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Strollerderby
The Boyfriend Jean is for Toddlers?
They’re too young to actually have boyfriends, but your four-year-old daughters can now have a pair of boyfriend jeans!
Because you really want to think about a boy getting into your pre-schooler’s pants, right?
Yes, that was a little gendered. Which is the whole problem with these pants. Pointed out by Miriam over at Feministing, we were equally bemused by the news that the “boyfriend” jean has been sized down for little kids. Cut our girls’ jeans a little looser, and we’re on board as much for her comfort’s sake as for the chance to delay the skimpy look a little longer (forever, please?).
But whatever happened to calling them “loose fit” or something similarly related to cut rather than a description of the wearer? A more generous cut for girls and women alike has been a long time in coming, and for that we thank the Gap for thinking a little more comfort. How about we just leave it at the comfort level – and let her know she CAN be comfy?
A side note: equally disturbing are the boyfriend pillows marketed to little girls - like this one emblazoned with the Disney princesses. Does a four-year-old need to think about cuddling with her boyfriend?
Images: Gap/Amazon
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10 Comments
PlumbLucky commented on Oct 06 09 at 12:32 pmI always assumed that wearing boyfriend jeans was akin to wearing your boyfriend’s jeans (though they were yours), but hey. Lets just say screw it and go back to loose fit.
And apparently, the boyfriend reference with that pillow is NOT well known. Suffice it to say, my brother had GREAT fun with his homophobic roommate (they didn’t get along at all on any fronts)during his freshman year of college. Said roommate had a “boyfriend” pillow.
jenny tries too hard commented on Oct 06 09 at 12:38 pmMy daughter has a similar. The package didn’t call it a boyfriend pillow, it was a “reading pillow”. The boyfriend fit thing is a little creepy in my opinion…why not loose, or relaxed fit, or anti-muffin-top fit. Bagel fit?
jenny tries too hard commented on Oct 06 09 at 12:39 pmer, my daughter has a similar pillow…
baconsmom commented on Oct 06 09 at 12:49 pmConsidering that girls’ jeans are already gendered – they are not as durable as boys’ styles – this doesn’t surprise me in the least.
And I’ve never heard/seen those pillows referred to as “boyfriend” pillows before. Reading pillows, or as I call them, chair pillows, but not “boyfriend” pillows. I think that may be a regionalism.
Kikiriki commented on Oct 06 09 at 12:58 pmI always knew those pillows as ‘lazy husbands.’ But I guess THAT wouldn’t be appropriate for little girls, either!
Bec commented on Oct 06 09 at 3:51 pmI’d never seen those cushions labelled ‘boyfriend’ anything. But I do think the boyfriend jeans thing is dumb.
jeannesager commented on Oct 06 09 at 3:53 pmFor you guys wondering about the boyfriend cushion – if you click on the link, it will take you straight to the description. Baconsmom – not sure if it’s a regionalism. I know I’ve heard it a lot in NY, but these are being sold online.
Manjari commented on Oct 06 09 at 7:55 pmI’ve always known them as “husband pillows.”
Mistress_Scorpio commented on Oct 06 09 at 11:09 pmI’ve only seen them advertised as reading pillows.
Mnady commented on Mar 10 12 at 5:45 amI never knew the name for these other than maybe “pillow w/ arms” until I heard someone call it a “husband pillow” so since then I’ve called it a husband pillow. I guess it’s better than “boyfriend pillow”
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