Looking for My Prince Charming

No. Not me. Although after the last few weeks, I have thought about putting out a want ad, or better a "NOW HIRING: Man with libido who loves kids and will do it with a large pregnant woman."

Okay. Off topic there. Sorry.

But really, I'm talking about the lovely hat I saw at Old Navy last week. YEP. Aside from the "cowboy wanted" shirt pointed out so eloquently by my NOW PREGGO pal Christina (WEEEHOOO!), I saw that hat.

And I nearly barfed right on it.

I know we talked about this before, but let's talk about it just a little more. Because you know what? I'm sick of it. And I want to find out how tolerant you are of it. Do you let your girls where the cute chick, pretty princess, spoiled rotten t-shirts? Why or why not?

And if not, do you have a hard time finding stuff for her to wear that you feel is appropriate? And what do you deem as appropriate for your child?

I threw out a shirt from my SIL that had princess something all over it. It really wasn't even that bad, but I'm just so OVER the whole my little pretty princess crap. Everything is so GENDERIZED... and you can't get away from it.

There's this whole group blog thing called "Moms for Modesty" or something like that and while I'm not really so keen on that either, I wonder really how far we're willing to go - particularly when our daughters get older and watch television for ONE MILISECOND and see the short skirts and tube tops. And then if you say no, do they run into the girl's room at school and change?

UGH. I feel drawn to putting my daughter in pants just to say "Screw you" to the all the makers of the ridiculous girl clothes. And really, I don't loathe dresses or skirts (however, I think tights and stockings are mighty annoying myself so I imagine my daughter might feel the same way).

What about you? What's your stance on this whole thing? What's your limit in terms of what you'll put on your daughter?

Comments

[Christina]

Well, you know how I feel on the issue. This weekend we had Cordelia's birthday party, and she did get a bunch of clothes. However, you can guess what they looked like - frilly dresses, Peter Pan collars, and more pink than a Barbie aisle.

It took all of my acting skills to look happy and thank these relatives for this awful clothing. I've told them over and over the type of clothing we like to dress Cordy in, and they never listen, so I've given up trying.

[Nancy]

I got my girls two message shirts at Target this week -- but I skipped right over the ones on the girls' side and got them from the boys' side. Mimi's is a short-sleeved black t-shirt over a long sleeved white one and has "MOM" on a heart (like a tattoo.) Rosie's is very appropriate for her -- a stick figure falling with the words "I do all my own stunts."

I'm not much into the girly stuff, though Mimi tends to select pink and flowery and princessy when she can choose. She actually likes wearing dresses and tights, unlike her pants-preferring mama.

Slutty clothes are definitely out. Not in my house, ever.

[Dawn]

Right on!!. I agree with everyone. My sister lets her daughter (7) dress like she should be standing out on a street corner looking for "johns" and has dressed her like this since she was a baby ( and I do mean infant). My sister wonders why her daughter has attitude. I have a son who is almost 7 and I see how he looks at the girls now. And I see how he looks at the older girls that dress slutty. If he is looking at 7 what is going to happen in a few years. I don't allow my son to wear any picture shirts to school it just distracts him to much( if he wears a monster truck shirt he thinks it is ok to act like one). If I have a little girl someday I will definately dress her like a "good girl" and no I won't allow any slutty clothing.

[Shelly]

My daughters like pink and pretty and when I was little pink was my favorite color. I do shy away from those shirts that have the spoiled brat or other princess kind of words. I don't want the words to become a mentality. I go with feminine colors, flowers, lace, ruffles etc. but I also don't clothes ore even toys that have liscenced characters. I looked high and low for those tupperware picnic sets that didn't have barbie or disney characters on them. I searched for plain white or discreetly patterned panties rather than princess, or characters. As for the mondesty issue, I think there is something to appropriate fashion following. I wear short skirts, but not micro mini's. I wear a sleeveless shirt but not strapless or spaghetti strapped flashing my bra or underwear. I think it is okay for us to teach our children that somethings are private. A short skirt may be fine, but flashing your underwear or bare stomach is not necessary. The same holds true for guys. Most of them should keep their shirts on most of the time and buttoned up. I also don't want to be able to accurately answer the question boxers or briefs.

[Liz]

GREAT topic, Kristen! We got a princess tee for T from my grandmother that I won't put her in, but don't have the heart to throw out. Since she called me princess as a little girl she saw it as a tribute. I'm saving it for a stuffed animal of some sort in need of a blingie tank.

I have no problem with political slogans, however. President Poopyhead gets a lot of mileage out of my daughter's chest.

[dawnf]

Rebekah-
They do have female dolls that are in positive rolls but they are the rescue heroes so for the preschool set. I too went into a limited too store & then walked right out. my 7 yr old thought the place rocked but I guess I wasn't ready personally to have her wearing stuff that even the clerks said shirt wise shrink 2 sizes on average. I'll hit childrens place, target, kohls LLbean & lands end. Also H&M if it's cute enough but that's hit or miss. I just wish Hannah Anderson clothes were less expensive.
aloha

[rebekah]

A bit off the clothes base but same subject(gender conformity)Why hasn't anyone made FEMALE firefighter/military/police/samuri etc. type dolls think: gijoe chicks I do have to hand it to barbie they have made the dolls breasts and hip/belly more proportionate. now dd wants to be a jedi knight princess, oi at least there's 2 power words in front. a little girly isn't bad just man overdependance is not a lesson I want taught to her. she bawls to wear skirts but really just b/c pants irritate her skin She'd rather be naked but skirts make a darn close 2nd.always long flowy ones unless there's pants under.

