She's Wearing WHAT?

I've mentioned before that I tend to think of myself as a laid-back mother, slightly organic with a touch of spice. I nursed both children until they were 12 months, but I had no problem giving them Gerber jarred food. I make sure homework and nightly reading gets done after school, but I also let them watch TV for an hour, maybe two, so I can read my book club selection. It seems, however, that raising a daughter is single-handedly turning me into a — dare I say — conservative, slightly neurotic mom. 

I am sure from the title of this entry you can see where I am going with this blog. 

There is no need for my daughter's jeans to sit well below her waist. There is no need for my daughter's T-shirts to read "tease," "juicy," "naughty" or "bite me." And there is absolutely no need for my daughter to wear a padded push-up bikini top. If we were having this conversation 15 years ago, I would have argued that it's the parent's responsibility to determine what their young daughter should wear. What has changed? I now have the young daughter that is begging me to buy her those jeans, that shirt and this bikini top. Shopping has become an errand I try to complete on my own unless I want to spend most of the trip arguing "fashion" with a 6-year-old. 

This season alone, I have returned two swimsuits because my tongue hit the floor when my daughter tried them on. The idea of her at summer camp in those swimsuits made my stomach churn. I did eventually find "non- hoochie mama" swimsuits and clothes thanks to Speedo and The Children's Place. Shame on you, Abercrombie & Fitch and Justice. 

I have relative control over my daughter's wardrobe for the foreseeable future, but I imagine that the next 12 years are going to be long and loud. I am ready for the battle. To the boys in our house, take shelter.