Were you one of the lucky ones who got to rock out this summer at Katy Perry’s ‘California Dream’ concert?
It was fun, techno-advanced, unmitigated, fun. Even parents got into the act–I saw a lot of middle-aged moms wearing electric blue Smurf wigs. Cupcake bras abounded.
So, I have to ask: Have we lost our sense of propriety? Or, have we just advanced to a new age of openness in the 21st century?
Shooting whipped cream from breasts? On one hand, er, um boob, it’s hilarious. On another–is tasteless the new “funny”? What lessons does this teach impressionable teenagers when making selections for their own teen apparel wardrobes?
Does your thong have to show out of your jeans to be “in”? How much cleavage,if any, should you show at school? How short is too short for a mini? What was Lady Gaga really saying when she wore that meat dress? Do girls/women/teens really want to be treated as a package of meat? Should today’s mom just accept everything that’s fashionable when advising her teen daughter about teen apparel?
Today’s teen girls are wickedly smart due to media reach. They are exposed to so much, good, bad and ugly, beyond their years. Parental controls notwithstanding, media will always win in the end.
So we have to change the media. Start with a history lesson. Remember Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan? If not, check out Wikipedia. They fought for respect of the female as a person not as a Barbie doll or a piece of meat.
We also have to continue serious efforts to have open discussions with our teen daughters about not yielding to peer pressure, not accepting the media’s constant representation of beauty as the only way to look. We need to encourage our girls to discover that their unique personal qualities will stand for so much more when it really counts in the tally of human values and qualities.
You wouldn’t necessarily know that by looking at today’s pop culture as reflected in teen apparel.
Taste and class belong in the class-room. Teen apparel and trendy teen clothing can live with this and still be hip.
Building teen girl self-esteem is a tremendous part of this endeavor. Geek chic teen apparel may be ‘counter-revolutionary’ but it illustrates the point well. Teen apparel can-and should- incorporate fashion trends within boundaries.
We need to inspire our girls to reach their own unique potential in the real world. Not an over-sexed world viewed exclusively through blinged up electric blue lenses.
Teen apparel designers, R U listening?
We need to establish a clear divide between Hollywood and reality. Teen apparel can be hip and tasteful. Geek chic is not the only way to do it.
For more about helping girls find their voices and expressing themselves in teen fashion click on the link!
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