Ok, Now I'm Boycotting...for real!

This is a post for those of you who are sick and tired of the anorexic models showing our young, impressionable girls what the world portrays to be the perfect body. It is for you mothers, grandmothers, step-mothers, aunts, sisters, and all women who have had it with stores catering to those stick figures they think we all should aspire to have.

Oh, how glad I am to have a blog to vent on. With my friends who are like-minded and will let me rant.

And rant I shall.

A few weeks ago, I went shopping with my almost-twelve-year-old woman-child. She is blessed to have a body that has sprouted early, as did her mother's (to my horror) when she was the same age. I have done my best to encourage her that her body is just the way God made it, and that other girls, deep down, envy her curves. That those self same stick-figure little girls will blossom in due time and may end up much "curvier" than she will ever be.

Back to my story.

We were shopping at all those teen faves. You know: Aeropostle, American Eagle, Old Navy, etc. Well, the one store that I have managed to avoid since her fashion awareness sprouted is Hollister. There is just something about that dark store, looking somewhat like a bar inside, with mannequins that are exposing a little too much fake skin for my taste.


So on that mall visit, she asked. I said no. She pleaded. I said no. No reason. "I am boycotting", I told her. "But WHY?", she so sweetly asked. "Because", I replied. Because I can. I'm the mom. Because I said. I vowed I would never say that to my kids when my mom said that to me for the 25, 000th time. So I just say, "Because." That way I keep my vow to myself.

Last week I weakened. We were with Grandma, and everyone was feeling all mushy and happy. It was holiday season---ho, ho, ho and joy to all who live. So I was feeling generous. And more open-minded. Once again, as we reached the Hollister store, she implored...."Pleeeaasse...."

I was caught off-guard. I was wanting to grant my children's every wish. So I said those long-awaited words: "Ok, let's go check it out." Her beaming grin was my greatest reward.

So we entered the abyss and were immediately enveloped in darkness and a really yummy beachy cologne smell. As we felt our way around the racks, we came to the female section. Notice I did not say "Women's section". I guess I should call it the "Girls' section"

Princess was looking for a top. Just a cute top. To go with her Old Navy jeans. After all, you have to match fashion with fashion. No Wal-Mart with Hollister. That is a major faux-pas (or fox pass, as one of my friends says). So she finds a cute white top, complete with the Hollister logo. She holds up a size L. Now, mind you, she is not "large" by any stretch of the imagination, but that "L" looked "S" to me. Maybe even "XS". She tried it on, but it was too snug.

So my Princess walked over to the stick-figure employee putting those ridiculously priced jeans in their little cubbies. And my young woman-child very politely asked for that cute little top in a size XL. Then she came back to me and told me that it was not available in an XL and we left the store.

Then something hit me.

I walked back into the store.

Like a mad mamma bear.

And I asked that little stick-figure girl a question that I just HAD to ask:

"Excuse me, do you just not have THAT top in an XL, or do you not carry ANY tops in a size XL?"

And she informed me, very smugly, that Hollister does not carry tops for women in anything larger than a size L. That is really a size S. Or even an XS.

They are officially boycotted. And that's that.