Dont Let The "Cute" Thing Fool Ya

This is common find on apparel for children and young ladies (even not so young ladies) today. The implication is this: cute implies innocence or goodness, I'm cute, but don't let that fool you, i can also be pretty naughty (or not such a good kid). Well, with kids (we aquired this as a hand-me-down for our 5 year old) I do see the humor (and truth) in this. Everyone always tells you (well, this was the case with us anyway) that your kid is so cute and well behaved. Then you think - yeah, you don't go home with her! Funny, right? But my girl is growing up now and I was struck with the thought of what else this might convey. This can't be the implication intended by the 13, 17, 20, even 30 somethings. No, this isn't a simple statement of, hey my parents bought me this shirt to convey that at home I'm really a holy terror. This is more along the lines of personal reputation. This says, "I know I look cute (innocent), but really I can be quite naughty. When you apply this kind of phrase to a toddler, its funny. When you do the same to some of the ages listed above, well, not so funny really - when you think about it. But that's the problem nowadays I believe. We don't really think about it. We wear what is on the shelves at the clothing stores. We wear what our friends are wearing. -sorry, topic for another time, back on track-


My point (initially) here is this - I have had the opportunity to hear from a young person who is not at all alone in what was shared. This person is a kind and decent person, fairly good student, not a trouble maker, but is alone - feels cast out of circles at school and the like - and all because of this persons reputation for being "good." No one wants to be good anymore. Its cool to be bad, naughty, a little crazy and wild. So the image above shows the desired statement to fit in. It says, "no, I'm am bad, really, please let me fit in." When there's two things wrong with that. Of course, we shouldn't want to be bad, and we shouldn't strive to fit in (conform to this world). And we certainly shouldn't be apologizing for our seemingly innocent appearance or behavior, but rather the opposite.