The Evil Empire of Libby Lu

Thank you, Rachel. Thank you, thank you, thank you! As the mother of two little girls, I feel like we fight against society's often backwards way of empowering girls every day. My husband and I want more for our daughters than that. When will girls be empowered to just be people? The horrible and disheartening thing about swimming upstream, though, is that your kids wind up thinking you're positively evil for not letting them wear lipstick to third grade. It's turning out that I'm becoming a very uncool mom a lot sooner than I thought I'd be.

Right on. Those stores are incredibly creepy. When I think about a nation of Libby Lu girls, burkas almost make sense...

I worked in a mall for 5 years and every single I time I either passed the Libby Lu store in the mall or a passel of little girls came into our store all decked out in Libby Lu "apparel," I would die a little bit inside. The crassness of these people marketing such a lifestyle to 6-10 year old girls....

Bravo to you parents who keep your children away from the purveyors of such horribly false self-images.

Burkas indeed....

I am all for the Burkas, but you know as soon as you got your daughter to start wearing one, Libby Lu would come out with a purple-striped, glittery one that "only" shows your navel.

Great article!

rachel, seriously, Libby Lu?
what kind of a name is that anyways?
Any corporation beginning with the word "Libby" shouldn't be allowed to commercialize itself.
props to the moms that keep their daughters away from the idea that a twelve year old girl should be wearing makeup.

Wow, great article, Rachel. I can say that now that I'm done throwing up. But I think it does do a lot of damage, for the reasons you mentioned. Getting girls to think their identity is based on looks. And worst, sexy looks. And we wonder why girls end up with anorexia or pregnant. My sister's family has retreated into a world of home schooling and grannie dresses. And while that bothers me, reading this reminds me why she's doing it. Let a girl be a girl. A real girl. Thanks again, Rachel. terrific writing.

Right on, Ms. Pater. Every time I go past that store, I die a little bit on the inside. Thanks for being bold enough to write about it. :)

I have never heard of this, but dang. That's pretty creepy. And I thought Limited Too was disturbing . . .

Hi Rach, awesome article, well written! I especially appreciate your perspective from a young single woman. As our society continually gets more materialistic and vain, hopefully we can step back and put our priorities in place as to not fall prey to the "demands" put on us to stay beautiful as if that is the key to our success as females.

Pater,

That article is brilliant!
Thanks for sharing your wit and wisdom from within the burlap bag, I laughed a lot and sent it to my colleagues at work. It's brought some good conversation especially among the people who really would love going to Libby Lu. Hope you're doing well. Miss the days in the cabin in the woods.

Cheers,
Jared

pater rocks!

Thanks Rachel. I completely agree with you. I'm a GEMS leader this year at our church and was disturbed to learn that the theme is a princess theme (something along the line that God is the King and we are his princesses...uggg). I seem to be the only one that thinks this goes against the whole theme of Christianity - that we should be servants, not expect to be served. Princess stuff makes me want to puke.

I completely disagree with both you, and the other "commenters" above.

Don't any of you remember what it is like to be a young girl?

Both my girlfriends and myself have passed by Libby Lu and pined over how much we would have loved having one when we were small. We know that it would have been nothing but tons of innocent fun, just as it is now.

I think you all need to get off your, we grew up in the sixties, non-admitting man haters, overly sensitive to your own physical complexes, soap boxes. And to quote Ms. Issacs above, "let girls be girls." To conclude, I would like to say, being a 'real girl' doesn't mean you can't play dress up, which is all this store is really.

I agree with Lark... I always thought Limited Too was a little weird; this is absolutely over the line. Thanks for the great article about it, Rachel.

we don't have Libby Lu in Arkansas... but we do have plenty of mom's who manage to dress their little girls up, just the same.

