Featured Boutique: Knuckleheads

If you like dressing your unboring boy in hip and unique clothing, chances are you've bought something from Knuckleheads. Part retro, part skate/urban, totally modern, Knuckleheads knows boys, always coming out with the coolest, hippest styles to fit any personality up to size 8.

Read on for our interview with Melissa Nash, owner and designer of Knuckleheads clothing. Plus, one lucky Unboring Boys reader will win a surprise pack worth $100 from Knuckleheads! Simply sign up for our e-mail updates in the box on the left through March 15. (see complete details below)

Unboring Boys: A lot of moms wish there were more unique clothes for boys available out there, but few of us actually go so far as designing our own clothing lines and opening boys-only boutiques. What was it that made you go from just thinking about starting your own boys' clothing company to actually doing it?

Melissa: I have always been very business minded, always owning some sort of business. I used to own a jewelry and hairbow business called Hipbabies, but I sold that when Knuckleheads took off. So, I was kind of already familiar with the industry. I just did my homework and jumped in.

Unboring Boys: What were some of the challenges you faced early on, especially in regard to focusing on boys' clothing? What continues to be a challenge today?

Melissa: Probably convincing store owners that moms do want to buy for their boys too, not just girls. There are so many choices for moms with girls but not a lot for boys, so store owners typically haven't done well with boys items because they didn't sell. And they didn't sell because they were kind of "lame" looking. So we still have to convince store owners to spend money on OUR boys items because they will sell.

Unboring Boys: What inspires your designs?

Melissa: Mostly vintage patterns/magazines. We have a HUGE vintage pattern collection and we use parts and ideas from those. We also mix in the skate industry and draw inspiration from bands, both old and new bands.

Unboring Boys: Which items are your bestsellers?

Melissa: Our greaser jeans, skivvies, anything with our logo on it, and our coveralls. We can hardly keep 'em in stock.

Unboring Boys: Of your current offerings, which item is your favorite?

Melissa: We added a new leather jacket this season, which I am dying over, it is so cute on and such amazing quality.

Unboring Boys: What's new for boys in Spring/Summer 2009? Any trends you can tell us about?

Melissa: Lots of layers... layering hoodies under jackets and tees under long sleeved shirts, anything as long as you can layer it. Also, stripes. Stripes are HUGE this season, we probably added more stripes than ever before.

Unboring Boys: Where do you see Knuckleheads in 5 years?

Melissa: We are pretty happy with our growth so far. We have grown so fast that we really don't want to grow that much faster. We like keeping it small and simple. We can provide for our family and we don't have a lot of stress. We have 5 full time employees and 10 outside sales reps that work for us. And honestly this is a good balance for us. It works and we don't want to mess too much with it. I like being hands-on, and we don't want to lose that with too much more growth.

Unboring Boys: If you weren't in the children's fashion industry, what would you be doing?

Melissa: PR and marketing. It was my major in college. I still do all our PR and marketing and I love it. I actually own a PR company on the side and I help small businesses in this industry figure out their marketing plans, and we have affordable prices so you don't have to spend thousands of dollars and sign with a PR firm.

Thank you SO much, Melissa, for taking time to talk to us! Readers, don't miss out on this opportunity to win some fabulous Knuckleheads clothing for your unboring boy. One winner will be randomly selected on March 15. Signing up for updates is an easy way to catch up with what's new on the blog and we promise not to flood your inbox with emails. :) Good luck!

One-of-a-kind Superhero Shirts from LittleOvercoat

When it comes to clothes, my boys and I sometimes disagree on what's cool. Take superheroes. I'll be honest, I'm not a fan of licensed characters on children's clothing. To my preschoolers, however, a Spiderman or Power Rangers T-shirt is the awesomest thing ever!

With LittleOvercoat's superhero T-shirts, I can compromise on theme without having to compromise on style. Check out this awesome Batman & Robin shirt (size 8-10, $28). It's handmade of recycled and new materials and is unique and colorful enough to stand out in the crowd.

Unboring Boys is all about what's unique and distinctive. What's really exciting about LittleOvercoat is that they have taken stock graphics and created something fresh and unexpected.

LittleOvercoat's shirts feature superheroes, classic bands, and even the Pillsbury Doughboy, and are available in sizes to fit baby to teen. We LOVE the bright colors, stripes, and patchwork-y designs.

You'll find all sorts of cool pieces for boys and girls--and moms, too--at LittleOvercoat's Etsy shop!

Featured Boys-Only Boutique: Ochanga

What I love about Ochanga--besides the fact that it's a boys-only boutique--are the shirts they sell. Talk about ultra hip! And forget boring boy colors. These are bold! Bright! LOUD! (Just like my boys.) My favorite has to be the Rainbow Polo (right)($32.50, 2T-6), but there are so many other fabulous pieces in their shop to choose from.

Recently I spoke to Cynthia Betterson, owner of Ochanga, about how she goes about selecting the pieces she sells and what inspired her to open a boys-only boutique.

Cynthia: As a mother of two boys, I was unhappy with the selection for boys at department stores and children's clothing chains. Also I didn't have time to travel to Manhattan to shop the trendy boutiques because I'm a full-time working mom. So I turned to the Internet and started shopping at small online boutiques for unique styles of boys clothing. This inspired me to put all the venders I liked in one convenient place.

Unboring boys: What are the unique challenges of owning a boys-only boutique?

Cynthia: I find that many moms love my styles, however, their boys wear the bigger sizes. I don't carry anything over a 6 yet but I'd like to soon. Another challenge is going to children's clothing trade shows looking for new venders. There is a dominance of girls clothing, which can be frustrating.

