Smocking: It isn’t just for girls

photo 3Do you just adore smocked outfits? You know the cute, adorable ones with smocked holiday items like candy canes, pumpkins and bunnies? I, for one, am a huge fan of smocked outfits, but I am the mother to two precious little boys, and they totally sport smocked outfits. Yes, you read that right. I’m a boy mom who dresses her sons in smocked outfits. The hand I was dealt didn’t come with obnoxiously huge bows, princess dolls and ballerina tights. However, I still get my smocking fix with my boys.

Maybe it’s the Southern gal in me, but I just couldn’t resist smocked little jon jons and bubbles; and, if they were seersucker, it made my heart melt a little inside. I know some people are against smocking for boys, but I am not one of them. I feel that boys have their whole lives to dress in jeans and polo shirts or gym shorts with character tees. Why not dress them up while we can?

photo 1I was so sad when my oldest son was no longer able to rock jon jons and smocked outfits, but, thankfully, I had a little boy right behind him who is still sporting the smocked outfits. Think there aren’t any cute outfits out there for boys? Well, I can prove you wrong. Since I’ve been a boy smocked mom for over 5 years, I’ve found some pretty adorable stuff.

I’ve found a black and gold football jon jon, street car jon jon, pirate smocked tees and many more precious boy smocked outfits. I just can’t get enough! Are jon jons not your thing? Don’t fret; there are many darling smocked tees for boys. I even had my oldest son wear a smocked Christmas tee last year for Christmas; it was just picture perfect!

I know in a few years the time will come that I will have to put away all things smocked once my youngest grows out of them, and my heart may break a little inside, but I’m glad I was able to dress my boys in smocked outfits even though I didn’t have a little girl. Boys in smocked clothing is just as cute as little girls (or even cuter!), don’t you agree?

Are you also a boy mom who dresses their little lad in smocked clothing?

Mary Olivio
Mary is a caffeine addicted boy mom to Noah, Liam and Luke. This “stay at home” mom can typically been found cruising in her minivan, jamming to Beyonce with a Starbucks in hand on her way to carpool or after school activities. Mary has been married to her high school sweetheart since 2007. She is a founder of Delivering Hope NOLA and the Vanessa Wolff Scholarship Fund at her Alma Mater. Mary is passionate in the local preemie community and has been heavily involved with the March of Dimes since her sons Liam and Luke were born premature.

10 COMMENTS

  1. I totally agree with you! I had a boy first, and I very quickly found several cute options for him. The other myth that kills me is price – with Zulily and Rhea Lana and even Instagram sales, there’s no reason to pay full price (and I rarely do). When you can get a hardly worn outfit for $15, it’s just as affordable as other major retailers. Plus Orient Express has an awesome sale bin, the tent sale at Banburry Cross – I could go on. I am in camp #smockallthethings … and, the great thing is – to each their own!

  2. I tried not to be closed-minded about smocks when my daughter was an infant. However, it is just too much work for me to dress even my little GIRL in smocked clothing, let alone dressing a boy in that! It’s just too fancy for daily kid living. They’re pretty expensive (even on sale) for how much kids, especially toddlers, abuse their clothing. I just do not have that much time to do laundry.

  3. I moved to NOLA from California and had never seen smacking on a kid before, and to be honest I thought it was weird and I had down right hatred for it. I never judged what sex should wear it, I thought no one should. I’ve had a baby now and I put her in one that someone gifted me and I’m now a fan! They’re adorable and a total baby thing. I believe in equality between the sexes. We are all equal right? No matter the color of our skin and whether we sit or stand to pee. You can dress your kid & yourself however you want, and I’d love to add that your son looks ADORABLE in his Jon jons.

  4. Totally agree- love a sweet baby in a smocked outfit, be it a dress or a Jon Jon!! I had NO idea there even was a debate at least amongst southern mamas!! Nothing sweeter than spring pictures with girls and boys in smocking and the daddy in seersucker. Wait, do these women also hate men in seersucker?!? 😉

  5. Mary, you already know I would still be dressing Andrew in applique jon-jons if I had my way, but Scott made his disdain well known so to compromise, we did it till Andrew was 18 M. LOL

  6. My 8 month old son totally rocked a smock with fleur de lys and Christmas-y decorated street cars, very similar to the one in your picture, for Christmas Eve this year. It was a huge it!

    I’m not a fan of them when worn on a daily basis (especially because of the typically high price point), but as a special occasion piece, I think they’re absolutely appropriate and precious as can be, on both genders!

    My only complaint would be that the sizing can vary greatly from company to company. The 6 mo size I bought for my 8mo for Christmas was huge and could easily fit a 12-18mo. I’m so glad I didn’t buy the 9mo size!

    @Courtney: I bought my streetcar/fleur de lys one from a specialty baby store in Covington. I’ll try to find the name, but I’m sure Banbury Cross on Metairie Rd (or any NOLA baby boutique) would sell something similar.

  7. I love the look of smock dresses on girls but I only have been blessed with boys. I am so glad I am not the only one who thinks they are cute! I will definitely have to get a smock outfit for my youngest this fall. Thanks for the great ideas!

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