Rachel,
I am not a man prone to written comment but.... I have to applaud this article. I have 2 teenage daughters whom I have succesfully taught that men are worthless walking Phalic symbols until at least...oh say... 25 yrs old anyway (with rare execptions). OK, I am mostly kidding, but seriously, a huge part of the problem is that for a variety of reasons we could discuss endlessly young men are being raised to be less than manly and riddled with insecurities. They are taught to value all the wrong things and therefore demand what is shallow and do not know how to encourage and applaud what is of true value. The concept of true love is so warped that to actually think and opertate in the realm of treating a woman in a consistant manner of disinterested benevolence is a concept beyond grasp. So much of the postmodern culture removes the emphasis on character and places it on individual fulfillment at any expense. Thanks for the opportunity to rant! I love the article and the values you possess in writing it. Itchy moo moo or not you'll have no problem "snagging" the worthy man you deserve and when you do please procreate or adopt, I may have a grandson by then that will need a wife espousing the values you will pass on.
Brad

"let girls be girls." ??????

more like, "let girls be prosti-tots"
if that is how you define what a girl is...I'm talking to a brick wall. (albeit a super sparkly one)

I now know I have entered mid-life.....
Prosti-tots??? That is priceless. I am sure that it's not new phrasology.... but it is new to me. Dan, can I have your permission to use that? very appropriate verbage I think
Brad

I now know I have entered mid-life.....
Prosti-tots??? That is priceless. I am sure that it's not new phrasology.... but it is new to me. Dan, can I have your permission to use that? very appropriate verbage I think
Brad

I can't dismiss Sarah that easily. How is Libby Lu any different than boys playing war? Many parents make rules about their kids can't have toy guns, but there always seems to be a default desire to play war, even if it means boys use sticks instead of toys.

To some extent, Libby Lu is just a place for girls to play dress up. I'm not saying it's not insidious (especially if a parent advocates that kind of behavior), but we can't ignore the innate desire of little girls to play.

oh pater, i love you.

finally some controversy! i was beginning to think i hadn't pissed anyone off by writing this article.

whew.

Rachel, I couldn't agree more. I'm one of those radical nuts who wouldn't let her five year old daughter wear make-up at her dance recital. I had never heard of a Libby Lu until this article, but to me, it sounds like more than just "dress up." I have already noticed the hugely inappropriate "sexy" trend in children's clothing; this sounds like further promotion of the same sterotype. If it were truly just dress up, non-princessy costumes would be included, and no runway would be necessary. By the way, I wasn't born in the 60's; I don't hate men; and my abhorrence of making my daughter "sexy" at the age of 5 has nothing to do with any of the many physical complexes that I do, in fact, have.

OK Jordan -- I'll take the bait and extend your metaphor to its logical conclusion.

Tell me one store that you know of that markets exclusively to little boys playing war? Is there a "Jimmy Joe" store out there where boys can dress up in army greens-and-khakis, put on face paint, & crawl around shooting their toy guns against their enemies?

Playing dress up to play an adult isn't the problem. Not in the slightest. But the girls I knew from my childhood didn't dress up in the type/style of clothes that are sold at Libby Lu -- they wore their respective mother's clothing, make-up, and jewelry. I think there is a bit of distinction with THAT type of dress-up....

Have you been in an Army surplus store lately? I can tell you that's where we wanted to be when we were young, and now they're selling airsoft guns that look like real automatic weapons. those guns aren't marketed to adults.

(my cousin used to play with those when he was a freshman in high school until the neighbors called the SWAT team)

Great article Rachel, and good comments all around. I have 6 kids, 5 boys, and only 1 girl...and my boys play war, and my little girl has a princess costume.
I think that Rachel hit the nail on the head when she said that in isolated instances, Libby Lu would not be so bad...it is the society that we live in, and what we are choosing to teach our kids that matters. And sadly, there is a lot of self absorption.
As parents, we must take responsibility for instilling in our children true self worth, and an understanding of what is really important, and what is just for fun.
I agree with the person who commented that as Christians we are to be servants...however that is to each other, I think it is also important to realize what we are worth to God, each one of us. We are His daughters and sons...and there isn't anything wrong with reveling in that...as long as we put it against the backdrop of God loving each and every person in just that same way.
Anyway, thank God that right now there is not one of these stores in my area, and I don't have to deal with it for now!

would a paintball field qualify as a "Jimmy Joe" store?

