Really amusing article on back-to-school shopping for a tween girl

[Morrigoon]

http://www.slate.com/id/2172705/?GT1=10346

Apparently mainstream tween fashion is starting to make Build-A-Whore look like a bation of conservative dress...

[katiesue]

It's really hard to find age appropriate clothing for a tween. Especially mine who's always been the tallest girl in her grade, meaning she usually wears larger sizes than her age would dictate.

And I dare you to find a nice dress that's not for a 3 year old or a 14 year old street walker. It's practically impossible.

I actually think Happy Bunny is hilarious but not appropriate for her to wear to school. Luckily she still likes a lot at old navy which is usually fairly moderate in price and in style as well.

[wendybeth]

We have a hell of a time finding clothes for Tori as well- we've been able to still find shirts and some dresses at the Limited Too, but she's had to look for jeans elsewhere. The last time we looked at our Old Navy all they had was low-rise pants and shorts in Tori's size. A friend recommended buying jeans in the boys department, but we haven't gotten that desperate...yet.

[wendybeth]

Lol- I like this one:

"It's a comfort to know that if your child can't come up with her own insolent remarks, clothing manufacturers are there to help."

[Alex]

You think it is hard? My sister just had to do school shopping with for her 11-year-old daughter with c/d-cups.

Except for the early boob development she is otherwise built like a lanky 11-year-old. Apparently not an easy assignment.

[wendybeth]

Yikes! Like the article said, all the 'tweener bras are padded, almost without exception. (There is the assumption that all 'tweens are flat chested and want to have huge bazookas). We solve that problem by taking her to , believe it or not, Victoria's Secret, which has a junior section and they are great at fitting the kids properly and appropriately. (At least here in Spokane- I can't speak for any of the stores in less conservative areas).

[Chernabog]

Hahah that article was hilarious!!! I'm just stoked that the only fashion choice I'll have to make for my future dependent is what to dress the poor pooch for Halloween.

[katiesue]

We've solved a few problems by mixing and matching from different departments. She's got no hips or butt yet so she has to have girls pants but I usually get women's tops as they're larger/longer and seem to fit better.

We've got padded bras in every color - she doesn't like anything to show through so to speak as they might with unpadded. It's not to make them bigger but for coverage for her. Which is fine.

And now that she wears Womens 91/2 shoes you can add yet another store to our shopping excursions.

[Morrigoon]

katiesue: that gets worse as she goes up sizes... anything beyond 9 has a heck of a time finding decent choices (so says this 10W)

[3894]

This post is dedicated to Sue Lyons who portrayed the 14 year-old nymphet title role in "Lolita", 1962 (http://www.debra-paget.com/suelyon/sue026.jpg).

Popular culture has been tarting up young teens since the 1950s.

1950s
Tuesday Weld (playing a 16 year-old living Barbie doll on "Dobie Gillis") in angora, a wide cinched belt, and a bullet bra
http://www.classictvhits.com/shows/dobiegillis/pics/Dobie09.jpg

Our Annette rocking the who-wears-short-shorts and a tied blouse waaay before Britney Spears
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/20040628/226jailbait26.jpg

1960s
Gidget in an underwire push-up number.
http://a1259.g.akamai.net/f/1259/5586/5d/images.art.com/images/-/Gidget-with-Longboard-Retro--C10345234.jpeg

Twiggy wasn't that innocent.
http://www.br-online.de/land-und-leute/thema/pfundig/foto/twiggy_dpa.jpg

1970's
Marcia Brady may have been covered from neck to hips but she worked those legs, as did Laurie Partridge
http://www.mikescottrobertson.com/images/brady2.jpg

and on and on it goes.

[Mousey Girl]

Things like this make me glad I have a boy.

I no longer shop for my neices, other than taking my mom. It is just too hard to find stuff for them. J is going to be 13 and H is going to be 10, both in October. They are built totally different. Now they are beginning to get fashion concious (as much as their sheltered lives allow). I get them Target or Kmart cards and then a gift and they are thrilled.

Boy is easy. If it fits he will wear it.

[cirquelover]

I'll have to second the I'm glad I have a boy at times like these! He prefers shorts or sweats. Of course like he'll wear shorts all winter if I let him!

I've seen the girls clothes getting so racy, it's sad for the younger ones. I can't imagine trying to shop for a girl. I know I would spend a lot more money than I have to now!

[tracilicious]

Popular culture has been tarting up young teens since the 1950s.



But those are actual teens. Tweens are girls between 9 and 11.

[3894]

But those are actual teens. Tweens are girls between 9 and 11.

You're right and, as a mom of two girls who were tweens not that long ago, I'm aware of the challenges. (My daughters are now 15 and 17.) The examples I chose were teen stars who set fashion trends for tweens of their era. Hilary Duff and her Duff Stuff and the Olsen Twins and their merch are much older than the tweens to whom they market.

This goes back at least to the 1950s. In the 1960s, I went to the Beatles' last concert, Candlestick Stadium, San Francisco. Want to know what I wore: a tight white sweater, almost midrifted and hip hugger bell bottoms (red with giant white polka dots). I wanted to look as Carnaby Street as possible. I was 9 and no more precocious than the average 9 year old in my neighborhood.

[Chernabog]

Icky poo, I saw a girl with her mom in court today that wore sweats... with the word "delish" on her arse. And she was prolly 11-12.

Gross.

[Gemini Cricket]

I saw a lady in a Boston grocery store with sweats that said "Baby Phat" on her butt. But because her butt seemed to be hungry, all I could see was "Ba at".
:D