Peer pressure

Posted on October 18, 2007 by sylvied

converse.gif

When we arrived in France last year I was quite proud in the fact that at 9 my daughter did not know what a brand was. Brands never come in the equation when deciding for clothing….in fact quite the opposite. Colour, shape, quality for money yes but brands no.

I remember last year when Ananas had a friend who came over for a play. Kevin bought her some trainers, converse like 1/3 of the price of the “real thing”. She was very proud and showed them to her friend straight away.

” Cool! are they Converse?”

“No, trainers…” was the answer.

A year on, not only Ananas knows what Converse are and her dream is to own a pair.

The dream was materialised last week-end. On monday she went to school slightly more excited than usual…a girl with new shoes always looks so happy!( I am still guilty of that!).

When she came back I asked her if anybody commented on her shoes.

“No, everybody has them it is nothing special…”

At that point I cringed…

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12 Responses to “Peer pressure”

  1. baby, on October 19th, 2007 at 1:18 am Said:

    once, there is a time i really like converse. i remember my first pair is a pink converse, the old style ones. i like the pair so much that whenever my mom wants to take picture if we went for vacations, i always asked her to make sure that my shoe is snapped together in the picture. pink, converse, first pair… so cliche! ;)

    bonne nuit, sylvied! *calin et bisous*

  2. Daddypapersurfer, on October 19th, 2007 at 8:55 am Said:

    I am proud to say I’ve never heard of the brand.
    I’d hate to be a parent nowadays …….. well I am a parent, obviously, but with little or no influence over my little darlings. Actually, thinking about it, I never did………. bye

  3. Johnskibeat, on October 19th, 2007 at 4:18 pm Said:

    I’m wearing Converse. Just because they’re well-made and comfortable. But to kids fashion is a way to equal their peers. That’s important… and if you can trump them you’re king of the school! Money talks, unfortunately!

  4. 70steen, on October 19th, 2007 at 7:31 pm Said:

    Sylvie peer pressure is hell!! We have McKenzie track suit & K Swiss Trainers for PE. A must have was a pair of Ugg boots (I did put my foot down and it was a case of you want them then save up… and she did) almost everything has to have a ‘name’!!!! I resisted for years but it was a losing battle
    The problem is I can now hear my Mother speaking when I say no….eeek!!!

  5. sylvied, on October 19th, 2007 at 8:35 pm Said:

    Baby: ahahah…I take pictures of my best shoes now!
    DP: that is probably a good thing!
    Johnskibeat: I agree with you, I never noticed they were big in UK amongst kids but here I am not joking they all have them!
    70steen:say no more… I know there is plenty more where it comes from!

  6. Shinade, on October 20th, 2007 at 2:34 pm Said:

    Oh I know the feeling. Back in the 80’s a hundred years ago…lol…these jeans came out with bullet holes in them and they cost over $60 bucks a pair. I thought my mother would have a heart attack when I bought them for our youngest girl. Out of three girls we raised together only the youngest was name brand crazy….the other two were not. The youngest is now 33 and still has the same habit…everything she and her children wear are name brand and the latest craze…I have no clue how they afford it with three boys and a baby on the way.

  7. baby, on October 21st, 2007 at 10:05 pm Said:

    70steen, yup!! speaking of Ugg boots, winter is on the way, and i saw a very nice, comfy ugg boots in a shop. thought of buying it… doesnt it looks so comfy?? hmm… sylvied, now maybe this post has become fashion Q&A sections… ;)

    sylvied, show us the pic of the best shoe!! now, now! ;)

    *calin et bisous to all*

  8. sylvied, on October 21st, 2007 at 10:59 pm Said:

    Shinade: I think it is a desire to be “part of the norm” and accepted by our peers. I don’t ever remember being like that…which is good as I don’t think my parents would have agreed to it.
    Baby:UGGS..hum…I suffer from cold feet nearly all year round and these are so warm…I would not wear them on the beach like all those “it” girls no way!…

  9. 70steen, on October 21st, 2007 at 11:10 pm Said:

    Baby Uggs are sooooo comfy. They are fur lined on the insole … I want to look like this but no chance hee hee

    http://www.pegasusshoes.com/images/manufacturers/photos/Ugg.jpg

  10. baby, on October 22nd, 2007 at 8:51 am Said:

    sylvied, hmm… come and wear it over here! ;)

    70steen, now im thinking of buying it, at least 80% now… ;) the price is tremendously high here, €100 per pair. madness! :(

  11. JohnC, on October 23rd, 2007 at 4:09 am Said:

    :) My older son’s into Jean Francois Gerbeau…or whatever the line is. It’s ‘in’ with kids his age here in his school district.

    I remember when a pair of Vans, OPs (Ocean Pacific shorts), and a Hang Ten shirt was in. :)

  12. sylvied, on October 23rd, 2007 at 11:12 am Said:

    John C: It is funny to see different trends when you go abroad or even sometime in the same country!

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