[...] on Babble.com were furious with Abercrombie and Fitch new swimsuit line of padded tops for 8-14 yr olds, saying, [...]

[...] on Babble.com were furious with A&F, saying “The push up bras is, effectively, a sex tool and how is [...]

[...] parent on babble.com opines on the Abercrombie bikini issue: “When you’re shopping for a bikini, there’s [...]

[...] you’re disgusted by this marketing ploy, you’re not alone. Parent blog, Babble, [...]

[...] Babble, a popular parenting blog, echoed the widely held consensus: “Playing at sexy is an inevitable and important part of growing up. But there’s a difference between exploring these ideas on your own and having them sold to you in a children’s catalog. [...]

[...] · Abercrombie Thinks Your 7 Year Old Needs A Push Up Bra [Babble] [...]

[...] Just take a look at their landing page on their website.  They were recently bashed for selling push-up bikinis to 7-year-olds.  If your branded to catch the attention of the half-naked youth, aren’t you going to [...]

I like Peggy Orenstein’s theory: Abercrombie does this to piss parents off and gain cred with kids.

http://peggyorenstein.com/blog/more-from-the-oh-no-they-didnt-files

i too believe its wrong to try and put such young girls in this sort of thing and i certainly wont be putting my daughter in anything close to this but i must point out this article states that they think your 7yo needs a push up bra. It states at a SIZE 7 not AGE 7, this could be younger than 7 for some girls or older for others. I can tell u my 11 niece is only in a 7 now and all tho my sister would not let her wear this shes already stating to develop.

Grossly inappropriate, obscenely tacky, and wrong on Oh. So. Many. Levels. Where to begin?

Teaching young girls that they’re not good enough unless they have boobs? Ugh.
Teaching young girls that it’s a good idea to go outside barely covered up? Skin cancer anyone?
Teaching young girls that they’re not cool if they don’t cavort half-naked? Don’t get me started.
I don’t consider myself to be over the top conservative in attitudes toward clothing, but as a mum of three girls, is it too much to ask for normal, plain clothing? Plain t-shirts that don’t have “Hottie” emblazoned across the chest, or plain pants without logos across the bottom? Swimsuits which are more functional (and sun safe???) than fashionable? How long will it take parents to stop buying this rubbish, so that manufacturers and designers get the message – children aren’t adults!!!
I think I just threw up in my mouth a little.

Sarah’s right: Boycott is the one major tool we consumers have. That, and writing letters to Corporate to tell them that this kind of thing is inappropriate. Yet another reason I’m secretly relieved to have two boys at home. The only thing I have to worry about their clothes is to have them pigeon-holed as skater punks at age 5.

Ok, At the risk of infuriating everyone here…I agree that 7 years old is too early to wear something like this AND marketing a ‘push up’ is totally inappropriate HOWEVER..I have a 10 year old girl who has ‘breast buds’. She is self conscious. Pe.rsonally, I see nothing wrong with her wearing a small padded bikini top. I would allow her to wear one if the top was padded evenly around. It would ‘even out’ her shape and make her feel better about herself in this semi-awkward time. As parents I think we should be really aware of the the pester power of other kids their age too. I let my daughter go with the trends while not letting her look too ‘sexy’ (the trend being short layered skirts with high socks? I must admit I nearly died one morning when my daughter had the socks puled up to her thighs…I channeled my own mother and resisted the urge to say she looked like a hooker!) I’m thinking we as parents have to be careful how we REACT and be aware the the stronger we react might create a more rebellious child later.

P.S. While on the subject, please make sure your young girls and teenage girls try to avoid under-wire bras. I have heard that the wire acts like an antenna while using mobile phones.

Finally, PM commented above: “Anyone who would dress a little girl in something so skimpy is begging for her to be attacked” Really PM???

Sorry meant comment by ‘KP’ above…

The bikini thing is just the tip of the iceberg. Go on Abercrombie’s Web site and look at the “style” offerings for sizes 7-14 in Abercrombie girls. The skirts only go a couple of inches below the crotch and the white shorts are as narrow as a band-aid!! Yes, my 11-year-old is asking to wear shorts with no inseam … because this is what some purveyor of “style” has put out there, and other parents are disengaged/dumb enough to say OK to it.

Abercrombie Kids needs to redisign the entire top to make it age appropiate. Parents do not buy this item because its a terrible marketing ploy and invites pedophiles into your children’s lives. Really do they need any more help! This item should be strongly boycotted…children don’t need the lastest everything!

Girls in Europe don’t even use the bikini top till they start to develope, and we don’t have half of the pedophiles as you do in the States, simply because we see them as child and that’s what a normal person should see in a child, even if it is totally naked as we often see them all across Europe.

I feel a little differently. I have a daughter that is almost 13. She is very thin. She wears abercrombie clothes in small sizes. Most of the clothing is appropriate for her. She wants to dress her age. She is in no way ready for a push up bra bikini but the are some of her friends who are small like her that are developed and want to wear a bikini. Abercrombie kids sizes are from an 8-16, That fits most girls in middle school. My daughter will probably be shopping at abercrombie kids for years to come. So what about her. Will she be able to dress her age?