[King Prout]

problem is, too many folks are children in parents' clothing.

[Lynn]

And this is also a capitalist society....like it or not. And everyone who is in business is in it for profit.

It's like turning the channel on TV stations you don't to watch. However, what may be a problem to watch for some, may not be a problem to watch for others. Societal culture wars are different in all walks of life and their communities to include tv, fashion, music, food, sex or whatever.

What the world needs less of is "offended people" over anything. The world also needs less police "peep"les (peoples) i.e. thought police, tv police, sex police and now apparently clothes police. I personally have no issue with an inanimate article of fabric in a store. What's looks sexy to some may look like a car wash buffrag to another...

The world really needs to get it's priorities straight. Too many other things out there to "complain" about...important things...like criminals in or political and judicial systems, rather than tying up someone's time for 5 to 10 minutes who's just trying to make a living...

nothing personal...just MHO

[tiamat]

Your point is well taken.

Now I do not know where others shop, but I do a lot with Target or Khol's and there seems to be no shortage of capri pants, blue jeans that are NOT low rise, t-shirts WITHOUT vulgar sayings, and cute peasant tops that do NOT show the tummy.

Now I am lucky.

My daughter could care LESS about style. She likes bright colors and nothing that is binding or itchy.

Two new pairs of jeans, some cargo pants, and a handful of t-shirts and she's there. Add in a couple pairs of shoes and assorted socks and undies.

That said, I will point out that it is PARENTS who ultimately pay for kid's clothing, and there is "the Golden rule" ie: "He who has the gold makes the rules". You will have no problem with clothing IF you pay attention. If parents are just handing money to kids and turning them loose in the mall , they deserve whatever the kid turns up with.

I guess I just do not see what the fuss is about.

Tia

[Hatteras]

Parents have a choice. They can let their underage daughter go out of the house looking like a two dollar whore or they can pay attention to their kids and actually put some effort into raising them.

[Desdemona]

Just to halfway put your mind at ease, the waistlines on the NY runways are back up to where they should be. By this time next year, the low-riders will be "out."

The tops are also much more modest on the runways. In the meantime, in ready to wear, Kohl's, some Wal-Mart (well-made, even if it is cheap), etc., has more modest things.

Otherwise, you can do what I did in the ultimate form of protest of the fashion industry - learn to sew.

[Tax-chick]

An excellent point. Next time I'm in Wal-Mart, I'm going to suggest that they should have the sensible dresses that I'm buying for myself (at a very good price, too) in sizes that will fit my daughters. (Sigh) I was my full size at 12 - well, a little thinner before the seven kids - but my oldest is a slow grower and I'm stuck shopping in the children's section.

[GodBlessUSA]

I fully understand the point of this article. Complaining can only help make the nicer fashions become more available. When I go shopping for my 6-year-old daughter, I have run into this problem. I have left many stores because there was not much else available. Sexy should not be acceptable at 6, or any age child. Most can tell the difference between sexy and non-sexy clothes. It's not a matter of opinion. Sexy is what sexy is. It's very disappointed. What message do we send children by dressing them sexually attractive? Unfortunately, there are many sick people out there, that shouldn't be attracted to young kids. Dressing, a child sexy, can only help encourage them. I rather have my daughter dress with class and style. The article is not asking to ban them just to complain when one sees fit. It’s for those who do not wish to dress their young children sexy and have a choice of outfits available with style and class.

[SamAdams76]

Posts like this make me so thankful I have two boys and no daughters. It is so damn complicated raising girls and my hat is off to those who can successfully raise them (for my boys to eventually marry up).

My wife took my two sons "back-to-school" shopping over the weekend and it took all of an hour and a half. Damn, and I was hoping to have the whole day to myself too. They just grabbed pants and shirts off the racks at Wal-Mart and Kohls and were out of there in a flash for just under $100 a kid. These clothes would last them years if they didn't grow out of them. I had jeans that I wore for years and years. Finally I threw them out this year because I took off some weight. But jeans and shirts never, ever go out of style for men. And that's just the way I like it.

Girls though are a different matter entirely. I know people raising girls who have closets full of clothes and yet they still have "nothing to wear." It's as if they have to wear something different every damn day. Am I ever glad I have boys!

[Keith in Iowa]

Point, Click, Ship. There are plenty of places on-line with quality items at reasonable prices.

I like Land's End. Sure, I pay a little more, but the quality is worth it. But great deals can be had on their close-outs.

[HenryLeeII]

Thank you. My wife and I have discussed the same thing a lot, and now we are starting to do as you are...

