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Recession Brings Back Modest Kid Fashion
Filed under: Opinions
With the end of the school year looming, moms are shopping for summer clothes for the kids. But here's something I'll bet you didn't think about when you were picking out sundresses and t-shirts: According to a report in Time magazine, $1.6 million was spent on thong underwear for 7 to 12 year old girls in 2002. Imagine what that figure is today!
If the fact that thong underwear is marketed and sold to girls as young as second grade (or that parents are dumb enough to buy it) makes your blood boil, you may also be seeing the silver lining in the current economic slump. According to a recent article in USA Today, as consumers become more frugal, they are also becoming more discriminating, eschewing trendy clothes for more classic pieces with longer fashion shelf life. And since trendy clothes for girls, tweens, and teens have been increasingly sexy, the recession reaction of designers and retailers is to offer less skin and more value – giving moms something to cheer about in these lean times.
Teens are very susceptible to societal pressures and as trendsetters and magazines promote more tasteful options, they want them too. Inevitably, teen trends trickle down to the younger set. And let's not forget about the Obama factor: The cute and classic styles of our First Daughters are bringing back kid fashions that many parents once feared would be lost forever.
But another factor not discussed in the article is the role of parents. As family budgets tighten, kids have less disposable income to make clothing decisions independent of their parents. Have you noticed that there are fewer unaccompanied kids trolling the malls on the weekends? I believe that more moms are joining their tweens and teens at the mall, checking for quality and along the way, directing their girls away from trampier styles.
Unfortunately, experts predict that when the economy bounces back, more revealing fashion will come back too. For our girls' sake, let's hope that's not the case.
What are you buying for your kids this summer? And are you shopping with them, or sending them to the mall to pick out their own clothes?
If the fact that thong underwear is marketed and sold to girls as young as second grade (or that parents are dumb enough to buy it) makes your blood boil, you may also be seeing the silver lining in the current economic slump. According to a recent article in USA Today, as consumers become more frugal, they are also becoming more discriminating, eschewing trendy clothes for more classic pieces with longer fashion shelf life. And since trendy clothes for girls, tweens, and teens have been increasingly sexy, the recession reaction of designers and retailers is to offer less skin and more value – giving moms something to cheer about in these lean times.
Teens are very susceptible to societal pressures and as trendsetters and magazines promote more tasteful options, they want them too. Inevitably, teen trends trickle down to the younger set. And let's not forget about the Obama factor: The cute and classic styles of our First Daughters are bringing back kid fashions that many parents once feared would be lost forever.
But another factor not discussed in the article is the role of parents. As family budgets tighten, kids have less disposable income to make clothing decisions independent of their parents. Have you noticed that there are fewer unaccompanied kids trolling the malls on the weekends? I believe that more moms are joining their tweens and teens at the mall, checking for quality and along the way, directing their girls away from trampier styles.
Unfortunately, experts predict that when the economy bounces back, more revealing fashion will come back too. For our girls' sake, let's hope that's not the case.
What are you buying for your kids this summer? And are you shopping with them, or sending them to the mall to pick out their own clothes?
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ReaderComments (Page 1 of 1)
5-19-2009 @ 4:48PM
Michelle said...I have 4 daughters, so my oldest usually gets some new things, although my friend, who has an older daughter, gives me some of her clothes. The other 3 usually just wear hand-me-downs, I might by a few modest things from Wal*Mart, Target or outlet stores--t shirts and shorts, mostly. I also love rummage sales, freecycle, and thrift shops. One could go crazy with the superficiality of clothing-brand names, what's in, what's not...I try to just stick with classic stuff that's always in fashion. I am sure I spend less than $500 per year on kids's clothes. Having less makes less laundry, too. Having four girls, I want to prepare them to know (before they become teens), that beauty does truly come from within. Now makeup and cosmetics...thats' another story!!
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5-19-2009 @ 6:28PM
Mary Sullivan said...Wow, I am naive. I didn't even know they made thong undies for school-age girls. How stupid is that?
My boys wear Levi's and Gap jeans--the younger ones get them handed down from the older--and Old Navy athletic shorts. Ts for summer, thermals for winter. The occasional "pro" athletic shirt--e.g., soccer, basketball...although those are too pricey for us to have a large collection. That's about it! There are some high-style boys running around town, but my guys don't care much.
As much as I'd enjoy having a daughter, I don't envy girl-moms who have to veto all the prostitite gear out there now. Blech! How hard can it be for girls to show some personal style without showing 90 percent of their bodies?
Mary
http://www.squidoo.com/dad-gifts
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5-20-2009 @ 2:05AM
Jaysh said...Interesting!!
Incidentally there is an interesting website that is specifically dedicated to recession victims.It offers help and discusses all issues related to recession- http://www.angstcorner.com. It’s worth a visit!
