Fashion Forward

A friend of mine was startled to see this scene at a J.C. Penney in Illinois recently.

 

 

My first response:

It's just a belly button. NBD. But it's the lack of logic going on here that gets to me. If it's cold enough to wear a long-sleeved shirt, wouldn't it be too cold for a crop top?My friend:

It's not the belly button. It's the pants unbuttoned all the way.Oh good grief. How did I miss that? I may have to surrender my Mother of a Teenaged Girl card. Someone was clearly having fun with the mannequins, yes?

For a better Back-to-School fashion story, I suggest:

Middle School Students Push for Gender-Neutral Dress Code And Win

The best part of this story to me is the role the school principal played in encouraging students to create change within the system. Could that happen here in Howard County?

Finally, a request. Maybe, before next summer, someone should step up from CA and explain this crazy policy for their summer camps:

"Campers registered for camps that include swimming need to bring bathing suit and towel. All girls should have one piece or tank swimwear. Midriffs should not be visible."

A parent who has reached out to CA multiple times asking for an explanation hasn't really gotten a decent answer. She notes,

What's worse is that boys who use the CA pools can do so in their regular underwear (think Fruit of the Loom) and that is not considered inappropriate.

Fear of midriff is not a good look for CA. I hear they run great camps. Body-shaming girls should not be a part of the program.