Beyonc� sexing up children's clothing

by Sandy Maple (Subscribe to Sandy Maple's posts) May 12th 2008 3:02PM

Categories: Kids 5-7, Kids 8-11, Media, Kid Decor & Style

Back in 2004, singer Beyoncé and her mother Tina started their own fashion line, House of Deréon. The look, dubbed "where the sidewalk and catwalk meet", is designed to embody sexy sophistication for the modern woman. Finding some success in dressing grown-up ladies, Deréon has now expanded to include clothing for girls. That's all well and good, except it seems they forgot that 'sexy' isn't exactly what most of us are looking for when it comes to dressing our daughters.

Check out this ad for Deréon Girls and you will notice sweet-faced little girls wearing high heeled pumps, feather boas and bright red lipstick. This ad campaign might be called "where the playground and prostitute meet." If you can manage to look past the inappropriate accessories and somewhat suggestive poses, the clothes themselves aren't that bad. Maybe a little on the tacky side, but not overtly sexual.

Just what message are they trying to send here? It is never to early to begin dressing like a fashion-impaired adult? Had they presented the clothing line in a more age-appropriate way, would parents have reacted with "well, that's just not sexy enough for my kid?"

Seriously, does sex really sell when it comes to children's clothing?

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Comments (89)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)

claire 5-12-2008 @ 4:19PM

Um, aren't lipstick and boas and hats and mom's high heels the stuff that little girls love to play "dress-up" with? I don't see the offense in this ad. The little girls are playing dress-up. The clothes themselves aren't "sexy" or "slutty." When I was little, I had a feather boa and would inevitably beg a pair of high heels from my mother's closet to lurch around in. I never thought of myself as sexy or slutty. I also never thought people really wore either in public. Go figure.

2ND2NONE 5-12-2008 @ 5:01PM

I'm in total agreement with most of the comments.Beyonce doesn't have children so why even appeal to them.Though the clothes were not to risky the shoes which weren't part of her collection were.I have stated to other adults that there is a thin line between adults and children now that should not be crossed.There are no boundries between the two and that is dangerous.

bizzatch99 5-12-2008 @ 10:43PM

YES WE ALL DRESSED UP IN OUR MOTHERS LIPSTICK AND HEELS AND DRESSES BUT MOST OF US DID NOT HAVE SLUTTY MOTHERS. THESE CLOTHES ARE RIDICULOUS . WHY WOULD YOU LET YOUR CHILD WEAR ANYTHING THAT RESEMBLES A GROWN WOMANS WARDROBE IS BEYOND ME. I HAVE A SEVEN YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND I HAVE THE WORST TIME NOW LOOKING FOR CLOTHES THAT ARENT SLUTTY. SO MANY DESIGNERS ARE CHANGING THE CUTS ON OUR LITTLE GIRLS CLOTHES TO "CHANGE WITH THE TIMES." WHEN THE ONLY CHANGE IS THE PEDOPHILE RATE GOING UP! BEYONCE NEEDS TO KEEP MAKING HER CLOTHES FOR HER FELLOW PROSTITUTES AND NOT OUR BABY GIRLS!!!

S Howard 5-14-2008 @ 8:51PM

Claire: How sad that you, like so many adults, cannot see nonverbal communication that this type of things conveys. Does this appear healthy? Childlike? Dressing up in mother's clothes implies a process of kids finding "stuff" and dressing up and playing. This is going to a store a purchasing inappropriate clothing (COME ON high heels? Boas??) or looking at ads of girls posed in a suggestive manner. Have we become soooo jaded and desensitized that we are unable to see this for what it really is? Just because the media says the "times are changing" does not mean you must dance to the tune! The media is a chameleon - a money-hungry one at that. Does Beyonce really need more money? Or is greed-at-all-costs justifiable?

VelvetPanterra 5-13-2008 @ 4:09PM

I think that it is wrong to dress up your kids like this especially when they are under aged. It is mainly just resembling how the parents either want to dress or how they dress and what kind of personality they have. This is a very wrong kind of idea and anyone who thinks that this isn't really a bad idea then you are very messed up.

ella 5-14-2008 @ 1:11PM

children can where like those but not to sexy like adults but nice idea so children can blend in to the fashion nice work

Elle 5-16-2008 @ 2:47PM

"Mommy clothes" will normally be too big for little girls. These little girls appear to be dressing in clothes that fit their "little girl" bodies. Why don't we work to maintain a "little girl" status for our children. Believe me, they grow up way too fast!

Jeanette 5-24-2008 @ 8:46PM

I have 3 young children and have been sickened by the increasing sexualization of children. It is everywhere. It is hard for me to believe large corporations now sell padded bras and stockings and heels for young children that are clearly pre-teen. I've seen these kinds of products in Walmart, and other chains. It is as if no one has the spine or the good sense to say we won't put this in our stores. I have little respect, and often wonder what sort of mother would buy this stuff. Call me old fashioned, but I work very hard to insure my children are dressed and exposed to only those things that insure them a childhood and protect their innocence. I prefer them to play with other children whose parents think the same.

