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Bringing Up Princess: Turning Girls Into Narcissists
Wall Street Journal ^ | June 12, 2009 | Megan Basham

Posted on 06/13/2009 7:41:59 AM PDT by reaganaut1

The princess industry has been booming in the past few years -- not just the Disney dolls and scratchy toy-store ball gowns that are a rite of passage in most American girlhoods, but a brazen new breed of princess products that target a far wider age range and tap into less seemly attitudes. The hot-pink, leopard-print princess backpacks, T-shirts, purses and bedspreads that girls are now buying (or, rather, their parents are buying for them) have little to do with indulging sweet princess fantasies and everything to do with catering to over-indulged princess egos. [Taste] Sara Schwartz

Take the popular tween retailer Justice. At malls nationwide, it carries multiple "Princess" tops and accessories that look a lot more like Paris Hilton's attire than Snow White's. No surprise that part of its marketing slogan is "Love yourself."

For only $44 at Nordstrom, you can dress your toddler in a tank top that declares her to be a "Juicy Couture Princess" -- that is, someone whose parents can afford to buy designer shirts that will end up stained with ketchup or jelly. And until recently, numerous Saks stores maintained Club Libby Lu, a spa for 5- to 13-year-old girls offering princess makeovers with tube tops and miniskirts that left girls looking more like Real Housewives than Cinderella. The ailing retailer closed the tween operation in May, but it grossed $60 million in 2008.

Call it trickle-down narcissism. Today, even as the economic crisis continues, many middle-class parents aspire to give their daughters the best of everything, "the best" meaning the most expensive. A quick tour around suburbia will show princess-themed bedrooms (the rhinestoned-and-feathered kind, not the cartoon-character kind) and ostentatious birthday parties, as well as pedigreed dogs being toted in designer bags by 10-year-olds.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society
KEYWORDS: girls; marketing; moralabsolutes; narcissism; parenting; princesses; retail
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To: trisham
The number of parents who have only one child seems to be increasing.

Divorce plays a big role. I was married at 28, had a son at 32, was divorced at 38 and remarried at 41. I always wanted two kids, but that's how it goes.

81 posted on 06/13/2009 10:37:13 AM PDT by buccaneer81 (Bob Taft has soiled the family name for the next century.)
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To: MortMan

There was an intended pun. ;)


82 posted on 06/13/2009 10:38:07 AM PDT by rintense (Senior Marketing / IT / UX architect unemployed and looking for work. Freepmail me if you have leads)
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To: freebilly

Two differences, I think:

1) With smaller families, there is more likely to be only one girl to soak up all of that princessization. It’s a different dynamic altogether when you’ve got a half-dozen kids or more.

2) From the 70’s until the 90’s feminism had knocked out a fair amount of the ‘princess’ focus. It only came back into vogue over the past 15 years.


83 posted on 06/13/2009 10:42:09 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: rintense

Intended or not, it was funny.


84 posted on 06/13/2009 10:42:57 AM PDT by MortMan (Power without responsibility-the prerogative of the harlot throughout the ages. - Rudyard Kipling)
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To: MortMan

Thank you, I’m here all week!


85 posted on 06/13/2009 10:43:53 AM PDT by rintense (Senior Marketing / IT / UX architect unemployed and looking for work. Freepmail me if you have leads)
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To: Clemenza; JillValentine
"Tomboys tend to become conservative women."

Where I'm from, they tend to become Dykes.

Hmmm. You would certainly have deemed me a future Dyke when I was in fifth grade, dear, guaran-dam-teed and you'd have been WAY mistaken, I am happy to report! ;^)

At my first job, when I was 15, my boss was a wallet-in-her-back-pocket, gruff, cigarette-hanging-out-of-her-mouth butch dyke, and (as it turned out), one of the sweetest, kindest women I've ever known. The lesbians I've known -- and from jr high through college through a variety of jobs and beyond, I've known and been very fond of MANY, many, many, and pitied them all, every one -- were about 50-50 tomboys and girly-girls.

