Silly me. Just last week I told my mother it was a-ok to buy T.D. costumes but just NO DISNEY PRINCESSES. I said yes to fairies and would actually rather her wear something off a clearance rack from a Halloween store. Bottle of Ketchup? Sure. Hershey Kiss? That is fine with me. Jasmine from Aladdin? Whoa there! Wait just a minute.
I have a rule in our house about toys like this. No princesses, no divas and no queens. I don’t like commercialized bedding or clothing either. A Dora t-shirt. Not in this house. I highly discourage people buying this stuff for T.D. for many reasons. First, I think it looks cheap. Second, as if there isn’t enough advertising thrown at kids. Why continually have it in my house? I’m getting off track here. I’m really worried about the whole Princess Mentality with T.D. I guess after reading this article I should be more worried about her overall wardrobe choosiness.
When I read this, “Ten-year-old Ashley Parks said she admires the Pussycat Doll look.
I like how it’s sexy,” she said.” I about puked into my coffee. At ten I had no idea what sexy was. I just knew I wanted to have long flowing hair and I would wear a turtleneck on my head with the shirt flowing down my back to make my “hair” longer. The fact that people buy and companies make (because people buy them!) padded bras, pimpwear and thongs for the under 10 set is so disturbing to me. We worry so much about the safety of our neighborhoods and have websites tracking where pedophiles live yet we buy thongs and teeny tiny skirts and cleavage revealing tops for our six year-olds? Low riders for four year-olds? Doesn’t anyone recall that a pimp is not something to aspire too?
I wore my first thong to my Sr. Prom because I knew that VPL is a fashion no-no. I wasn’t trying to be sexy. That damned thing was uncomfortable. My white little 17 year old butt hadn’t seen the sun since I was a toddler so who would deem that sexy? Besides I still wasn’t into the whole looking sexy thing even then. I wanted to be beautiful in a classic Jackie O/Grace Kelly type of way. I wanted grace, elegance, a Chanel suit and big sunglasses. Guess I was a total tool who didn’t know fashion according to these girls.
I really think the whole thing that bugs me about this tarted up toddler look is that it warps the young kids mind. Being sexy is a state of mind not just the clothes you wear. Having them dress like that so young puts so much emphasis on how a kid looks and not what they can do or be. It’s incredibly sad to me. The parents are letting a company and a child dictate so much. There are other alternatives in kids wear out there. Not to mention the small fact that these items are tasteless and setting up a whole change of bad fashion no-no’s in the years to come. A middle school class photo will look like the Saturday night holding pen at at police station full of low-class hookers.
Harsh? Maybe, but I think we need to be if kids are looking to Kimora Lee Simmons for fashion advice and parents are buying half shirts and low cut tops for five year-olds. What’s next crotchless panties and fishnets in pre-school?
Mad and sick enough yet? I thought so. Here are more examples.
Newsweek is on target
Costume description:
Make any soldier with an attitude drop and give you twenty when you suit up as Major Flirt, the highest-ranking Drama Queen in the army! This classic girls costume comes with military green dress, vinyl studded belt, Major General’s hat and matching glovettes–all you’ll need to get them to stand at A-tten-tion!
Wow. There is just so much more too. Thanks to everyone who has been sending me links, photos and stories.
I agree about the sexy clothes for young girls. My girls are not allowed to dress that way (age 16 and 11). If we program them to be sexy isn't that dangerously close to programming them that they should be having sex. I mean why do women want to look sexy in the first place? To get a man's attention and it is sexual attention. I need to get off the soap box now, but great post!
I went to a Halloween Party this weekend (mixed with kids and adults) and the 8th grader who was dressed up like a slutty Raggedy Anne Doll was disturbing (what was more disturbing was her mom was there and found NOTHING wrong with the outfit). Geesh!
Thank You!! Great post Vicky!! I thought I was alone on this point! I’ve always felt the clothes for little girls these days, aren’t for little girls. What happened to good old fashioned Osh Gosh B’Gosh and HealthTex?? I was at A’s 6th grade dance this past Friday as a chaperone. There are still some “sweet” girls left (thankfully A and her friends are still part of the sweet crowd), but lots are already into the not so “sweet” image, I was honestly horrified by what some of these girls were wearing, and more horrified by the fact that their parents let them out of the house that way!! I know you can’t always stop teenagers from wearing certian things, because you know out behind the tree is where the “real” outfit is hidden along with the make-up they’re not supposed to wear. But 6th grade? Holy crap people! Not to mention the music choices, they were not allowed to listen to a bleeped out version of Nickelback’s “RockStar” but it was ok to listen to the uncut version of “Booty Call” and dance every dance move from the video!?! One question for you and your readers, What age is appropriate for shaving? When A was 9, her friend told her she had hairy legs, so she shaved them, I totally lost my cool on that one! Swimmer or not, no shaving yet girly!Take Care! -M
Great post. But this is the first I’ve seen or heard of these things. Then again I live in the sticks, and have 3 girls who prefer to dress like boys(thank God).
Dude…I have ranted and raved about this stuff for EVER and people are all “If you talk to your kids and impart your values to them you won’t have to worry about this stuff” To which I say BULLSHIT! The media (TV, magazines, billboards, the internet etc) and your child’s peers have far, FAR more influence over them than their parents do once they reach a certain age. But parents BUYING this crap for their kids is sickening. Have they NO common sense? You should cross-post this on Moms Speak Up. It’s right up our alley!
A nearby town had a “Pumpkin Walk” last week, where the kids could go into the businesses displaying a sign in the window and trick or treat for candy. I don’t recall seeing any girls who weren’t covered up, especially since it was 50 degrees. This morning on one of the talk shows (GMA, maybe), they were talking to a girl from a high school that banned “dirty dancing” from school dances. She says everyone dances that way, that they don’t know any other way to dance. The girls bend over at the waist with their hands on their thighs, and rub their butts into the boys crotches! I am so not kidding! My daughter is never leaving the house, I swear.