New Look responds to backlash over padded bikini for young girls

[stumbledin]

Cant see another thread about this, but I am so downhearted that this sexualisation of young girls is still going on.

And www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/new-look-responds-backlash-over-20723688

I think Object Now! have been tweeting about this. twitter.com/ObjectUK/status/1400040409611575296

They're moulded not padded.

@hatcoatscarfalcohol

They're moulded not padded.

So what!! Moulded or padded - 9 year old girls???

I can’t get excited about this to be honest. Parents can choose to not buy them. I remember reading years ago that teenage girls,prefer padded bras not because they’re trying to exaggerate anything but because they feel it provides more of a barrier than a flimsy non padded bra. I imagine it’s the same for a bikini. Some 9yos will have breast development and may feel more comfortable psychologically with padding.

I preferred moulded swimsuits and bikini tops from a young age for modesty reasons. I had very prominent nipples and I was self conscious as are a lot of girls. It had nothing to do with trying to be grown up or look sexy.

Girls are entering puberty earlier.

It is normal for girls with breast buds to want to wear those moulded soft cup bras and swimsuits, because they don’t want the outline of their developing breasts to be visible in public, because males of all ages will comment on it.

Covering up the shape is not about sexualisation anymore than women wearing T-shirt bras are trying to look more sexualised.

It’s not these girls’ faults or their parents that they are trying to disguise their nipples in a society that think the outline of a nipple is too sexual.

Girls are entering puberty earlier

Hasn't that been debunked? I thought it remains broadly in line with long-term historical norms

It doesn’t really matter either way. Lots of nine year olds are developing breasts.

You can "choose not to buy" something only to the extent that alternatives are available. The same applies to padded bikinis as for any other pieces of clothing; the reality is that options that are not so revealing (or in this case, also padded) are hard to find.

For me personally I choose to wear moulded cup bras and swimwear because im conscious of my boobs, it put me off swimming when I was younger which is a shame because its something I enjoy. If they were available when I was younger I would have felt more comfortable in them.

In my early teens I also preferred moulded foam cups for modesty reasons. I felt self conscious about my breast buds and moulded cups concealed the shape and size. So I don’t think this is an issue tbh. The fact it’s a bikini and not a one-piece is more of an issue imo.

Can't see any pictures so no direct comment but I have no objection to "moulded" cups being more comfortable for sensitive growing breast buds, plus hiding any unequal sizes etc. It's not necessarily to make them bigger, can give a smoother line. I'd quite like the option of a padded/moulded cup as a 28KK and I definitely don't need by boobs to look bigger.

Also age 9 could easily fit an 11/12 year old who is fairly narrow across the back, is quite likely to have growing boobs and might well find a 2 piece more convenient for a day at the pool/beach. Especially for getting changed in limited facilities!

[quote stumbledin]Cant see another thread about this, but I am so downhearted that this sexualisation of young girls is still going on.

And www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/shopping/new-look-responds-backlash-over-20723688

I think Object Now! have been tweeting about this. twitter.com/ObjectUK/status/1400040409611575296[/quote]
Moulded I have no problem with, padding I do.
I do remember being so paranoid when my nipples would show through, so a thicker bikini top I am fine with.

I don’t get people who say they’d prefer to wear this type of bikini as they were self conscious about their breasts. Someone who’s body conscious would surely prefer to wear a full swimsuit and even a t shirt over it to hide their bodies? I know when I was a child I’d never have worn a bikini! My girls both wore board shorts and cropped (ie substantial) bikini tops once they started to develop breasts.

I can almost guarantee that the manufacturers of these bikinis didn’t think - I know, I’ll design a bikini that self conscious girls can wear to cover up in then come up with this adult design.

Adults wear moulded cups for the same reason, because for the last twenty years we’ve decided for reasons unknown that the outline of a nipple is not acceptable.

Being self conscious about the shape of your developing breasts doesn’t mean you are self conscious about the shape of your whole body and want to cover it all up.

I'm torn on this one. I liked anything moulded from quite young due to huge nips and breast size differences. I'm not sure this is sexualisation. I just wanted to hide the nipples and the fact one boob was clearly 2 sizes smaller.

I certainly would have benefited from some padding to hide the obvious outline of my breasts when I was that age, I wearing bras from year 4

The camo sets on the bottom left seem to have a bit more material below and between the cups which I think is better/ more modest

Torn on this. I don't have an issue with moulding, but the bikinis themselves don't look great to me. Not appropriate for a 9 yo IMO. I do think it's a fairly sexualised style.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9639277/amp/New-Look-fire-sexualising-children-selling-padded-bikinis-girls-aged-nine.html

Trying the link again!

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9639277/amp/New-Look-fire-sexualising-children-selling-padded-bikinis-girls-aged-nine.html

DD likes moulded cups for the reasons given above - not to make her bust look bigger, but to hide her nipples (especially when coming out of a cold swimming pool), and also she found a bit of soft padding more comfortable and protective.

However she’d never wear those New Look styles as they are too skimpy - she prefers the crop top / sports style as less revealing and better for swimming in.

I prefer moulded cups for the reasons people have mentioned, not to make them look bigger. Many 11 year old girls would need an age 9 if they have a slight build, the shop isn't making parents buy them for 9 year olds. If parents don't like teenage style clothing then they should shop elsewhere for their pre teen children.

My nearly term daughter is developing and is all nips, I think she'd prefer moulded for modesty tbh.

I think clothing that 11-12 year olds and teens want to wear does need to be available in a couple of sizes smaller than the target age group to provide for smaller builds.

Without moulding or padding I imagine 90% of girls over the age of 8 wouldn’t swim. Women really are distructive when it comes to themselves - ffs don’t any of you remember how frustrating it was at 8/9 with ‘athletic’ swimwear that not only showed the outline of nipples but often the colour too? Girls won’t accept that any more.

The thing with new look is the kids range is for age 9 to 15 hence the name 915. Plenty kids at the younger end need some form of support of feel more confident with it therefore why not have a bikini over a swimsuit. Instead of us stating what kids think why not ask them. There is no right or wrong just how they feel about what they wear on their own bodies. There is nothing sexual about kids in bikinis. Adults make that assumption out of fear.

I wear kids bras- the soft crop top type ones, for about a 12 year old as I am small and child size, even as an adult. They hide absolutely nothing, which doesn’t bother me as I don’t mind going braless I’m thin tops - I’m not worried if people can see my nipples, but if I was a kid wearing them I’d feel extremely self conscious, so I can see why kids want a layer of padding.