Clothes Shopping

It’s all because of you!  You sent the fly bys by and I’m so very grateful!  I’m still craving knowing more about North Dakota, so if future visitors want to enlighten me about the loveliness of lutefisk, I’m all ears.

However, since not all of life can be about Germans, Bohemians, Norwegians and Swedes, lutefisk and oil cans and turtles and skis, I’d like to mention something that’s got my dander up.

Clothing.

Specifically, clothing for little girls.  Like my 5-year-old who has just grown into size 7 clothing, which means she can no longer shop in the little girl’s section and is now technically a “junior.”

In marketing lingo I think this means she goes from sweet and covered up to trampy and grunge.

I have been on the prowl for four weeks for clothing for my oldest chickadee and it has not been an easy task.  Granted, I could probably find exactly what I’m looking for if I would shop on catalogs or online and pay full price.

Instead I like to frequent retailers that have huge specials, like Kohl’s, or second-hand and thrift stores because I’m a firm believer in buying second-hand when possible and saving the money for more important things.

There are a few things that point toward a manufacturer conspiracy.  I discovered with Tres manufacturers stop making footed sleepers with snap buttons after 9 mos.  They switch to zippers.  This is terribly inconvenient if you have a baby, it’s winter, and you don’t want to freeze their tops off when you’re doing a diaper change.

No one cares, though I Twittered my complaint at the time.  There is injustice in this world.

Now I discover that come size 7 the shorts get Nair-short-short, peace signs and black lace are combined with fluorescent lettering shouting, “Flirt!”, and off-the-shoulder shirts are commonplace.

What?!  I don’t want my baby to look like a tramp getting ready to be knocked up!  She’s five!

In this world where people talk about how awful Craig’s List personal ads are and pedophilia and sex offenders having to be registered and neighborhoods informed when they move in… where is the moral conscience of clothing manufacturers?  Why must they continue to produce clothing fit for the boudoir and ask children to wear it?

And what about the merchants?  From VIctoria’s Secret to Hollister to American Eagle… these companies are choosing to photograph young women and men who are selling a sexuality they can’t even begin to understand!  Look in the eyes of the model in one of those storefront windows next time you’re in the mall – tell me what you see…

When I look at those models I see an emptiness I will do anything to keep my daughters from experiencing.  I see models who are promoting a reality where you are judged by your body, not your personality or brain or character.

By whether you fill out a padded bra and have long, tanned legs.

A friend recently shared this quote with me.  I loved it and want to share with you:

‎”I’ve got two daughters who will have to make their way in this skinny-obsessed world, and it worries me, because I don’t want them to be empty-headed, self-obsessed, emaciated clones; I’d rather they were independent, interesting, idealistic, kind, opinionated, original, funny – a thousand things, before ‘thin’. And frankly, I’d rather they didn’t give a gust of stinking chihuahua flatulence whether the woman standing next to them has fleshier knees than they do. Let my girls be Hermiones, rather than Pansy Parkinsons. Let them never be Stupid Girls.” – J.K. Rowling

Hope you don’t get caught up in the Chihuahua flatulence of our fashion culture.  And if you have any suggestions for cheap, full-coverage clothing, let me know!