VS: "Bright Young Things"

I just commented the other day how my DD just grew out of toddler sizes and how I find most clothes (other than T-shirts and Jeans) at most "regular" Stores (Target, Old Navy) grossly inappropriate for a 5 year old. It may just be my taste, but my DD REALLY does not need leggings with lace on them, sweats with print on the butt or shoes with heels.
And this is were personal responsibility comes in. I would say it is safe to assume that for at least the next 10 years, I will either buy or pay for my DD's clothes. And if I don't deem them appropriate, I will not buy them. Period.
Anyone who lets themselves be bullied into putting sexy clothes on their minor daughters by some silly "fashion" dictate needs to grow a pair and start voting with their money. Because let me tell you: if people do not buy it, companies will stop making and marketing it.
Good luck.

I see this as another example of how we as a society are sexualizing everything including childhood. I'm definitely against it. And no, I wouldn't let me daughter or now my granddaughter buy or wear these things. I'm so glad that my daughter would agree with me.

I'm the wrong size for VS but if I were a customer when this happened I would stop shopping there in protest. I'm glad that the places we do shop for my granddaughter have not followed this trend. Kohl's, Macy's, Fred Meyer, Sears, Target, Ross, Marshall's

My girls thankfully would not like that. I would not let them wear it either. It is bad enough they shop the women's section for bras because the teen section has pushups-and they totally reject those. The only pushups my girls need come from the freezer section of the grocery store. The selection of clothing is pitiful.
And I am talking about regular stores like JcPenney and Kohl's. Shorts were in the stores and sorry to see that the super short shorts are coming back again for summer, with lace cutouts.

I have a boy and I still think this is terrible. And stupid. Stupidly terrible or terribly stupid, take your pick. "Call me" on underwear is so inane, if I had to explain why it's so stupid, my head would explode.

No, if I had a daughter, I would not let them wear these underclothes... no more than I would let my son wear a pair of underpants that said "Ride This".

Kids are being fed a line and a half in the popular culture that if they aren't 'sexy' or a womanizer, they don't fit in. That their most important purpose in life is to be sexually appealing and available, and for boys, that they should be having sex and proving their masculinity through their conquests. I think this sends our kids a very narrow view of their potential and omits what's amazing about their futures -- the possibility of being people who can make something of real value out of their lives; being perceived as a body and not much more is so limiting. I'd have far less of a problem with booty-shorts that said "smartypants" with an algebraic formula patterned on them (at least it shows that smart is sexy) than clothing that announces sexual availability. Sad sad sad.

Horrible, horrible idea.

Most people don't want their daughters to act like Brittany Spears but some will let them dress like her and then wonder where things went wrong. This is just an extension of that. Why would I want my daughter to wear anything remotely sexual or sexually suggestive at this age? I understand the pretty bras and panties that match. That's just feeling feminine and pretty. But sexy? Heavens, no.

We have a long standing saying in our house for both our boys and girls:

Wrap the gift. I guess I need to add: "but not in a thong."

Appalling. Shame on any parent who buys this line for their daugthers or allows their teens who still live at home to wear it. I did find a link earlier today that had some of the products. The most disturbing, to me, was a pair of panties that read "Dare You" across the back. Dare you? Really? To do what? You would think that in the age of things like Steubenville these marketing idiots would realize that putting a taunt on a pair of sexy undies marketed towards teenage girls is not cool.

I can't stand the whole "Pink" line anyway. I can't tell you how many little girls (like 8-10 years old) I have seen walking around with "Pink" emblazoned across the seat of their pants. Who wants to advertise that they shop at a lingerie store for their children? Who thinks this is cute and cool and acceptable? Would we think it's cool or cute to see a kid walking around with a Budweiser tee-shirt or Marlboro jacket in their size, clearly marketed toward them? Why don't these "Pink" moms realize that this line of clothing is being used to market adult products to their children to create brand loyalty as a child to an adult brand?

Anyone who allows their daughters to wear that type of clothing are raising their daughters to be teases.

The sad thing is, our dumb American society says its okay. No wonder the rest of the world thinks Americans are stupid.

I have boys and when I see little girls even with writing accross there butts of anytime I want to slap their parents. Why would you want to put something on your daughter that will draw attention to them? I don't get it. So no if I had a girl that would be a NO WAY IN HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We wont/wouldn't be buying anything like that for our daughter.

I think that like so many inappropriate things (other retailers have targeted the tweens before), we must be parents, we must vote with our wallets and we must tell these retailers that our 11 yr olds are NOT their market. We must teach our children self respect and respect for others. I think VS is SHAMEFUL in targeting young girls, just like the others are. I rarely shop VS but I'm going encourage my SD not to (she's 18) and if anything from them comes into my home for DD, I will return it or throw it away.

The only ones to "blame" here are the mothers who will buy them.
VS, like any other company, is interested in one thing: making a profit.
As long as people buy trash, companies will continue to produce trash, whether it's high calorie heart clogging fast food, or inappropriate underwear.
Do you think Burger King produces and markets a bacon sundae because it's healthy and they care about the well being of their customers? No, they do it because they know it will sell.
There are plenty of places to buy normal, modest underwear, nobody has to buy sexy stuff for their kids unless they want to.
Don't like it? Don't buy it. In a free market nothing speaks louder than cash.

