A couple months ago, I was in a clothing store looking for a pair of jeans when I saw a man shopping with his 12-year-old daughter. I assumed he was divorced because he wasn't wearing a wedding ring. His daughter went in to the dressing room and when she came out, she was wearing something that would have revealed her pubic hair if she had any. I just looked at him and said, "You have got to be kidding. Is this how you want boys to see your daughter?!" He didn't respond, and I walked away.
Another time, I was at the movies with my husband and I saw this really attractive, voluptuous 17-year-old girl who was the walking stereotype of a bombshell blonde. She was wearing pants that barely stayed above her waist and a tight shirt that dipped down just over her nipples and exposed her midriff. She was surrounded by about five boys who were chatting and laughing with her. My husband - who knows me far too well - whispered to me, "Please don't say anything," but I just couldn't resist. As we walked by, I stopped, got her attention, and said, "They are all talking to you because they think you're intelligent." Then I walked away.
There has been enough research to show that teenage girls who wear sexualized outfits are judged as less capable, competent, determined, and intelligent than girls who dress modestly. Men in particular look down on them because they see them as sex objects.
Furthermore, girls who dress like sluts have lower self-esteem. By objectifying their bodies and monitoring themselves in terms of how they look, these girls increase their risk of becoming depressed and/or developing eating disorders.
The reason why teen girls want to dress this way is two-fold. First, kids face a great deal of pressure to fit in. As a result, they take cues from pop culture on how to dress "cool." Secondly, there isn't a whole lot of parenting going on these days. A lot of parents are too busy with their love lives or work lives to give a damn about their kids.
Personally, I agree with the more religious notion that "modest is hottest." I also believe you should only send your kids to schools that have a dress code. That way they are always wearing the same boring outfit, and it's all about what's on the inside that matters.
So, the next time you take your daughter shopping, tell her to go pick out three outfits, and then have her show them to you so you can give her the final "yes" or "no." By doing this, she'll get something that both she likes and you approve.
And while you're shopping, remember this: No guy is going to turn down a girl who's presenting herself as a whore.
