To find it creepy and odd that clothes for a 10 year old girl are marketed as a 'Lolita' range?

[Spero]

Just got the following for my daughter. I know it seems pretty trivial in light of other clear attacks on women across the world - but I do wonder if this kind of thing is an insidious example of the wider problem of world wide lack of respect and equal treatment for women.

[goodnightdarthvader1]

Yes, agree, completely unnecessary in light of the associations with the name. It just makes me think "this is designed to make your child look attractive to older men", particularly in the context of dance clothes (which I assume this is, based on the company name), where children are often wearing skintight / semi-revealing clothes.

[SaucyJack]

How monumentally tasteless.

[OfaFrenchmind2]

YANBU, that's awful.

[pocketsaviour]

Ewwww that is awful. Sternly worded complaint letter to the manufacturer?

[MephistophelesApprentice]

I'm pretty open minded, but that almost made me snort a biscuit fragment up my nose.

If nothing else, it's certainly a massive indication that many these days are lacking awareness of classic literature.

[specialsubject]

same here. This perpetuates 19th century attitudes. Write a seriously worded letter.

[TamaraLamara]

If nothing else, it's certainly a massive indication that many these days are lacking awareness of classic literature

Yep. I'd guess whichever halfwit came up with this knows that there's a 'young girl' connection to the word, but lacks a deeper knowledge of the precise implications.

[Spero]

Thanks, just checking reactions. I do love writing a sternly worded letter, but sometimes I worry I may be unreasonably keen.

Don't think I am with this one.

[Spero]

I think Tamara must be right - 'Lolita' has permeated our national consciousness as meaning 'sexy young girl', I bet vanishingly few have now read the book... but the Jeremy Irons film was within last 20 years.

But WHY should my 10 year old have to think of herself in any way as sexy or 'flexuous' (wtaf?) WHY are products marketed to her in this way?

She was on Amazon spending her birthday gift certificate. She was completely oblivious to what 'Lolita' meant but I will have to ask her what appealed to her about this top (its stretchy and lacey)

[ToastDemon]

That reminds me of a few years ago when Littlewoods had a "Lolita" bed for girls.
A bed ffs......
I think Tamara is right, someone is clearly making the mentally association with prepubescent/pubescent girls but not realising why the association exists. But for heavens's sake you'd have thought someone would have picked up on it before the name was finalised.

[OnlyLovers]

YANBU and do write them that stiff letter!

It's in appalling taste. Even if it's ignorance of the real connotations of the name then that is no excuse, IMO.

[M48294Y]

This one completely needs to go viral.

[Spero]

A bed? Bloody hell.

what next - the 'Uncle Peedo' range of macs?

A stern letter it is. I am sure it will have as much impact as all my other stern letters and be filed carefully in the bin.

Maybe I should put it out there on Twitter and see if anyone is interested.

[Oogle]

Grim.

The film Lolita has really stuck in my head - I found it deeply disturbing.

[Spero]

I have just tweeted but I don't tend to have a huge range. If anyone wants to retweet i am @SVPhilimore.

[MrsFrisbyMouse]

Lolita Fashion

It's moved beyond the book and become a fashion subculture in its own right. Think lots of pink and frills.

[MrsFrisbyMouse]

In fact there isn't necessarily even a link between the Lolita in the book and the Lolita Fashion stuff. Anyhow it's not necessarily a sexualised thing. More just a word used in fashion now to denote clothing designed for young girls.

Just an example of how we attribute meaning to certain words based on our own experiences.

[Spero]

that's really interesting!

I note ironically that the Lolita fashion appears to be a reaction AGAINST sexualisation:
The term Lolita is generally accepted to not be connected with Vladimir Nabokov's book Lolita. Wearers of Lolita argue that since the term originated in Japan, the unfortunate translation was lost by the creators, who wanted only to choose a cute name for a cute fashion. Lolita fashion is thought to have been partly created to react against the growing exposure of the body and skin in modern society. Adherents fight this with modesty, presenting themselves as "cute" or "elegant" rather than "sexy".

But this top is lacey and stretchy. I am not sure it is 'elegant' although I am sure my daughter thinks it's 'cute'.

[Spero]

so perhaps lack of literary awareness is a good thing here?

But interesting that immediate and majority reaction on this thread was 'ewwww' - because of Nabokov link.

[TrojanWhore]

Sorry, I know in the greater scale of things it's not remotely funny, but I did giggle at the parallel Humbert peedo macs.

(though I'd be tempted to call them a Uncle Ernie)

[RidersOnTheStorm]

Gothic Lolita clothing is nothing to do with the book.

DSis's DD (aged 24) wears it and is a huge fan.

[SakuraSakura]

YANBU

[Spero]

I would be interested to know what informed the choice of name for this particular top.

I am doubtful it was in homage to the Gothic Lolita fashions enjoyed by women in their 20s - because it is marketed in age ranges for 10 and under!