"The" outfit
Despite my very best intentions to avoid back to school shopping, we were forced into the stores after I sorted through the kids’ wardrobes and discovered that, while the drawers had been filled with clothing, very few items actually fit either child. While we normally shop at Target and Old Navy, we decided to try something different and bring the kids to J.C. Penney. (A store name that I cannot speak without thinking of an old camp skit of the same name).
This year we had a new challenge – Sophie is tall with a very long torso, which means we have to shop in the “big girls” section of the store. Wandering through the racks of clothes, I was faced with choices that were a mix of Madonna (circa 1985 – think Desperately Seeking Susan) and Janis Joplin/Rachel Zoe boho-chic.
Even Sophie seemed a little stunned by the selection – she wanted to know if the fur vest was “real bear,” laughed at the leggings that looked like they were made of rubber, and told me the pair of jeans, which appeared to have been shredded by a large farm tractor, were too “dirty.”
I found myself having to veto a couple of her choices – including the dress with the racer back; the “naughty” catholic school uniform, and the jeans with the Supergirl logo “bedazzled” on the butt – and wishing I was back at our usual shopping grounds.
I also realized I was slowly turning into my mother, complaining about paying for pre-beaten up clothing and wondering about the appropriateness of skinny jeans for a 5 year old.
Fortunately, Sophie and I are still on the same page (I know, it won’t be for many more years) and we both agreed on the “perfect” back to school outfit. Until she changes her mind and decides to wear something totally different.
Kindergarten – here we come!
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- Glitter bum
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- Rock and roll jeans
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- Naughty catholic school girl
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- Hippie chick
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- My little Rachel Zoe
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- Plaid, taffeta, beads… oh my.
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- “The” outfit
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- What she really wants to wear to school…
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22 Responses to Slowly turning into my mother
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Right there with ya!! My daughter just started 1st grade and shopping was terrible this year. We ended up with a few dresses from JCP and a really cute dress from LLBean. I think these stores are over-kill when it comes to clothes for little girls who just want to be little girls.
I totally agree with the styles that are out there. I shopped at J C Penney too this year as well as Target, Walmart. My Daughter is almost ten, but I can’t let her wear some of the outfits that have scarfs and necklaces, she has a little brother who like to pull at her clothes. We stuck to jeans, shorts, and Justin Bieber shirts. Now, if getting her to do her morning routines were as easy aas shopping, We would be rich.
I have often wondered: why are the stores trying to make little girls look like.. well… sluts? The boys’ clothing, while much more boring, at least covers them up. Good for you and Sophie for not giving in! And good luck with the first day of kindergarten!
When I took my daughter to JCPenny’s to just look at stuff for school I had to same reaction. I don’t think I want my first grader dressed like Madonna in the mid-80s. That is a look that no one should revisit. I do agree the stores seem to want to age the girls more so than the boys.
I totally agree. I usually cannot shop at JCPenny anymore because I can’t stand to see my ladies in such clothing. I shop at Lands End and LLBean. Yes, they are preppy and stuffy but they are also modest and clean cut and most importantly Age Appropriate!
Kristin, you have to pick and choose in each store, and when the phrase, “Well, Sally gets to wear this!” comes across Sophie’s lips, you can use my old standby, “Sally’s family has different rules than our family and in our family we don’t wear Bedazzled Jeans!”
I don’t inderstand the clothing they have out theire for LITTLE girls. This summer we had a hard time finding shorts that weren’t short shorts…my daughter is 3! OMG! It’s ridiculous. Let the kids be kids!
I totally agree. I think the clothes at JC Penney are especially “slutty” looking (and check out junior section! Oy!) At least the exposed belly (i.e. short shirts with low-rise pants style) is over. That was the bane of my existence when looking for appropriate clothes for my now 16 -year-old! You could NOT find clothes to cover a kid’s stomach back then!
Actually, some of the clothing in the pictures is not that bad. I liked the shirts and the school girl outfit can be helped with some black tights.
I do agree that some clothing out there does look a bit inappropriate but either don’t buy it or where it with things that help.
