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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Bikinis for little girls are a bit yuck

174 replies

Rosieeo · 20/06/2010 12:10

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?

OP posts:

Lovecat · 29/06/2010 13:47

I take it your daughter doesn't actually swim, then, wearing that get-up, Anna, she just poses around on the Cote D'Azur....?

Bonsoir · 29/06/2010 13:49

She has quite a large beach wear wardrobe - some quite nice kaftans too.

She is going for a swimming test later this afternoon with a very prudish decent red one-piece.

Francagoestohollywood · 29/06/2010 13:50

In Italy, up until very recently it was normal to buy just the bottom part for pre puberty girls.
Nowadays they only sell the bloody bikini set. I refuse to spend more money because there are 2 useless triangles attatched to the piece my dd needs. grrrrr

Bonsoir · 29/06/2010 13:52

At BonTon they only sell the pants bit of the bikini, Franca.

thecatatemygymsuit · 29/06/2010 13:52

For any bikini lovers, I have just ordered this sweet bikini for dd (aged 3 1/2).
To me it's not about 'covering up' a non-existent chest, it's merely a cute look. But I would happily let her run around in just the bottoms.

Francagoestohollywood · 29/06/2010 13:54

We don't have BonTon here, as you know. Even Petit Bateau has betrayed me and sells bikini sets for little girls.

Bonsoir · 29/06/2010 13:54

But you can order BonTon online...

Francagoestohollywood · 29/06/2010 13:56

the website will re open on the 19th of July... a bit late for me
Anyway, dd is still wearing her size 3/4 yrs old pants, DPAM used to make lovely cotton ones.

EndangeredSpecies · 29/06/2010 13:59

I used to think bikinis for girls were tacky too. But I just bought DD one, she's 6 1/2 and she looks absolutely beautiful in it, far better than her mum

Booboobedoo · 29/06/2010 14:06

I actually laughed out loud when I read the first post stating that they would not allow their child to be naked in public in case a paedophile saw them.

Then I read the next one.

And the next one.

Are you serious?

Do you know what a wide variety of perversions there are in the world?

You can't protect your children from being perved on from afar by those who are that way inclined, and you should not make it the childrens' problem.

And so what if some dirty old man takes sneaky pictures of your child? What possible harm does that do your child? It's his nasty little problem, not yours.

nappyaddict · 30/06/2010 01:41

Lovecat What about UV sun suits or wet suits - she could wear one of those for swmimming which covers her top half which won't make her self conscious cos girls have their top half covered but is unisex so doesn't actually give out the message as a costume, tankini or bikini that girls need to be covered up iyswim.

Out of interest when your DD starts to develop breasts would you be happy with her in a bikini or tankini then?

CheerfulYank · 30/06/2010 02:23

I was just talking about this today. For some reason, the padded diapers one can buy from Mini Boden (this is the only place I've seen something like that as they don't sell just bottoms for girls in the US, at least not that I've ever seen) seem less "wrong" than a padded bikini top, and I'm not sure why.

Again, I'm not sure why. A normal tankini or bikini is ok, a "pole dancer" esque one is icky. And no, I'm not a prude, and not into the "patriarchy" telling me to cover my body (YAWN), etc, I just would rather that I, and any hypothetical daughters I have, do not feel the need to be judged on what I/they look like and how "sexy" I can be. This is all moot though as any biological child my pasty husband I have is going to be covered in surf shorts and a rash guard...we're pale. Unless there's some throwback genes lurking from my mother's Blackfoot ancestors...

CheerfulYank · 30/06/2010 02:28

By "padded diaper" I meant swim diaper, not like a butt enhancer or anything.

nappyaddict · 30/06/2010 11:32

Swim nappies/diapers are padded because they have towelling inside them to soak up wee/poo. They are padded for a reason. Girls don't need padded bikinis to make them look like they have breasts.

nappyaddict · 30/06/2010 12:28

I think my friend got just bottoms from here

nappyaddict · 30/06/2010 12:41

bikini pants up to age 3.

Thisisthatvilewoman · 30/06/2010 12:43

Completely depends what it looks like. If it's a tiny 'breast shaped' top and small bottoms then eeewww, likewise high cut or cut out costume. My DD has one, she is three, that is a large top and large bottoms with a little skirt thing, she loves it. I do prefer her swimming costume but that's because it's much more expensive and lovely.

Condensedmilkaddict · 30/06/2010 14:53

I think it is bizarre that we can accept each other's choices on topics like politics, abortion...

Yet a topic on children's swimwear is so heated.

Live and let live. I honestly cannot believe that some of you are sitting around the pool judging what other kids are wearing!

RockRose · 30/06/2010 15:06

Gosh what a huge discussion over a bikini.

To add my penneth though, my dd is 15 now and has had bikinis all through. It had never once crossed my mind that their could even be a short discussion about it let alone 170 posts!

Lovecat · 02/07/2010 02:42

They don't allow the UV suits in lessons, nappyaddict, and tbh even if they did I wouldn't put her in one - far too much faffing getting in/out of them when they're wet! And as for a wetsuit... aaargh!

If she felt confident wearing a bikini when she developed breasts, then that would be her choice to wear one, I wouldn't go all cats bum on her (but I wouldn't be rushing to buy her a 3-tiny-triangles-of-cloth one, either!).

I just think that at 5 yrs old, I would like her to be free in her little body and not have to worry about social convention, gender stereotyping or other people's hangups. At that age they should be able to go with what's comfortable and convenient. Just like boys get to do.

Songbiirdheartsfootball · 02/07/2010 10:19

I hate the triangle bra type bikinis on children. Not because of the paedophile issue, but because it just smacks of adults dressing their children as mini adults. I don't think it can be all that comfortable for them anyway.

I don't mind the two-piece tankini and pants ones though. They can be really cute and I remember my mum dressing me in them when I was little.

My dd though wont wear one. She's 3 and wants to wear swimshorts so I leave her in them, and when we go to the beach or if the sun's high I put on a uv top for her.

Songbiirdheartsfootball · 02/07/2010 10:20

"I just think that at 5 yrs old, I would like her to be free in her little body and not have to worry about social convention, gender stereotyping or other people's hangups. At that age they should be able to go with what's comfortable and convenient. Just like boys get to do. "

Love that Lovecat

nappyaddict · 02/07/2010 10:58

lovecat DS uv suit is just little shorts and a long sleeved rash top so easy for going to the toilet.

Why don't you like wet suits? They are great for keeping them warm, meaning they can stay in the pool longer.

BarefootShirl · 02/07/2010 11:27

DD(11) has had bikinis since she was about 6 but she rarely wears the top, preferring to run around in just her bottoms.

Personally I don't worry too much about the paedophile issue as such perverts will sadly get their "kicks" whatever she is or isn't wearing.

Generally I let her decide what she wears (within reason) - if she's comfortable and happy playing on the beach then that's what it's all about.

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