Multiple state-run media outlets in China have criticized an emerging fashion trend targeting children, which includes the promotion of “hot kids style” clothing styles on social media platforms. 

These advertisements have come under fire in commentaries by outlets such as the People’s Daily, Legal Daily, and Beijing News for their portrayal of minors in suggestive poses and expressions on e-commerce and social media platforms. 

The trend has popularized clothing items such as microskirts, backless shirts, and crop tops among young children, raising concerns about the sexualization of minors. 

Experts have cautioned that the impropriety associated with this trend may negatively impact the well-being of children. They also said such ads could result in potential legal consequences for companies selling and promoting such clothing, as well as parents who actively engage in sharing pictures of their children dressed in these provocative styles for attention.

The commentaries highlighted that the “hot kids style” trend on social media, which involves exposing more of minors’ bodies, contradicts the primary principle of prioritizing comfort in children’s clothing.

According to the People’s Daily, the trend has impacted kindergarten students, with many now expressing a desire to wear mini-skirts and actively seeking the “psychological thrill” of being noticed by others at an exceptionally young age. 

Since the beginning of this summer, widespread debate against this trend has erupted on multiple social media platforms.  

Many expressed outrage that “hot kids style” had become a buzzword for children’s clothing online, while videos critiquing these trends raised fundamental questions about whether it is a matter of minors being free to dress how they want or a deeply concerning moral issue.

“Don’t you think the buzzword ‘hot kids style’ goes hand-in-hand with pedophilia? You may think your kids are young. But the bad guys don’t care if your kids are young,” commented one user on Weibo. 

In its commentary, the People’s Daily slammed merchants and parents for using children to attract more traffic online. “More revealing dresses and a stronger sense of contrast means a greater possibility of attracting attention. The question is, what do the children get out of it?” it stated. 

According to the Legal Daily, the trend is “silently” affecting and influencing the aesthetic sense of children. “It can actually prematurely trigger psychological development in children and is detrimental to their overall physical and mental well-being,” the publication quoted lawyer Ni Na, a partner at Beijing Yinghe Law Firm, as saying. 

Editor: Apurva. 

(Header image: VCG)