Wow flashback! I do remember those tight sailor pants with halter tops and very tiny dolphin shorts with La Coste shirts being regular attire.

My daughter shops in the boy's department. She just turned 15. Good thing she's an athelete and doesn't have hips yet...

I don't think the writer's complaints are unfounded, and neither are her concerns. As a 27 yo male, I was disturbed to see one of the higher ups from work allow his 9-11 yo daughter (I couldn't really tell, and didn't want to look) dress like a prostitute- high heeled knee high boots, micro-skirt, and low cut "blouse." I was repulsed, as this was a child dressed pretty much as filth.

True, young people have always pushed the limits, but the bar is now set so low and nobody is surprised by anything that we allow youngsters to engage in conduct they are not close to comprehending.

My thought is, there's a reason that our parents didn't buy that stuff for us, it's not appropriate, and they wanted us to reflect the morals they were trying to teach us. In today's world it seems that there are a lot more parents out there who really aren't trying to teach their children morals. Even worse, companies are capitalizing on such. I have 3 year old twins, a boy and a girl, and I would like for them both to grow up having a healthy respect for sex, and all of its emotional and physical consequesnces, and I think I'm going to have to work a lot harder, and earlier than my parents did to instill this respect for the act of sex and for themselves, as these sexually explicit clothes seem to teach "tweens" and teens that they aren't important if they aren't sexy. Don't kids in this world have it hard enough with out adding the stress of sexual relationships early on in their lives?

I think the first few replies weren't even a reply but an aggreance on the era the clothes were worn. Does it matter what clothes you wore then? The fact of the matter is, the clothes they have now are nothing like the clothes we wore in the 80's, nor the 70's. The clothes they have now are nothing short of itty bitty titty Hooker clothes. If you care to dress your child like that then you are nothing better than a pedophile yourself. I think we need to teach our children modesty and self esteem and not how to get sex at the age of 9, 10 and 11 years old. If you think there is nothing wrong with this style of clothes than you are a complete morron and need some help. I remember the 80's and then i was a young girl. I never wore nor had friends or even older friends that wore anything close to what young kids are wearing now. We had names for girls that wore provocative clothes. Skanks, whores, tramps, prositutes. Is that a name you want your kids or Grandkids for some, to have. Or how about having your child picked up by a pedophile; raped, sexually abused, kidnapped or worse because you chose to let them go out because it's a way to express themselves. Yeah, sure is something I would want my kids to dress like and express themselves as. A Prositute> That's a lifestyle to look forward too. Good job parents, way to show your kids you love them.

Get some help people. I'm 25 and I have a problem with the clothes kids are wearing now. Why don't you?

As a mother of a 16 year old daughter it is a relief I have a daughter who has a strong sense of her self. She believes strongly in covering up her body. None of the pre-tween or teen choices are her choices. Yes she is interested in being trendy but not selling herself off wholesale or cheaply.

Her choices are hot topic t-shirts, regular Kolh's brand jeans, some layered tops with little if any cleavage on view. Her underware can't be high top but she hates thongs and super-bikini underware and she would die if someone saw her bra or underware.

I have a unique daughter and though I don't push trend on her she dresses like she respects her body. I am lucky I think but remembering my own youth I was not interested in flashy my lady bits around. Back then the choices were prep which did cover you up decently, urchin ware which was a rag tag of redneckware, girls were treated like girls up till they were college age and then ensembles appeared that were sexy but still not revealing. You can dress like a lady and or you can dress like a tramp and this scheme to have kids in elementary school dress like a tramp is disgusting. It only flies when we as consumers buy it so somebody out there is buying this else it would have been pulled off the shelves by now.

look i am one of those teenage girls you guys talk about i am sixteen.