I can't get over the paradox in our society of women wanting rights, to be independent, to have their own voice, to be respected and treated as equals, etc.etc...
....and the embracing of styles that do nothing but demean and bond women to the idea that all they have to offer is sex. It absolutely blows my mind.
Here's a confession: I was an awkward artistic teenager that grew up with all brothers and a mother with not a lot of style. I didn't buy my first miniskirt until I was 20 and didn't wear thongs until a good five or so years after that. Given that history, I can honestly say that there is a palatable difference in the way sexy underwear makes you feel vs. the ordinary stuff. Sexy underwear makes you FEEL sexual. I admit that it's nice to feel sexy. I'm glad we have options as women. YOUNG GIRLS, on the other hand, should be focusing on other things in their lives than how to get a man (or boy). Education, talents, skills, goals, being innocent and free from crushing responsibilities (like motherhood, which they enter into all too soon when they start thinking that all they have to give is sex).
I think, given the responses, that none of us want our young (beautiful, promising, innocent) daughters feeling like they're on the prowl for sex. I have two girls and there is no way I would ever allow girly lingerie in my home. They're free to buy it when they move out.

I HATE this!!! Let them be girls. I noticed padded bras for grade school age girls a couple of years ago. STUPID!!!!!

Well, I won't go off on VS until they actually put the merchandise in their stores and make it available for sale. Frankly, I stopped shopping there years ago, anyway...

Meredith is right, that they businesses make what they think people want to buy, and if people do buy it, they will continue to make it. VS obviously must think this stuff will sell. They may be right. But it won't be sold to MY household. If enough people refuse to buy it, they will discontinue the line or change it in an effort to boost sales.
Any new product can be a bust. It's a risk the VS must have decided is worth it. Or they have done their research and think the risk isn't nearly as big as what they can make off of it if it goes over even marginally.

It really isn't a stretch to think they WILL sell some of these items. Look at what has been for sale for years in the children's departments---not even the tween ages, but the toddlers and 4-7 age group. When my (now 11 yr old) daughter was 4, I had a terrible time trying to find clothing that wasn't covering in tacky, faux sexy rhinestones and "glam" waaaaaaay beyond just being cute princess stuff. Much of it proudly pronounced that the wearer was a "diva" or some other idea that isn't pretty when you attach it to a very young girl.
Of course---this is all MY opinion. Like I said---I'm sure somebody will buy at least some of this stuff. It just won't be me.

I think it's geared towards college aged girls, but of course highschoolers like to act like college aged.
I'm 55, so anyone under 30 is a bright young thing to me :)
Teaching our daughters AT HOME not to fall for the ads is where to start. Maybe turn the TV off-- it wouldnt do any harm.
The TV is nothing but an advertisement box showing us how commercial media wants us to live.

i won't buy them for my daughters. you don't have to either. for every product, you may choose to buy or not buy, but let others decide for themselves and their children. i won't google the images because i do not care about it.

I don't see where there are marketing to tweens, looks like older teen models on the site. The whole thing is very typical though, with 14 and 10 year old girls I see kids in inappropriate clothing all the time. My girls don't dress like that but a huge number of kids we are acquainted with do.

Super short shorts (often worn with boots), bare midriff tops, painted on pants, cleavage, loads of makeup and short skirts are very common where we're from. You cannot find a teen bra without padding anymore and I just saw a size 7 bathing suit with padding in a store yesterday.

The thing is you can't really blame the store, if people didn't buy that stuff it wouldn't be for sale. We are living in a sex saturated society and parents just don't seem to care or worse they encourage their daughters to dress provocatively. Have you checked out your local high school's cheer leading outfits lately? At our school they actually break the dress code policy on how long skirts must be. No they are not just cheering in them they are wearing them to school and around town as well.

Young girls have to decide very early on how they want to be valued. They have to decide if they want to wear sweats with writing across the rear or instead draw attention to themselves in different ways. They have to decide if they want boys to notice them for their smarts, pretty eyes, sense of humor or how much skin they show. We need to talk to our girls about all this in age appropriate ways from the minute they start to understand that will get attention because of how they look.

It's interesting how my HS freshman sees what we've discussed all these years play out before her eyes. Now it's more than the way girls dress now it's sex. She sees how boys who are only interested in one thing will change "girlfriends" like they change clothes honing in on the ones who dress like they want that type of attention. Attention many girls crave can turn into embarrassment and heartache after they give themselves to someone who doesn't really care about them. It's sad and it makes me wonder why more people don't talk to their girls about this stuff.

Ya know what's really sad? When I shop for my toddlers and have a difficult time finding appropriate clothes! Last summer I couldn't find my daughter a one-piece swimsuit. Literally couldn't find one. She was only 18 months old!! And yet every suit was a 2 piece bikini. FOR A BABY!! I ended up buying her a tankini set and added shorts that covered her bikini half. I've already bought her swim shorts for this year since I know she'll need them.

