Clothes and dancing...

[umb24]

Does anyone else think it's ridiculous that you can find pretty much the same clothes in the girl's department as the women's? What is this fascination with making our young girls look the same as adults? Does anyone else try to steer clear of that "mature" look for their daughter?

Also, what is up the nasty dancing that is pushed on young girls these days? Does anyone realize this? I just this video of what looked like maybe an 11 year old, dancing this really raunchy and sexual club type dance to a pop/rap song. She of course, was wearing a skimpy little short shorts and a bellyshirt exposing her midriff. A complete mimicking of adult behavior. All of these dances to these songs now are very sexual and no one seems to bat an eye at the back that our 11 and 12 year old are dancing like strippers.

I wouldn't be caught dead allowing my daughter to dance like that, or wear clothes like that. What is wrong with so many parents today?

 

[singledad]

I have often received strange looks from other parents because I refuse to let my DD wear these revealing clothes. It may look cute on a 5-year old whose body looks nothing like a woman's, but I can't understand what these parents plan to do when their kids reach puberty. What is cute on a 5-year old and sexy on a 20-something woman, is very disturbing on a 12-year old, and will only serve as an open invitation to hormone-crazed teenage boys to take advantage of her. And I don't want to have to one day say right, now you have to throw out half your wardrobe and change your style of dress, because it is no longer cute. I can't see how that conversation could ever end well...

Call me a prude, or whatever, but I was a teenage boy once...

 

[cybele]

I am yet to discover these revealing clothes everyone keeps talking about.

Even here when we had this huge "controversy" a few months back about Target Australia and "skimpy clothing" I went in there with Sunny and Lux and all I could see were plain t-shirts, leggings and jeans, nothing "adult" at all.

I just don't understand it.

 

[singledad]

They're all over the place here - Skirts so short they barely cover the important bits. Skimpy, mid-rif revealing tops. String bikinis. etc, etc. All in sizes for pre-school and primary school kids.

Its disturbing, I tell you.

(And don't get me started in those little bras in sizes that would fit a girl who won't need them for at least 5-10 more years... )

Fortunately my DD hasn't developed a taste for that yet (phew!)

 

[umb24]

I am yet to discover these revealing clothes everyone keeps talking about.

Even here when we had this huge "controversy" a few months back about Target Australia and "skimpy clothing" I went in there with Sunny and Lux and all I could see were plain t-shirts, leggings and jeans, nothing "adult" at all.

I just don't understand it.

I don't think you have to look too hard. My point being, why does clothes for young girls have mimic the fashion styles of mature women? Why does any 11 year old need daisy duke shorts and a thong? Or skin tight leggings and short shirts that expose the midriff? They don't. They're kids, they don't need that kind of attention

Doesn't anyone remember a time when kids looked like kids, and not like prepubescent replicas of adults? When a 12 year old girl couldn't be mistaken for an 18 year old? Because I do.

 

[cybele]

See, this is what always confuses me.

Daisy Duke shorts get their name from, well, Daisy Duke, early 80's. Kids were wearing Daisy Duke shorts then, I had a pair when I was about 10. I also had bell bottom low cut flares, 70's style cropped tops exposing my belly, as a teenager I had skin tight leggings, big hair, more tops that exposed my belly.

I remember people "longing" for a time when kids dressed "like kids" then, and I also remember my mother saying "The funny thing about that was, when I was wearing rock n roll skirts and short sleeve blouses, other adults were horrified, because it's adults clothes, but I was a kid"

Kids fashion has always mimicked adults fashion, and fashion has always been daring, this isn't something new.

And yeah, I do have to look hard, honestly I cannot see it.

 

[umb24]

See, this is what always confuses me.

Daisy Duke shorts get their name from, well, Daisy Duke, early 80's. Kids were wearing Daisy Duke shorts then, I had a pair when I was about 10. I also had bell bottom low cut flares, 70's style cropped tops exposing my belly, as a teenager I had skin tight leggings, big hair, more tops that exposed my belly.

I remember people "longing" for a time when kids dressed "like kids" then, and I also remember my mother saying "The funny thing about that was, when I was wearing rock n roll skirts and short sleeve blouses, other adults were horrified, because it's adults clothes, but I was a kid"

Kids fashion has always mimicked adults fashion, and fashion has always been daring, this isn't something new.

And yeah, I do have to look hard, honestly I cannot see it.

That's odd, I never remember this issue in the past. Maybe it wasn't as full blown then, more parents now give in to their kids wanting to follow trendy things.

