So stylin'

[S02]

Re: So stylin’

@pkgrl000

are you all uncomfortable with this because he’s a kid or because he’s a boy? lets be honest, girls are taught from a very young age that they must dress up perfectly and have matching bows, shoes, bags, jewels. its crazy how much attention my own little niece gives to her “matching” and she’s ONLY 3! she must have a little handbag when she goes grocery shopping with her mom and had like 5 diff outfit changes on her second bday. She has def realized that she gets more attention and more oohs and aahs when she dresses up. its def not gucci but the point is that girls this age usually spend alot of time playing with fake jewels makeup etc and we don’t really ostracize their parents for it.

It’s interesting that you say that because when I first saw the pics I was surprised by the generally mild and positive reactions to them. I felt if a girl had been posed and posted in this way, there would’ve been a stronger and more negative reaction to her being “exploited.”

I think it is more common for us to expect these traits in girls – though I don’t think it makes it okay to encourage the preoccupation. Some kids like dressing up or trying on things. They also like being admired. It’s also fun to dress kids in outfits that make them look different or grown up or whatever. That’s all fine to a certain extent, I think.

I think why I found this disturbing is:

1. It seems like this is a constant obsession of mom and kid, and so there is constant reinforcement that THIS is how the child should get attention and appreciation.
2. The brand consciousness is not just a kid having fun dressing up. That is definitely from the parents, and it’s not something I myself would encourage in my own family.
3. The focus on looks that feel more “adult” to me. I can’t really figure out what it is, but many of them seem grown up in a way that makes me uncomfortable.