<p>I do not get why anybody cares who thinks what. Buy and wear whatever you want, do not buy if you do not want. What others have to do with it? Don’t you wear what you like? How is everything else in your life? You do what others like you to do? I am confused. Who cares about ads either? Apparently they are legal, I cannot believe that such a popular place wold have illegal ads. If they are legal, nothing we can do about it, so why waste emotions over them?</p>
<p>OK moms, raise your hands if you wore skirts that short (or almost that short) to school back in the '70s. No flip-flops in classes in those days as I recall, but lots of Dr. Scholl’s wooden sandals.</p>
<p>However, I do agree that it is bizarre to advertise children’s clothing using teenage bodies. A&F is out of our price range. When Happykid was in elementary school, I shopped for her at Sears, JC Penney, and Target. I don’t know if she’s even been inside the A&F store at our mall. She buys her jeans at Hot Topic because of the fit, her everyday clothes at Target, and her party-wear at thrift shops. Early on, I taught her that if the item wasn’t on mark-down, she couldn’t try it on.</p>
<p>Some children are naturally more inclined to want to dress like their friends - or like the people they want to be friends with. I don’t know what to advise if that is the case that bears and dogs is describing here. Happykid never was that kind of child.</p>
<p>happymom
good to hear from you, how’s happy grandma?
I don’ know what those sandals look like and had to look up
wow
[dr</a> scholl’s wooden sandals - Google Search](<a href=“http://www.google.com/search?q=dr+scholl’s+wooden+sandals&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1680&bih=838]dr”>http://www.google.com/search?q=dr+scholl’s+wooden+sandals&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=1680&bih=838)</p>
<p>the thread title is no longer valid, for the reasons menloparkmom explained.
I had no idea A&F made kids’ clothes until just few days ago my coworker brought up her experience at the mall for her 8 year old.
I am trying to figure out if it is the matter of demographic, socioeconimic, or simply personal choice.
I can see that it all depends…
Thanks all.</p>
<p>OOps, typo above-- meant that real preps would not wear flip flops with their “uniforms”</p>
<p>I’m not offended by these outfits, but someone who wears them would probably be offended by what I think of them.</p>
<p>To answer the question about why some might find this offensive, I think most folks would consider most of the outfits OK on a 20 year old - some are a bit silly, but not out of place at, say, a campus party. Others are just overpriced.</p>
<p>But the target market is supposedly 7 to 14 years olds. And some people are offended at what appears to be the indoctrination of young people in the idea that they are supposed to mimic trendy adults - and look sexy - at the age of 12.</p>
<p>This is a very strange thread.</p>
<p>
Post #12</p>
<p>That gave me my LAUGH of the day!</p>
<p>Agreed with some others here…these AF outfits (and NO I did not open the link above…never do) would not fit in with the dress codes at the school my kids attended.</p>
<p>Ditto for my kids too - they would have been sent home.</p>
<p>Not only would it fit into the dress code where I went to high school, it was the uniform. (Blouses had collars, but unbuttoned to show the tank. Yes the skirts were exactly that short.) And yes, I went to catholic school. We did wear crew socks and deck shoes…</p>
<p>When my girls were in elementary school they had a few plaid skorts that looked totally adorable. But then again, they weren’t 5’7" and 95 pounds like the model in the picture. I suspect that skirt, on a normal height 3rd grader, would look quite appropriate. Or it least it does on all the private school kids around here.</p>
<p>The outfit also doesn’t fit the dress code at the private HS my kids attended. Neither of my kids (S & D) would find the outfits in the least attractive or in good taste, regardless of the age of the wearer.</p>
<p>Neither of my kids has much (if anything) from Abercrombie as it is not to their taste & vastly overpriced. D may have a gifted tshirt or two.</p>
<p>My kids thought they were too ordinary. We gave them as gifts, especially to friends´kids overseas - except HKG because you could get them for $5 at stalls.</p>
<p>I think the clothing is absolutely hilarious. Part prep-school uniform, part slut. Could the message be any funnier?</p>
<p>Oh yes, I wore skirts that short in the early 70s. If the skirts weren’t short enough, I rolled them up after I left home. I weighed about 95 pounds so I could wear pretty much anything and still manage to not look the least bit provocative. When my D went through a short period of wearing short skirts, she wore bike shorts underneath them. The girls in the local private schools who wear uniforms are notorious for wearing them incredibly short, but they put gym shorts on underneath. Most of the private school uniforms already look ridiculous.</p>
<p>A and F went out of business where I live a couple of years ago, after being very popular among the rich kids who liked to wear clothes with labels.</p>
<p>Doesn’t anyone remember the lawsuits against them in 2003 and 2004 for racial discrimination (all their models were WASP) and for the pre-teen sexually explicit advertising?</p>
<p>I wish I hadn’t read the outfit descriptions. Can’t get the word “boytank” out of my head. Disturbing.</p>
<p>I always work shorts under my skirts & dresses in middle school & only wore slacks/pants/jeans in HS. Was more practical for sitting on the ground and all the sports I participated in and refereed. I acquired a figure and curves when I was about 12/13 and spent much of the next many years trying to hide it. </p>
<p>Our neighbor works for A&F as a manager. He’s a young, handsome athletic blond (like many of their ads). I think it’s insane that he has to STAND the entire time he works & that there are images sent back to national HQ regularly via their security cameras, even in the back & storage rooms. Must have a lot of employee theft.</p>
<p>anyone care for the NYC’s own public radio’s take on the issue?
[The</a> Brian Lehrer Show: Back to School Fashion Issues - WNYC](<a href=“http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2011/sep/08/back-school-fashion-issues/]The”>http://www.wnyc.org/shows/bl/2011/sep/08/back-school-fashion-issues/)</p>
<p>thumper, you forgot to fix my grammar!!
if you must call on me, at least be bit helpful, no?
I am glad it made your day, LOL please do. that would make my night :p</p>
<p>HI mom
at 5th ave flagship store few summers ago, six packs bare topped models/ sales were planted as “attractions”
I had an out of town visitor who went up to touch his chest ( that is about the reason why he was there)</p>
<p>I would like to talk to your friend, what else is new?</p>
<p>Here on Long Island, in both my hometown and the school district I work in, Abercrombie is pretty commonplace. It is worn by the wealty and not so wealthy kids since most of the clothing goes on sale pretty regularly and you can get shirts in the $10 to $15 range pretty easily.</p>
<p>In terms of the appropriateness, it all comes down to the body type of the wearer and fit. On the 14 year old model with incredibly long legs, the skirt is very short. Not so much on a short kid. If an older girl is developed and showing cleavage, the scoop neck can be revealing. If the child is flat, you wouldn’t glance at it again.</p>
<p>I have bought lots of nice outfits at Abercrombie over the years. My daughters learned to judge what fit them and what did not. What was appropritate and what was not.</p>
<p>Just this summer, I picked up adorable floral sun-dresses–same print, different colors–for $20/ each at grown up Abercrombie. (Reminded me of Laura Ashley dresses, actually.) I posed my 21 year old and 16 year old for pictures which brought back memories of matching sailor dresses when they were young.</p>