& one there is nothing wrong with a thong it helps out with the pantyline problem.I am not saying to wear them all the time just for some clothing for one own some but dont always wear them if i dont wear those i wear bikini like underwear or just underwear.It all depends on how comfortable you are.& yes i am one of those girls who are shy & dont always like showing skin or anything.but there is nothing wrong with our clothing line its just how your teenager or how you put it together. because yes when we do get older we are going to be curious on how it looks on me or hmm i wonder what blah blah will think but that doesnt mean we want to be hoes or anything i mean yes some girls take it to fars with wearing a mini mini skirt & thong underneath & a short tank top or etc. but that what they do & look what happens to them they either get raped or blah blah forced to do something but that is there fault & when they say why look the way they looked & some girls actually do go that far or they like the sexual life & the attention they get..but later on in life when it comes for the time to get married or actually be in a relationship the guys will stop going for those girls & come to the girls yea who own clothes like that & wear them once and awhile or wear them but just wear them in a look that looks sexy or cute but not to sexy or whorey cause i do admit i wear shirts that are sexi pants that fit my waist or make me have a butt cause i admit i have none or shorts that are comfy or skirts but i put it together so it dont look trampy but i still feel good about my self i admit that the younger crowd between11-13 are too young to do that i mean come on girls to us older girls you just look like little wannabe tramps & that not a good way to start of beeing a teen or to start off period & for older guys yeah they like you but cause the way you dressed they just going to think you will do stuff i mean you can wear the clothing just put it gtogether right cause i do that i dont get alot of guys attention right now but i rather dress alittle sexy in a cute way & feel good about myself then dress like a tramp & get guys attention for the moment i mean they will come around

& as for push up bras there is nothing wrong with that it just helps support your boobs & it doesnt mean they are to make you have bigger boobs for girls who have nothing at all it just so they can have something but it just suppose to help support your boobs so they dont sag

& ADULTS & TEENS & TWEENS

i say again THERE IS NOTHING AT ALL WRONG WITH THE CLOTHING THAT ARE IN OUT IN STORES IT JUST HOW YOU PUT IT TOGETHER YOU CAN WEAR A MINI SKIRT JUST MAKE SURE YOU WEAR TIGHTS OR WEAR UNDERWEAR OR JUST SOMETHING THAT WONT SHOW ANYTHIGN BUT IF YOU DONT ..DONT BEND OVER & EXPOSE YOURSELF ON PURPOSE BUT AS I WAS SAYING YOU CAN WEAR A MINISKIRT OR A TOP OR WHATEVER JUST PUT IT TOGETHER WHERE YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOURSELF BUT IT IS STILL CUTE

signed a AVERAGE TEENAGE GIRL

My two cents: What are tween girls doing with push up bras and thongs? Most girls are buying because they think its sexy. Sex sells and it is up the parent to teach the daughters how to be trendy not what my mother calls "hot a$$es". You can't just go to the mall and let them go shopping with they're girlfriends and pick whatever they want. Sure give them the independence but ask them why they would want to buy a particular piece of clothing and what value would it have. trust me it is that deep. Sure they need to room to be individuals and that should be promoted but following the pop culture doesn't mean that the parents nor the child has to succomb a more grown up style. Children are growing up too fast and now that my two older 16 year old twin daughters go shopping I'm still involved but they have the tools not to be followers but create they're own fashion sense and still be in the "in crowd" so to speak. My youngest always talks about the other girls and what the parents have bought them and sometimes she wishes she could buy those things and I tell her if she could give me a definitive answer on why she needs a thong and why she feels the need to grow up so fast she is more than welcome to buy it. Tweens do not need to look like they are about to go to the club/bar/ or have a day out the girls at the spa and maybe get a head to turn. Instead they need to look like age appropriate and not auditioning to be on MTV's real world. They are little girls for goodness sake! I don't need the "that's what all the girls are wearing" and the moms that try to be they're daughters best friend type of people tell me how my kids should dress. I need for my daughters to have self respect and not have heads turned and know that the only reason why they are getting a stare is because of what she is wearing. No matter what age you are you are still judged by men on what you wear and in turn can get the wrong reaction. So, my tween would/will not be wearing any cleavage shirts, tight tops, thongs, and tight jeans period. They can be cute not grown. They can be leaders not followers. They can be boy crazed but know that if he went for the girl that was dressed inappropriately then he was not worth it in the first place and she will find somene that thinks they are. We love Baby Phat, We love house of Derion, We love Gap but you still can find age appropriate clothing without falling to the masses. I try and think ahead of my girls and stay in the know and stay involved in everything they do. I also live by Taking your time and not rushing to get old. Enjoy where you are in life. If more parents taught they're kids that then the malls would be in big trouble. Yes it is that deep. Thanks for my two cents.