Yes-that sounds hideous-

I agree that it's disgusting and irresponsible, but at the same time, they wouldn't make this stuff if there weren't people out there who wanted to buy it - particularly stupid parents who would rather be their kids' friend than their parent, and not risk alienation by simply putting their foot down and saying NO. I am no prude, but based on how I've seen some parents dressed, it's no wonder the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree.

My daughter is only 5, and thank goodness I can still find cute, decent, age-appropriate clothes for her. Some stuff at Old Navy is okay, some is not. I won't buy anything that I don't think is okay. Hanna Andersson, Land's End, LL Bean, Gymboree, and Mini Boden have great clothes for little girls too, and they are better quality. She doesn't care about popular brand names, like Aeropostale or Pink. Her mom doesn't care either.

I am also careful about what she watches on TV. I might get sick and tired of the Nick Jr. preschooler shows, but she still loves them and doesn't want to watch anything else, and at least I don't need to worry about what the characters are wearing or how they are acting. I have noticed girls who are the same age, around 5 or 6, who are allowed to watch shows for older kids, like iCarly, and how it affects their attitude and behavior. No thanks.

Anything that sexualizes a child is disgusting.

But to add to that, this is yet another way that society is telling our daughters that how they look (and as an extension, sex) is what is truly valuable about them. They're moving younger and younger now, padded bras for elementary schoolers, daisy-duke shorts for preschoolers, and high heels for toddlers (not joking, all of these products exist and are sold by well-known distributors) - heaven forbid our children be allowed to be children, to learn that their minds and imaginations are what make them wonderful before the whole world starts to look at them as something instead of someone.

http://www.theonion.com/articles/teenage-girl-blossoming-...

I have been in retail my whole working life.

As a parent, you control the purse strings. If you do not think something is appropriate for your child.. Do not purchase it and do not allow them to purchase them.

If you do not like a brand a company, do not take your children in there.

This line iat Victorias Secret is aimed at 15 to 22 year olds. Not 8 year olds.. Not middle school girls. High school and college girls.

If you have daughters participate in theater, dance, sports in this age group.. they are wearing thongs.. The thongs have no shock value to them.. because they have been around for so long at JG Penneys, Macy's, Target, Wal Mart.. etc..

The girls find them comfortable and like that there are no panty lines.

Remember bikini panties? I remember my first pair were when I was 5. They came in a package with the days of the week embroidered on them..They were shiny polyester.

My father flipped out. He just did not think they were appropriate. That was in 1966..

Do not get sucked into hysterics. You parent your children the way you think is best..

We live in a country where girls and women are allowed freedoms and choices.. In other countries, they could be stoned for walking outside with out a man escorting them.

We need to teach them by example. And guide them by letting them know our own values.

I was honest with our daughter and her friends.... about string bikinis. I told her that "back in the day" only strippers and hookers used to have tattoos and wore string or thong panties.. They giggled and our daughter said. "How quaint"....

Victoria's secret makes it because people buy it. That's called capitalism.

If you don't buy it for your children (or allow them to purchase it) then they won't have it.

Yes, I do have an opinion. In our home, WE call the shots when it comes to what our now 13 year old DD wears. Of course, we allow her to pick her clothes, but only within reason of being appropriate. We believe that young ladies should dress in a stylish manner but with a good dose of modesty. From the time she could understand the word "appropriate", we've taught our daughter that it's up to each child's parent to decide what they allow them to wear. My daughter is appalled at what some young people consider clothes today. She understands that although it may not be a person's intention, wearing something revealing advertises something that may or may not be for sale. We couldn't care less what VS sells on a regular basis or any new trashy line they decide to market. We're not in the market to spend our $$ on their stuff.

Can't blame a company for trying to expand their market.
What's really sad?
That parents take their kids to these stores and spend money in them.
Now THAT is a travesty.

Here's the website: http://www.victoriassecret.com/pink/spring-break-must-haves

My view is there will always be companies that will push the envelope and try to expand their market. This is one of them. I don't like it and won't shop there but I know many people will. Its just sad!

I don't get stuff like that for my kid or for myself. but....

at what age do you let your teen wear stuff from VS? I think my answer would be when they could pay for it, but obvisouly there are alot of people that do let their teens wear VS undies and lounge wear. but i'm assuming not at 7?

I really don't have an issue with it. I probably would not be first in line to by them for my daughter, but the fact that they exists does not bother me. I figure our money speaks the loudest so if we simply do not buy them then they will fade away.

The "call me" thongs have made it to California! My daughter was shopping there yesterday and told be about it!!

Absolutely not! I wouldn't let my teen wear that! She doesn't need the appearance/feeling of being a ho! Sex sex sex. So tired of it all! And parents who think it's cute and just dandy need to get their behinds beat themselves. So tired of the "What's the big deal?" society we've entered.

K. B
mom to 5 including triplets

I am so late to this, but LivTokyo - please don't use The Onion as a source. It's a satirical "newspaper"!!