As a mom, a fashion writer, and a former non-stylish kid, this article from the Wall Street Journal online caught my eye:
Fashion Bullies Attack
It's a valid issue to examine, but I'm always amused when an issue like this comes up as though it's something new and somehow worse now than ever. I remember being 11 years old in 1981, and being considered a total dork for not having Jordache or Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. That was (yikes!) 25 years ago, and now that I have an 11 year old daughter, I know that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Or something like that.
The issue also puts me in a mind to step up onto my favorite soapbox, so I'll indulge, if just for a moment. Parents are ultimately responsible for their kids' choices and attitudes. While we don't have control of the little buggers' every thought (darn it), we do have the power to influence the way they think about things. Where we put our emphasis, is mirrored in them. I'm tired -- oh, so tired -- of blaming big, bad retailers for all the evils in the world.
If your kid is a "fashion bully," just know this -- it's not Marc Jacobs fault.
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3 comments:
Yep - kids raised up with good values reflect them at school. Kids raised up in shallow, materialistic households reflect THAT at school, too.
There are even fashion bullies at my children's rather poor, rural school, but the fashion goals here are LESS lofty, since NO one has that much to spend.
No. Nothing new -- I hate this stuff. It's one of the hardest things about childhood -- and no one forgets these feelings of "not having" too easily.
We moved into a district of "haves" and homes and clothes and vehicles abounded, but our kids were NOT spoiled, relatively speaking (in their spheres of influence). And guess what? Now that they're 21, 18 and 14, that is the one thing the elder kids give us credit for: not spoiling them or indulging that need to fit in materialistically no matter what. I'm always stunned when parents are shocked by their kids' desires for designer duds. Who bought them their first item?
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