Abercrombie Kids recently released their summer line which included padded swimsuits for seven to eight year old girls. Yes, you read correctly. PADDED SWIMSUITS FOR SEVEN TO EIGHT YEAR OLD GIRLS. And the padding is not thin. Apparently, it’s the same amount as Victoria’s Secret uses in their swimsuits, which, for the record, are for adults… or at least girls whose age is more than one digit.

I can just picture the designer having this miraculous breakthrough. “Why haven’t we thought of this before! Eight year olds must have swimsuits that make them look like they’re 28!” How could anyone think this is okay? Can you imagine seeing a second grader walking around with a padded bikini? She would look like an idiot. Rather, her parent would look like an idiot for buying it for her.

However, society hasn’t completely failed us. Many parents are disgusted by these swimsuits and are demanding the company to take them off the shelves. Newspapers, magazines, radio programs, television shows and blogs everywhere are discussing this travesty. Abercrombie, however, is not folding.

A similar crisis occurred last year when Abercrombie Kids introduced skinny jeans in their lines for such young kids. Parents, understandably, freaked out but that was nothing compared to their reaction to the swimsuits. No one could understand why such young kids needed such tight jeans. Many people defended Abercrombie saying that the skinny jeans were fashionable. I don’t think you can make the same argument for the padded swimsuits.

I definitely don’t expect Abercrombie to take the swimsuits off the market. Thinking from Abercrombie’s point of view, the swimsuits are probably a smart business move, which is a whole other problem. Young girls will definitely want the swimsuits because they will want to seem older and although many parents oppose the swimsuits, many more parents do not and will buy their children the swimsuits.

Kids will want to wear these swimsuits because the media tells them that that is what is cool. Society, friends, and boys all contribute to the girls’ desire to look older. So really, parents should not be so upset with Abercrombie. They are just capitalizing on society’s flaws. And really, if they didn’t do it one of their competitors probably would have.

I predict that Abercrombie will start a trend with these swimsuits. Soon enough American Eagle, Limited Too, and the Baby Gap will introduce padded swimsuits in their lines. I can’t wait to see toddlers being carried around with unusually placed baby fat, if you know what I mean.

While I don’t think I will ever approve of the swimsuits, I don’t think Abercrombie should be blamed…we should.