POLOKWANE – I recently took a stroll around the shops, not really looking for something to buy, I was merely browsing, and something that really bugged me caught my attention.
Have you seen the clothing that is in stock in big department stores for young girls aged seven to 14?
My word, could those tops be any more cropped than they already are? I don’t know, maybe I’m just old school in my thinking and maybe I’m still stuck on the fact that when I was in that age category, I was wearing T- shirts (and by T-shirts I mean normal T-shirts not tight, fitted T-shirts) and jeans and dresses that weren’t super short or tight.
I walked around the girls’ department and all I saw were crop tops, short shorts and dresses that I surely wouldn’t want my non-existent seven-year-old daughter to wear. I’m not saying young girls can’t be fashionable, we should allow them to express themselves but in a short shorts and crop top and you’re in Gr 5? Okay then!
And you know what’s funny, those items of clothing are so expensive that you end up questioning how such little material can cost so much!
And then I look at the boys department and I see shirts, jeans and T-shirts that look like dresses and I say to myself, okay but these items are for the same age category but the items are complete?
Like I said, maybe I’m just old school in my thinking but let young girls be young girls. Then again, I think to myself, this is a different generation to you. They are growing up in a different time with different influences and Instagram.
What’s even funnier is how these young girls can catfish you in the mall! For those that don’t know, when you are catfished, it basically means you’re deceived by someone else and boy oh boy believe me when I say those girls are 12 but they look 16.
Next time you’re at the mall on a Saturday when the young ones descend on the mall for time out with friends, you’ll see what I’m talking about. You can look at one of these kids and think, she looks about 15 or 16 and then you find out she’s actually 12 or 13. I actually feel defeated because I think to myself, this young girl’s face is contoured better than my own face.
Where’s your glitter eyeshadow? Why haven’t you gone through the struggle like I had to, I didn’t have YouTube tutorials to show me how to do my make up and hair.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying dress like a grandma and cover yourself but also, dress your age, there is plenty of time to still explore what fashion is and what is appropriate for your age.
Raeesa Kimmie
