# How could she let her dress like that? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 11, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947 "2005-07-11T05:19:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/1 "2005-07-11T05:19:17Z")
Hubby and I went out for pizza tonight, and a girl passed our table wearing an outfit that was definitely a bit much. Not only was she wearing the lowcut skintight jeans with her lavender satin thong displayed to best advantage, but she had a halter top that was slit between her boobs so that it gapped nearly to hear waist. What got us most was that she couldn’t have been a day over 13 – and she was there with her mother! How can any responsible parent allow their daughter to dress so totally like a hooker? The girl was so young she barely had boobs, although she did have hips already – but her near-booblessness was obviously due to her young age, not to any future lack thereof. I realize that the fashions these days are often similar to hooker wannabes, but this girl’s clothes crossed that invisible line from “Does she?” to “How much does she charge?” ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/2 "2005-07-11T05:24:19Z")
> [@Mama Tiger](#): > > How can any responsible parent allow their daughter to dress so totally like a hooker? Maybe she is in training to take over the family business? At least, that’s the first thing I think of when I see someone like you described. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/3 "2005-07-11T05:34:19Z")
You obviously have never had teenagers. 😃 Lemme tell YOU something. Kids wear what they wanna wear, and damned be the parental unit/s who tells them otherwise. They will wear skimpy tops in the middle of winter (girls) and sloppy jeans that hang half-way down their arses (boys). They will wear Ugg boots in summer (that make their feet stinky) and thongs\* in the middle of winter, because it’s _COOL_ mum. And 13 yr olds will wear whatever the magazines tell them to wear. Ain’t nuffink to do with the parents. \*Thongs in Australia mean those rubber flip-floppy things you bung on yer’ feet to go down the beach, not the things you stick up yer’ posterior cleavage. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/4 "2005-07-11T05:38:36Z")
I’ve had two teenagers, actually, both of whom I allowed to live to maturity, so that’s exactly why I’m so appalled. You can call 'em knickers, thongs, or butt floss, but there was no way I would have _ever_ taken my daughter out in public with me dressed like that. No matter how much she wanted to. (Which, thank Og, she didn’t.) You can’t tell me that a parent can’t set some limits, i.e. you want me to pay for your pizza, I get veto power over your wardrobe. ---
**Author:** ![Rhubarb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/59ef9b/32.png) [@Rhubarb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhubarb)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/5 "2005-07-11T05:45:47Z")
> [@Mama Tiger](#): > > You can’t tell me that a parent can’t set some limits, i.e. you want me to pay for your pizza, I get veto power over your wardrobe. Sometimes that even works, too. 😛 (Fateher of 18 & 20 yo daughters) Maybe this girl had a higher calling, a mission in life, if you will. From [Despair.com](http://Despair.com), > [@](#): > > Have you ever considered that your purpose in life is to serve as a warning to others? ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/6 "2005-07-11T05:51:43Z")
I feel so lucky that my 16 year old prefers baggy jeans and t-shirts. Oh, and her cat ears. She _never_ leaves home without her cat ears. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/7 "2005-07-11T05:52:06Z")
Maybe she felt like wearing **whatever she felt like wearing**? Maybe her mom wanted her to **think for herself**? Jeez! There’d be novel concept… ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/8 "2005-07-11T05:57:13Z")
I guess I also have to wonder where a 13-year-old got the money to buy hooker clothes (unless she’s earning it per her appearance, of course). Because again, if I were the mom and my daughter at that age wanted to buy those clothes, I don’t care how much she wanted to wear them, I’d have veto power. I clearly remember my parents exercising veto power over my wardrobe when I wanted to wear miniskirts that showed everything clear up to my hooha, and looking back I don’t really blame them. I guess I just think 13 is too young to let a kid exercise _that_ much poor judgment. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/9 "2005-07-11T06:17:23Z")
I have this same issue (from a different perspective) as the mom of two boys, 18 and 17. I’m _appalled_ at the attire which certain of their “friend-girls” wear over here to visit in. I’ve taken several of them aside and said “Hey there chick-a-poo, if I wanted to see all THAT boobage I’d go look in the mirror - put some clothes on next time you come by here”. Sheesh. Next I guess I’m gonna have to get some humoungous ugly-ass shirt and use it when these half dressed chicks come by. “hey - YOU’re under-dressed. PUT THIS ON OR GO HOME”. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/10 "2005-07-11T06:21:58Z")
> [@if6was9](#): > > Maybe she felt like wearing **whatever she felt like wearing**? Maybe her mom wanted her to **think for herself**? Jeez! There’d be novel concept… Since when is dressing like a whore thinking for yourself? ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/11 "2005-07-11T07:00:37Z")
Obviously the girl’s a member of FSA: Future Stripper’s of America. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/12 "2005-07-11T07:36:34Z")
This father will have a stern conversation with his ex and my daughter if I ever see the daughter (while she is still a minor) dressing like a ho. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/13 "2005-07-11T08:00:16Z")