Reply
5-20-2009 @ 11:20AM
areshea said...Recession or not parents should accompany their children when they buy clothes. I am a far left liberal mother, however, I don't allow a lot of clothing I deem inappropriate. My 10year old daughter is not allowed to wear certain types of underwear. She is only allowed bermuda shorts, I can't believe how short, shorts for little girls are. She also has to pass the arms raised test. If she raises her arms her t shirt lifts, if I see skin it is tossed in the donation pile or not purchased. She is not allowed skirts, skorts only and dresses that are knee length or longer. I want my daughter to be valued for the person she is not how she dresses or where her clothing came from. Fortunately, she understands what I do and it isn't a big issue.
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5-20-2009 @ 5:26PM
Melissa said...I have a three year old, and the shorts being so short was an issue for me, too! I mean, they are still little, why is this society over-sexualizing them so much?? I also won't let her wear pants or shorts with writing on the butt, because I think that's totally inappropriate. Luckily, my little girl doesn't really like jeans or pants, she likes dresses and skirts....I can get away with putting skorts on her though lol....and if the dress is too short, it gets shorts under it.
5-20-2009 @ 11:04PM
Sifrina said...Thongs - for girls/teens?!?!?! That's disgusting and hardly hygienic (for any of us, really!). I'm no prude but I only wear one when I absolutely have to for certain outfits (to avoid panty lines) and would NEVER buy one for my teenager, let alone child - ICK! How do you feel about bikinis for tweens/teens? I don't have a daughter but I have to say it does give me pause....
Haven't been at the mall much in a while but certainly hope to see fewer unsupervised kids there. We live in a suburb of Baltimore and I'm always distressed to see older tweens in charge of the little ones (with no parents in sight). You are right - parents should be there!
I have a 7 year old son so "trendy clothes/styles" are not an issue...yet. But he knows my expectations - for school and many occasions - we need to look "handsome" (I did let him buy Crocs recently for the weekends/beach but I wasn't thrilled). Yes, the classic look goes a long way and is always a breath of fresh air..and it doesn't have to cost much, though I'm a fan of adding age appropriate "edge" and fun to this look (probably from the 90s I spent in Seattle). I'm sure this influences how I dress my son. I shop everywhere from Nordstroms to eBay to Target and get hand me downs from good friends.
Melissa, I agree w/what you say about the writing on the derriere (on underwear or sweats). What is up with that? Do the parents actually think this promotes a good image of their daughter in public?!
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5-21-2009 @ 7:22PM
Sifrina said...Update: This very subject came up in a work meeting today and I actually put my entire foot in my mouth when I said to a coworker, "I bet you don't let your [10 yr old!] daughter wear thongs." Well, she got quiet and made a comment about avoiding panty lines (hello...maybe because the bottoms are too tight!). This news stunned me because she and her daughter dress conservatively and her daughter is a very serious student in a Catholic School. Sometimes I think the girls only want such clothing because the other girls have them and I wonder if parents are just trying to give their kids a "leg up" in the competition with their peers. But I still say that the thought of a 10 (or even 15) year old girl shopping for thongs really disturbs me (not illegal, just disturbing)! And many obgyns report more infections with women who wear them. Much more serious than panty lines if you ask me!!
5-22-2009 @ 4:54AM
Natasha said...I don't know what it's like in the US, but in the UK many clothing stores emblazon clothes for 1 year olds upwards with slogans I consider inappropriate for my 3 and 4 year old DDs, especially as they get older. Tricky to think of examples off the top of my head but the type of 'pretty baby', 'cutie pie', 'supercute' and 'cherry pie' just don't sit right with me. The other issue we have is my tall 4 year old girl needing to wear clothes for 5 & 6 year olds, which are decorated with Hannah Montana, High School Musical stuff, I was hoping she would be around 8 before she got into any of those things if she ever does! Yes I could buy everything without decoration but I'd rather go shopping together and allow her to make decisions, but those decisions end up being within a range of items I consider appropriate for her.
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5-31-2009 @ 3:37AM
Julia said...I had no idea thongs are on the market for little girls!!! That is completely tasteless an just disturbing to me. I started wearing thongs in early high school because I liked the way they fitted better although only Victoria Secret's V Strings. Now I mostly wear the boy brief which are more comfortable and often as effective as thongs in invisibility. I'm not sure thongs has anything to do at least with teen girls with promiscuity. I was a virgin all through high school and for 3 years after. In fact, a Sophomore guy I was friends with once dragged a Sophomore girl over to me after to school to say, "See here is proof that there is one Upperclassmen virgin girl!" And she acted like I was some miracle and oddity. There is only one man for me though and I think having a lot of self respect made all the guys who knew me resect me too. It was always only girls who smeared me and called me names at school. I always felt it was jealousy more than anything and a total disbelief that a girl can mainly hang out with guys, be popular with guys, and stay completely a virgin from any sort of sexual activity. Or they would say I was unwanted by guys when in fact it was the opposite. I really think that promiscuity comes from peer pressure from other girls more than guys and wanting to fit in not stand out. Standing out in this case and a lot of cases is a good thing though.
I don't have children now, but when I do I'd rather stay classy with them. Trends come and go but certain styles will always remain. I don't want to be too strict since I have seen the effects of overly strict parents on friends who ran wild, but I don't believe in absentee parenting as being effective either. My mom is my best friend and that's how I want to be someday.
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