Buyer Beware: Look at the leaves

So I called the Beistle Company (who markets the Hula skirt) in PA, and talked to a guy named Jim. 

"Hi Jim, I'm calling from MN about a particular product I bought in a party store. It's the "Tropical Fern Leaf Hula Skirt" 

Jim (chuckling)" Yes, we've looked at that product before." 

me (not chuckling): So then you know it's not a 'fern leaf' pattern?" I then told him the story. 

Jim (more chuckling): The first time I took it out of the package I knew what it was." 

Me (now feeling a tiny bit insulted) "Well, it's not that I didn't KNOW what it was, it was that I didn't feel the need to inspect the leaves. 1) because it's just a hula skirt and 2) because it didn't even occur to me and 3) there is nothing on the packaging that says this might not be something for kids." 

Jim: Well, all our products are marketed to adults, not children. 

me: Well I'm looking at the package right now, and there is NOTHING on it about it being for adults. Also, I bought it in the general "tropical" section of a party supply store, and it was hanging right next to the raffia grass skirts.  It wasn't hanging next to bongs, or pipes, or other paraphenalia.There is nothing to indicate this would not be suitable for kids. In fact, it says, "FERN leaf" on it.

Jim: Well, I wouldn't send my kid to school in it! 

Me: Right, neither would I, if I'd known I was buying a skirt of pot leaves! Now, had the packaging been labeled differently, I wouldn't have bought the thing. If it had been labeled "not suitable for children under 18", or "Maie with silk marijuana leaves" or something I wouldn't have bought it. 

Jim: Well, but it's not even sized for a child. 

Me: My child is 12, and small for her age, and it was almost too small in the waist for her! What adults ARE you sizing it for? Besides "adult" has to do with age, not size. 

Jim: I'll talk to management about it. (I'm thinking he didn't.) 

Ok, so clearly Jim thinks I'm an idiot. Clearly it's my fault for not inspecting the leaves of the hula skirt I bought my kid for Hawaiian day. Note to self, always look for pot leaves before dressing your child.

My next call is the Party City Corporate offices. Now, I DO think this whole thing is funny. And I'm glad I had school staff who were just as humored, but some other kid might not be so lucky when they wear this thing to school!
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