Marie 5-19-2008 @ 3:00AM

I think the worst part about th clothes is the ad itself. If they hadn't made the little girls shoes and makeup look like street walker wannabes, I don't think the clothes would be considered "sexy." Its the rediculous and obviously for-show accessories in the ad. If you look at most of the actual outfits, you don't see any inappropriate skin. I think its just bad advertising. Now the fact that the clothes are just ugly is another matter....

Anonymous 5-19-2008 @ 5:46PM

Where in this advertisement is there any suggestion of "sexy". Its just pictures of little girls playing dress-up. The clothes are cute, but there is no skin out and nothing is too short. They are just stylish little girl clothes. Get a grip, you are reading way too much into this, if "slutty" or "sexy" is what you see then you might want to readjust. These girls look like they are comfortable in what they are wearing and I see no inappropriate suggestions. It is clear that all the things that might seem a little too grown up actually belong to someone who is grown. Bottomline... if you don't like it don't buy it, but don't knock Beyonce's hustle.

Tanya 5-21-2008 @ 2:02PM

Would your mother let you out of the house with those clothes on? Kids now days are being forced to grow up.

Kylie 5-12-2008 @ 4:40PM

I find this type of clothing for young girls very unsettling. I have three daughters and have never and will never buy something like this for them to wear. Attitudes have shifted in a dangerous direction in the last ten years concerning children and "sex appeal". And Claire, it is really more about what parents are buying for their children and the media directed at them and not so much about playing dress up.
Where is the reasoning in this? The little girls in the ad look like little prostitutes, not children advertising clothing. What about those boots? If a kid wore those on the playground they would most likely end up with a broken ankle. Sad, sad, sad.

Rob O. 5-12-2008 @ 4:50PM

Given the fact that Beyonce makes it more on her sex appeal than actual vocal talent, it should come as no great surprise that she'd try to pawn off that tactic on the next generation.

I wonder if she's given even a moment's thought to the possibility that children wearing this kind of trampy attire might appeal most prominently to pedophiles...

kate 5-12-2008 @ 5:27PM

I'm far from uptight, but this is just RAUNCHY.

As for the "it's just dress-up" argument: it's not presented as dress-up. There are no tea-cups and teddy bears. There are high heels and guitars and askew-fidoras. It's pimps and hos, and I just can't wrap my brain around why you'd buy that crap for you kid.

I'm not a fan of Beyonce's music, but she's lost ALL credibility with me.

eugene 5-12-2008 @ 6:39PM

I find this to be sad, but not unexpected. There seems to be a fetishization of babies and children in this culture. At first the fascination was with dogs or cars but now we've turned our attention to babies and children and status symbols and fashin accessories... so I don't find it surprising at all that some "parents" would want their kids to look like/dress like them... after all, what good is a fashin accessory if it doesn't go with your outfit?

Jossy 5-12-2008 @ 8:11PM

c'mon, beyonce looks like a street walker all the time, admit it. she's downright trashy looking and now wants little girls to look just like her. any mom that buys this crap for their young girl should have social services after them and get the kid removed from the household. little girls aren't supposed to dress like the nowaday's sleezy looking teens, broad's in their 20's, 30's, 40's, and up. little girls are supposed to dress for their age and there's nothing more beautiful than a little girl looking like the perfect innocent little girl. they can wait another 10 or more years to join the crowd of female's that look like hos then if they want to. don't rush it!!!

ashley 5-12-2008 @ 9:02PM

I find this very uneasy. WHY would parents dress there kids like that??
I have 2 nieces and they don't dress anything like that!! I think little kids should dress like little kids. Not some street girl, or older adults.
Anybody who dresses there child like that gets a BIG THUMBS DOWN FROM ME!!!!!!

C C B 5-16-2008 @ 8:53PM

Its a pair of jeans with a matching jacket. The real problem is all of these parents putting their children in beauty pageants with big hair and 5pounds of makeup. That should be the issue, not jeans and jean jackets! Although the boots are a little overboard, otherwise put on a cute shirt under the jacket and some tennis shoes or cute mary janes with frilly socks and its all little girl. Since when is a hand on the hip slutty? Get real! And the boa, I dont know who translated that as slutty but Hulk Hogan wears one so does that make him a slut! Its costume items people!

TheGoodCitizen51 5-12-2008 @ 8:35PM

Marge Simpson referred to kids that look like this as "Prostitots" in last night's episode.

Becky 5-12-2008 @ 9:47PM

I look at the pictures of these girls, and these don't look bad at all. It seems today with the fasions always changing, parents are worried that if their children look the least bit inappropriate, they will freak out. I go to a school where really short skirts, and a very low tank top are appropriate for those who can "pull them off", if you ask me, it doesn't leave much for the imagination. But these girls are young, and don't know what it means to look slutty, they're just kids and want to grow up and have fun.

Why don't we do this, let the kids grow up to be kids, not sluts. If the kid starts dressing like that when she gets older, that's when you need to take charge. Set a firm rule and explain to her the bad things that could happen. But for now, let them grow up.