When I was a kid neither myself nor did any of my friends really try to appear like we were older than we were. Our parents mostly picked out what we wore until we were old enough, and then it was always at their discretion still until we were financially independent and free to make our own decisions.

Girls are not allowed to even wear daisy duke style shorts, low cut tops, or skimpy tank tops or exposed midriffs at any public school, they are banned. Too revealing. I think if the public school system does not allow something, that should be a clear sign that it's just not appropriate.

 

[bssage]

I agree with cybele:

It really creeps me out. But I think the trend has been around a long time.

Still creeps me out.

 

[singledad]

It really creeps me out. But I think the trend has been around a long time.

Still creeps me out.

Yup. I don't think its new either, but that doesn't make it any better...

 

[Testing]

Does anyone else think it's ridiculous that you can find pretty much the same clothes in the girl's department as the women's? What is this fascination with making our young girls look the same as adults? Does anyone else try to steer clear of that "mature" look for their daughter?

Also, what is up the nasty dancing that is pushed on young girls these days? Does anyone realize this? I just this video of what looked like maybe an 11 year old, dancing this really raunchy and sexual club type dance to a pop/rap song. She of course, was wearing a skimpy little short shorts and a bellyshirt exposing her midriff. A complete mimicking of adult behavior. All of these dances to these songs now are very sexual and no one seems to bat an eye at the back that our 11 and 12 year old are dancing like strippers.

I wouldn't be caught dead allowing my daughter to dance like that, or wear clothes like that. What is wrong with so many parents today?

Well, you might be surprised what she would do if you weren't around at a dance, with all the hideous music lyrics today. This sort of stuff is common in the adolescent crowd.

Listen to some rappers like Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj or some of the others. David Guetta eek Check out how the girls dance on these videos. If you can stomach it, check out a Rihanna video.

Yeah, I have teens.

This is common fare for them, where we had some suggestive stuff like but nothing about B's and H o's and sticking this in that in our music in my era.

Not in my house. But boy, is it a tough, uphill battle to fight the ever plummeting culture on this.

 

[singledad]

Listen to some rappers like Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj or some of the others. David Guetta eek Check out how the girls dance on these videos. If you can stomach it, check out a Rihanna video.

Yeah, I have teens.

This is common fare for them, where we had some suggestive stuff like but nothing about B's and H o's and sticking this in that in our music in my era.

Not in my house. But boy, is it a tough, uphill battle to fight the ever plummeting culture on this.

I guess now we know what the parents of teenagers felt like when Elvis burst onto the scene in the late 50's...

And the parents in the 1800's, when the waltz came into fashion, and young girls wanted to dance with (GASP!) a man's arm around their waist...

I guess what I'm trying to say is that its nothing new, but its up to us as parents to help our children develop self-respect, and trust that this will stop them going too far.

 

[cybele]

Society is always going to do things to shock us oldies, haha.

In terms to how it translates into raising kids (or teens) however, I think it's a use your own discretion thing. What is okay for some is not okay for others.

 

[BabyAngel]

Funny how we seem to think that there is "adult clothes" and "children clothes"... children will always want to look older by dressing more like adults.

The real question is, why are some adults so much in need to get sexual attention by dressing slutty ? (sorry, but yes, it's mostly girls/women).

 

[akmom]

Cybele, I'm kind of in the same boat as you, in that I don't really come across these "slutty" kids' clothes either. Granted, I'm in Alaska and climate dictates fashion, but I traveled south this summer and didn't encounter it either. Perhaps we are all looking at the same clothes, but envisioning different uses?

My daughter wears skin-tight leggings under her dresses, to keep her legs warm. Sometimes she wears short frilly skirts over her jeans to complement her shirt. And for years it's been stylish to wear a short-sleeved shirt over a different-colored long sleeve shirt (though I hear from my out-of-state friends that it's hideous). Maybe some of these clothes aren't actually meant to be worn alone?

I know that if a child showed up to school in shorts here, they would be sent home, simply because it would be unsuitable during mandatory recess during any part of the year when school is in session. But when I was in Georgia this summer, I felt like anything more than shorts would be child abuse in that heat!

 

[umb24]

I guess now we know what the parents of teenagers felt like when Elvis burst onto the scene in the late 50's...

And the parents in the 1800's, when the waltz came into fashion, and young girls wanted to dance with (GASP!) a man's arm around their waist...

I guess what I'm trying to say is that its nothing new, but its up to us as parents to help our children develop self-respect, and trust that this will stop them going too far.