More profound, the lesbian-types didn't seem to have deep friendships with boys, like we tomboys have always had, even as adults. I know I speak for many of my sex when I say that in social and work situations, I much prefer the company of men to women, with exceptions only when dealing with women who, like me, ALSO feel aliented from most female culture (have never watched Oprah or even been tempted to watch Oprah, for example). Of all the lesbian women I've known, I can't think of a single one who falls into that category; they prefer the company of women and are the first to prattle on about "powerful women."

In elementary school, I was such a tomboy that I looked like a boy, dressed like a boy (after school), and walked like a boy; I had no sisters and only brothers. I was crude, grubby, and uncouth, even in skirts and dresses (girls weren't allowed to wear pants to school back then); in second grade I beat up the class nerd, a boy. If it was today instead of 40-plus years ago, I'm certain that well-meaning "professionals" in the education establishment would have discerned lesbian tendencies and gently "guided" me toward accepting it!!!!!

Throughout, I loved boys, had crushes on boys, and had friends of both sexes, but never had a "crush" on a girl, though I remember one girl who had a crush on me ... very disconcerting! By the time I was in seventh grade and realized how many wonderful boys there were out there worthy of excellent crushes (!), I very deliberately taught myself how NOT to walk like a guy, but there was NEVER a time, not at any age, when boys, males, men, weren't the main objects of my romantic love and affection. I was so surprised when this ugly duckling of a tomboy began to actually be attractive to boys!!! *sigh* I have been so blessed, so lucky, and I am so grateful.

In short, Clemenza, tomboys aren't the ones that become dykes. Mostly, it is confused and unhappy females who become Dykes, though I honestly believe that about half of them were just born that way; the other half mistakenly believe they're lesbians or choose to be lesbians in an unconscious effort to shock, rebel, find an identity, or to get attention.

86 posted on 06/13/2009 11:31:09 AM PDT by Finny ("Raise hell. Vote smart." -- Ted Nugent.)
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To: penelopesire

My parents got a little doll house like that for my granddaugher! It was not painted, so you can paint it yourself. It had some furniture and a couple of little hand-painted dolls. I painted it, but it took me awhile. (my hands get numb at times)I like to do crafts like that, but it’s hard to do too much of it anymore because of that!

It took me a long time to get it done for her; but she discovered it in a closet. (I still wasn’t quite finished with it)She wanted so bad to play with it anyway! So I let her go ahead and play with it! Most of the painting was finally done, and the furniture too.

What I had trouble getting finished, was the little curtains and chair covers to put in it, I just couldn’t finish it. But the little girl, bless her heart, told me she wanted to play with it anyway! She and I just stuck tiny stickers on some room for pictures, and got dollar-store toy furniture to supplement the few pieces already in it.

Then we stuck the little pieces of material I had bought for curtains on with glue and tape! That might not last long, and we might have to have a more permanent solution to sticking them on. But heck, the child finally got to play with her dollhouse! She loves it! Even if it wasn’t a fancy, trendy barbie or other commercially made dollhouse!


87 posted on 06/13/2009 11:50:02 AM PDT by dsutah
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To: NTHockey
dico ut telum!

Speak when armed!

I guessing here.

88 posted on 06/13/2009 11:53:02 AM PDT by Dust in the Wind (Lord protect us from our overseers)
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To: hunter112
I'm a bitch I'm a lover

So take me as I am
This may mean, you'll have to be a stronger man
rest assured , when I start to make you nervous
And I'm going to extremes
Tomorrow I will change and today won't mean a thing

That verse says a lot, yes?

89 posted on 06/13/2009 12:09:49 PM PDT by Dust in the Wind (Lord protect us from our overseers)
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To: MissDairyGoodnessVT
Tony Home Perms? i must have gotten off easy- My mother put my hair in “rags” -— anyone remember those?

My mom did the "Shirley Temple" to me with rags. Early 60's. Blond ringlets,fancy dresses and shoes.

