dreading going bathing suit shopping with 12yr old daughter

[luvflorida]

I've put it off as long as possible, but today is the day. I must take my almost 13 yr old shopping for a new swim suit. Can't wait

I'm already feeling the tension and we haven't even left for the mall yet. It'll probably take until closing time at the mall before we find a suit that we both can agree on. I, of course, would prefer that she pick out a suit that covers her from knees to elbows, and she'll no doubt want the postage stamp size bikini. I've already suggested a one-piece style and boy did I get the eye-rolling for that one!

And, of course, the price tags at the stores she wants to look in will have me in a state of shock. Whatever happened to the days when I could just buy a cute little Disney suit for her.

Wish me luck!

 

[grinningghost]

Ah yes. I remember buying those cute Little Mermaid bathing suits. Boy are those days over. DD ended up with a flower print bikini, but thankfully she didn't even SUGGEST a thong! That would have been one battle she wouldn't win.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I had real trouble fitting my 11 year old--she is 5 feet tall and 102 pounds, too big for the size 16 kid suits but not really into junior suits yet. We finally found a decent size 16 at Old Navy that is actually a little baggy. She has a nice swim team suit as well.
I am still winning the tie-back bikini battle--said "do you know what boys do with these suits?" and untied it real fast (in the dressing room of course). She denied any boy would do that--in a year or two she'll know better!
Robin M.

 

[Fire14]

I don't think this will help with your teen but I've found some cute ones in Lands End Catalog.

 

[Harambe]

Yes - we finally found one that fits in the Land's End. My daughter is 10 - but totally round at the belly. She also wears a bra because she is self-concious. We found a reasonably priced tankini that is flowered on the top and solid on the bottom, so slims her a little. It is a size 10 womens! I have to take in the straps a little.

We had been to about a zillion stores, but she didn't like anything and would not let me in the dressing room so I could see what the problems were.

Just a week 'til Scout camp and she needed the suit!

JEEEEEEEEEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

 

[hercamore]

Lands End suits are great.


herc.

 

[Tiggeroo]

There are some really nice suits out their this year. I took my dd and several nieces of varying pre-teen/teen sizes out and did well. Tankinis are great. Also suits with handkerchief style tops. Tank bottoms with bikini style tops. In my opinion alot of the newer two pieces give more coverage, especially for taller girls, then some one piece suits.

 

[Breezy_Carol]

After doing summer swim team for so many years, my 17 year old DD prefers the Speedo type racing suits to anything else. Except for the price, that is a good choice.

 

[Aurora63]

I am currently working at Dillard's, in the swimwear dept. no less. You should see the looks on some of these women faces after they try on these suits.

There are really some beautiful styles and patterns out there...lots to choose from. Though I think all of the juniors suits are so small. I was looking at one of those triangle top suits today, in which the "triangle" looked about the size a square of toilet paper. The size? Medium. Ha!

But look on the bright side...if she wants to wear a skimpy suit, at least that means she isn't having any body image problems!

 

[jwsqrdplus2]

DD4 is very tall for her age, so this year I relented and went for a 2-piece rathr than 1-piece. Target has some awesome tankinis for about $16. At least that is what I paid 3 months ago. DD4 loves them, and I will get an entire summer out of them.

 

[OhMari]

I have a 13 year old also. We went looking in February 03, I'm sorry, but my daughter is 13 not 21. I almost paid $64 at Kohls for a bikini yellow, it was really pretty on her, but then I looked and went "Oh my God, she is only 13. I said, lets go to Penny's and we found a Tankini too. Thank God.

We went to a Nike Outlet and they have some nice suits too, it is between a Tankini and a Bikini so she's happy.

I wrote Kohl's headquarters and asked them what are they thinking, what are we suppose to put our pre-teens, 13 years old to wear. They called me and said, they buy what the supplier has and they have no choice. Nice answer!

 

[Harambe]

No choice?!?! What a crock! Glad you had a choice and chose Penny's!

 

[floridaminnie]

they buy what the supplier has and they have no choice

Never thought I would use my Economics degree on the DIS, but Hello Kohl's, we live in a free economic market. It's called supply and deman. If you don't buy, they won't make. They have no choice. PLEASE!

 

[nativetxn]

Ten minutes until the stores at the Mall close, Luvflorida. Did you find a suit that you didn't have to mortgage the house to buy?

Did you survive?

 

[zurgswife]

I found a great variety in the kids department at Target....DD12 5'3"...all legs...they seemed to run larger then I expected and she found 2 that she liked...

 

[Evil Princess]

I'm thin, 18 years old, and the only problem I have with my body is a bubble butt I will wear bikinis, but I really need a bottom that isn't cut too high above the leg/butt area so I can cover myself and spare the rest of you beach goers

I cannot find ANY bathing suits I like this season. I wound up crying in the dressing room in Pacific Sunwear with my mom saying "you are NOT fat!". I'm not fat, but nothing looks right on me.

I think its more the styles this season. I'm having a hard time just finding clothes that I like, the trends just aren't for me. For someone who loves to shop and would do it every weekend, I'm severely depressed, lol.

13 years old, girl, bathing suit shopping....I feel your pain! Body issues, modesty issues, price issues....topped with the attitude of most normal 13 year olds (myself included). Good luck and some pixie dust!

 

[DixieDreamer]

Evil princess - you are WISE beyond your years.

Hugs!

 

[Evil Princess]

Why thank you

 

[luvflorida]

BATHING SUIT SHOPPING UPDATE

Yes, we both survived but came home without a swim suit. Our first stop was PacSun. They had a fairly large selection of suits, but only one price- too much! $38.50 for EACH PIECE! I explained to my daughter that I refuse to pay $80.00 for one bathing suit. She had some shopping money of her own with her, and I said if she wanted to pay for half, then we could look. We decided to go elsewhere.

We went to about six different stores and nobody really had a very good selection. She tried several on at Macy's and she liked them, but I didn't. The problem is that my daughter will be 13 in August, but she's barely 4'10", 85 pounds, so she looks younger than she really is. She wants to look older, so she gravitates toward styles that, I think, look better on an older teen. Plus, she likes the bikinis as oppossed to a one-piece or tankini.

On the plus side, we left the mall still speaking to each other. We decided to give it another go in a few days. Also, I've mentioned Walmart and Target to her, but, "OMG Mom! Someone might see me there!"

 

[luvflorida]

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that when we were in Macy's we easily found the swimsuit section, but everything looked like misses sizes, so I asked a sales clerk who was working in that area where the Junior size swimsuits were. Well, she looked at me kind of funny and pointed the way, then she coolly looked me up and down, and remarked, "But they're really tiny, you know." Well, I guess she thought it was for me because my daughter was over looking at something else at the time.