Unboring boys: How do you go about selecting the brands you sell?

Cynthia: First I think, will this style look cute on my son? Is this something that I would like him to wear and will he enjoy wearing it? I also ask myself, is this style different and unique enough to make him stand out from the crowd? I also consider the product quality. How will this product handle the wear and tear from an active young boy? I try to stick to 100 percent cotton fabrics when possible. Last and most importantly, I consider the manufacturing location, making sure to avoid countries known for usage of child labor.

Unboring boys: Which items are your bestsellers?

Cynthia: Anything from Wonderboy. No matter what style or season, I always sell plenty of this brand. The designs are unique and trendy, the pricing reasonable, and the quality exceptional. I also sell a lot of euro-style swim trunks from Claesens. They are the number one underwear manufacturer in the Netherlands. The swim trunks are so unique and cute and they come in a cute plastic carrying case for wet transport.

Unboring boys: Where do you see boys' fashion going in the future?

Cynthia: I see trendier designs for boys in the future. Venders are finally beginning to understand that mothers of boys want their sons to look cool and hip and are looking for styles that set them apart.

Unboring boys: Can you give us some hints as to future trends in boys' clothing and accessories?

Cynthia: I see lots of miniature versions of adult male styles. Really cute.

Unboring boys: Anything new and exciting coming up for Ochanga that you can tell us about?

Cynthia: I'm looking to widen my age base to include bigger boys, perhaps up to 10 years. I am also looking to offer a signature line of Ochanga jeans and tees for boys!

Thank you to Cynthia for taking the time to speak with Unboring Boys! She is offering a 20 percent discount for Unboring Boys readers through 3/1/09! Use code UBB09 at checkout!

A Tribute

Shopping for hip and adorable clothes for Nick and Henry was something my mom and I did together from the time they were babies.

When she died of cancer in 2007, just four months after being diagnosed, I lost my heart for a lot of things, including shopping for the boys.

It took time, but I'm now at a place where it's fun again. Often when I run across a cute outfit, I find myself thinking, Mom would love this.

This being her birthday, I wanted to dedicate Unboring Boys to her. It may sound silly--this being just a blog about kids' clothes--but I feel like I'm carrying on with something we started together.

(This photograph, by the way, is of my mom in her early twenties. It's one of my favorites.)

Not Your Common Toboggan: Hats from ThatFunkyBoutique

There's a lot about winter I don't like: icy roads, germs, being stuck inside. One thing I love: outerwear. Maybe it's from growing up in south Florida, where I owned maybe one sweater as a child, but I am obsessed with winterwear.

There's nothing cuter than my boys all bundled up in coats, mittens and scarves on a snowy day. I especially love hats, and ThatFunkyBoutique's hats for boys are the cutest I've seen this year.

Each is funky, unique, and hand made from recycled 100 percent wool sweaters lined with comfy fleece. Our favorite is the Black Deer hat (above) but there are other adorable hats to choose from in their collection. We dig the vintage look and fun details, like tassels and patchwork and quirky shapes, that make each piece special. If you haven't gotten your unboring boy a winter hat yet (hurry, it's getting cold!), or if you're looking for a boys' hat with more personality, check out ThatFunkyBoutique.

Giveaway update: Congratulations to Natalie from Maine who won the free Times Square t-shirt from TotStops (featured previously on the blog). Thanks to all our readers who participated and to TotStops for being a sponsor. Just a reminder that all readers who sign up for e-mail updates from us are automatically entered in our giveaways! So sign-up! We promise not to harass you with junk mail and it's a great way to stay up to date with what's happening on the blog.

Unique Baby Gear for Your Little Adventurer

Whether you're embarking on a trip around the world, or just crossing the park, your little explorer-to-be will know exactly where he is with this fabulous World Traveler burper set from BabyBoss. The set includes two oversized burp cloths made from light-weight cotton and chenelle ($15 for the pair). A matching bib and blanket are also available.

Unboring Boys applauds BabyBoss for their willingness to take risks with fabric and prints for children. There is nothing too cutesy or expected in their collection. We adore the Early Riser pants (we just can't resist anything with chickens on it). Some prints like the one used for the Longitude Bib seem very grown-up, yet work beautifully for little boys. If you're looking for Dad-approved gear for the diaper bag, look no further.

BabyBoss does custom orders! Just send them a request through their Etsy shop.

Just a reminder that it's not too late to win a free Times Square t-shirt from TotStops (see our previous post). Simply sign up for e-mail updates in the box to the left through December 31. We'll pick a winner at random in January. We promise not to inundate your inbox with mail. Signing up for updates is an easy way to catch up with what's new on the blog.

Happy holidays to all our readers! See you in 2009!

~Denice, editor

Featured Boutique: TotStops

It took less than a New York minute for us to fall in love with TotStops's fun and funky take on souvenir t-shirts.

The big city, bright lights-inspired tees are available in sizes 3-6 months to 4T. Designs are taken from original works by New York artists and illustrators. Our favorite is the Times Square t-shirt (left) featuring a design from an original painting by children's book illustrator Selina Alko.

One lucky Unboring Boys reader will win a Times Square short-sleeved t-shirt or onesie from TotStops, in the size of their choice! To enter the giveaway, sign up for our e-mail updates. The winner will be chosen at random in early January. Good luck!

TotStops's tees look great on boys or girls, but boys especially will love the taxis, skyscrapers, bridges, and subway trains.

Check out this adorable video, filmed during a TotStops photo shoot.