‘Adult’ Styles (Wink, Wink) for Your Little Girl—Too Much, Too Soon?

“American lifestyle” clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch angered parents again last week with a two-piece swimsuit for girls that the popular chain was pushing as “push up.” Sold through its Abercrombie Kids brand, the company was marketing the bikini top as the “Ashley Push Up Triangle” for girls as young as 7.

Facing an onslaught of complaints from outraged moms and dads, according to media reports, including a Chicago Sun-Times story, Abercrombie & Fitch announced Monday on its Facebook page that it had re-categorized the swimsuit as padded, saying: “We agree with those who say it is best ‘suited’ for girls age 12 and older.”

This isn’t a first offence for the retailer. In 2002, the company was sharply criticized for a line of thong underwear sold in children’s sizes featuring the words “wink wink” and “eye candy” printed on them.

In response to the controversy, the company said the underwear was intended to be cute and, basically, if you misinterpreted the messages, that was your problem. CNNMoney reported: “The underwear for young girls was created with the intent to be lighthearted and cute,” the company said. “Any misrepresentation of that is purely in the eye of the beholder.”

Push-up tops? An inappropriate style of panty combined with inappropriate messages? Google “eye candy” to clear up any doubt. These clothes were intended for grade-school age girls—your first-grader, for example.

Reading about this controversy, I was ticked off—and tempted to make this week’s Moms Talk question, “What part of any of this is OK?” because, in my opinion, none of it is OK. Push-up tops and thong underwear should not exist for little girls. They should not be an option.

But I was also reminded of an exchange I witnessed between a mother and daughter in the “intimates” section of Target, and the graceful way this uncomfortable situation was handled in real life.

The daughter, who looked to be a tween, approached her mom with a racy, lacy thong in hand. They’d come to buy new underwear and this was her choice.

“No, those are for ladies,” the mom said. The girl protested. But so-and-so has a pair, and you said I could pick, and so on.

“Those are for when you’re older,” the mom said. “I know you want something pretty. Let’s go see what else there is.”

The battle over the clothing kids want versus the clothing parents want for them may be ageless. With fashions for adults being miniaturized and marketed to children, it’s a battle that seems to be getting harder to fight. And these examples of sexualized apparel are troubling.

Every week on Moms Talk we pose a new parenting question and invite your comments. Moms Talk isn't just for moms, though, it's also a place for dads, grandparents and the diverse families who make up our community.

This week, we'd like to hear about the difficulties parents face coming to terms with kids fashions and outfitting your children, especially girls.

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