WHENEVER I find myself in a shop that sells children's clothes I always cast an eye over the rails of garments for little boys, just in case I find a bargain in his size to send to my grandson. He likes getting new clothes.

I know the colours that look well on him: bright green, cherry red, most shades of blue. But since he reached two there can't be more than a couple of times that I've actually found something I just couldn't resist. What is it about boys' clothes? It's all right when they're babies. Then they're allowed to wear gentle colours with animal motifs, though that old thing about pink for girls, blue for boys still seems to hold sway. But it's pretty easy to find things that look good on them.

As soon as they get beyond 18 months it all changes. Then, it seems someone has decided it's time they threw off childish things and started to look like miniature men - and macho ones at that.

It's all right for girls. They're allowed to go on wearing pretty clothes in flattering colours. If you don't like the pink and frilly look there's always a massive range of alternatives to choose from. But try and find something appealing for a little boy and it's another matter altogether. This season's favourite seems to be the military camouflage look, shapeless garments in subtle unlovely shades of khaki and sludge. I don't know any boy who would look good in them. I expect there are some parents who want their little boys to look like tiny SAS men, but personally I find the thought of associating anything to do with warfare with my happy little grandson quite appalling. There's enough nastiness in the world without bringing reminders of it into the home.

If you don't want the military look, the alternative seems to be the sporty one. That doesn't necessarily mean a child-sized football strip for Daddy's favourite team (Jonah's Grandad would go for red and white), but something that looks roughly the sort of thing you'd wear to play football or rugby, some sort of dark shiny top with a large logo. It seems to me that both of these looks are trying to set little boys in a mould. They're saying to them: 'You've got to be aggressive, sporty, macho, or you're not a proper boy.' Which is surely a very old-fashioned attitude for the 21st century.

The third option is the Disney-franchise-look, featuring Mickey Mouse or Pooh Bear. That's all right so far as it goes, but why should parents and grandparents do the Disney Corporation's advertising for them? If they paid us to do it that would be another matter. In any case, whatever's wrong with a plain brightly-coloured top and plain trousers or shorts? Come to think of it, what's wrong with stripes or tartans or checks or spots? And why do we all have to be labelled with logos for this and that? Why can't little boys just wear a flattering colour or shape and decide for themselves what sort of person they're going to grow into? The time for the military look or the sporty one or whatever is surely when they're old enough to be sure what their interests are and know exactly what they want to look like. Maybe, just maybe, they'll want to look like themselves.

On the other hand, I suppose it's just possible the shops are supplying the sort of boys' clothes most parents actually want their sons to wear. In which case, perhaps there's scope for widening the range a bit.

How about the gardening look, for the budding Alan Titchmarshes? Corduroys, a nice warm shirt, a woolly jumper? Or maybe some little boys would like to dress like Jamie Oliver. Though come to think of it I'm not quite sure what that look is precisely. Then there's the Bob the Builder look, with sturdy dungarees - very practical, that, for an active child. Or what's wrong with simple T-shirt and jeans, like a CBeebies presenter?

You don't even see the cowboy look very much, which at least would make a change. I'm sure Jonah would love to dress like his hero Woody from Toy Story.

I expect if you can afford those really expensive designer children's clothes you'd find you had more choice, but most parents (and grandparents) have to be content with what the high street has to offer.

So isn't it time the designers of affordable children's wear had a rethink, used a bit of imagination? After all, even David Beckham doesn't always dress in sports gear. Now there's a thought: sarongs for little boys.... Hmm. Perhaps not.