Doesn't ANYONE remember? Satin hot pants and a satin jacket worn with Candie's slides? Tight, pegged jeans (yeah, they did have high waists, though). Tight, girl-cut t-shirts with shiny glitter mottos on them? I remember one girl in the 7th grade who had a t-shirt with "knobs" over the breasts that said "Don't touch--I'm well-adjusted already!" Remember the big combs we all carried around in our back pockets--the bigger the better, and gee, what was THAT supposed to call attention to?

Everybody acts like this is all new stuff, when in fact I distinctly remember quite slutty fashions from my own girlhood, and pressure to wear them. I pretty much didn't--my parents would never buy me that stuff.

I just want to put in a good word for low-rise jeans. Super-low-rise isn't really comfortable for anyone, but as a woman with a wide waist relative to my hips, low-rise jeans actually allowed me to wear jeans again. I was never able to find jeans that fit in both the waist and hips--the jeans that fit in the hips were too tight in the waist, and the ones that fit in the waist were huge in the butt and hips. Now all my jeans are low-rise, and I solve the underwear problem by either wearing bikini-type underwear that DOESN'T show, or (oh, the horror) not wearing any.

"Tight, girl-cut t-shirts"--huh?? I went to Jr. High and High School in the 1980's, and the clothes were nothing like what you describe. There were tight designer jeans, but the tops were huge!! My friends and I still joke about it. Everyone wore blouses and sweaters that were big and sloppy, that was the style. I'm a petite (size 0) female, and I used to wear men's medium-size sweaters!

Remember the Cosby Show? Family Ties? That's how we dressed in the 80's--baggy was in, shoulder pads, some were into the preppy look--but even the cool kids dressed like punks, not prostitutes.

Guess I'm thinking late 70's early 80's (which was still the 70's). You're right, as it progressed, everyone was preppy.

I do remember those hot pants (roller disco attire...LOL!), tight designer jeans (how on earth could we breathe in them!!) and the Candies. It was late 70s because around 1980 is when it went to chinos, moccassins and polo shirts, and Bermuda handbags, and turtlenecks with tiny prints.

Come to think of it those suggestive t-shirts were around back then too! Go to any beach boardwalk and they were in all the stores, they were iron on's.

I remember one that said "Itty Bitty Titty Committee" !

my Dad who graduated in '76 remembers with some fondness a few girls who worke their Dads or brothers old cast off hunting thermals, they were coverd from colorbone to hip, and down to the wrist but that flimsy, tight, textured material left plenty of opourtunity for fantasy.... 'Course the men in my family are weird, farm raised and prone to prefer a women in a ratty old tee rather than designer g-string and bra. They are interested in all women all the time and quite frankly as long as your old enough and interested in them they could care less what your wearing, what size jeans you fint into and what bits and pieces youve had modified.

Weren't those fashions in the '80s for adolescent girls, i.e., ones ready for sex? We're talking about pre-pubescent girls here being marketed thong panties that say "Sexy" in sequins on them.

And something big has changed since the '80s in regard to children and the pressure they have to be sexual. Sure, the boys always want the girls to "put out." And sure, even by the '80s we were seeing plenty of pressure for girls to be "bad girls," but still many did not want to be seen as sluts.

No, we're eating our young now. This is not about the natural sexual curiosity or even natural sex life that children have (meaning, mostly in their heads and their own pants). We are talking about pushing children into the world of sex and sexual relationships and power plays at a very young and tender age. We are not simply acknowledging their version of sexuality, we are putting clothes on them to appeal to the opposite sex, and in most instances that will mean males which are significantly older than they are. We wonder where pedophiles get their bright ideas?

We are turning little girls into pieces of meat. This is all part and parcel Britney Spears worship. We should be fire-bombing Abercrombie & Fitch's headquarters, rather than worry about being uncool.

Earlybird, I couldn't agree more. I remember the 70s (when I was a kid) and the 80s, and it was a completely different environment.

One thing that particularly disturbs me is when I hear stories of girls in grade school being sexually harassed, and called names like "bitch" or "slut." My friends and I were, of course, teased and tormented by the boys all through school (and we tormented them right back!) but somehow we were still all friends, and I literally never even heard those words from boys until I was well beyond 6th grade. Even in high school, you very rarely heard those terms.

Yes. It's horrible what children have to contend with now growing up. I grew up in the '70s and early '80s and in retrospect we were still so naive and protected and I am so grateful for that.

It's really tragic that we have allowed in essence corporate marketers - from clothiers to movie producers to music producers - to instill values into our kids rather than parents doing that job.

I know many will just roll their eyes and chalk up our dismay to the "Well, Elvis scandalized parents when he shook his hips on the Ed Sullivan Show." We'll look old. But in fact, no, something very basic has changed and we are hurting our children for it. They are soaking in ugliness now. The sad thing is that kids are jaded, even about sex now. I'm so glad I'm not a parent. It's got to be very rough.

Those were closer to the end of the seventies pre-post disco era.

Preppy harkened the Regan 80's era with 40's styles comming back with Joan Crawford shoulder pads.

yes i do agree alot of girls where quite slutty things,why? because look at their role models they try taking after tiny skinny girls some are even bolimic and annerexic i tell girls that not everybody is meant to be a size 0 and not everybody should be a size 16 just be yourself and if people dont like them then screw them!
i'm 16 years old and theres somethings i just cringe when i see girls wearing but parents should watch what they buy their kids and dont let them where slutty things.
and theres nothing wrong with thongs!!!! there just so u dont have an underwear line popping out or your jeans. and underwear lines was the number 1 out of 10 fashion disasters in america its gross!!!!!!

<3 shelly

I think the big comb with the cooties on it was to bring attention to the fro which was very much in ...YUK YUK!!!! and the satin clothes were more a nod to bad taste than anyrhing else ....fashion sense for some time has been a bunch of be seeing just how far the designers could push us. Tip for the day get a full length mirror ..see what looks good ON YOU< stay away from trends and looking like the herd!! be sure to check ou the bod from behind thats a real eye opener!! It's pretty much common sense that is missing from the equation.

This is in reply to Baci's original message. I think you hit the "nail on the head" with the "my parents would never buy me that stuff" statement. The problem is that parents "buy that stuff!" If it wasn't selling, it wouldn't exist. I say go to school uniforms. That would eliminate the hassle at home and at school. I just wonder how long it would take for the clothing designers to "trash up" the school uniform designs?

I have a 7 year old daughter AND I have common sense. If you don't like the clothes, don't buy them - if you don't like the shows on TV, turn it off - if you don't like the music your kids are listening to - take it away/don't buy it. No one is forcing you to spend your money on things you don't agree with. You are the parent, it is your job to raise your children not vice versa. I think the author of the article has the right idea, control what your child(ren) are wearing, doing, seeing, hearing. YOU are the only thing that stands between them and the world. Shelter them as long as you can. Remember, you are also the example.

At least us "older people" can spell and use good english.

I listed to the Gayle King Show this morning and part of Today Show. The authors of "Restless Virgins" were on both shows. They were basically discussing how complacent teens are about sex. I agree. I have 2 step-children that are extremely "loose with their favors". All of these children are constantly being exposed to sex and sexuality. 1 of my step children has had venereal disease 3 times now and is only 22 years old! 2 of the 3 times were bad enough for hospitalization with an IV antibiotic. All of the exposure to sex has to stop!!! What happened to just being a kid? Movies, TV shows, commercials, clothing, music, etc. must all cut the sex level. It starts at home parents! I have purchased 2 copies of "Restless Virgins" for my high school daughter and me to read together and discuss. I want her to have a strong value placed on sex - not "it's just sex".