Comments on: Forever 21″²s Maternity Line Debuts in States with Highest Teen Pregnancy Rates

By: stacy

stacy — Sun, 12 Sep 2010 23:57:55 +0000

wow at Beth Shea!
came across this site while googling about forever 21.I must say that your article is a pure depiction of hatred and just plain understanding how you are just a hater.I won’t waste my time to even type how nonsence this article is and definitely wont come back to this site.
i can almost guarantee this will be the last time ill be reading from this site because of your article of stupidity.
You had that accomplished or as you say succeeded.

By: olivia

olivia — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:10:22 +0000

Ummm 16 and pregnant is a good show for teens it shows that if you get pregnant at a teen age its not fun it horrible.
and the girl at the top is thirty. not a een. gosh do you guys read.

By: Beth Shea

Beth Shea — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 23:20:58 +0000

Wow, Julie. This topic is a real hot button for you. I am far from an idiot, and I never said that Forever 21 was responsible for teen pregnancy. If you re-read my article, perhaps that will be clarified for you. I think that Forever 21 is far from “respectable” as you imply, as they manufacture disposable clothing that is unethically made via labor and materials. And I was shining a light on their marketing to teens, and the fact that it’s not a coincidence, as they assert. If I can convince even one person, from any age group, pregnant or not, not to shop there, then I have succeeded.

By: Julie

Julie — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:46:44 +0000

You’re an idiot if you think that forever 21 is targeting a teen market with their maternity line. The idea alone is infuriating. Don’t blame fashion for your knocked up teens, blame your bad parenting! I’m a 21 year old first time mom to be and I have been waiting for SOMEONE to come out with a decent looking line of clothes that’s at a decent price as well. Are you going to blame Old Navy and Gap for the same crap too?!? Or how about MTV’s show called 16 and Pregnant! Teens rot their brains out watching this crap every day and you don’t say anything to them about it. You probably should consider these things before you go out trying to blast a recpectable company for trying to cater to the modern needs of their customers!

By: t

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 15:27:26 +0000

omg! that is unethical and reetarded. i totally agree- it romanticizes the idea of pregnancy to girls who are already impressionable because of their age, and desensitizes them to the idea! of course at an age where fashion is of utmost importance–and at a maturity level where actual consequences take a backseat to unrealistic and short-term daydreaming–something like the availability of cute, cheap, trendy clothing will influence girls. (not just availability but *ubiquity*!) if you doubt the power of marketing to influence behavior, ask yourself why anyone’s still smoking.

By: Susie

Susie — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 06:58:03 +0000

I am currently pregnant (Don’t worry, I am way out of my teens) and I am just laughing at the girl wearing stilettos with the maternity clothes. Yeah, try that in real life. Nice way to glamorize pregnancy.

That said, I have been to Forever 21 few times and I see women of all ages shop there.. so I am not sure the whole geared toward teens is a correct assumption. Same thing can be said for Gap or Old Navy and both brands offer maternity wear as well.

By: Beth Shea

Beth Shea — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 00:31:07 +0000

Hi Alden-

I don’t at all think that “girls who are pregnant should be made to feel worse about their condition buy shuttling them to Pea in a Pod” as you mentioned. I simply think Forever 21 is opportunistic and obviously exploiting a teen market and demographic that is too young to have maternity clothes shuffled in amidst racks filled with clothes for tweens and teens… let alone, disposable, irresponsibly made maternity clothes that harm the with their production. It’s no mistake that Forever 21 has targeted the states with the highest incidence of teen pregnancy… and it’s sending a pretty strange message to young women.

By: Alden Wicker

Alden Wicker — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 21:21:25 +0000

I really don’t think this is so bad. In no way is this encouraging teen pregnancy. Would any girl look at her partner and think, “well, at least I’ll still be fashionable… Don’t worry about the condom, sweetheart.”

If you think that girls who are pregnant should be made to feel worse about their condition buy shuttling them to Pea in a Pod, which is probably out of their price range, than yes, this is pretty egregious.

No, I don’t like the culture of throwaway. But for many teens who will have to save up for a crib and diapers, maybe giving them the option of paying very little for something cute they will only keep for 6 months is a god send. I’m sure they need all the help they can get. (And probably don’t want to wear hand me downs from women who are ten years older than them.)