How to help guide DD in choosing her swimsuit & clothes

[jren]

This has been a struggle for us as well. DD(12) could pass for a high school senior. She's very curvy, wears the same size as I do. But she's also very unaware of her body, in a way that she wouldn't realize that she's accidentally flashing someone. We found cute boy short bottoms that make it so much easier for her to shave. They were a juniors brand at Belk, so not matronly. We bought a tankini top, but also got her a bikini top to wear with them. It's the kind with the flouncy triangle piece of cloth covering the top, so not a true bikini top.


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[TwinFoxes]

Suits like this: http://www.zappos.com/billabong-kids...ds-black-sands

are popular here. The flutter up top gives a little more coverage than a regular bikini. Around here I do see girls in fashionable one pieces, but the majority are in bikinis. I don't think I've ever seen pre-teens/teens in a tankini. That's strictly for little kids and moms.

[jren]

Suits like this: http://www.zappos.com/billabong-kids...ds-black-sands

are popular here. The flutter up top gives a little more coverage than a regular bikini. Around here I do see girls in fashionable one pieces, but the majority are in bikinis. I don't think I've ever seen pre-teens/teens in a tankini. That's strictly for little kids and moms.

Yes, that's the style top I was trying to describe. I've seen them everywhere. We do still see teens and tweens in tankinis and one pieces in our circle, but only because the kids go to a Christian school and any school function or camp requires it. My DD also has stretch marks across her back from growing so fast. They have faded some, and will continue, but they'll turn purple and won't fade if she gets tan.


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[KpbS]

Our camp also requires girls (all ages) to wear modest one pieces. At that age I definitely needed the suits with some built-in bra support. Those are more flattering once you get past a b cup, but of course cost more too.

http://m.swimoutlet.com/p/speedo-col...t-7535829/?q=1

W/o built in support, but cute!
http://m.swimoutlet.com/p/waterpro-w...uit-39240/?q=1
http://m.swimoutlet.com/p/dolfin-ugl...t-8119792/?q=1

And still not a fan of bikinis, but this one is more substantial (at least the top). I'd probably find a cute rash guard for my dd to wear with it/over it part of the time b/c that's a lot of exposed skin for sunscreen on the back.

http://m.swimoutlet.com/p/the-finals...5/?color=15580

[Corie]

My daughter is 14 yrs. old and she still wears a tankini. We found some really cute ones at JC Penney. All of her friends wear teeny-tiny bikinis.
DD had a big pool party at the end of last summer and the bikinis on the girls really shocked my husband.

[AnnieW625]

I gave into bikinis when DD1 was 8. DD1 is now 10 and she chose a swim skirt with a cropped top (from Hanna Anersson, which really surprised me!) She does have to wear a regular tank suit for a summer camp at a Christian school she goes to, and for swim team, but she still likes a bikini and I don't have a problem with it as long as it is age appropriate.

Swimwear is tough because it truly is difficult to find suits that don't look babyish/matronly that aren't bikinis for younger teens. My DD is also 13 and we have many of the same challenges. She complains that everyone else gets to wear bikinis and she's right - you're hard pressed to find a girl her age NOT wearing a bikini at the pool/beach. We have had luck focusing on sportier brands and surfer brands like Roxy. They make bikinis that are made to actually swim in.

I agree with this and even though I was not comfortable in a bikini at 13 (I was 18 when I bought my first one) if I had wanted one my parents wouldn't have told me no. I would stick with a young brands like Roxy or one you that you find at a surf store.

There are tons of bikinis at Macy's (and Athleta, Title Nine...) that have more of a crop top so just the midriff is exposed. I saw more of those this year than the full tankini I was looking for. Could be a compromise.


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She isn't going to want wear the same swimsuit brands as her mom.

[Neatfreak]

Lime Ricki has very cute tankinis, actually - fun prints and kind of vintage-y.

[boolady]

She isn't going to want wear the same swimsuit brands as her mom.

I think this is a YMMV thing, OP, and I wouldn't let that stop you from suggesting suits that you think would work for you and your DD. My DD (9.5 y/o) is concerned with the style of the suit, not where it's from, not to mention that she has no idea where I get my bathing suits or what brand they are.

[gatorsmom]

We're a rashguard-wearing family, and my almost 12YO DD easily chose one again for this summer. I'm not sure if next summer will be a different story, but my child really hates sunscreen, so the less she has to re-apply, the happier she is. I'm gonna keep pushing that angle while I can because skin cancer is scary stuff.

This is the tactic I use too. I push rash guards whenever possible for my boys and girl and it's not a hard sell because Dh had skin cancer. Also, they got sunburned in Mexico this spring and I pointed out how much more painful it would have been if not for the rashguard!

[Twoboos]

Struggling with this, too. I have always said NO to bikinis and made DDs get tankinis. So they just started rolling up the midriff-covering part last year!! Stinkers.

I decided DD1 (12, going into 7th next year) can have one this year. This one caught my eye at Target so I grabbed it. http://www.target.com/p/girls-laser-...#prodSlot=_1_2 I am going to check out some of the others posted here!

Now, my next problem is going to be DD2 and her wailing about how "It's not fair" DD1 (10, going into 6th next year) gets a bikini and she doesn't!! UGH! I'm going to play it as a going-into-7th-grade thing, and have a glass of wine.