Little Girls

What happened to little girls?

What happened to pretty dresses, tea parties, tomboy overalls, ruffled butt tights, and Mary-Jane shoes. Every where I go I see little girls dressed like grown women in the throws of a mid-life crisis. I can barely find outfits for my daughter that have not either been drenched in glitter or looks like a stripper's clothes after going in the dryer. She is one. She does not need heels, strapless dresses, or a seXXXy message tee.

I mean really! There is no reason for a six year old to wear heels that don't click clack (tap shoes) ever! I just don't get it. I am not sure where the line should be drawn because I will admit that I get a good chuckle out of a baby girl in those tank top bikinis. I love how fat and happy they look on the beach before they get to the age where rolls and bikinis no longer mix well. I, however, can't get behind push up bikinis and bandeau tops for little girls. (I have to admit that I may be anti-bandeau in general.)

I don't really get why we want our little girls to be mini-skirt wearing, finger-snapping, neck-rolling, and booty-bouncing. If that is what she is doing at 8, what does she have to look forward to doing at 18. You better put that child in some pig tails and make wearing lipstick "the GREAT rebellion".

I was at church this Sunday and they were saluting the graduates. Some the those girls going to junior high looked like they had been left back a couple of times based on size and what their parents deemed appropriate to wear to church and frankly, my first thought is that if you will wear your dress that tight to church you are more than likely a hot janky mess Monday - Saturday.

What is so wrong with looking like a little girl and cherishing the innocence of those moments while they last. She will get enough cat calls in her lifetime that she does not have to start so young.

I blame the Olsen twins for this mess. That is right. You heard me. It was not until those two started selling grown up clothes to little girls at Walmart and created what we now call the "tween" market that this even became an issue. I really have nothing against the Olsens. I understand that they needed to wear big girl clothes to their board meetings and red carpet events, but most 8-12 year old girls are not running a multi-million dollar company. Most of them don't even sell their own girls scout cookies. (You know I'm right.) So why does she need to dress like a grown woman.

We dress them up and laugh when they act like some version of the sassy best friend/stripper with a heart of gold and then get mad because they are "acting grown" when we decide it is time to parent.

I might be alone in this, but I really miss "sugar, spice, and everything nice" little girls.