Sahail AshrafTween Fashion
August 13th 2007 04:07
There was an article in Saturday’s Herald Sun (11th August, 2007) about girls as young as eight to twelve being heavily into fashion, cosmetics and basically everything to do with personal appearance. Titled “The High Price of Primary School Chic” the young girls featured in the photograph looked like miniature teenagers, yet they were only 11 years of age.
The article described how girls that come under the new term of ‘tweens’ wear makeup, have facials, go to hairdressers just for kids and undertake modeling and grooming courses. The article said that some girls “as young as 12 even have their prepubescent bust measurements listed on modeling cards.”
I try to remember how old I was when fashion and make-up became important and as far as my memory stretches back I really don’t think it was a measure of ‘coolness’ or ‘acceptance’ until I hit high school. Then again, there were the beginnings of it in grades five and six. I remember wanting my hair permed and Mum finally compromising on having just the ends done. I remember getting up the guts to finally tell Mum I didn’t want to wear clothes from Target any more. But this was all around age 11 to 12. Then by year 7 a girl wasn’t cool unless she wore Levis, a bit of lip gloss and shaved her legs.
Is it then a natural progression that this is all happening a couple of years earlier? As we all grow up faster in a faster world, is the ‘tween’ media hype such a big deal or is it a real concern that girls are acting like teenagers at a younger and younger age? The implication is that this results in pre-pubescent sexualisation of girls. There is concern over body image, and disorders like anorexia and bulimia occurring at a younger age. How true is this? Do you worry for your kids? What do you see happening? Is it the norm that girls are becoming worried about their looks at an age where they should still be engaging in imaginative play and running around in their backyards?
The article described how girls that come under the new term of ‘tweens’ wear makeup, have facials, go to hairdressers just for kids and undertake modeling and grooming courses. The article said that some girls “as young as 12 even have their prepubescent bust measurements listed on modeling cards.”
I try to remember how old I was when fashion and make-up became important and as far as my memory stretches back I really don’t think it was a measure of ‘coolness’ or ‘acceptance’ until I hit high school. Then again, there were the beginnings of it in grades five and six. I remember wanting my hair permed and Mum finally compromising on having just the ends done. I remember getting up the guts to finally tell Mum I didn’t want to wear clothes from Target any more. But this was all around age 11 to 12. Then by year 7 a girl wasn’t cool unless she wore Levis, a bit of lip gloss and shaved her legs.
Is it then a natural progression that this is all happening a couple of years earlier? As we all grow up faster in a faster world, is the ‘tween’ media hype such a big deal or is it a real concern that girls are acting like teenagers at a younger and younger age? The implication is that this results in pre-pubescent sexualisation of girls. There is concern over body image, and disorders like anorexia and bulimia occurring at a younger age. How true is this? Do you worry for your kids? What do you see happening? Is it the norm that girls are becoming worried about their looks at an age where they should still be engaging in imaginative play and running around in their backyards?
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Comment by Dianna G
I Wish This Was 42
Fictional Worlds
Personally... I think that whole culture is for idiots...
I wouldn't call it a major concern. Something that maybe we should be worrying about, but it seems natural to me.
What the real concern is is WHY there are risks of eating disorders, where the need to be thin or have a large bust or this or that, or mascara and shaved legs, where it's coming from. We need to be looking at what sort of images we're giving these kids to see, to look at, to admire.
It's the cultural images, body image in particular, that need to be massively redone. It's those images that are the problem-not how young kids are growing up.
~Dianna
Comment by Andrea
Diet and Health
V8 Supercar Pitstop
As a parent of a child these manufacturers are targetting (sorry ... didn't mean to mention the word "Target") I can honestly say that some of the tween fashoins do concern me. I'm not a prude and I don't hide anything from my children ... for example, my eight year old daughter knows about where babies come from and has witnessed two births. However I don't encourage her to try to be older than she really is.
I was in high school when I started wearing make-up (I loved the "black eye" look) and dying my hair. My daughter has "childrens make up" but I do understand that she wants to practice (and from what I've seen, she needs a little practice!!). I would buy her proper make-up but she has to use it under my supervision and can't wear it when going out. I would also limit the type of make-up (for example, no eye pencils or mascara). But for me to buy this she has to show significant interest, not a fleeting interest just because her best friend has some.
I've witnessed other children who obviously have mothers who encourage them to grow up faster than they have to and I feel sorry for them in some ways. We should let children be children and let them enjoy their childhood. There's plenty of time for them to be adults, after all.
She learns from my influence, of course, and I'm not into facials, hairdressers, manicures and all that stuff. If I was, then ... well ... who knows.
Children learn through watching the adults around them and emulating them. It's no wonder many young girls are wanting the fanciful things their mothers seem to cherish.
Boys? ... Well, boys will be boys! Twelve year old sister comes home after having a facial ... what does brother do? Throw mud in her face, of course!
Great post, Candice.
A.xx
Comment by Candice
Thanks for your comments.
Great points you make there, and maybe these two points go hand in hand? After seeing some of the films, magazines and film clips out there I guess it should come as no suprise that girls are 'dressing up' like this so young. The whole Bratz phenomenon is another step up from Barbie, but kids like my 10 year old niece are loving it.
Comment by Candice
There ought to be more parents like you out there!
Yes, I think this is a huge part of it. I've seen this in all types of behaviours, even at playgroup it's already coming out about how we are role models. But I think peer group and the media have a huge influence too, that's a whole other area for parents to talk about with their kids I guess!
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
I've been thinking about writing a post on tweens for a few months now but I have so many thoughts that I can't get them straight.
I don't know if I am as much worried as I am aware of what's going on. I'm a believer that if you are armed with knowledge then you hold all the cards.
Personally I don't like tarty comments on t-shirts worn by girls...at any age.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Candice
Sorry for the slow response, I've been flat out with other stuff lately.
Yes, it's a big issue to tackle and there are many aspects to it from the underwear, to the video clips, to the make up and clothing etc etc. I guess that's why I've written just a couple of things about very particular topics on this so far.
I think I am a bit worried about it because peer group has such a big influence and the early sexualisation of girls means perhaps that they will engage in activity they're not emotionally ready for, and may be more easily targeted by predatory types. But yes, knowledge is the key, and if we are aware of this stuff at least we can pass on the knowledge to our girls.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
I hadn't even thought of video clips...by that I mean it wasn't in my mind at the time. We just don't watch Video Hits and the like pretty much because of how tatty some video clips are.
My daughter listens to music 'on the wireless dear'.
So far I think my daughter has been pretty protected from issues that are beyond her. But the other day she was watching Australian Idol and during the ad break they showed the ad about drugs. Well my daughter asked what drugs were. A little earlier than I had hoped but she seemed to be happy with my response.
Like you Candice I've been so flat out that I don't think I can think straight at the moment...or write coherent sentences.
How the book going? When will we see it on the bookshop shelves?
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Candice
We haven't had TV reception for a couple of years now just because we haven't got around to having the antenna fixed. But I think it's been a bit of a blessing. Maybe we'll keep putting that one off.
The book's what's keeping me busy ATM. I'm doing the second draft, very daunting but exciting at the same time. I'm trying to grab every nap time (my daughter's, not mine) and try to keep my eyes open long enough at night to do a bit then too. It should come out late 2008 or early 2009 - not exactly a short process. Thanks for asking about it
!
Hee, hee. Haven't heard that word used for a while!