[holdmuhbeer]

I don't know where you're shopping but I have no trouble finding decent clothing for my daughter. Of course she's only 7 so I haven't been looking for a teenager yet.

[mathluv]

Whenever I read a thread like this, I am thankful to live in NE TX. My granddaughters are 7 and 9. Their clothes come from Target, Old Navy, Goodwill, and Salvation Army. We have not had a problem finding appropriate clothes.

Of Course, it helps that they don't like tops with sphagetti straps, etc. None of the kids are encouraged to 'go with the flow', but to dress as they are comfortable, not what is the 'latest'.

[agrace]

One thing that no one on this thread has mentioned is shoes. I have a 6 year old and have no real problem finding appropriate clothes for her - sure there is plenty out there in her size that I wouldn't wear MYSELF (in my size of course, haha) let alone put on her, but like others mentioned, Target is pretty good for basic conservative style, and I can usually find some stuff in Kids R Us - they're not too bad if you look.

When I was a kid we shopped the Sears catalog - a week or so before school a big box would come with everyone's Toughskins, argyles, turtlenecks, and assorted plaids and ruffles in it - it was like a mini-Christmas. Can't find much in Sears worth putting on kids these days.

Of course, eliminating that whole back-to-school experience by homeschooling doesn't hurt either. I know I have to get some stuff for my kids but I'm not pressed for time - they can wear shorts til October if the weather is nice. :)

But shoes! It is unbelievable what passes as footwear for kids these days. Finding a pair of dress shoes for my daughter in any season is a nightmare. How do kids walk in heels like those that adorn most of what's out there? Who on earth decides that those styles are cool for kindergarteners? After searching in vain through easily a dozen shoe depts (and running into numerous moms with the same complaint) we finally broke down and paid more at Stride Rite. But it was worth it. Hopefully this fall she will have not grown out of them yet!

[Redbob]

Schools around here are beginning to require "uniforms" of a sort: they are enforcing minimum standards, requiring for example khakis and shirts with collars for all, no bare midriffs, no open-toed shoes, etc.

The usual whiners complain, the usual newspaper and TV enablers give them massive coverage, then the issue goes away when the vast majority discovers how much easier (and cheaper) it becomes to shop for school clothes.

It's a small step, but it's a start.

[Corin Stormhands]

I've got two boys, so this is less of a problem for me. The youngest is three and the 14-year-old still likes his jeans baggy and t-shirts large. Yeah, the band of his boxers usually shows, but his t-shirt is always covering it.

But you're right. I'm appalled at what parents think is cute.

My son plays football. He's in high school now so I haven't seen the cheerleaders. But for his association, the girls wore pretty skimpy outfits. What got me more was the suggestive nature of some of the cheers.

They actually had one: "W-H-I-P I-T! Whip It!" which ended with them sticking out their butts toward the audience. What the @#$Q@#$% does that have to do with football?

Parents of these girls are the ones that will wonder how on earth she got pregnant at 14.

My point is that, like the cheerleaders, there are parents that will buy the suggestive clothing for their daughters and think it's "cute."

Don't get me started about the knit shorts with writing across the butt...

[mtbrandon49]

The girls stuff is to short and the boys stuff is to long and baggy. I went with my wife school shopping for my son. She made him try on everything. He tried about 20 different pairs of shorts to narrow it down to a few pair for school. Most of the shorts came below his knee. Not a little but a lot. Just as well to have gotten jeans.

[yoe]

There are still 'seamstresses' out there who make clothes, find one and make good use of her/him and tell your friends who want more modest clothes for their children.

Dressing your child like a hooker certainly prepares them for the future....(sarcasm off). More dumbing down of the American culture through MTV and dumb parents who will latch onto any Fad thinking it will make their child more popular. Good taste and good manners are a huge part of parenting.

[splach78]

I work in retail. Your best bet is not to complain to the manager, but to ask for the name and the number of a district manager. Aside from that, if you don't like the clothes a store sells, then don't shop there. When sales go down (and they track which merchandise is selling and which is not), they re-evaluate their lines.

[mtbopfuyn]

There's not much choice but Wally World and Pay Less here in the boonies but I have had more than one little discussion with the managers about this very subject. Thankfully mine aren't into the latest fads and are happier doing their shopping at garage sales and thrift stores. Don't turn up your noses, kid clothes can be found gently worn and even with store tags. They'd like to wear more dresses but with PE everyday it's only jeans/shorts and shirts so that's easy. Clothes are easy but it's shoes that I have a hard time with. Big and clunky does not make for easy playtime and spiked heels are for standing on street corners which I tell Pay Less that each and every time I'm in there to no avail.

[MissAmericanPie]

Excellent suggestion.