I buy most of ETC’s clothing at our multiples club’s twice-annual consignment sales. They’re still young enough that the selection of barely used clothing is outrageous for a teeny tiny price.
I knew going into this summer season that I’d need to eventually replace the girls’ swimsuits because I only found one rash guard and boy shorts set in their current size. I bought a couple one-piece tank-style suits for backups and planned to hang onto last year’s shirt/short suits for as long as we could, then cross the new-swimsuit bridge when we got there.
Hello, July. We’re there. And guess what – swimsuits aren’t easy to shop for. In July. In North Carolina. Where we have approximately three-four months of 80F-plus days ahead of us.
I’m not being entirely truthful. I have a plethora of bikinis from which to choose, but since I don’t want to set my girls on a conveyor belt in America’s Sexy Girl Factory, I’m left with slim pickings. Now maaaaaybe the bikinis are what’s left of the season’s supply, but I highly doubt they just quit making anything but skimpy swimsuits for girls.
I honestly never gave much thought to swim fashion and the differences between what we’re sold for boys or girls.
Then I had three two-year-olds who are strong voices in Equal Opportunity Living, and I agreed with them – if Toby wears shorts and a shirt for swimming, so do the girls. Why should I expect my girls subject themselves to extensive sunscreen application (“I don’t waaaaant lotion!”) and risk butt-cheek exposure? Or how do I convince them that peeling off a wet one-piece swimsuit to use the bathroom them struggling with wet material and wet skin to put it back on is fair when pulling down wet shorts looks so much easier?
Thankfully, they don’t understand the argument over sexualizing children with skimpy swimsuits, but I do. Why are boys dressed modestly while girls – starting as INFANTS – are offered rack after rack of skimpy bikini bottoms (absolutely no shorts or skirts were to be found), skimpier tops and oh, here’s one or two modest, full-shirt options. One-piece suits or tank top options cover more, for sure, but if short-sleeve rash guards and knee-length shorts are the norm for boys, why are the girls’ options so much more revealing?
I watch kids out in public and didn’t think I’d have a sexy-clothes battle until they reached the tween years – you know, when there are screams and door slams and You’re-The-Meanest-Mom-Evers and But-Whatsername-Is-Allowed-To-Show-Her-Cooters – and I expected the battle to be with angry children. I had no idea I’d be battling The Man over the availability of modest swimwear at the ripe, old age of TWO.
What gives, America?
p.s. Shout out to Lands End – your coordinating rash guard and swim skirt combinations are going to look ADORABLE on my little ladies. Your 50% off sale is also pretty rad. Otherwise, Mama would be BROKE.
While walking through the mall, my husband and I promised each other to not allow our (someday) daughters to wear bikinis until they’re old enough to buy one themselves. I think its absolutely ridiculous that you cannot buy a once piece for a girl unless you want to buy the $50 ones at MC Sports which they’ll grow out of by next summer.
Right??? My partner wants to dress our daughter in a teeny Bikini (she’s 4) and SHE wants shorts with sharks and a rash guard. Cue household arguments where he doesn’t want her to look ridiculous and thinks I’m brainwashing her, sadly. We settled on last years rash guard& shorts and papa can stay home from the pool. Lol
I have 3 boys (almost 4yo & almost 2yo twins) so I don’t spend much time shopping for girls’ clothes. But when I recently went shopping for my 10 month old god daughter and her 2 yo sister, I was shocked at how “adult” some of the clothes look, especially the swimsuits! I don’t envy you sister, and if I had girls, I’d be right there with you searching for the rash guards! If nothing else, they’re just more practical, especially in a time when we’re all so worried about our skin being protected from the sun.
Girls clothing past size 24mos is horrifying. I end up buying “boy” clothing so I don’t feel like they are being over exposed or objectified. (Some of the sayings on shirts are just as offensive, even if the clothing covers up.) I agree places like Lands End are a welcome option for my growing toddler.
I’ve been really happy with snap me swim wear for my 2 year old. One piece, but it has sleeves AND it snaps at bottom so diaper changes/potty breaks are easy! They are on baby and toddler steals often. I also like Hannah Anderson (although pricy). Great rash guards and short options.
Amen. For years my daughter wore her older brother’s hand-me-down trunks and rash guards. As she got older we started buying her “girls” swim suits and rash guards but she has requested “swim shorts” because she doesn’t like “swim underwear” which is what the bikini bottoms look like to a 6 year old.
I hear ya. Check out Target’s clearance every now and then. That’s how I got a few of Isla’s last summer. I also saw some on teacollection.com 40 percent off sale. 😉
I am right there with you on this one! I refuse to put my 2 year old in a bikini. Sure, she doesn’t understand about being sexy and all that, but how can I put her in a bikini at 2 and then refuse it at 5+?! So we’re avoiding that fight in the future by saying “no bikinis”. As I was reading your post I was getting ready to comment about Lands End, but no need! I love lands end swimsuits: cute, modest, and affordable (sales all the time!) I did decide rashguards and bottoms were okay, since it actually covers more than a 1 piece suit. But that consolation is mostly because having a potty trained daughter is easier with a 2 piece.
Here in the UK most swimsuits for girls are one-pieces, and my son wears trunks. Short shorts. I don’t even let my sixteen year old daughter wear bikinis. I don’t even know what a rashguard is, but I’m guessing some kind of t-shirt. My DH would love this, as he hates having to bare all to go swimming in tiny shorts. How the other half lives…
Here in Canada, I’ve been buying online from a company called Please Mum, which has mixes of rash guards and “board shorts” that go together in various combinations, as well as one-piece suits that have sleeves and shorts incorporated. There are lots of other options online, but I mention these because they have frequent sales where the items are in the $4-$6 range each.
I got our 1-piece tanks at Children’s Place. But. I can’t find a dress with short sleeves to save my life! My 6-year-old was graduating from Kindergarten (Catholic school – so no sleeveless allowed) and I couldn’t find ANYTHING that didn’t make her look like a street walker! I finally bought a spaghetti-strap dress and put a t-shirt underneath! I want my daughter to DRESS HER AGE (attention clothiers: 6-year-olds do not charge by the hour!).