Little girls should not wear bikinis

[SpiritedLondon]

On Saturday I'm heading off on holiday with my DH and DD5. I have bought DD a new swimsuit and a bikini which I obviously think is cute. I happened to mention this to FIL who was visiting and who immediately announced in front of DD that little girls should not wear bikinis.( he didn't like it and didn't think it was appropriate) I was slightly about it. Later on that evening I raised the subject with DH and it became apparent that he doesn't really like the idea either....he kept making comments like " it does have a long top doesn't it?" Er no not really. Is this a thing? I don't really think it's a problem and I don't actually think I'm being unreasonable but if you think I am do you think you could tell me what you think the problem is so I can understand it.

uk.accessorize.com/view/product/uk_catalog/acc_7,acc_7.2/2834409925?skipRedirection=true&utm_medium=cpc&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsoWi_fS21QIVybvtCh0wZQ26EAQYAiABEgLZjfD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CJHt0__0ttUCFZPHUQodJmoDMw

i dong think little girls should wear bikinis

Must b the oddest thing I have read on mumsnet in the last 10 years.

I wore a bikini as a 70s kid as did a my friends. What a bloody shame people have so sexualised little girls that a bikini is seen as somehow innapropriate.

Op you fil and dh are strange

nothing to get worked up about and certainly not an invitation for others to judge or comment

Except when posting on a public forum asking for opinions?

Sorry your fil

I don't really have an opinion on whether they are 'ok' or not. Wouldn't be bothered either way seeing a young child wearing a 1 piece, bikini, or just bottoms. I don't understand the hand wringing over a bikini. It's just swim wear.

I would probably encourage my young daughter to just wear bikini bottoms purely for ease of getting in and out of them when wet. 1 pieces can be a pain to peel yourself out of and a bikini top wouldn't really serve much purpose until a little older when wanting to protect modesty.

The variety of responses just proves to me that it's time we stopped using the word 'should' in relation to little girls and their clothing.

^^This.

All this "little girls should..." and "I don't like to see..." is at best Hyacinth Bucket and at worst controlling what females can and can't wear well before puberty.

We're in a hot country at the moment and some people put triangle bikinis on their little girls which looks weird. It's not sexual, just odd - as if they were wearing a bra.

Most little girls wear bikini bottoms, or nothing at all on the naked beaches!

Boden had lovely two pieces earlier this season - boyshorts and very sporty tops. I got those for my two, but they never wear the top parts, although I think they did when they were in America (more conservative about what children wear, where they were). Wouldn''t dream of faffing about with a one piece. Small child still has occasional poo accidents.

Perhaps the little girls like wearing the triangle tops. I did. Can't little girls choose what they like to wear?

I like the one you've shared. It's more like a crop top and bottoms (similar to what kids wear at dance or gymnastics).

I don't like seeing kids in string tied / triangle bikinis because they're for women. Prepubescent girls have no reason to wear them.
But then I also don't like seeing kids being dressed like little fashion models in mini adults clothing either.

I would be at your FIL and DH for even thinking that. what is going on in their heads? Hate that attitude of sexualising young children. Girls like bikinis because its what women wear, they like to dress like mummy . I also think they can go topless, basically girls can do as they please in this respect and not be told how to dress by men!!!

I recently started putting DD(5) in two piece cossies as it's easier for peeing. I would absolutely have bought her the one the OP got if I weren't too tight to pay that much

All the "little girls shouldn't wear x" posts are just examples of how some people persist in the idea that female choices are responsible for male reactions. My MiL is a bugger for this. She has spent the last 5 years making cat's bum mouth when DD has chosen to go topless on the beach (or naked when she was really little, not so much these days) but had no problem with DS doing so when teeny.

As a pp said, swimming costumes for girls cover nipples too! I bet your FIL and DH wouldn't like her to go about in bikini bottoms only. I took my 3 yr old to a public baths in bottoms only and was asked to leave as an old man had complained. This type of thing makes my blood boil!!!

ARF at 1970s being the cultural standard we should aspire to.

Looking at the link it's more of a tankini, which is fine. I don't like to see children in triangle, very little fabric bikinis 👙

I can't stand seeing little girls in bikinis! I don't know why but just don't like it. I would say only suitable from 11/12 onwards.

Those saying UV suits are 'alien'? I'm in Greece and it's 34° today. DD 7 is olive skinned but she's still in a UV vest around the pool in the middle of the day as it's searing hot.

Tankinis the rest of the time. She likes the ones with a frill neckline rather than tight across the chest.

People saying 'it's so wrong you're sexualising children', would you dress your child in the sort of sexy dresses that women wear out clubbing? Probably not. Because they're children. Would I get my young lad kitted out like a mini model? No. Because he's a kid. Would I start buying a lad high end boxers over boys underwear? No. Because he's a kid.

It's not about sexualising kids or saying girls are responsible for male reactions.

It's about letting them be kids. Children are children. They are not mini adults.

Should add, I have no issue with child swimwear like the OP has shared. It's a crop top and bottoms.

I have an issue with kids wearing mini adult clothing.

katronfon I'm sat here bemused at some of this stuff.... smiling away because I know DDs going to love it.... just like I loved my " kini " back in the 70's.
MsHarry I despair.... we have created this society that judges in this way. I would love to know what happens in Scandinavia.

She can wear whatever the f&£@ you want. I'd only not because of burning. In fact I'd happily let a small girl go topless until she didn't want to.

I don't think anyone is suggesting little girls wear adult style bikinis.

I would be hmm at your FIL and DH for even thinking that. What is going on in their heads? Hate that attitude of sexualising young children

It's the clothes thats sexualise the children, not these men. I think their attitudes are reasonable. Had the child asked to wear a bikini, then it would have been a different matter. The actually costume is quite nice but the OP's OP makes it appear that the FIL hadn't seen the costume and his pronouncements in front of the DD were out of order.

For myself, I find bikinis (string and triangle kind) on children lewd.

I have 2 DDs (now 16 and 13) and they wore bottoms only sometimes and bikini sometimes and swimsuit sometimes. They loved frilly styles and there was never anything remotely sexual about it. anyone thinking that needs to have a word with themselves. Its about you not anyone else.

I wouldn't but mainly because I want my 5 year old covered up in the sun. She wears girls or boys swim trunks and a rash vest that covers to her elbows so we only have to faff with the sun cream on legs, face bottom of arms.

msharry
I think the clarification has come from a few posters (me included) to say some bikini / tankinis are appropriate for children e.g. designed for kids, crop tops etc whereas some are just small versions of adult style swimwear.

There's obviously a few of us who aren't anti bikini, but do think they should be child swimwear rather than mini adult like some places.