Interesting. I haven't been in an army surplus store in probably 15 years or more. But is there a personal stylist at the Army surplus store who plans appointments to hold parties for groups of 8-to-12-year-old boys in order to dress them in the finest of new Army apparel? I don't think so.

Again, I don't have ANY problem with dressing up. But I do have a problem with dressing 8-year-old girls in outfits that wouldn't be appropriate on their 16-year-old older sister or their 40-year-old mom.

Yes, it's great to play dress up. But when I said "let girls be girls," I didn't mean let girls dress up like Jonbenet Ramsey. Did Sara Schaff see the last scene in Little Miss Sunshine? It was supposed to be CREEPY.

Sorry for the delay if you posted a comment and it wasn't up until now!

I appreciate the calibur of writing in this piece, but I'm a little bit surprised a store like Libby Lu has the author in such an uproar. It reads a bit ironic: this article almost goes to the complete other extreme citing something wrong with women who liked to dress up when they were little girls or (God forbid) shop at Victoria's Secret as an adult.

I've never been repulsed when I walk by Libby Lu. I think some little girls love makeup and sparkles, which does not predestine them to a life of whore-dom and certainly doesn't earn them the title "prosti-tot".

Thanks for the article, Rachel! I've never heard of Libby Lu until I read your article, but if I ever get married and have any children, and I happen to come across a Libby Lu at the mall, I'll be sure and avoid it like the plague. After all, we should be teaching our children that it's what's inside that counts, God after our hearts, not what we look like on the outside. Plus, our society is sexualized enough, and it's robbing our children of something they've once enjoyed: Their innocence and sense of purity. It's no wonder so many young couples today can't wait until they are married before moving in together and having sex, isn't it? This article also makes me glad I am (a) not a feminist, and (b) not a girly-girly kind of woman who tortures herself to look beautiful and conforms to other's expectations of what being feminine is all about. Pants are more comfortable for me to wear than dresses, anyway, and a lot of our beauty products may have an ingredient in them called Collagen Amino Acids, which could come from aborted fetuses.

Its genetically coded in us to desire to attract the opposite sex. Not only is it no surprise that girls and boys want to make themselves attractive as mates, its the most natural thing in the world.

You will never, ever be able to change the fact that women want to look appealing to men and men want to be appealing to women. Why you would think that is a bad thing is beyond me...

I have to completely disagree with all of you. This article is going overboard! There is nothing wrong with treating your daughter like a princess if she wants to be one. That is part of being a girl. I am so sick of all theses feminist trying to take away tea parties and castles. I'm tired of moms teaching their young girls that they don't need princes. Get off your man hating pedestal. Let girls be girls!

you're probably really ugly & have ugly children that even the club couselers at libby lu couldn't make pretty. don't talk crap on a business that is makin more money & gettin more business than you're stupid article.

It's called Libby Lu because the woman who came up with the idea to create the store had an imaginary friend when she was growing up whom she called Libby Lu.

I don't know what kind of Libby Lu you (APN) have where you live but I've always considered the Libby Lu at the Mall of America to be more like what Mrs. Schaef said, a place where little girls can play dress-up and have fun. The Libby Lu where you live might let the girls wear the clothes when the leave but at the one I work at it is exactly like playtime. The girls dress up, get their hair and makeup done (we do NOT emphasize on the eyeshadow. We are taught to put enough on so as to make it barely visable) and dance...afterwards they get back into their regular clothes and go about the rest of their day as they normally would.

As for the "booty shaking" bit...the only dance the girls can choose to do that causes them to shake their booty is the hokey-pokey. The "run way" (which it sounds like is the only thing done whenever Pater walks past) is also chosen by the girls. They are the ones who decide what will be the last dance. Come to the Mall of America Libby Lu and you'll see that it's not as horrible as Pater is making it out to be. We play with the girls and try to make it the happiest most memorable birthday (which is mostly the case) or day they have yet had but they are the ones making the final decision in everything. Do you want to dress up? What hairstyle would you like? Do you want to do a final dance? If so, which one? All these things they decide. We don't force them to do anything. The only time we will advise them on their hair is if we find that they have lice and that's only because the we are not allowed to do their hair if that is the case.

