How Teens Are Being Pressured Into Looking More Provocative
It̵7;s the complaint of every generation: what the young people are wearing. The provocative look is always in, unfortunately, though what counts as provocative may change over time. Today̵7;s female teenagers, likely to be decked out in tiny skirts, low-slung jeans or flimsy camisoles with visible bra straps, sometimes look years older than their age. And they may also have started shaving their legs, plucking their eyebrows and sporting heavy makeup while still in elementary school. Taking a look at how teens are pressured into looking more provocative can help parents put some preventative measures in place.
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Peer Pressure
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Teens face pressure from peers, male and female, to dress provocatively. Female middle school students more often dress to impress one another, while high school students may be more interested in attracting attention from male peers. Teens who may not be explicitly interested in provocative dress may find themselves donning low-cut shirts or backless dresses in the hopes of looking like everyone else, especially when wearing baggy jeans or loose-fitting shirts may attract teasing or exclusion from a group of friends.
Media Influence
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Pop culture has become more pervasive as technology expands its reach. Families may not have cable TV, but teens still shop in stores that blast music videos from suspended flat screens. Teens don̵7;t necessarily need a magazine subscription to see scantily clad celebrities on the covers of magazines in line at the grocery store. Online access, at home or on smartphones, also brings in troves of streaming content featuring provocatively dressed stars and athletes. When provocative dress becomes the norm, or seems to be the norm, it̵7;s harder for teens to resist the pressure to dress similarly.
Parent Modeling
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Parents, and especially mothers, may also be unwittingly contributing to the pressure teens feel to dress provocatively, says Dr. Joanne Stern, Ph.D., a psychotherapist writing for Psychology Today. Mothers sometimes use shopping trips or mani-pedi dates to bond with their daughters, purchasing sexy clothing along the way. And moms may dress provocatively themselves, setting an example that observant daughters are quick to adopt. Parents who compliment teens who are dressed to the nines, or ̶0;like̶1; their provocative photos on social networking sites, may be reinforcing those norms.
̶0;Sexting̶1;
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Many teens rely on cell phones for constant communication with friends. As texting becomes ubiquitous, some teens send provocative photos of themselves to other friends or romantic interests in the hopes of attracting attention. There can be an escalation of provocation as teens attempt to keep up with peers sending ever-sexier photos.
Advice
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Parents can take steps to help teens avoid pressure to dress more provocatively. If a teen seems unlikely to take her parents̵7; fashion advice, consider sending her on a shopping trip with a fashionable aunt who can help pick out attractive, socially acceptable clothing options. Discuss ad campaigns or magazine covers that feature provocatively dressed teens. Parents might share their own experiences with feeling pressure to dress a certain way to help their teen know she is not alone.
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Adults might be familiar with a teen loitering scene at a gasoline station, public park or playground. Teenagers might be milling around talking, listening to music, smoking or drinking alcohol. Some people are intimidated by such a scene, and store