Young girls wearing cropped t shirts

I fall around here too. I don't mind a bit of a crop, esp if a t'shirt or something long sleeved, dd wants them and she does look lovely in them... but I don't like it as I feel I have to police which ones are 'ok' and which not, what she wears it with etc. I do feel they are 'too much' with any low waisted bottom half, and I've vetoed t'shirts too short and tight.

I don't like seeing young kids in the tiny sports type ones, I try not to judge but it doesn't look right to me and others certainly do judge. Dd doesn't understand all the ins and outs of the loadedness of what one wears yet, so she needs a bit of help with that yet imo.

Teenage years will be interesting...!

This is 100% correct.

Any mum who has had a boy first and then a girl encounters the first winter and discovers that girls clothes and thinner and smaller. Even basics like joggers, a baby boys joggers are thicker and warmer, girls joggers are usually much thinner and there are less options, thin leggings or tights are widely available.

I hate this look on kids (and on teen girls too tbh). Ditto skimpy little shorts for girls.
Boys clothes are so much more practical and sensibly sized.
Anyone saying "well cropped tops arent sexy on young girls, what is sexy about a midriff" are being incredibly naive imho. Of course they are. Not to sensible, normal people obviously - but to creepy peado types, weirdo adults (mostly male) that dress up as children and autogynophiles they are.

This is the best comment I’ve seen today.

Yeah, it’s the fashion right now and if my 8 year old desperately wanted one I’d probably let her have it but I do feel slightly uncomfortable about it. It’s the start of girls getting the message that one of the differences between ‘boys clothes’ and ‘girls clothes’ is how much of your body they cover and the expectation is that for girls it’s less.

I hate it now and I hated it when I was a girl in the late 80s

How grim.

There's is t much diversity in girls clothing- lots of short cropped or straight up and down- they really only cater to 'whippet' girls, finding tops with a relaxed fit is much more of an effort- it bit made out of that cheap bloody clingy material.

The fashion seems to be to wear them with carpenter jeans/ baggy jeans and trainers/ sliders so I think it kind of balances out. Also the crop fashion is kind of loose cropped which I think looks ok really.

Drives me nuts. “Fashion” is pushed at such a young age. There will be split views on this but I’m firmly in the the “no crop top, no bikini on little kids” camp.

Yeah but we are talking chaps and gimp suit not clothes that are short about the tummy

I’d be fine with it if ‘boys’ clothes sold by retailers had similar fabric and practicality as ‘girls’ clothes, and as many boys ‘chose’ to wear crop tops as girls.

I think there are things that toddlers and little girls can wear that would be inappropriate.

I used to feel this way too, but now my oldest DD is 8 and loves oversized cropped tees and very short shorts. TBH I just think it's cute. She doesn't have any concept of sexy yet, it's just fashion to her. It's no more indecent than young boys around here (we live in a lakeside community), who are predominantly shirtless all summer long!

It’s to do with the difference in forks and boys clothes.
If a crop top os cooler in warm weather then why not for boys.

Toddlers and little girls can wear anything and if you think it’s inappropriate perhaps a little introspection is needed.

Where does it end though - would you let your child wear a mini skirt? Dress a toddler in a crop top? What age does it become appropriate/inappropriate?

I wore crop tops on the 80’s and 90’s and a child. It’s not a teenager thing. If anyone is sexualising children it’s the people saying a crop top on an 8yo is sexual.

Only issue with crop tops is the cold

My dd wears cropped tops with leggings in sports fabrics / styles. She’s 8. I wasn’t very keen, but she’s a gymnast and wears far less in competitions so it felt like less of an issue (leaving aside the rights and wrongs of gymnastics leotards).

When I was her age, I already hated my body (my mum had an eating disorder) and I would never have worn a crop top. In a way, I’m relieved that my DD doesn’t have the same hang ups and feels comfortable enough in her own skin to wear what she likes.

I agree that too many girls' clothes are inappropriately adult (or otherwise just not giving off a great message with the twee slogans... quite often both together).

I don't think a mildly cropped T-shirt is a problem though personally, it's just a style, and can be cooler (as in temperature).

Unless the wording or style on the top or set is also otherwise age-inappropriate.

Why is it fashion for young girls?

And why not for boys?

Compare Olympic sport uniforms for men and women. There is a huge difference. It’s certainly not for freedom of movement as then surely then mens would be similar.

All part of the same problem imo.

My goodness this gets asked all the time. It’s fashion atm and a lot of girls dance so that is the dance uniform so to speak. There are equally the same number of oversized t shirts around as that’s fashion also. Yawn yawn.

Amendment
I typed ‘tacky’ and phone chose ‘unflattering’!!!

I generally hate clothes shopping for reasons like this. I find the fit and style of a lot of female clothes, including t-shirts awful and there is a complete lack of choice if you don't like the style.

I buy older boys or extra small mens shirts as i like the fit, colours and styles better. I struggle finding work trousers I like because female fashion doesn't cater for my body shape or style/colour preference and would prefer access to clothes usually sized for men, which could be for women if they wished but arent made small enough. Again, often resorting to older boys school wear trousers etc as the closest alternative.

I don't knock what's put there though but I did vote YANBU as I don't conform to common fashion styles nor the usual choices many follow which means I completely understand the ops frustration, maybe for slightly different reasons though.

Your question is very loaded! I do not think it's appropriate for a little girl to dress like a teenager. But I don't necessarily think a cropped t-shirt is dressing like a teenager. It depends on lots of variables such as how cropped the t-shirt is, the material. Any logo/printed design.

Personally I do not and have never dressed my 9 year old in cropped tops as I don't like the look of the fashion. I have never found it a problem finding non cropped tops either. Shops I go in seem to have both.

If my daughter asked for a cropped top I would consider it. But it would depend on the style of the particular one she wanted.

Personally I am more worried about my daughter becoming a teen and wearing them, showing off a womanly figure 🫣