I’m sure that the people who run the corporation that operates Libby Lu stores would object to my title for this post. Too bad. What else could you say about a store that slaps unnecessary makeup and shallow-minded accessories on little girls so that they can feel like their appearance is acceptable?

I learned about Club Libby Lu from a mother who stated that she left her daughter off at a birthday party for the girl’s friend; the party was being held at club Libby Lu. When the mom came back two hours later, the girls were holding a “fashion show” at which most of them “looked like whores.” The woman was aghast and suggested she never would’ve left her daughter at this store had she known that this was what they were going to do.

I happened to be at a big mall today (the St. Louis Galleria), assisting my wife to replace her broken cell phone. While walking through the mall, I noticed a “Libby Lu.” I was carrying my camera with me and I decided to take a closer look.

I couldn’t help but notice that the store was rather crowded with young girls (aged 7 through 11) along with their mostly obese parents. The girls were crowded around two areas where they would be receiving makeup, new hairstyles and glitzy accessories. Many of the employees wore pink wings. It all seemed bizarre to me. The entire store seemed equally strange to my nine-year-old daughter, who didn’t want to have anything to do with the place. I begged her to go into the store with me, however, so I wouldn’t look like a pedophile.

Above, you can see the types of stations where the girls are made “pretty,” to the relief of their parents. Step one is to get a decent hairdo. Here are some of the hair styles that are offered to the young girls.

As you can see, the young girls can go to the “Spa.” But, remember, “To ensure proper pampering, you must call to make an appointment for a Libby Lu party” where you can get a “Libby Du.”

But why go alone? Club Libby Lu specializes in arranging parties for your daughter and her friends, all for a cost of only $40 per child. That’s what I was told by an extra-peppy employee of Libby Lu. The store presents itself as a “resort.”

Why would your young daughter do any of this? In the lingo of Club Libby Lu, you do it “2BU!” You do it because you are not sufficiently attractive if you don’t spend lots of money at Libby Lu.

Why else do you do it? According to Libby Lu, you do it to “Go on tour with your friends at Club Libby Lu.” Or you “shop till you drop at our goodie shop” (for only $25). Another good reason to spend a lot of money at Club Libby Lu is that the Jonas Brothers have arrived. I hope those pre-teenaged Jonas Brothers brought lots of condoms, in case they successfully sweep your pre-teenaged daughter off to some high-rolling nightclub, and then who knows what, given that the aim is to make your young daughter look something like this:

In case my sarcasm is going over anyone’s head, see what I really think about corporations that try to make their money by over-sexualizing young girls. I have little tolerance for corporations that make their money by convincing little girls and their parents that they aren’t pretty enough. Libby Lu works much harder than most of these corporations to convince young girls and their parents that there isn’t enough time to grow up as a child.

This entry was posted on Saturday, July 19th, 2008 at 10:04 pm and is filed under Consumerism, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.