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4.15.2011

Pink Toenails? Feedback Friday

Here is an ad sent to J.Crew customers last week featuring J. Crew's president and creative director Jenna Lyons painting the toenails of her son Beckett.



Here is a clip from Good Morning America detailing the controversy:



It's Feedback Friday...

What are your feelings about this particular ad?

Does this ad sent mixed gender signals to a small boy?

Is pink really a gender specific color in 2011?


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20 comments:

  1. Morning Jen,

    My Federal Agent Husband wore a pink dress shirt and charcoal grey suit to the office yesterday (and he looked fabulous) so I'm not quite sure what the problem is here.

    Maybe it's a good thing I have birthday money saved for some of the 'Psychotherapy '

    A lot of noise about nothing as far as I'm concerned.

    Janet xox

    PS...they would be talking if she painted them black also....OMGosh he might turn Goth!!!

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  2. If it were a little girl dressed in a football jersey and helmet and playing football with her dad, no one would have said a darn thing.

    I strongly dislike the double standard. This is a case of fear-mongering and homophobia. Pink is a pleasing color to the eye and there's no reason a boy can't love it and there is no reason a boy can't enjoy painting his toenails because he wants to be like his mom! I think it's awesome and cute. .

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  3. I don't think pink toenails is going to make a little boy turn gay, no. But, in our small town it will lead to a black eye on the playground. I have four boys and I won't be painting their toenails any time soon. :)

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  4. Oh good gosh. It never ceases to amaze me the things that people raise hell over. Boys have played with dolls and tea sets, etc for, well, forever. That kind of equates to the comment, "if you don't take that passie away (or potty train by "X" he'll be ruined." How many 30 year old men do you see running around with diapers and oral fixations? Wait - don't answer that. lol

    Seriously, seriously?

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  5. What a great marketing ploy---created quite the buzz all over.

    We have 3 boys. Once when I was painting my toe nails, one of them stuck their pudgy little toddler feet out...so I painted his too. Seriously, huge deal? Not really. I got the Lucy look from Dad, but he never asked for it again.

    I agree with Janet, if it was a different color we'd never hear about it!

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  6. I'm not sure I would have even noticed it, if I had been flipping through the ad...I think there are too many people out searching for things they can turn into controversial things rather then just leaving things alone.

    We were at Lil D's babysitter's house one day and they were playing with her karaoke machine in her room, next thing I know he comes out with his fingernails painted green (his favorite color) and he thought it was the greatest thing ever...he was so sad when it started chipping off the next day, but has never asked to have them painted again...funny...I guess I don't know what the big deal is:) On another funny note...my little niece loves to paint her nails...and when she's done...she ALWAYS paints my brother's toenails...would someone think "things" about him? Or would they just say it's father/daughter bonding? I'm thinking his wife is grateful her husband gets his toenails (therefore entire toe) painted so she doesn't have too:)

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  7. I think its a lot of commotion about really nothing. =/

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  8. I don't get what the big deal is.

    Are we so lucky to live in a country that is so perfect that there is nothing to talk about on the news...not really. This country is great but there are a lot of not so great things happening that people don't know about!

    Why? Because our horrible news shows are talking about a boy with pink toe nails. Srsly.

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  9. For pete's sake, give this a rest! My son went through a phase where he had to have his big toes painted because his sister had her nails painted. My brothers did the same thing when they were little. Let children be children and stop worrying about it!

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  10. I love it. I would totally paint my son's toenails if he wanted me to. My nephew's favorite color is purple, and my sister let him pick out his backpack for school, you guessed it, purple. He also loves the disney princesses. I think there needs to be more moms out there who are willing to let their sons experience who they are fully.

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  11. I don't think the color pink has a whole lot to do with any of it. I think the main controversy is that she's painting his toenails.
    As for me, I believe there are somethings that are for girls and somethings that are for boys. If I had a son I wouldn't care if he wanted to play with dolls or even play dress up, but if he wanted to get his ears pierced I'd say that's just for girls.

    I don't think it's a big deal for girls to play with boy things either, but when I was a little girl my brothers were playing basketball without shirts on and I wanted to take my shirt off too. Well, of course Mom informed me that that is not a "girl" thing to do because (even though I was somewhere around 6) it wasn't appropriate.
    All in all I don't think that painting his nails is a big deal maybe once or twice just for fun. He'll probably outgrow it when his friends make fun of him.

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  12. I used to paint my younger brother's toenails purple (his favorite color) when he was a kid. My husbands favorite color is pink. I don't have any problem with this ad and think its just a bid deal about nothing.

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  13. Does GMA not have anything else to report on anymore? Like actual issues causing actual harm to people.Sure some might have issues with it, but then just don't do it to your kids.

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  14. Were his toenails painted? All I see is a mom enjoying some special bonding time with her little boy. ;) Jon Stewart (Daily Show, Comedy Central) did a great bit on this. He called it ToeMageddon. Hilarious. :)

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  15. I, too, think that there is a big stink being created over nothing.

    However, I am getting tired of this double standard. Women have been accepted into the workplaces traditionally held by men. We can work in construction, law enforcement, business, etc. It might be very difficult for a woman to climb the ladder, but there isn't a stink being created about that anymore.

    Turn the page to a male who is doing something traditionally held by females and it's a completely different story. Boys, for the most part, are not encouraged to do "girly" things, but girls are told that we can do anything that boys can do. Boys are discouraged from being in cheerleading, gymnastics, dance classes, or playing dress up with their mother's clothing. Forget the fact that there are so many male dancers (I keep telling the girls that I nanny that there are boy ballerinas and that it's okay), olympians, and fashion designers. Somehow, it's a different story.

    Also, children are naturally mimetic. They copy the things that they see around them. His mom works in the fashion and consumer industry. Naturally, he is going to be a part of what she loves doing. Why else do children play with their mother's makeup?

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  16. When my boys were about that age they too wanted their toenails painted! I was painting mine, so they wanted some too! I was fine with it...my hubby, not so much! I had to talk him in to buying them a playskool kitchen for Christmas...I think they were 3 1/2. They had so much fun with that kitchen! My husband eventually got over the kitchen, but not the toenails! They are going to be 13 in May and they are TOTALLY fine!
    Some people need to chill out!!!!

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  17. Absolutely insane - why is America so absorbed with something so innocent?
    Why are they not more upset with the exploitation that is still being used in the ads of Ambercrombie & Fitch that speaks of soft porn? A market that corrupts our teens even more.
    Sorry, but IMHO pink toenails on a 5 yr old boy is a non-issue.
    Get over it people and look at things really DO matter!

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  18. As I am typing this my six year old son is sitting on the floor playing with the Purple Barbie car that he bought at a garage sale this morning. He has had pink toenails before. Do I think he will suffer psychological issues as an adult? I doubt it. There are more important things to be worrying about, many more important things.

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  19. This is such a non-issue. I'm not sure who was "upset" by this ad. I am wondering if J.Crew planted the whole "controversy" in the first place.

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