90 posted on 06/13/2009 12:44:30 PM PDT by lifacs
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To: reaganaut1
All of this princess stuff makes me want to hurl. It is exactly the WRONG way to raise a daughter. These parents are creating monsters out of the poor kids...and it's all in serving themselves. They pimp their children out so that THEY (the parents) look as though they're special (because they really think they are.) And of course they would in turn have only "special" children by extension. These people really must be trying to overcome some shortcomings or something. The monster parents mold their monster kids and pimp them to grow to be monster pricks. What's scary is that there are so many of them.

Princesses pimped into pricks. They're in for a heap of rude awakening. And everyone else will have to suffer these fools.

91 posted on 06/13/2009 1:02:27 PM PDT by Miss Behave
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To: reaganaut1
Better they wish to be treated as Princesses than as.."loose women".

Some people do not have enough to worry about. Hard as that is to believe in these times of "Hope and Change".

92 posted on 06/13/2009 1:58:00 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: penelopesire
I was a baseball playing, horseback riding, skinned knee tomboy...lol.

Yea well, that sounds like my younger daughter, who bought her sister's daughter one of those scratchy princess dressed for her 4th birthday. :)

I'm only the father/grandfather, what do I know? The four year old seemed to like it though. She's gonna be just as independent as her mother and aunt, so I'm not worried, except about when I have to buy her a gun, or even before that when I can take her shooting. Oh, and IF, I'll be able to buy her a gun when the time comes. Now THAT is something to worry about. Not scratchy little girl princess dresses.

93 posted on 06/13/2009 2:03:41 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: JillValentine
I know many Asian women. They’re definitely NOT a submissive bunch of people.

Both of my wife's brothers married women from the former Soviet Union. I've not met one of them, the ethnically Russian one, but she's hardly submissive from what I understand. No one in the family likes her. OTOH, the other one, whose ancestors were mostly Ukrainian, also not submissive, is a great lady. Keeps spoiled youngest of five husband in line, as he needs it, but no more than he needs it, (which is plenty anyway).

94 posted on 06/13/2009 2:09:47 PM PDT by El Gato ("The Second Amendment is the RESET button of the United States Constitution." -- Doug McKay)
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To: Dust in the Wind

>>Speak when armed!

I guessing here.<<

I am, I can and I will.


95 posted on 06/13/2009 2:10:34 PM PDT by NTHockey (Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners.)
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To: dsutah

It’s funny..but sometimes it is us adults who want everything ‘perfect’ at times like that...the kids don’t care though, they just want to play...lol. I had some similar experiences with my great niece. She hated ‘waiting’ on various components to dry or be finished.

For future reference, Hobby Lobby has lots of dollhouse supplies.


96 posted on 06/13/2009 2:14:03 PM PDT by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: El Gato

Awe...I hope you will be able to teach her to handle a gun. My late father taught me and those are some of my favorite memories with him.


97 posted on 06/13/2009 2:22:47 PM PDT by penelopesire ("The only CHANGE you will get with the Democrats is the CHANGE left in your pocket")
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To: dbwz
LOL! Awesome post. It sounds like our house.
I was a total girly girl and complete opposite of many of my tomboy friends. However, every whim was not indulged, I was taught the virtues of kindness, compassion, and self-sacrificing service to others. “Pretty is as pretty does” was a common phrase. A far cry from the self-centered, “I-deserve-this-because-I'm -special”, whiny,.. I'll stop now.
98 posted on 06/13/2009 2:28:33 PM PDT by dixiebelle
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To: grame

“company that sells wholesome, age appropriate clothing”

Don’t leave us hanging like that. What is it, where is it, does it have a website?

Also, my daughter has worn a lot of LL Bean and Land’s End thus far, because it is modest and durable, (albeit a little boring). Bummer that she is quickly growing out of it.

Not cheap like Target, but better made and less tacky. We get LL Bean rewards coupons on our credit card, and the Lands End line has some end-of-season bargains in our Sears store, so we do okay price-wise.


99 posted on 06/13/2009 2:35:31 PM PDT by married21
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To: married21

Try Hanna Andersson. They are on the web.


100 posted on 06/13/2009 3:18:48 PM PDT by ga medic
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