Thoughts I Have While Shopping with my Daughters

I have three daughters who are currently ages 10, 12, and 15. With back to school right around the corner (or already happening for my oldest), the task of back to school shopping has become unavoidable. But, gone are the days of strolling through seas of pink and ruffles; gone are the days when I alone decided what my children would wear; and, gone are the days when the clothes I purchased qualified as "adorable" or "precious." Nowadays, I'm just trying to find clothes that cover the essential body parts, that my daughters actually like, and that will not make me want to eject my own eyeballs as I watch my girls walk out the door each day. 

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I am well aware that there have been plenty of articles and blog posts about the discrepancies between boys' and girls' clothing and the lamentations of frustrated parents. (Like this one or this one or this one.) Well, I'm jumping on that bandwagon in order to get a few things off my chest about it. This blog post, however, will not be filled with research statistics or photographs comparing clothes. Instead, I am simply sharing a few of the things that run through my mind (and, occasionally spill out of my mouth) while I am walking through stores with my daughters. Ultimately, I just hope that, someday, designers and retailers will get a clue, understand how frustrating it is for parents and kids, and maybe start providing more appropriate clothing options.

• You could just go swimming in your underwear. It would cover up more than that bathing suit does and probably be a lot less expensive.
• Cute shirt. Where is the rest of it? 
• Cute shorts - if you were 4 years old.
• Won't those give you a perpetual wedgie??
• Why would you even make a size 00?? Just go back to the girl's department if you're that small.
• Aw, I miss the little girls' department with all those cute little dresses and bloomers! 
• I know you wore a size 3 in those other shorts, but these are a different brand so you have to try them on. (Because, obviously, it would be way too much trouble for manufacturers to come up with some standardized sizing system so that you could wear the same size in all brands!!!!!😡)
• OMG!! Why would they put THAT saying on a shirt for KIDS!?!?!
• Does {Insert store/brand} not realize how much money they could make if they just made clothes that were not so ridiculous?? Seriously! They could make a freakin' fortune on shorts that were a couple inches longer. 
• What is that color called -"puke?"
• I wonder if the the people who make these clothes actually have any daughters? Would they let their kids wear this crap!?!?!?
• If one of your teachers calls me to school because these shorts are not "fingertip length," I swear I'm going to make them take you shopping! 
• If your grandmother was here she would tell you that they wore jeans with holes in them because they couldn't always afford to buy new ones when the old ones got torn and she would roll over in her grave if I paid good money for pre-ripped ones!! 😱
• Good grief! When did I turn into my mother?!?! and grandmother?!?! 
• What kind of nut job thought it was a good idea to make shorts so short that the pockets hang out the bottom???
• I know I'm old and totally not cool, but I was always taught that your clothes were supposed to COVER your underwear, not make it a feature.
• You actually LIKE that?!? Are you kidding??
• God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change . . . . .
• And, of course . . . .

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What do you think about today's fashions for young girls??