I don't know what kind of Libby Lu you (APN) have where you live but I've always considered the Libby Lu at the Mall of America to be more like what Mrs. Schaef said, a place where little girls can play dress-up and have fun. The Libby Lu where you live might let the girls wear the clothes when the leave but at the one I work at it is exactly like playtime. The girls dress up, get their hair and makeup done (we do NOT emphasize on the eyeshadow. We are taught to put enough on so as to make it barely visable) and dance...afterwards they get back into their regular clothes and go about the rest of their day as they normally would.

Granted this only applies to some of the commentors but people like you make me sick. Saying that you'll stay away from somewhere "like the plague" as one person phrased it just because some random person on the internet said it was bad. Do people like you make any opinions on your own or do you just blindly accept every opinion someone else throws at you without thinking twice or giving it a chance? What you're telling me is basically "I'm not going to do something because a person I don't even know told me not to. I'm not going to even bother checking it out myself because it'll be just as evil as that person described it." I firmly believe that someone needs to try something before they should be allowed to formulate an opinion on it. You can't say you hate spinage when you've never had it before. This should apply to stores to. Don't say you hate Libby Lu when you've never even been there. If you want to make sure your girls don't nag at you to go there before you've made a decision on it yourself then go by yourself. Then after you've seen what it is and what goes on there then you can decide if you want to allow your girls to go there. But it disgusts me when people form judgements on things they have no experience with.

Actually it's called CLUB Libby Lu so it's excempt from you believe that anything beginning with "Libby" should not be allowed to market itself.

you probably wear detroit lions sweatpanst all yeer round and still ride a trycicle. I bet when you put on makeup its clown makeup cuz you live at the circus. you should try to get more business at your article.

Way to rekindle the fire Pater. Yikes! It's too bad that there are those who believe that one must be fugly in order to speak out against a business like Libby Lu for the sake of making a very meaningful point. Obviously, one's physical appearance has an effect on reason. Were that really the case, I would have to question the appearance of Anonymous.

I don’t quite understanding Anonymous’ logic. Let’s see… ugly kids don’t go to a place to be made beautiful; beautiful kids do. Hmmm. The fact is that all of the kids who go into Libby Lu, and for that matter, every other store in the mall, are beautiful. Libby Lu can do nothing to improve that. To the contrary, they try to help these already beautiful children develop an alternative beauty, and by doing so, may ultimately promote the continued deterioration of authentic self-worth in our society.

You are a beautiful person and I'm sure your children will be too. On behalf of the world you serve, thank you for not placing your self-worth in how much money you make, especially if it would mean fleecing young ones of their dignity while capitalizing on the insecurity of their parents. Actually, that sounds like a brilliant money-maker.

Who is Anonymous' comment aimed at? Me or Pater?

I love playing with children and in my eyes all children are beautiful. I've always considered what I do as playing with them and making them happy. Pater said herself that Libby Lu on its own doesn't cause that much harm to a child's self image so why does it sound like everyone is placing all the blame on Libby? If you truly want your child to grow up with a belief in inner worth you're going to have to do a hell of a lot more than just avoid Libby Lu. You're going to have to avoid television, magazines, books with pictures (Think about it, how often does an overweight character appear on book covers or in the books themselves if the book does not specifically state that they are overweight?), movies, hell you'd even need to avoid public and private schools. Basically your child would have to live a life of solitude totally disconnected from the outside world.

Wow. It's amazing how much animosity can be created by an article and a store. First of all, I was not born in the 60s, I love men (my husband in particular) and I have 2 beautiful daughters under the age of 10. I also happen to be a Girl Scout Leader, a youth director and a teacher. I have been in a Libby Lu, so I would consider my opinion to be fully informed, not a knee-jerk reaction to the previous posts.
I DO agree that one store (or franchise) is not the single cause of self-esteem problems across the world. And wrapping your child in bubble wrap or closing them off from society is not the solution either. Self-esteem comes from more than just our environment, it comes from those who love and care for us, and from inside ourselves. Unfortunately, mass media bombards us with images of "beauty", our kids are targeted by businesses like Libby Lu and celebrities like Britney Spears. It requires tenacity for parents to combat the messages found in our society. When I see the shameless sexualization of young girls, especially in our country, I am quickly reminded of why sexual predators, child molesters and internet kiddie porn are as prevalent as they are. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to make the connection.
My daughters have had tea parties, princess parties and love their dress up bucket. I am a fan of fairy tales and make-believe. I do not feel compelled, however, to participate in the Libby Lu sensation. Somehow, playing dress up in the mall, in front of countless strangers takes all the "magic" out of it. It feels cheap and unhealthy.

