Should 4-year-olds be wearing skinny jeans?

Mass retailers like Old Navy and Gap are selling skinny jeans for girls as young as four. Harmless trend — or an easy way to slip into an eating disorder?

Are skinny jeans like Gap's (shown here) a bad idea for kids?

Since they first came into vogue a few years back, skinny jeans have sparked vociferous debate. Their detractors have alleged that the sausage-casing-like garments are hazardous to wearers' health, constitute an adequate judicial defense in rape cases, and make any women larger than a size 8 look ridiculous. Now, with major retailers like Gap and Old Navy selling "super skinny" jeans for girls as young as age four, some commentators are worried that the clingy pants may trigger unhealthy body images and even eating disorders.

Enough with the fretting: We're talking about pants here — practical, comfortable, and "generally stretchy" ones at that, says Amy Graff in the San Francisco Chronicle. "It's hard to imagine that a 5-year-old is going to pass on a piece of cake at the birthday party so she can fit into her skinny jeans." These pants are "easy to run around in" like the leggings my daughter loves, but thicker and sturdier.

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