Since when did 13 year olds start dressing like women?

So this weird thing happened on Saturday. I along with some good friends went to have High Tea to celebrate my friends upcoming wedding. No the weird thing wasn't that they charged us for the people that didn't turn up and then had an argument over what I was or wasn't told, it was the fact that there were two tables of 13 year old girls having High Tea for birthday parties. And they were dressed like us- women aged somewhere between 20 and 50. Actually thats not entirely true, they were probably a little bit more conservatively dressed.

This is roughly the looks on our faces when we say the group of middle aged 13 year olds coming in


So here are the two things that were baffling me.

1. When did 13 year olds do things like High Teas for their birthdays?

 and

2. When did 13 year olds start dressing like women?

                           and I thought limo parties were extreme??

Now I love a high tea. I honestly do like paying a ridiculous amount of money for a smoked salmon sandwich, a scone with jam and cream and a bit of cake. I also love the glass of champagne (ok maybe more than one glass). I love having a chat with my friends and I love getting dressed up. But I am old. When you were 13 aren't you meant to do things like get dressed up, do your nails, eat pizza and cheezels and dance around to Duran Duran - sorry One Direction???

On top of that at $45 a head (I am assuming they didn't take up the $55 Bubbles version) that makes it a damn expensive party.

Now lets move on to the next part of crazy. WHAT THE HELL WERE THESE GIRLS WEARING???? They were dressed like mini adults - not young girls. When and how did this happen?

I know that the media is to blame ( I'm a media teacher, I teach about the pornification of young girls), but don't they want to be comfortable? They have forever to be tugging on their dressed and making sure their little Bonds Bra's don't show. And they weren't dressed sexy- they were dressed "old".

I did a bit of an online search ( I typed in 13 year olds girls dressed as women and I was a little terrified what may have turned up) and I found a certain company promoting these clothes. They look old. Conservative even. I just.don't.get.it.

This little munchkin is wondering where on earth she can wear this dress.

Bethany is wondering why she had to wear her mums clothes to the birthday party.

 Poor Sarah didn't get the memo that peplums suited no one in the 80's and they don't suit anyone now.

Isabella is wondering how long until she can take the stupid cap off, put it in the bag and then give the bag to her mum.

It's all too hard. I think I might just pop on the kettle, make myself a nice cup of green tea and have a lie down, and ponder the question- are young girls dressing like grownups and acting like grown ups because they want to, or because their mums want them too?

Disclaimer- I have no answers and I am passing no judgement. I did after all take my then 5 year old to see Justin Bieber because I wanted to go. And we wore matching t- shirts.

One of these people look happy to be going to Justin Bieber. The other wishes her mother would grow up.