Bikinis for little girls are a bit yuck

[Rosieeo]

I just don't like them. It implies that they have something that needs to be covered and they don't. Why can't they all, boys and girls, just run around in pants on the beach? Or am I being a bit OTT?

I am constantly impressed with the ingenuity of some posters, making a skilful and massive leap from 'I don't want my daughter in a pole dancer's outfit' to 'I therefore want her in a burka at all times'.

'cute and comfortable' ??? I don't have a link, but the Ariel bikini from the Disney shop is neither. The top is bits of gold spangly triangles which will end up round her neck after five mins of her swimming lesson.

Bikinis are not designed for doing anything active. They are designed for posing around beaches and swimming pools. I want my daughter out, running about, having fun, not worried at the age of five if her bikini top is coming untethered.

It is completely my own fault for letting her go off and chose something without me being there, but in my defence I never thought such horrible items would be made for five years old. What really troubles me is why she picked it out. I am very relaxed about her being naked so she can hardly be rebelling against my puritanical values.

I feel for you Spero - our kids can undo our best intentions in lots of ways I think. I doubt if your dd is rebelling at such a young age - more likely trying to copy something she's seen somewhere (probably kids tv) and, saddest of all imo just attracted to something that looks shiny and pretty while having absolutely no idea of any connotations attached to wearing it.

A little girl's bikini is hardly a pole dancer's outfit nor are there any similar connotations in wearing it. Further more talking about making a massive leap pole dancer = little girls swim bikini???

My daughter and I both wear bikini's on the beach (yes I have a daughter and I am still a size 8-10 with massive post baby norks) so I guess we are no better than any females that parade their bodies for sex or money.

It is about being totally comfortable with the human body and how it looks, enjoying fashion at any age. Like I said in a previous post my DD's bikini is hardly red and gold glitter with mesh nipples and a crotchless thong! It is 2010.

I would much prefer my daughter to be "topless" than wear a bikini top because, to me, a bikini top is the equivalent of a bra.
However, as I said, she wears UV suits when on the beach. Here's hoping she doens't give a damn about "fashion" until she reaches secondary school...

I don't think bikins for little girls are 'fashion', I think they are simply very sweet. (Not playboy tassles, obviously!)
I wore them in the 70's, my mother is a feminist and had no problem with the concept whatsoever!

I am amazed that people dress children in bikinis, what in gods name keeps the tops up? you see children constantly hitching them to the right place. Every time they jump in the pool the top goes adrift either up or down and they have to start fiddling with them to get them in the right place! Bikini tops are designed to hold breasts in!!! not for children for gods sake!!!!

landrover - you could use the same argument for swimming costumes. Have lost count the number of times straps slide off shoulders. If bikini tops are designed to hold breasts in then surely that is the same purpose for the top part of a one-piece?!

My dd (7) has a bikini (more like a tankini really). She was growing so quickly, I'd got sick of buying swimming costumes that then were too small. She looks lovely in it. She has a swimming costume and a uv suit too. Out of all those, it is the uv suit that I find the most revealing as it clings a lot when wet.

My younger dd (3) has one-pieces and uv suits. Little little girls do not look so lovely in bikinis IMO - the pot belly etc etc!

!! at "revealing" and at the idea that little girls with pot bellies don't look lovely.

NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's not what I meant. I mean DD's uv suit basically becomes see-through and clings to her bottom and I would prefer her to be naked to be honest. And my little girl's pot belly is the most gorgeous thing!! but sandwiched between a bikini?? Why?! I was trying to say I think little little girls look better out of bikinis but older girls can look lovely. I think the cut off is when the pot belly disappears. That is if you are looking at swimwear from a style perspective ... personally I buy for practicality and whether they look pretty and age appropriate in it too.

Thanks Galena, that's exactly what I mean, although even that one is more 'child-like' than some of the ones I've seen.

Again, for me it's not covering them up, they could run around buck-nekked for all I care.

I wouldn't buy my DD a miniskirt or wet-look leggings either. They are adult items of clothing and look weird on little girls. In my opinion, of course.

mini skirts are not for little girls either!
Don't you think they look cute with wooly tights and boots in winter or what about little flippy skirts in summer?

I think 2 piece swimming tops are way more practical for little girls

No mini skirts (ie to pant line) here for me either. I don't dress my daughter as a mini adult.

I just don't understand why 'because its 2010' means we are weird if we are not signing up to 'dress your daughter like an adult' day. What is 'modern' or desirable about that?

If this really is part of being in 2010, I'd be happy to turn the clock back to when children could enjoy a period of childhood without aping adult dress and adopting adult neuroses about how they look.

Yep. In fact I would have thought it is far more suitable in 2010 to let little girls run free naked or wearing whatever is practical without being subjected to out-moded conventions about looking 'cute'.
Mine used to revel in running around in the nud - early childhood is the only time they can be truly uninhibited and they should be allowed to make the most of it.

Amazed at ticktock suggesting that those who argue against bikinis are somehow comparing her and her daughter to sex-workers when they wear them.

blackberry You seem to be one of the more extreme bikini haters on this threadso what is your opinion on tankinis?

Bikinis (ie triangle tops not vest tops) are completely inappropriate for young girls - I hate them. It suggests they have something to hide and that girls are mini adults. No difference between a bikini and a high heels imo.

YANBU. Bikini tops are the equivalent of bras and therefore inappropriate for children under bra wearing age. Pants alone are fine, one pieces ok, UV suit when it's sunny, but my 3 (eldest 7) all go naked whenever they can. the important thing, for me, is that they can run about, swim, play etc (with or without clothes) comfortably. No-one can seriously tell me that a little girl wearing a bikini top is not going to be hitching it back into place every 5 seconds.

naked=fine

just pants= fine

bikini= fine

PADDED BIKINI= not fine

Even I wouldn't do padded bikinis now (but that is purely due to the friggin,heaving, lactating enormity of the things, and I would definitely knock someone out).

Strangely enough I was thinking about this very subject yesterday at the paddling pool in Brighton. DD (5) was wearing the bottom half of a tankini set - I buy them for the pants part only and never keep the tops, finding pants are best for ease of going to the loo - and I slowly realised as I looked around that she was the only female child in a very packed paddling pool who was not in a one-piece or a bikini.

As far as I'm concerned, why should a 5 year old have to cover her chest up and be bothered with hitching up straps/have issues going to the loo? I spent my summers til I was about 8 running around naked on the beach and it never occurred to me that there was anything wrong with that (1960's/70's). But it was obvious I was the only parent there yesterday who thought that way. Which is a bit sad...

asampras - peadophiles enthusiastically discuss children full stop.
Shall we lock children away in case a paedohil emight happen to see them?
This has to be one of the most ridiculous threads ever.

Lovecat Does your DD just wear the pants part for swimming lessons too? In Spain it is common for little girls to wear just the pants until quite late and you can easily just buy the bottoms for children unlike in the UK.

nappyaddict - she did a few times but then got a bit self conscious because all the other girls were in cossies (they don't allow bikini-topped swimwear for lessons) and 'I'm not a boy' so now she's in a cossie for lessons

I really resent having to buy a whole bikini when all I want is the pants!

I think bikinis on little girls are adorable. Especially the cotton Liberty print kind, with a nice floppy sunhat, big sunglasses, some jewellery and flip flops.