I had to add my two cents. I completely agree with this article. While, as others have said, it is not the only reason for low self-esteem, it does contribute to it. I worked at an upscale mall with a Libby Lu, and it disgusted me every time I walked by the store. It's not simply playing dress-up. I have no problem with that and loved to do it as a kid. But Libby Lu goes beyond dressing kids up. The wigs are disturbing and unnecessary, as are the colored extensions. I can't say for sure, but I haven't seen girls come out with wigs other than blond ones. What is that teaching them? That you have to be blond to be beautiful? The clothes are terrible as well. I saw a picture somewhere else of some girls at Libby Lu. One was a princess. No problem. But on the others, the pants were extremely tight, and they looked like they were wearing a strapless bra. That's literally all there was to the top. These girls couldn't have been more than 7 or 8... There's a difference between dressing up as a princess and dressing up like Britney Spears. As for the little dogs to put in their bags, do we really want kids to be like Paris Hilton? It's just sickening, and I'm sorry, but there is no justifying it. I know this isn't the only store, but we should be teaching kids to be comfortable in their own skin, not in Hannah Montana's or Paris Hilton's or whoever else's... I don't have any kids of my own, but you can bet that when I do, I will not allow them to go to a place like this. I'll teach them to value themselves and not superficial and materialistic things, as this store is doing. Like I said, this isn't the only place kids get a low self-esteem from. But it's teaching them at a very young age that looks are important and that beautiful is long, blond hair, tight pants, tiny tops, and shaking your booty... Anyone who believes this is okay or just playing dress-up has to be delusional or superficial themselves. How sad.

My four year old daughter's experience at Club Libby Lu in SC this past July (while we were on vacation) was nothing like the one you speak of in your article. There was glitter and lots of it, but what little girl doesn't like glitter? The hair style was very cute, and very simple to do (I've fixed it for her a couple of times after we got home). The "make-up" that was used was like the make-up many moms buy for their daughters at Walmart to play with. My daughter chose pink (which was no surprise to me because that is her favorite color - as is the case for many little girls this age) and it was so light you could barely see it. People that did not know it had been applied (my parents and other family members) could not even tell she had any on. In my opinion there was nothing wrong with the clothes/assessories that came with her package (a pink sequined tank top that came down past her waist, a pink feather boa, and two sequined bracelets). This experience was nothing more than an opportunity for my daughter to get to "play" princess - which is what we call her by the way because she is, in fact, OUR princess.

I'm not Christian. I don't believe that Jesus died for our sins or any of that, and I'm perfectly happy that way. However, I find myself forced to agree with what seems to be a goodly number of Christians on the subject of Club Libby Lu.

The way I see it, it's merely the next step in a society that is increasingly obsessed with conspicuous consumption. Random fact: the most energy-intensive sector in our society is not industry or manufacturing, or even agriculture-- it's retail. We use more energy on buying and selling things than we do on making them or growing food. Thirty-five dollars for a pre-teen girl to play dress up? Why not? It'll teach her the value of conspicuous consumption. She'll learn how to say "I want it like this and I want it right now." And when she finds herself in the real world, where she can't have what she wants the way she wants it exactly when she wants it, what then?

Oh, well, that won't happen. She'll have a boyfriend or a husband to take care of her. And if the boyfriend or husband is scum? It'll be her fault, of course, for not being good enough, or pretty enough, or stupid enough.

People, and not just girls, need to learn that you don't always get what you want. There won't always be a Burger King, where you can "Have it your way" no matter if you're in Boston or Philadelphia or Seattle. The Petroleum Age is drawing to a close, and not a moment too soon. Maybe when we have to hitch up a wagon or ride a horse to get to the mall, we'll appreciate what we get there a little bit more.