"Lil Wayne" and "Niki Manaj" are worlds away from Elvis, or really anything that came before them. Things have just been pushed to the point of having no boundaries anymore, they are as vulgar as they want to be and not ashamed of it.

But I really do think it's very terrible for young girls to be dancing the way they're taught to with these songs basically talking trash about women and using the b word every other sentence. It's really something I hate to see our society getting "used to" and acting like it's nothing. Elvis was a little risque, sure, but the today's pop music aimed at young females is flat out vulgar, harsh and ugly. And these provocative dances they're taught are starting to take more and more ques from what looks like a raunchy stripper's routine.

 

[mom2many]

The ante, whether it's music, dancing or clothing; is always going to be upped. It's almost a natural progression of things.

I don't see a lot of skimpy slutty clothing for children around here either. There is of course always a questionable outfit but nothing so outrageous that my immediate answer would be no.

If I am not seeing boob's or butt's then i am happy....one look at Sam and you who know me know I am pretty liberal in that respect.

 

[mom2many]

Funny how we seem to think that there is "adult clothes" and "children clothes"... children will always want to look older by dressing more like adults.

The real question is, why are some adults so much in need to get sexual attention by dressing slutty ? (sorry, but yes, it's mostly girls/women).

I agree, woman, grown adults are the ones who are constantly pushing the boundaries.

 

[cybele]

In Elvis's time, he was pretty darn shocking and vulgar to the old folks. it's all a matter of context.

I was a teenager in the 80's. Can anyone say punk bands? Trust me, this happens every generation.

Perhaps we are all looking at the same clothes, but envisioning different uses?

I think you are spot on.

I don't know if this is fashion around the globe, but at the moment denim shorts with leggings underneath are all the rage, and when worn together they look okay, Sunny has gotten into them, but there is absolutely nothing sexual about them, her shorts aren't even that short, but some people would have you believe that her buttcheeks are hanging out, but there is a good four fingers, at least between her butt and the end of the shorts, then leggings down to her ankles anyway. However, some people find this style inappropriate, so I guess it just depends on how you, personally, look at them.

I remember a few years back there was an uproar about cartoons on kids underpants and "WHO IS GOING TO SEE THEM? NO ONE SHOULD BE SEEING THEM THEY SHOULD BE PLAIN" again, to some people underpants with cartoons on them were offensive and in some way sexual, I, and many others went "Err, the child who is wearing them will see them and like them, how is this a big deal?"

I think it's also a "what is appropriate here" type thing. Typically, my children probably wear less clothing than Akmom's children, because Australia gets VERY HOT and if they are completely covered at all times, they will get heatstroke. Whereas Akmom has snow, which we get maybe once a year, very lightly and I can only say that because I live in the mountains, so it makes sense that her children would be more rugged up.

 

[bssage]

First let me go on record saying I also think its vulgar disgusting ect...

That said. And maybe some of our learned psyc people can shore me up. I don't believe there is a huge difference between days of old and today. I think we have become desensitized by the hand on the hips, or gyrating moves of the past. But I believe that at the time these were as far away from the perceived acceptable standards of adults as our children are now.

I am under the impression this is to some extent built into our human psychology. They at least make an effort to establish themselves as individual and not as clones of their parents. It is what ultimately and hopefully drives them from the nest and make their own place in the world.

Lets face it most of us sober have no desire to repeat the moves of our dorkier selves in our teen years. And really if we were honest what bothers us is the exact same thing that bothered generations of the past. The fear of "How far will it go?". Will it end with just flat out naked sex on the dance floor?

 

[umb24]

In Elvis's time, he was pretty darn shocking and vulgar to the old folks. it's all a matter of context.

I was a teenager in the 80's. Can anyone say punk bands? Trust me, this happens every generation.

But that's the wrong context. See, that's what I can a fire blanket statement. That doesn't address the fact that the subject matter at hand is more vulgar, more coarse and more without bounds than before. The fact that young girls dance to songs that talk about them in terms of body parts and spew the b and the h word every other sentence. Simply saying "this happens every generation" is avoidant and apathetic.

Yes Elvis shocked and appalled some at the time, but if you're going to bring him into the discussion, then you must look at what he actually did, and compare that to what is going on now. Elvis IMO was suggestive yes, but he came from an era when people had a better sense of what was simply inappropriate and what was just plain overboard. Nobody seems to give a crap now. Apathy, apathy, apathy.