Forever 21 has launched a new maternity line. Typically, the store has been geared toward young women. Now, some are claiming that the store, named Love 21 Maternity, may be marketing to pregnant teens.
The new Love 21 Maternity stores are in Arizona, Alaska, California, Utah and Texas. According to CNN, “Texas, Arizona and California are among the top 15 states with the highest teen pregnancy rates.” This has led some to believe that the stores were put in these states on purpose. Yet, Executive Vice President Larry Meyer says that the store is not “marketing” to pregnant teens.
As someone who has shopped in Forever 21, I can say that the styles are very cute. The sizes seem to run small, and sometimes I have to go a size up to fit into the clothes. Even in my 30s, some of the styles still appeal to me.
Anyone who has been pregnant knows that there is a lack of selection for moms-to-be. The selection becomes even smaller when you look for affordable clothes. The maternity section at my local Kohl’s is about two rows of clothes. Old Navy is another store that features inexpensive pregnancy wear. However, not every store carries maternity clothes. Thus, this is a great store for getting basics. If I were pregnant, I would shop for clothes at Love 21 maternity. Again, I am not a teenager.
Looking at the website, Love 21 features a nice array of leggings, tanks and flowing tops. One highlight includes a maternity starter set that includes leggings, tank, and belly panel for only $15.80. This is an exceptional deal. Belly panels are stretchy material that can go over jeans and other pants. Simply unbutton the top button and put the panels over the waistband.
There’s no question that the new store will be a hit with younger moms. Yet, will the new Love 21 Maternity store lead to more teen pregnancies? Probably not. As for glamorizing teenage sex and pregnancy, TV shows have already done a good enough job doing that. According to Sex on TV Increases Teen Pregnancy, Says Report, teens who view a lot of “sexual content on TV are twice as likely as teens watching less of this material to become pregnant” before the age of 20. Indeed, sexually charged TV content often brings in more viewers, and it’s not likely to change anytime soon. So, as for a clothing store marketing to pregnant teenagers, you can believe Larry Meyers’ statement or not. However, there are other more influential factors, like parental guidance, education and abstinence, out there.
As for the typical Forever 21 consumer, a Fox News story cites that Mr. Meyer says that over “80 percent” are older than 18.
Sources:
Cnn Wire Staff Forever 21 asked about maternity line Cnn.com
Alice Park Sex on TV Increases Teen Pregnancy, Says Report time.com
Clothing Store Popular With Teens Launches Maternity Line foxnews.com