Ok, I think the whole Kimora Lee t-shirt symbol thing is a stretch. It's a cat. On a shirt. I don't think it's supposed to *mean* anything. If it does, my grandma, w. her embroidered cat sweatshirts, is a bigger perv than I gave her credit for. *eye roll*

To the 16-year-old who posted above: no-one besides the rapist is at fault when a rape occurs. It doesn't matter if the victim is buck-naked. It is NEVER the victim's fault. A girl who dresses provocatively is NOT at fault if she is assaulted. That's called "blaming the victim". This is why a lot of victims don't report the crime...they're afraid of getting the same reaction. Also, if someone can see your panty lines *that* much, perhaps you need to wear your jeans/pants one size larger, rather than saying you "need" a thong. My jeans are pretty snug, but they are the correct size...I'm wearing reg. bikini underwear and I have no panty lines. Bras, in general, make your boobs sag less...a push-up bra does just that...takes what you have and pushes it up, creates cleavage, etc., something an 11-year old doesn't really need. Kids that young shouldn't be trying to attract that kind of attention.

Anyway, I think part of the problem is people buying (literally!) into this term "tween". What a stupid term. What happened to pre-adolescent or...child? Tween is totally a marketing term, not an actual age-group. Kids are being MARKETED into thinking they have to look "sexy", when most of the time, they really don't understand the full repercussions of it. I highly doubt that kids have gotten sooooooooo sexually savvy in the 23 years it's been since I was 11, myself. Yes, kids are entering puberty sooner, *however* that is ONLY their bodies, that isn't their minds or emotions. They're still a kid inside & ill-equipt to deal w. sex.

To the person who commented something about them "seeking a mate": What?!?!? Why is an ELEVEN YEAR OLD "seeking a mate"??? For what purpose? To get knocked up at 12? That's insane!

These 11-year old *children* are being told they need to look like mini-adults simply b/c a. they are more developed at a younger age and b. the moguls know how to make a quick buck. The fashion industry knows mommy and daddy want to be best friends w. their kids and will allow them to buy skanky clothing if it'll make them happy.

Anyway...why does the author care what Victoria's Secret ad campaign is? It's obviously targeted toward College students...thus the term "university". I found the quip about the "major" to be kind of insulting; *I* shop at Victoria's Secret. Does that mean I'm "majoring" in something scandalous? Trampy somehow? It's a lingerie store, for pete's sake.

You shouldn't have to "avert" the kid's eyes from the store. A simple, "No. You're too young to shop at Victoria's Secret" should suffice. Don't even make it an option.

Hey,I'm sorry but I'M a 'tween' and I buy from Limited Too,and the clothes there ARE NOT slutty!Why should it matter WHAT your underwear says,because whos going to see it anyway?I sure hope no one will see what your underwear says!The only 'bad thing' about L2 is that there skirts are too short.Does anyone who says all tween brands are trying to raise sluts actually SEE what the clothes are?Go to Limitedtoo.com and see for yourself.And if you can't find anything your style,Justice (Just for Girls) is almost exactly like L2 except they are cheaper and the skirts and pants arent low,and they don't have 'nit-wit comments' on the shirts or underwear,and no push-ups.Yes,abercrombie and Hollister also have low jeans and thongs,but thats not all they have!You don't have to buy the 2 styles that are low slung or have words on them!Aeropostale has VERY cute clothes and they are not inappropriate for school!They even sell uniformed polos and slacks.

I'm 15, not too sure if it's still in the 'tween' territory... but regardless.

I wear a medley of hot topic (mens) clothing, and simple, workers jeans. No special cuts, no low rises. Basketball shorts are my choice for athletic clothing.

I've had my aunts try to push juicy brands onto me, and I stand my ground.

What is it that posesses girls to dress like this?

I'm a girl, and I haven't the faintest clue. Most of my friends are male, and we talk about the subject on occasion. None of us finds it attractive, we see the Limited Too, Juicy, ect. ads and frown. It's marketing prostitution to minors.

Maybe its the fault of our society, but where are the parents? Where are the morals? and what happened to 'daddy protecting his little girl'?

I'm utterly lost.

Lucas, I'm not sure if you really are a 15 year old girl, but if you are, and you are serious about resisting all this pressure to be sexual and have sex, good for you.

Your whole life will be better - funner, more adventuresome, happier - if you delay having sex until you're well into an age where you are ready for serious relationships. Don't give your body away to any boy who wants it, or just because you like him. It's a big deal so don't give things away easily. You've got a lot of time for that. Instead, read books, think about places to travel and play sports.

Great points! Yes, there is no way to keep this stuff away from girls as what is the old saying??? Sex sells. We do have choices though. We can choose not to buy the stuff that offends, and simply buy what we want our kids to wear. Eventually though, they will choose what they want. Our store Tween Scene Boutique is a resale store for tween girls only and we can tend to carry some cute but slightly sexier things. That is just the way it is!

Thanks for your post. It really made sense and brought back some fun memories growing up and hitting my teens!