I am a Christian and very proud to say that I live for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that my husband and I raise our children to love our Lord. That does not change my opinion of this store in the least. Stores do not "teach" our children values and morals, parents DO. I agree that children idolize celebraties, and that's why it is important that we (as parents) spend time with our children. My children are taught (by the example that we lead) that appearance is not everything, that's why I didn't have a problem with my daughter experiencing this. She understood that it was just "play" - no different than if we were visiting Disney World.

Wow... so I guess your mother must have keep you locked in your closet you're entire life. What did you play with when you were a little girl? Did you ever own paper dolls that you dressed up in all of their outfits? Did you ever walk around your house in mommy shoes and put of her lip stick?? Libby Lu does not put heavy make up on the girls, they apply a light eye shadow and a lip gloss. Every girl that walks into Libby Lu is told they are beautiful with or without a makeover. So for people like you to be so concerned about little girls pretending to be a princess I guess it's ok to let our girls to sit at home with no life and watch tv all day. NO!!! And as for the dancing... the girls have a choice to dance. If moms don't want the dancing SPEAK UP! But I never saw what was wrong to dancing to the Cha Cha slide... Dancing is good for children it helps show confidence, rhythm, and interacting with other children. So the next time you find yourself having a problem with something that has been going on for generations (even yours) stop inside a Libby Lu and talk to a working and ask them what it is that they really do there.

It seems that this article has resonated with many of you.

For those of you still not convinced, a picture is maybe worth more than my entire article (and don't try to tell me that their makeovers are "subtle"):

https://webspace.utexas.edu/amr68/www/LibbyLu/pics/dance2.jpg

That picture looks like it was taken at a dance competition, and not at Libby Lu's. My daughter has participated in both. There were NO clothes that looked like that picture in the Libby Lu store that we visited and there was no dancing involved. We were there for an hour and I NEVER saw one dance. I have, however, seen young girls dressed like this with heavy makeup like this at some of my daughter's dance competition. My daughter attends a Christian Dance Studio and so her teacher never chooses costumes like the one in your picture - if she did my daughter would not participate. My daughter wears more make-up for dance (still not this much though) than she was wearing when we left Libby Lu's! So, yes in MY daughter's experience the make-up was very subtle. Nothing like the little girls in your picture. If you would like to see a picture of my daughter's Libby Lu Make-over, head on over to my blog at http://my2angles.blogspot.com. The picture on the top of the page with her daddy and her brother was taken directly after we left Libby Lu's in Myrtle Beach, SC. See what I mean about subtle - I betcha can't even see the make-up! Let me say again, I believe that picture that you included must have been taken at a dance competition instead...

I have two little girls who are all into the Libby Lu makeover. Now I have to say that a lot of the comments I have read seem a little over the top. I do believe we should let little girls be little girls. But on the other hand it is our responsibility as parents to limit what they can and can't do. We have done 2 makeovers in the past two years. We keep it simple. There hair is done up and some light eye shadow and lip gloss is used and some glitter is sprayed in the hair. They pick out some costume jewelry and maybe a fancy hair clip. That's it. I don't think the clothes they sell are age appropriate so we don't get them. The store we visit doesn't do the runway or the dancing so I can't comment on that. I believe this kind of dress up is okay in moderation. That's where we as parents need to set limits but at the same time let them have a good time just being little girls.

Until you work at this store and understand the true concept of the business and the story behind the brand, then you shouldn't bash it. I have been employed with the company for 2 years and it is one of the company's rules that we put LIGHT eyeshadow on the girls and what's wrong with clear lipgloss>?! We have learned as a company and have taken every customers' comments and suggestions to heart. ANd we have changed the costumes. And we offer the products and are not forcing it on these little girls. At the end of the day.....who's decision is it to buy the product? So get off of your high horse and relax! IT's just fun! INNOCENT FUN!