> [@Silentgoldfish](#): > > Since when is dressing like a whore thinking for yourself? Probably when she woke up and said to herself, “Today, I shall dress like a whore”. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/14 "2005-07-11T08:06:51Z")
> [@if6was9](#): > > Maybe she felt like wearing **whatever she felt like wearing**? Maybe her mom wanted her to **think for herself**? Jeez! There’d be novel concept… Yeah because as we all know, when young women dress like whores it’s “only for themselves.” They’re “not dressing for anyone else.” They’re not \*at all \* dressing skanky so that men will stare at them… ewwwww that’s creeepy! They do it only because it’s “makes them feel good and they like it.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Lucretia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/13edae/32.png) [@Lucretia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucretia)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 9:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/15 "2005-07-11T09:20:19Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > You obviously have never had teenagers. 😃 > > Lemme tell YOU something. Kids wear what they wanna wear, and damned be the parental unit/s who tells them otherwise. > And 13 yr olds will wear whatever the magazines tell them to wear. Ain’t nuffink to do with the parents. Erm, not so much. I am the current owner of two teenage girls, 16 and 13, and there ain’t no way they’re dressing like streetwalkers so long as I have anything to say about it. And I do, and they don’t. First of all, as **Mama Tiger** said, when we go clothes shopping, it’s _my_ money we’re using, so I get final veto power over what gets bought and what doesn’t. Second, even when they use their money, I am still a proper parent, and am able to say “No, you will not dress like that.” and make it stick. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/16 "2005-07-11T10:40:38Z")
Exactly–and the time to instill some taste into her is long past. This isn’t some battle that just appears on your doorstep–I had a running dialogue with my daughter about choices etc–from behavior to clothes. She does have a few low cut jeans–but not Brittany Spears low cut. Lord knows she doesn’t dress like a nun, but she also doesn’t dress like a streetwalker. There is some wiggle room between the two! IMO, many, many 13 y/o’s are given too much say in what they can wear and do. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/17 "2005-07-11T12:22:16Z")
> [@if6was9](#): > > Maybe she felt like wearing **whatever she felt like wearing**? Maybe her mom wanted her to **think for herself**? Jeez! There’d be novel concept… What I find to be novel about your concept is how those two things are completely unrelated. My daughter will be able to think for herself as much as she wants, but wearing what she wants to wear stops at “hooker.” Heck, the day she tries to go out dressed like that is the day she finds all of her clothes replaced with baggy sweaters and jeans. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ea5d25/32.png) [@Happy\_Scrappy\_Hero\_Pup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Scrappy_Hero_Pup)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/18 "2005-07-11T12:49:03Z")
> [@if6was9](#): > > Maybe she felt like wearing whatever she felt like wearing? Maybe her mom wanted her to think for herself? Jeez! There’d be novel concept… In \*\*if6was9’\*\*s defense, and according to the narrowest definition of the term, the decision to be just like everybody else or the decision to ape the latest media tart is, strictly speaking, one’s OWN decision. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/19 "2005-07-11T12:52:48Z")
As the owner of two teenaged daughters, I’m gonna have to side with the OP on this one. Now, my oldest daughter, who is 18, _frequently_ wears outfits out of the house that I would prefer she didn’t wear. They’re trashy looking, or ill-fitting or both. _But_ if she’s going out in public with _me_, and lunching on my dime, she’ll damn well wear something that I consider suitable to wear out in public. My 14-year-old is a _lovely_ young woman with the body of a 22-year-old, and when I take her clothes shopping, I often have to give advice on what is and is not appropriate for a girl her age to wear. I’ve never much tried to stop my girls from wearing something just because I don’t care for it. They are not only allowed, but encouraged, to develop their own sense of style. But if they look like hookers, they ain’t going out of the house with _me_! And don’t even get me started on the Mary Kate and Ashley hooker clothes currently available for my five-year-old daughter! :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2005, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947/20 "2005-07-11T12:56:37Z")
> [@Lucretia](#): > > Erm, not so much. I am the current owner of two teenage girls, 16 and 13, and there ain’t no way they’re dressing like streetwalkers so long as I have anything to say about it. And I do, and they don’t. > > First of all, as **Mama Tiger** said, when we go clothes shopping, it’s _my_ money we’re using, so I get final veto power over what gets bought and what doesn’t. > > Second, even when they use their money, I am still a proper parent, and am able to say “No, you will not dress like that.” and make it stick. Sure, you sound tough, but I don’t really see either of your daughters wanting to dres that way. And I know your youngest daughter is an angel, although I’m sure she’s not always perfect, but she’s a darned good kid. Apple not falling far from the tree and all that. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-could-she-let-her-dress-like-that/311947.md?page=2)