Tuesday's Thoughts- Fashion Woes

I just have a teensy gripe about today's fashions. What is up with them???



I have two beautiful daughters who are different as night and day. Both encounter fashion woes on a regular basis and it just frustrates me to no end. Some times shopping becomes more of a chore than an fun pastime that girls of all ages like to do.



I'll talk about Paige first. My beautiful amazing Paige. She will be sixteen next month and I'm still in shock that I am the parent of a child who will be that old. She has inherited her petite height from her Nana and even though she doesn't want to hear it? I believe 5' 2" may be her lot in life. She is also very mature looking for her age. It's like she got all female DNA from both sides of her family and the result is a very voluptuous figure. Bless her heart. She's a modest gal and all but she still wants to be pretty and cute and all that is teenagery. Yet, the clothes for teenagers are made for those young ladies that are a size zero. You know the ones, right? They have no boobs or hips? How disheartening it has become because she just wants to wear the cute clothes other girls are wearing. Therefore, I make it my mission to find cute shirts and such that she'll feel pretty in. Thing is, I'm afraid, is that they are mostly low-cut and that just won't work. Camisoles under all she wears has become the norm. I'm betting she owns camis in every color known to man. I hate it for her and wish designers would just realize that not all teenagers are a size zero and make appropriate clothing for the gals with hips and boobs.



Then we have Makenna. My long legged blonde beauty. She just turned eleven, Fashion Designers! Why are you making clothes for her to wear that look like she should be walking the street corner? It confounds me that you go from adorable smocked sundresses and Disney Princess to Hootchie Mama. Add in the fact that she wears a women's size 8 1/2 shoe and there is trouble. Hold up now. You're probably thinking, "Wow! That kid has a big foot!" No, she doesn't. She has a long narrow foot that is dainty. What do you have to choose from in that size? Hooker Heels and Grandma's Pumps. Seriously? Tennis shoes are no problem, but try to find an age appropriate church/dress shoe and you, my friends, will be searching many stores all day long. I am so grateful that ballet flats came back in and I truly hope they stay. It is almost the only shoe that can keep an eleven year old looking eleven.



I truly hate that the fashion society has apparently made it their mission to age and mature our daughters way before it's time. I will be 39 this year. (ACK!) I remember being in my early 20's and loving life. Going to the clubs, bars, parties, and etc. Women are empowered in their 20's. Many are finishing college, finding themselves, and living life. A few might be looking for a husband and what would we do? Dress like we love life! I wore my share of short skirts and dresses (back when my butt was decent and would cooperate and not hang out). I wore the heels and low cut shirts to the club to get my groove on. I can guarantee you one thing. I wouldn't have been wearing that mess when I was 11 ....or 16. My Daddy would have turned me around at the door before I got one toe over the threshold. I fondly recall blue eyeshadow being the thing to wear in the late 80's and I did my level best to support the blue eyeshadow factory. Many times I was sent back to the bathroom to take some of it off. Especially before church. I have become my Daddy somewhat in that Miss Paige has been sent to the bathroom a few times to get a handle that godawful black eyeliner the girls favor these days. I gladly look forward to 10-15 years from now when these girls look at pictures from today and cringe over the heavy black eyeliner and duck bill lips in every single picture they take. We older ones know they look stupid because we did our own stupid pictures at that age. I can't wait until they figure it out themselves. I mean, hey, I am 5' 6" and in high school I was 5' 9" with the hair. I see pictures now and ask my high school friends, "WHY on earth did you let me walk around with hair like that???" Then I realize they had the same hairstyles I did. So, it's all good.



I just wish that people who believe themselves to be fashion designers would throw that standard mannequin out of the bloomin' window and make REAL clothes. Shoe designers? Girls have long feet at a young age. Keep that in mind, would you? I wore a size 10 in 5th grade...still do 29 years later. And let me tell you...I wore some ugly butt shoes back in the day with my Mama trying to keep it age appropriate. ~shudder~

One thought about dresses must be stated. I look at dresses today and I think...Wow. I find it sad that my daughter's have to wear a sweater to church over their dresses to appear decent. Am I old fashioned? Yeah, I guess I am. I look in stores today trying to find dresses for my daughters to wear to church and what I see looks more suitable for nightwear than walking around in public. Hey, Designers? It's really and truly okay for dresses to have sleeves and for hems to meet a knee or two. Sure, a slinky sexy dress is cool when the occasion calls for it(and you're the right age and shape for it). I'm just not cool with wearing that mess up in God's House. Get what I'm saying? Let girls be girls!!! We become women and grown ups soon enough with all the bells and whistles that go with it. Dang.

Oh, and Internets? My baby lost his first tooth and you didn't comment? Poor guy. He'll need some therapy over being ignored later in life, I'm sure.

I would love to know your thoughts on today's fashions for little girls, tweens, and teens. Am I a stick in the mud or a properly concerned parent? Remember playground rules apply. No finger pointing or sticking out the tongue.