Victoria's Secret
I listen to KS95 when I am getting ready in the mornings and at around 7am they usually do a hot topic sort of segment. Today's thing was on little girls (12-13 year olds) buying "sexy" things from Victoria's Secret. Everyone on the radio thought this was a horrible thing and was totally grossed out by it. But as always, they have listeners call in and give their opinions. So this mom called in and talked about how she liked to buy her 12 year old daughter pretty underwear and camisoles and the like. And the people on the radio were like, gross- you should not be dressing/teaching your daughter like that. Another woman called in and said how she liked to buy her daughter "feminine" underwear from VS. Finally, someone with common sense called in. She worked at VS and said how these 12-13 year old girls would come into the store to buy things that she (a 20 year old) were embarassed to buy and wear.
So this got me thinking. Is this trend VS's fault or is it the parents or is it the media? I am 21 years old. Although I am very petite and skinny for my age, I have seen 12 year old girls and even the most developed ones aren't that much bigger than me. I say this because I cannot really fit into any of the sizes at VS. It's been a very long time since I have been inside that store, but this lead me to think a couple of things:
1. Perhaps VS has shrunk their sizes so that little girls can fit into their clothes
2. Perhaps 12 year old girls are becoming more developed than current high school and college girls
I don't know what the size range at VS is, but if little girls can fit into VS clothes then there is something wrong with VS. Little girls should not be shopping at that store and their moms should not encourage such behavior. Seriously, talk about girls selling themselves short. I blame the parents. Girls don't know what types of underwear are "sexy," they are taught it by their moms. And when these girls then learn about these things, they share it with other girls. But the root cause goes back to the moms. Media plays a role. But I hardly think a TV ad geared towards adult men and women can have such an impactful influence on little girls. VS plays a huge role, but even then the store displays are geared towards older women and perverted men. It's just hard for me to believe that a 12 year old can mistake advertising geared towards the 18+ (which is who VS says they target) for things that are attractive to them. Little girls always want to be big girls, but I really think the parents are the ones that encourage these thoughts to become action.
So this got me thinking. Is this trend VS's fault or is it the parents or is it the media? I am 21 years old. Although I am very petite and skinny for my age, I have seen 12 year old girls and even the most developed ones aren't that much bigger than me. I say this because I cannot really fit into any of the sizes at VS. It's been a very long time since I have been inside that store, but this lead me to think a couple of things:
1. Perhaps VS has shrunk their sizes so that little girls can fit into their clothes
2. Perhaps 12 year old girls are becoming more developed than current high school and college girls
I don't know what the size range at VS is, but if little girls can fit into VS clothes then there is something wrong with VS. Little girls should not be shopping at that store and their moms should not encourage such behavior. Seriously, talk about girls selling themselves short. I blame the parents. Girls don't know what types of underwear are "sexy," they are taught it by their moms. And when these girls then learn about these things, they share it with other girls. But the root cause goes back to the moms. Media plays a role. But I hardly think a TV ad geared towards adult men and women can have such an impactful influence on little girls. VS plays a huge role, but even then the store displays are geared towards older women and perverted men. It's just hard for me to believe that a 12 year old can mistake advertising geared towards the 18+ (which is who VS says they target) for things that are attractive to them. Little girls always want to be big girls, but I really think the parents are the ones that encourage these thoughts to become action.
posted by chen at 8:32 AM
14 Comments:
I don't think that there's anything wrong with 12 year-olds shopping at Vicotoria's Secret. I've been buying underwear there since I've been in middle school. Most of the things they sell there are not the "flashy" things you see in the VC ruway show on fox. They sell cotton underwear there, and plain bras, and the like - more than the teddies and stuff you'd typically think of.
Different styles and colors of underwear (even of the plain cotton variety) don't necessarily mean that these kids are sleeping with different guys every weekend. Little girl's bodies are not all shaped the same, and different styles of underwear fit better on different bodies. So, if a twelve year-old wants to wear bikini style vs. the traditional style because its more comfortable on them, I think that's what they should wear.
And colors? Are we suggesting that twelve year-olds should only wear white underwear? I don't think I've ever owned a pair of white underwear. We don't go around wearing burlap sacks to work - we buy pretty things that make us look and feel a certain way. It can be the same with underwear. Sometimes it brightens up your day to think "gee, I'm wearing bright pink underwear right now". Again, it doesn't mean they're hopping in the sack with whoever comes along.
I think that it's possible to wear "feminine" underwear and still have morals, even at twelve.
PS. Chen - I told Ally to get you a Wolves ticket too - this is going to be sweet!
I partially agree. Although these girls are not buying "Different styles and colors of underwear." These girls are buying things such as crotchless panties. I don't even know what that is. What on earth does a 12 year old need with underwear that isn't really underwear? I understand different body types require different types of underwear, but come on, nobody needs crotchless panties or sexy lingerie or cami tops at age 12. (And according to the girl who worked at VS, that's what these girls were buying)
I agree with you - crothless panties are pretty much what they say they are, and no 12-year-old needs them. What, are they wearing them to history class?
You're right - the key is better parenting. I saw all kinds of movies when I was their age - my parents pretty much let me watch anything I wanted. But, I was never confused over what constituted reality or not. Of course, my friends were the same way.
Uhhhhh..... uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh......... yep.
Chen! You've rendered Jordan speechless!
I think Jordan is speechless because I am talking about feminine issues. Perhaps had I made a political comment like how since Republicans took control of the House in 1997, the moral value of society has been decaying, he would have had more to say.
Maybe I'm speechless because I had no comment on CROTCHLESS PANTIES. Please forgive me. You can blame my lack of witty commenting on the fact that I have no wife and have a dearth of romantic relationships in my history.
Oh, by the way, I agree with your statement that morals have been decreasing since 1997 (the republicans took the house in the '94 elections though I'm pretty sure). But it is a pointless statement because you're implying the republicans are the cause. Yes, morals have declined since '97 but they've also been declining since '92, when clinton was elected, and 1953, and 1903, and 1795. Morals have always been declining.
Oh, I dont' know. This morning on the radio, I heard them so some contest where five people told JLo about a request for money they had, and JLo was going to give $1,000 to the one that most touched her. In the end, it came down to (for her) one man who wanted to buy his wife a nicer wedding ring (the first one he bought her for $150 from Walmart - they were very poor, but really trying to make it on their own) and one woman who wanted to make an S&M video for her husband's birthday. She chose the ring one, so maybe things are looking up. (I'm sickened)
What is S&M?
I'll tell you tonight at the Wolves game... Since I already knew about the panties, if I explain it here, I'm worried that everyone will think I'm a tart.
I'm with Jordan on the crotchless issue, it's just a scary word in any context. And I have no idea what a camisole is. If it's some basic word that every third grader knows...then I'm stupid. To me it will always be a rare import car that goes 0-60 in less than 5.
Its a feminine word. I guess you guys are just too darn masculine to know. (Or just haven't been exposed to much femininity)
On an almost related note - I buy my underwear off of Ebay.
Mark- a camisole is a fancy word for a tank top that is usually considered "sexy".
And don't be ashamed of buying underwear from EBay, although I would say if you are paying over $0.10 for your underwear, it is probably too much
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