Self-described “conservative blogger” Jenny Erikson with her daughters
Would you buy your nine-year-old daughter’s knickers from Victoria’s Secret?
Jenny Erikson would. She’s a mother and blogger who has made headlines after writing an article for a parenting website, saying she was fine with her daughter Hannah buying underwear from Victoria’s Secret as she enters her tween years.
And as nine-year-old Hannah rapidly grows out of her kiddie clothes and starts needing more grown-up undergarments – Jenny is happy to head to Victoria’s Secret with her.
From Victoria’s Secret younger Pink range of underwear
As the mom of a girl that is soon going to decide she doesn’t want cartoon characters on her underwear, and will be wearing a bra sooner rather than later, I’m going to have to figure out where we’re going to purchase them.It’ll probably be Victoria’s Secret — and I have no problem with that. I even like that fact that they are marketing toward a younger audience. What’s wrong with having fun, bright-colored underwear? Girls change all the time in front of each other — for sports or recreational activities that require it, at slumber parties or camp, for the school play … no one wants to be the girl with the ugly underwear.
Besides, they offer a high-quality product, knowledgeable salespeople, and cushy changing rooms with lighting that won’t make my girl even more freaked out about her changing body. And there’s something grown-up and special about shopping where the Big Girls shop, almost like being inducted into the Sisterhood, as cheesy as it sounds.
Justin Bieber peforming on the runway at the Victoria’s Secret parade in 2012
Victoria’s Secret as a rite of passage for tween girls?
Gulp.
While the company says it does not market to teenagers or tweens, their brightly coloured ‘Pink’ range is aimed at college students. And the princessy theatrics of the annual televised Victoria’s Secret parade – featuring the hottest popstars popular with young girls such as Justin Bieber and Rihanna and “Angels’ dressed in elaborate fairy wings – are clearly appealing to a young, female market.
Justin Bieber and dress-ups?
Uh-huh.
This morning on the Today show, Mia and Lisa Wilkinson debated this very topic with Ben Fordham on The Grill. And things got highly fiesty.
You can watch the video below:
At 0:31 Ben Forham asks if it’s okay for a 9-year-old to wear sexy underwear?
At 1:27 Mia asks: When did it become a good life goal to walk up and down a catwalk in front of the world in your underwear?
At 2:18 The team ask the question: Is Victoria’s Secret selling the promise of sex?
At 4:12 They discuss whether Victoria’s Secret models are role models?
For those not familiar with the way Victoria’s Secret markets to women, take a look:
Karlie Kloss 'representing Thanksgiving'Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Cameron Russell walks the runway during the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion ShowKarlie Kloss 'representing Thanksgiving'Alessandra AmbrosioVictoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Alessandra Ambrosio walks the runway wearing the Victoria's Secret's Million-Dollar Fantasy Bra during the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion ShowRihanna performing at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Victoria's Secret Angel Adriana Lima during the 2012 Victoria's Secret Fashion ShowVictoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Lily Aldridge and Bruno Mars at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Rihanna performs at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Alessandra Ambrosio and Miranda KerrAlessandra AmbrosioBackstage at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Justin Bieber at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Victoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeV361203Victoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeVictoria's Secret Pink rangeRihanna performs at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012Rihanna before her performance at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012
You can also check out our gallery of Victoria’s Secret Photoshop fails:
The shadow on her arm doesn't match up with her body shapeThe model's elbow and waist are exactly the same shape.Notice where the model's hand is touching her hip - the angle above the hand is different to below her handA super stretched torso and nether regionThose sure are some shiny thighsHmm, her leg bone isn't connected to her hip bone...This model's legs appear to be different sizes
Do you think it’s okay to buy Victoria’s Secret for tweens and teens?
Top Comments
Have any off you who are going on about how it's aimed at Sex even been into a VS shop? As someone who has just exited one in LA whilst on Holiday, you all have a warped view on this. Half the stuff in the shop is no different to Bra's n things or your local Big W underwear section. Yes they have sections that are aimed more at women, but so do Big W and other underwear shops. I'm appalled by so many narrow minded comments on here and as for the tv show hosts views, well I recall why I don't watch them on tele. For all using words like Skank and other derogatory names to name a female or attire she would wear, should be ashamed of yourself, did you not learn as a child of you have nothing nice to say keep your mouth closed? And last to add Lisa's view that it's for sex is also outdated, I wear my underwear to make myself feel good not for sex, stuck back in the 70's there love...
It's NOT just underwear. Even if you are taking her into VS to buy plain bras and undies, and there are plenty of ladies underwear shops and quality brands that you do not need to enter a V.S. store to buy, she is bombarded with images of what "pretty girls" should look like. According to V.S., pretty girls wear sexy thongs and thigh highs and prance around a very interested looking Justin Bieber. Another point is that many Tweens are allowed to shop with their friends at the mall. Their mothers would not even know they bought "skank wear" if that were the case, so please stop blaming mothers for allowing this to happen. We are not all as blasee about sexy images and provocative underwear for our little girls!