Until you work at this store and understand the true concept of the business and the story behind the brand, then you shouldn't bash it. I have been employed with the company for 2 years and it is one of the company's rules that we put LIGHT eyeshadow on the girls and what's wrong with clear lipgloss>?! We have learned as a company and have taken every customers' comments and suggestions to heart. ANd we have changed the costumes. And we offer the products and are not forcing it on these little girls. At the end of the day.....who's decision is it to buy the product? So get off of your high horse and relax! IT's just fun! INNOCENT FUN!

Good to know those are all of your opinions, if it bothers you that much look the other way and problem solved, its a childrens store for Gods sake, lol get over it and focus on more important things than a little girl who is getting a makeover, ooooo oh yea thats evil and wrong. lol

Okay for all you old-timers living in the past, this store is just innocent fun. I worked there for 2 years and if you do not know what it is, then do not comment about it either. Oh my goodness! If you wear make up and play dress up then you will turn out a self-conscience prostitute. Beware of glitter it will make you melt! The reasons for children growing up messed up is the PARENTS fault. Not businesses that want to treat a little girl like a princess for their birthday.

alright here it goes. i doubt anyone is on this forum anymore but let me tell you something. i happen to work at a club libby lu and i have for about two years now. yes the old costumes were innapropriate. do you realize that we have t-shirts and tank tops for them to dress in now? something else to add its your daughter who wants to look like a whore who put on too much make up. because if we put it on light they complain. so you can take your dumb ass article and shove it where the sun don't shine because you have NO idea what the hell you are talking about. i am sorry your life sucked so much that your mother never let you dress up and get your hair done but it isn't like that anymore. and you only fork over 25 dollars. kthanx...find a new hobby

I think you need to dig a little deeper before you go knocking things you don't understand. I have met the found of Club Libby Lu and was there when the 13th store opened in the Woodlands, TX. If you know anything about Mary Drolet, you know that the idea behind this store is not to make girls feel like they have to look a certian way or even to promote consumerism among children. The idea behind Club Libby Lu is to give girls, all of whom are princesess, with or without makeup, a place to play dress up and make believe. Girls get to choose for themselves if they want to be a rock star or a princess. They can dance or not dance as they choose. I have not been in one of these stores for a long time, but I know that when it started, the idea was to make each girl know she is special BEFORE she has the makeover, during the makeover and after the makeover. The longest any party or makeover would ever last would be 2 hours and I don't think it ever hurt a little girl to be made the center of attention for such a short amount of time.

I suppose the author of this article and everyone with a negative comment is thrilled that the company is closing, but let me assure you, it is not because it is a bad place and perhaps when the economy picks up again, we will find Club Libby Lu's opening again.

I have worked at Libby Lu for nearly three years now and I have to impress the fact that there is so much more magic in that store than any of you seem to understand. Its not the make-up and the hair-do's that enforces the girls' confidence, its the teenage girls who work there. Its people like me and my co-workers who look forward to playing with those girls everyday. Its us who cried when we learned it would close and our hearts ache whenever we have to tell the little girls we are closing.

This job and this store have given me so many memories that have changed who I am for the better. This summer, I was assigned a very special makeover for a little girl's 6th birthday. We did everything and I don't know if I have ever seen someone smiling so much. It wasn't until after our Happy Birthday scream that I saw the tears in her grandmother's eyes. As she thanked me, she told me that the little girl had a terminal illness and she was not supposed to have made it to her sixth birthday. Celebrating that day with her was more touching than anything I ever could have done.

Like other employees have said, you cannot criticize until you have worked there and understood what the store really is and how it really affects girls. Looking at it from outside is blindly trying to talk about something you cannot understand.

I worked in Club Libby Lu for two whole years. We dressed those girls up like fairies and princesses and rockstars. Just because you overly feminist ridiculous people dont remember how to play dress up. Doesnt mean you have to demean what we are trying to do. Club Libby Lu is a place where girls get to dress up and have fun. As far as "booty shaking" and " music video dance lesson" um... too bad we teach the girls songs like the hokey pokey and cha cha slide. OOOO how dirty are those. My preschool teacher must have been such a hooker to teach me such filth as the infamous hokey pokey. At Club Libby Lu the kids get their hair done up really fancy and pretty, which by the way is not easy to do. Its a special place where for maybe one hour a girl can be treated like the most important girl in the room. For little girls, what honestly could be more fun? It isnt like these mothers take them to go to school there.Its just a fun day every once and a while. If you could have seen the faces of all the little girls when we had to tell them we were closing, you wouldnt have the heart to say anything negative about our store. Think back to when you were a kid, dont you remember how much fun it was to play make believe or dress up? Club Libby Lu was the most magical place in the whole mall for these children. I dont understand how you can criticize a place that grants magical fairy wishes with sparkles, makes little girls feel good about themselves before they grow up, and makes birthday memories last a life time. Maybe you should talk to the mothers of these kids or the kids themselves, or the teenage girls who work there before you make idiotic statements which you obviously know nothing about. Good luck ever finding the child in you again.

