Mandy Moore’s Gymboree Line Provides the Perfect Mommy-and-Me Outfits for Boy Moms

When I was pregnant, one of the things which caught my attention was cute matching sets for me and my baby, a boy — especially ones to wear in the hospital, like a robe for me, a swaddle for him, and a t-shirt for my husband. Finding a set that suited both me and a baby boy, though? That was a struggle.

I settled on a simple blue-and-white plaid pattern, in line with my personal style. And my personal style is what has driven the few cutesy matching moments we’ve had — while I was able to easily find him and my husband matching t-shirts, I’ve had to turn to creativity and luck to do the same. At a second-hand sale, I stumbled upon a Queen t-shirt that exactly matched one I already own, and we both have red Converse high-tops.

Options for mommy-and-daughter sets and daddy-and-son sets are seemingly endless — moms and daughters have matching dresses or skirt sets, and dads and sons have shirts, from t-shirts like that “taco” and “taquito” set, with references to other foods like pizza, or things like video games and movie franchises, and even matching polos or button-downs. And while those aren’t strictly for dads and sons only, they’re almost always presented in a masculine style that just isn’t for me, even though I wear t-shirts and jeans like they’re my personal uniform.

But mommy-and-me sets for moms and sons are hard to find, as though accommodating both is too difficult a design challenge. Clothes for baby and toddler boys already suffer from a notorious lack of variety — it often feels like the only designs for boys are vehicles, dinosaurs, or dinosaurs in vehicles, and sometimes, if you’re lucky, other animals like dogs or bears. The situation is even more dismal for mommy-and-me options. Colors tend to be dark, patterns either very bold or very plain, with little in between, and they tend to be aimed at babies, not the toddler years.

But Mandy Moore, Gymboree’s 2023 brand ambassador and a boy mom herself, has a fantastic collection that is the saving grace for moms looking for a cute matching moment with their sons. It’s Moore’s fourth season with the children’s clothing company, and this time, she also served as co-designer for its limited-edition holiday capsule collection.

Moore’s collection nails mommy-and-me looks for boy moms, with patterns and color schemes designed with both a toddler boy and an adult woman in mind in a way that satisfies both. The fall collection features deep oranges and browns the shade of pumpkins and foliage, with floral-print dresses for moms and plaids, pumpkins, and the always beloved trucks and tractors for our sons. Similarly, past and current Christmas collections have included royal blues and deep reds and greens, while the spring collection included plaids that incorporate shades of blue, yellow, and an orange-ish pink.

Part of what makes the collection stand out from others is it’s actually stylish and proves mommy-and-me styles for boys don’t have to be plain and colorless — or lean too strongly feminine or masculine. I love our matching Queen shirts and Converse shoes, but I also love the options in a collection which work so well for both of us, especially heading into the holidays, with our Christmas-card photos and family gatherings in mind.

Of course, the days of my son and I wearing cutesy matching outfits are limited, something Moore acknowledged herself: “There’s a small sliver of time parents get when our kids are this young where we get to play dress up with them like this,” she said. For my son and me, the clock is already ticking — his wardrobe is growing to reflect his love of cars, trucks, and construction equipment, and he’s starting to express opinions about how he prefers to dress. And, needless to say, my own wardrobe is devoid of all things four-wheeled, and he won’t abide by our tee shirts and Converse shoes forever. Nor will he be a toddler forever, and a boy is only so willing to dress like his mom for so long. All of this is probably why Gymboree’s collaboration with Moore is such a rare gem.

But for now, we’ll step out in matching sets from Mandy Moore’s Gymboree line, with him looking as adorable as ever while I feel feminine and stylish and savor the moment — and the Insta-worthy look — for as long as I have it.