Bathing suits for a 14 year old?

[Aliceacc]

We're about to enter bathing suit season, and I have a 14 year old daughter. (Two other kids too, but their bathing suits don't pose a problem.)

Where do you shop? I want something fashionable and cool, not dowdy, but I also don't want her practically naked. Losing part of her bathing suit on the slide at Stormalong Bay will scar her for life-- and probably me as well.

Last year we found her an almost-decent suit at Macys, and a few keepers in the Kohls Junior department-- anyone have other suggestions?

 

[chocolatemint]

I suggest a rash guard top & board shorts. Hurley has really cute board shorts (for example the Phantom) and there are tons of cute rash guard tops. She'll feel totally comfortable running around with no fear of exposure and will still be stylish. I live where it's warm and rash guards are kind of the standard with kids of all ages here -- it's great not to have to worry as much about sunburns or constantly reapplying sunscreen.

Good sources for those are Zappos, Amazon, & various online swim shops. They're everywhere.

 

[laughinplace199]

DD14 got a few bikinis at Delia's last summer. They had a pretty big selection, so even though some were too skimpy (in my opinion), there were plenty of other decent ones to choose from.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

DD14 got a few bikinis at Delia's last summer. They had a pretty big selection, so even though some were too skimpy (in my opinion), there were plenty of other decent ones to choose from.

That's where DW got suits this year for DD13.

 

[Aliceacc]

Great, thanks. It somehow never occurs to me to go in there.

 

[MandiC]

The Children's Place offers suits up to a 16 I believe. I haven't looked at their this year's suits but some years they have *really* cute suits, some years not so much (I wasn't a fan of last year's), we only do one piece suits so I know as my girls get older it will be harder but that is one place I know we have seen them. I like Kohls too

 

[Aliceacc]

My very petite little 14 year old cannot wear a Junior top. We tried on a LOT of suits, and had a hard time balancing "age approrpriate" and "decent." No luck at JC Penneys, Hollister, Macys, Delias, or I forget where else.

We ended up, in all places, at Victoria's Secret, paying way too much for a suit that actually covered her enough on top. (Their tops are sized as would be a bra, so we were able to get one that fit, and to pair it with a size small bottom.)

My 11 year old found a very cute bikini at Macys. She desperately wanted a bandeau at JCPenneys, but needs to wait one more year before it stays up. Then, a year after that, it won't stay up any more if she's built anything like her sister.

They'll each need at least one more suit, but at least they have something.

 

[kohlby]

I normally wear a size 14 girls and also am too small on the top for most jr suits. I haven't looked this year, but I've bought through Lands End Canvas in the past. they go smaller than the regular Lands End and are cut smaller too. They had a mix of styles.

 

[sookie]

We're about to enter bathing suit season, and I have a 14 year old daughter. (Two other kids too, but their bathing suits don't pose a problem.)

Where do you shop? I want something fashionable and cool, not dowdy, but I also don't want her practically naked. Losing part of her bathing suit on the slide at Stormalong Bay will scar her for life-- and probably me as well.

Last year we found her an almost-decent suit at Macys, and a few keepers in the Kohls Junior department-- anyone have other suggestions?

I found my daughter a decent 1 piece swimsuit at Abercrombie Kids. She is 13. Honestly - color me shocked. It actually has good back coverage, and the neckline is secure. It is retro style.

I don't know about their bikini wear, but those pieces look very skimpy .

 

[alexensmom]

My DD and I have been around and around with bathing suit shopping this year. She attends young life camp and does lots of activities in their suits, like zip lines into the lake, etc. While they don't have bathing suit "regulations," I am requiring a little more out of a bathing suit than being held together with strings. She won't be caught dead in a tankini, rash guard or board shorts. Target has a style that we could both agree on. The top is shaped like a sports bra so to speak, no clasp closure on the back. It has the extra fabric overlay on the front. They had several colors and patterns in that style and also one in black lace. The matching bottoms weren't awful. At least they had more fabric around the hips than string. Oh, life with a teenager.

 

[bjscheel]

Question of the year, every year! I have a DD15 and a DD12 and they both need support on top (so girls sizes are out), and both want pretty modest. DD12 would prefer some of the girls size styles, but can't do a suit without at least a shelf bra. Once I emailed Lands End and LL Bean to suggest that be an option for sizes 12-16 girls. Mine don't even want tankinis that have the V neckline. DD15 has a pair of black boyshort bottoms, and these tankinis:

http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1604117/zeroxposur-striped-racerback-tankini-top-womens.jsp

http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1551379/nike-racerback-tankini-top-womens.jsp

DD12 also has the boy shorts, and a couple of tankini tops. Most of them have a straight across neckline and a halter strap, but she is short, and feels that the neckline is too low or not stable. One or two are from Shopko. I did get her a good tankini top with actual shoulder straps from Athleta that is super cute and very secure:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/athleta-swi...Athleticwear&hash=item258c781f05#ht_164wt_684


She also has this one-piece. I shortened the strap on it so it would stay up better and it is super cute on her:

http://www.kohls.com/product/prd-1581801/chaps-polka-dot-bandeau-swimdress-womens.jsp

The Lands End athletic line (Aqua Sport) runs in smaller sizes than their regular line, and has bikini tops that cover like a sports bra. DD15 will wear that style too now. DD12 doesn't want her belly to show.

 

[Disney Khaleesi]

I always get my suits at JCPenny.

 

[blackpearl77]

Try Lands end at Sears!

 

[bjscheel]

I just checked out the selection on Down East Basics- they tend towards modest and I think some of them are pretty cute:

http://downeastbasics.com/swim.aspx

I need to get DD12 some more of their wonder camis- they come up higher- never thought to look at their swimwear before. I know she would like the ruffled tankinis.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

My daughter is 10, but built like a 14 year old and still wears kids sizes or juniors 0-1. We have good luck at Justice. The bottoms are not too skimpy and many of the tops have foam liners. Some of them tend to be a little young, but she has found some cuter ones that are a little older looking. Her taste tends away from cute and sparkly and more toward "junior" styles, but we still can usually find something she will wear.

 

[lovemyairman09]

I saw some tanks and boy shorts at Sam's club yesterday.

 

[joannamet]

Don't know if you're still looking but I order all suits for my daughter and for me from Land's End. Great coverage; good fit; very long wearing.

 

[puffkin]

Lands End! And the suits last and last and last.

 

[mjkacmom]

I loved Lands End when they were little, but they refused to wear them after age 8 or so. My girls will only wear bikinis, no tankinis, no skirts. My 2 youngest wear a size 8 kids suit, so they're still easy. They love the boyshorts.

Dd17 usually gets them at Target.

 

[tinktinktink]

Target has great suits.