[Melissa]

I was in the toy department tonight seeking a gift for my niece's 3rd b-day thinking the exact same thing. SO genderized! Her mom said she wanted trucks and building stuff so she got a duplos and an excavator but the ailes of pink princesses and action figures drive me nuts.

[Dawn]

I once railed against Limited Too fro trying to lure my child inside,away from my sweet Gymboree clothing.

So NO. No vaguely sexual statements on her clothing- no matter how cute, no matter how much she begs. NO.

I walked by some shoes for girls which looked like perhaps tranny crossdressers designed them. Does my 8 year old Need to wear platforms? I think not.

The only shirt I covet for her is one that reads
"Black Girls Rock"...but I've never bought it.

[FishyGirl]

AACCCKKK, this is a post for my own blog someday! I HATE buying clothes for my girls, mostly my almost 7 year old. I let her dress like the girly-girly she is, but no Britney Spears-wear. Her dresses come from Lands End, mostly, and they have to come to her knee (which is tough because she is all legs), and she has to wear tights under them - thin tights in summer, thick knit ones in winter. No shorts above mid-thigh. No Bratz-wear (nor toys, for that matter). I will do Disney princesses, but none of that crap on the butts of things. Her current favorite shirt? It has Violet from the incredibles and says "Cute is NOT my thing" on it. I'm okay with that.

It's hard, though. Most stuff drives me crazy. Crop tops? Low rise jeans? On a first grader?

Not this one.

[Stacy]

I pretty much let my girls wear what they want, within REASON. That means no slutty short skirts, no cropped tops and nothing that resembles a Bratz Doll or My Scene wardrobe– Of course that's what they want though, because that kind of clothing and look is promoted all over the place. It's tough but, we can't let our kids live in a paper bag.

[Tsoniki]

mothergoosemouse is right - junior slutwear, no thanks.

My daughter has a shirt that says "girls are just better" and I also have a son. I'm not sure why I don't mind that shirt?

But nothing w/ words on the back, and no princess, sparkly, I'm just a dumb girl crap. No freaking thanks.

[Darlene]

My little girls dress like little girls. My 4 yr old likes dresses and skirts so that is what she wears. I usually have her wear bike shorts under them since who wants to see underwear on the monkeybars at the playground. When it gets cooler she likes to wear funky tights under her skirts. She wears shorts and jeans, but no shorts that half of her butt is hanging out. I don't get why you would want your little girls looking like whores, or sending messages that they really don't even understand. My little one doesn't express her opinion yet so she dresses like her sister. No message shirts, not even any cartoon characters.
My sons like to dress "cool" - whatever that means. They do have a couple of batman or spiderman shirts. Most of their shirts have sports themes.
It makes me laugh when women wear the sweats with the words across their butts - do they not realize it makes them look even wider.

[mothergoosemouse]

None of that Prince Charming crap for us. Right now Tacy's wearing a shirt that says "My Mom's a Rock Star", but it was a gift. I don't buy "message" shirts.

Skirts - heck yeah. Pink - why not? Junior slutwear - hells no.

[Jenn]

My mother never let us dress in what she calls "racy"

When I was junior high age I thought this was so unfair. As I got older I realized that she had it right all along. I'm not against wearing something low cut, or maybe a bit tight if the occasion calls for it.

Daily basis though I'm jeams and T's all the way.

All my bug wears are jeans and T's. Her dad has already said that he will not allow her to dress as a "prosti-tot"

This includes revealing clothing and thing with words and slogans all over.

[mrsgryphon]

I don't have a problem dressing our little girl (8 mos) in skirts or dresses (I figure it's not that long before she starts making her own clothing choices, so I might as well see her in a nice outfit now!!), but most of the time she's in jeans and T's.

I am a fairly conservative dresser myself, but have a penchant for the unique and like to spice it up a bit now and then... and that's how I've approached our daughter's wardrobe. Pretty basic, but with a little flair thrown in now and then :)

I do conciously seek out 'funkier' clothing (style & colour) when I am buying for her and can afford to, but she still has a lot of your standard pink and girly outfits because those are what we've received as gifts and I can't bring myself to NOT use them.

I will NOT, however, be putting her in anything that screams 'spoiled' or 'princess' in fancy silk-screened fonts. She is neither of those things. A plain red or blue T-shirt will be just fine, thankyouverymuch.

[CreativeMaMd]

I really dislike shirts that say things like "Saw it, wanted it, threw a fit, got it." It embarrasses me for the child. There are tons of shirts like that out there, too. I got my daughter a pink shirt that said, "Strong" and she and I both loved that shirt. It is almost the right size for her little sister to wear now.

My older daughter wants to be fashionable (she's in sixth grade) - my husband and I have said that she has be modest to a certain extent, for instance, no cami tops with soffe shorts. There's barely enough clothes between the two of them to make a bathing suit.

My son (third grade) just wants clothes he can run in, which makes sense to me. (For him, actually, I seek out bright colors. Sometimes boys' clothes are so dark and gloomy.)

[Janet]

I happen to be a tomboy myself. I'm always in jeans, t-shirt and boots (High heel boots, but still). Always was. I dress my daughter the same way. She only wears skirts on occasion and only wears a dressy dress for a party that requires one.

I hate frilly, girly things. I hate, hate the sweats with the words on the ass like "cheer" and "Snob". Just draws attention to the place where no one in their right mind should be looking! Just my opinion.