I recently came across this article - Lolita’s Closet - describing one moms experience taking her tween daughter back to school shopping. This stuff makes me scared to have an 11 year old…ever!

For the past few years I have been noticing children’s/tween clothes take a turn towards the adult. Low rise jeans, tight low-cut tops, and other adult trends have been appearing in the Child/Junior section. A women my size/age can often find an outfit in the Juniors section (the larger sizes fit most smaller adults). Need an outfit for a bachelorette party? No problem, hit up the Juniors section. You will find a wide array of tight and revealing clothing options. Most of this stuff you couldn’t wear to work (unless you are a barmaid perhaps). When did it get like this?

Was it always like this and we just didn’t notice? I don’t think so. I think there was a violent shift, from children dressing like actual children, to children dressing like adults at a nightclub. It would be one thing to see a 14 year old in a conservative suit. It is quite another to see a 14 year old in a skin tight mini skirt and low cut bustier. Case in point: I was recently at Marshalls when I saw a mom and tween girl in front of me on line. I estimated her age at 13, but she could have easily been 12 or 14 I suppose. She was wearing tight, low rise jeans a bright green sports bra with a matching button down top which was wide open - to expose the sports bra. She had make-up and jewelry on, etc. A pretty girl certainly, but since when is a sports bra appropriate outside of the gym or a nightclub? Especially for such a young girl? Answer: it isn’t!

I kept thinking about this young girls mother. Was she the type of mom who liked to indulge her child and let her wear whatever she wants? Or is this simply the wave of the future, young girls dressing like provocative women? Unfortunately, I think this is just the direction we are going in.

When I think of myself at 12-14 I get a little red in the face. The leggings topped with super long, super baggy sweatshirts, the hairsprayed bangs. Even though  that look is a bit “cheesy” to me now, at least I looked like a child. When I was 13, I looked 13, not 18 - and I didn’t want to! I wanted to be a kid. I wanted to go to the carnival with my friends and dork out. I can’t help but be worried for some of the tween and teenage kids of today. What exactly are they rushing towards? What they think is adulthood?

It is easy for me to say all of this - since I don’t have any children of my own as of yet. But I hope that some of these parents will wake up and smell the hoochie gear! Your 13 year old should not go out looking like she is auditioning for Coyote Ugly.

I would love to hear from some parents on this one. Is this a problem? Is it less noticeable in other areas of the country - or other countries?

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