I am so glad I don’t have a girl. I cringe at the shopping choices. With the boy though I have to worry about saggy-butt pants & the thug look. I guess we have to choose between hoochie-mamma girls or thuggie boys. Either way, not acceptable & yes, I am my mother.
I smell an opportunity for an enterprising mom who can get some decent looking clothes out there for little girls. When we vote with our dollars, maybe companies out there will take notice.
I shopped for my 7 yr old a couple of weeks ago and was excited to shop in the big girl sections because the little girls was getting a little too boring for my daughter. I did end up picking a few tops and bottoms from several different stores because most of the fashions were just plain hideous, forget slutty. I also didn’t shop with my daughter. I took all my purchases home and let her pick out a set number of outfits from what I had purchased and then took the rest back. This worked WONDERFULLY, she was happy with the outfits and so was I. I have to disagree on the boys’ clothing, though – while there is not so much variety as the girls’, I have a hard time with finding fun T-shirts without some crazy skull or action figure or just weird looking screen print on them!
Too funny! You remind me of myself, here’s what I posted on Facebook a couple days ago:
Spent all day sorting through clothes, decided I better see if anything fits Sofi since she goes back to school in 3 days. Realized I have a problem, since only 1 pair of pants & 1 skirt fit her (of what is allowed in her school). Since I’m working the next 3 days, this could really be a problem.
Yes, the transition to the “big girl” section is scary with the type of selections they have. Thank goodness my kids go to parochial school and wear uniforms for school!
When Allison first started to need stuff there last year, it was tough because she needed tops from that section, but we still had to go to the younger girls section for pants. We used to get a lot from Childrens’ Place, but were turned off when we couldn’t find any tops in the big girl section that actually went with any pants from the little girls section. I get a lot of stuff at Old Navy or from the sales racks at Gap Kids because the other store stuff does seem way too “big girl” and not in a good way.
I only get pants from Old Navy and Target now because I’ve found the quality of the tops to be really poor- they get misshapen and pilled really quickly. I am tending more towards Lands End, Gap Kids, the Carter’s Store and Children’s Place, although some Children’s Place stuff is a little tacky or inappropriate so I have to keep an eye on that. But I’ll only buy sale stuff at Lands End or Gap Kids as they are definitely more expensive. Fortunately they have a lot of sales, especially if you get on their email and mail lists.
Kohls wasn’t any better…after an hour we had a grand total of one pair of pants, one short sleeved shirt, one long sleeved shirt, and a pair of sweats. The only highlight of that store was the girls shoe selection and reasonable prices.
I still think Gymboree, while pricey at times, has the best quality kids clothing. I have Gymboree hand-me-downs that still look great and the pull on pants are great for little boys.
I love Hanna Andersson (but the prices unbelievably high). I wait until they have sales & get some key pieces from them. They are always kid-appropriate & great quality (and fellow scandahoovians…). I totally feel your pain with the appropriateness of girls’ clothing – especially at the more affordable stores. ugh.
Btw, love the Zoe vest pic! It’s Ba..na..nas!
I completely agree! My twins just turned 7 and it is really hard to find what I think are appropriate clothes. Thank goodness they go to Catholic school and I only have to deal with it for “play time clothes.” Target and Old Navy are great!!
I used to shop at JCPenney regularly when I first started teaching 15 years ago. I rarely shop there anymore. I hate their style of clothing, and also find it really trashy. The children’s section is awful for boys – they only have very casual things anymore. It used to be that JCPenney’s was the place to go for dress clothes. Not anymore. Glad to know I’m not the only one out there who’s noticed this.
I love Sophie’s vest. I mean I literally die.
Whoop! Love Rachel Zoe. Shut the front door!
J. Crew has the most gorgeous and appropriate childrens clothing, but the prices are unfathomable. Gap Kids also has great stuff and you can find pretty good sales.
This post made me think of my own childhood. My grandmother always chose the clothing for my mom and her sisters, so she was adamant about giving me the freedom to dress myself. Unfortunately (for her) that meant me demanding to wear my snow white costume to school and picking out the most tacky, bedazzled pink hideousness while school clothes shopping!