My daughter is 18 years old. She never fantasy played that she was a rock star when she was little. She did love the Disney Princesses and Queen Esther. It makes me smile to think of her lisping, "If I Pewish, I pewish," in a
curly red mermaid style wig, high heel glitter shoes, and the crown from her Pretty Princess game. When Britney was singing "Im not that Innocent", we had already talked about what was appropriate for young ladies. Mandie was in 5th or 6th grade when the store opened in our mall, so she was too old for all the hoopla, but we did like to look at the princess stuff and the hairdos in there. We laughed and talked a year ago about her getting her hair done for Prom at Libby Lus. If they would have done her hair, I would have gladly paid the money.

Now, don't think I'm crazy or anything but I think that Club Libby Lu has nothing to do with sexuality or "Looking good to impress men". I think it plays a part in creative play for any girl who wants to be a modern musician or TV actress or movie actress A.K.A rockstar, popstar, tv star, movie star, whatever.
Now the heavy eye makeup stuff, I think they should just stick with lip gloss and a bit of blush because that's just too much for a child.
Some parents (not all) sometimes judge Libby Lu. And the teaching children to be stuck up or whatever is just not true. I mean I am a child. I'm 10 years old and I'd go for a marathon of anime (japanese cartoons) rather than a pampering treatment any day. They want children to access their goals of being a musician or actress not a hooker. This is just innocent fun. Libby Lu got bought by Disney to make it the Hannah Montana Store (can you believe that? she's not all that you know)!!! Now if Libby Lu sold stuff like idk, tube tops and revealing skirts then it would be evil. I agree that the heavy makeup stuff and if the dancing is that slutty it should go. It's a fun place for children to have fun. Not to teach them selfishness and sinful theories. Please don't judge. And btw, doesn't the bible say judge not lest ye be judged?

okay, I don't know who you think you are, but you are overreacting. Club Libby Lu is a place for girls to have fun and when they are there, they express themselves freely. thank you Lori Hernandez for supporting my idea.

Oh my gosh those little girls are just trying to play. Its not everyday that they get to be superstars and go to Club Libby Lu. One day won't hurt them. You guys are overreacting the clothes cover all of they're parts.

and how dare you call CLL evil!?!?! YOU are evil for calling them that. They just inspire girls to come out of their shell and be themselves. So don't be hypocritical, we all know we wanted to get a club Libby du when we were young.

Sorry it closed b4 I gave my daughter a party there. I thought it was a cute idea. I'm not one to put midriffs on my 4 year old but it's not the only place that sells crop tops for little girls. Many cheerleader costumes are midriff & I don't hear them maligned so much. It's up to the mom to set those boundaries not a retail store. Also, I'm not a Hannah Montana fan which seemed to be a big portion of the store. I would have liked to have seen more girly/princess characters & more reasonable prices. Anything can be overdone but today I think it's good for girls to have choices: princess and/or warrior, singer and/or doctor, diva and/or debutante. It's ok to be a little of both. This Madonna or whore argument keeps women divided & arguing amongst ourselves instead of fighting for an equal place of power in this world. I don't think it helps to villify glitter, scented lotion & puppy purses. It is all a part of being a girl & who doesn't enjoy being girly sometimes. I think hurling the word slut around everytime a girl is being girly is just plain silly. That store was not the evil everyone's making it out to be. There are plenty of better things to get righteously indignant about. I bet all these people complaining have kids who love Hannah Montana. So gimme a break :)