of people complaining about the same thing.

"I'm 60 and I had hoped this indoctrination of gender roles would have been a thing of the past by now."

For Lisa, the solution is simple: "Make the same slogan tees for boys and girls."

Kidspot reached out to Best & Less for comment. 

Originally published as Aussie mum calls out Best & Less for 'shocking' difference in kids clothing