Or this an over-sexualised image advertising a girls top in the 6+ range?

[SydneyB]

This
DD is taller than average at age 5 and wears 6/7 clothes sometimes 8 - I know the age group for this particular range includes teens but even so I just feel that this image is just a little too much. AIBU?

M&S should know better tbh

Fatlazymummy - ummm, what do you mean by 'among other things'?

Agree with the op. It's provocative.

I think the problem is mainly the sheer laziness of making one item of clothing and pretending it's suitable for ages 5-16.

That vapid, hostile, half-stoned expression is practically mandatory on adult models and I agree it looks a bit disturbing on a child. Not sure it's sexualised as such though. Just a bit unpleasant

Yeah thats kind of what I thought Othehuge.
Really reminds me of the vile 80's stuff.
Mind you they did use very young models then. They wanted that unedeveloped look.

Ick it was nasteeee!

I think the picture is a bit porny and I wonder if the intention behind it is to appeal to very young girls who want to 'grow up' or seem older. That's a pretty dodgy marketing strategy IMO.

It's the way the model who is probably at least 17 is standing and the expression on her face and her hand about to remove the shoulder of the top from her own.

I agree with Chubfuddler. It's not what the child in the OP is wearing, it's the way she is wearing it.

Provocative is the key word here.

YANB U OP - pouting, wide eyed, fingering the strap - I find it uncomfortable. Bad move M&S -am a mother of three girls and this has a really negative vibe for me.' Adds M&S to the ever growing list of no go girls clothes retailers'

Well, the largest size is 11-12 (though would fit a petite adult), so the pose does look more adult than the intended age range of what is otherwise a pretty boring sequin vest, but I wouldn't say it was over-sexualised.

Maybe she's just in a strop because she feels silly in gold sequins :o

I don't know if it's particularly sexual, but it certainly doesn't look right to me, makes me feel a little bit uncomfortable. As for the bikini, the whole idea of a bikini for babies is ridiculous to me. You wouldn't put a bra on a baby, so why a bikini top? The bottoms would be perfectly fine on their own IMO.

YABU.I seriously think you have a problem OP

It is hard when they are tall.

DD is just six and needs age 8 or 9 for height (she is in yr 1 and taller than all of yr 1 and 2)

I despair that the young girls stuff stops at age 5. From 4 DD has needed the older girls range at Next or M and S. Alot of stuff is plainly unsuitable.

I buy alot of american stuff (TK maxx often has it) or gymboree as the younger styles are in the bigger sizes. Plus some Boden.

I think the top would work for a younger child - DD has a pink boden tutu for parties with gold sequins around the bottom so it would match as a party outfit.

I wouldn't put her in it with leggings as she would look too old. The girl in the pic is a teenager and looks fine imo.

Agree the model has a "come hither" look. Lips slightly parted, smokey eye make-up, head back, tousled hair, holding her strap (is she going to slip it over her shoulder?) - how is this not mimicking an adult, more sexualised attitude?

Very odd (a) from M&S and (b) for a top which starts at age 5-6.

The OP wasn't asking about the top itself, which I think is fine (although probably wouldn't buy it for my DD).

I didn't expect to agree with the OP but I do. It isn't how I would like my child to look. The eyes, the slightly parted lips, the angle of the head, all just too grown up.

The top isn't the problem, it's the way it is being worn. I'd be furious if that was my daughter.

I think this is totally inappropriate marketing to a young age group.

I don't see 'come hither'. I see 'jaded' and a bit angsty, verging on Drew Barrymore before she went into rehab. The model is a little 'knowing' there is Attitude there that is not positive, not innocent not exactly 'little girl lost' but an image that makes me wonder if she cuts herself. If I didn't know she was modelling an outfit for children aged 6 to 14 or so I would think she was a petite model modeling clothing for the 18 to 22 set.

The style itself, with all the sequins, the attitude/pose would really put me off buying it for anyone younger. DD3 (13) would like it for school dances if they allowed bare shoulders. If she stood like that in it, staring at me without any sparkle in her eyes I would wonder if she was turning into her classmate S whose ambition for next year is to dye her hair blue and who has recently turned vegetarian.

Don't like it for all the reasons calatalie says and to me it is a provocative pose. If you want a "just standing there pose" then the girl in the black ribbed vest in the thumbnail below is doing that.

Love the bikini though