Tuesday, April 24, 2007

It's That Time Again!

Yesterday I was finally forced into it. I had been avoiding it for weeks but yesterday it was coming down to the crunch. And because I'd left it as late as I could, I was being pressured from having to be somewhere else within the hour to boot. I finally had to bite the bullet and take my 12 year old shopping for a bathing suit.

If you don't have a 12 year old girl you might not fully realize the stress that this induces. My girl is tall so the children's sizes in swim suits no longer fit her properly. And most of them looked cute, as in pre-school cute. And when you're at the tail end of grade 7, pre-school cute just doesn't cut it anymore.

So off to the ladies department we go. The second ladies department we checked. This is where it gets stressful. There is nothing for young girls. We sat there staring at choices that were basically in two catagories. Wearing what amounted to a push-up b*ra and bikini p*anties in swimsuit material or the more modest styles which only come in material prints that were more for the, uhmm, how should I put it, the middle aged set. Not prints that suit a 12 year old.

So after more than an hour, and I can't tell you how many suits later, wherein the mother (that would be me) actually stripped two display models to get the right size, because of course, the size smalls are on the displays, and of course, there is no one to help you, we actually did walk away with a cute tankini with a good coverage bottom and a cute little wrap skirt to go over that. I still have to sew the straps a little shorter, which is a whole other stress and a whole other post, but at least we got something for today's lessons.

And instead of paying the children's department price of $20 or less, I got the privelage of shelling out $45.00 to decently cover my child at the pool and keep her fashion tastes intact. And bonus: unlike last year, I did not lose my head and actually try some on myself.

24 comments:

FlipFlop Mom said...

Oh HOney.. I have been there.. now my baby girl is 16 and tries to stretch the limit!!!

Tammy said...

Oh, I'm so looking forward to this in about five years....NOT.
Loved how you posted on it last year (before I was blogging!)...I went over and read that one too!

And let me add that it's trying enough to try buying myself swimsuits ...yikes!

Julie said...

I feeeel your pain, girl. Our daughter is almost 12, and we will be buying a new suit any day now.
We have really lucked out at Sam's Club, believe it or not. They have great Speedo swimsuits for a great price.

Don't think you have them in Canada...sorry 'bout that!

Shalee said...

Well thank you God for allowing me to find a couple of decent suits for my 10 year old (who wears girls 14) for around $8 each. I didn't realize that the blessing was more than just cost and coverage. We actually had a fun time finding them. Of course it took only 15 minutes so that had to have helped... Another blessing that I didn't consider!

But don't worry. I know my time is coming...

Lori said...

Somedays it does pay to be a mother of all boys, her son wear this long shorts "Ok off you go!" That is my bathing suit shopping.

Now as I was growing up whatever we bought we had to prade in front of Dad when we got home for his approval. I am sorry even as a pre-teen I was too scared to get anything to revealing because I had to wear it in front of DAD. HA.

Hen Jen said...

oh, I feel your pain! My oldest daughter will be 12 next month. Last year's suit wasn't so hard, we ordered from land's end, we wanted something with a skirt on the bottom-which is hard to find. It was the price that got me. You are right, it is painful going up from the little kids prices to the jr. or adult prices. Ackkk!!!!

Eden said...

Ah, this is what I have to look forward to with Miss Olyvia. Thankfully, that is 12 years away from now! lol
Suzanne, it's so good to be back in the groove of things. I've been gone for what, 2-3 weeks??? Well, I'm back online and I'm attempting to say hello to everyone!
Hope to see you soon.

Eden

Anonymous said...

I'm getting stressed just reading about it - my 16 yr old needs a new one.

Robin said...

Oh boy, do I feel your pain. I have raised 4 daughters and THAT DAY was always the worst day of the year. You are right - there is nothing cute out there that is also modest. The cute ones were too skimpy and the modest ones had torpedo bra's built into them. It's a conspiracy I think! I think that there would be a huge market for cute modest swimming suits for young and old!

Melissa said...

Try Lands End. I know they have a plus size dept. for girls...I have to get my daughter a lot of things from there. The swimsuits are cute & modest. If you check the overstocks section, they're pretty cheap.

Laura said...

Thanks for preparing me for what is soon to come with my daughter in the very near future. Uggg, nothing worse than bathing suit shopping....oh except maybe jean shopping!!

Laura

Chris @ Come to the Table said...

oh, I need to take my two girls bathing suit shopping. It is so hard! Why does it have to be like this? Where are the designers who have daughters in this age group who want to wear a modest swimsuit that is cute too?

a soldier's wife said...

I have a 12 year old in the back end of 7th grade too and we just went through this same issue...GRRR is all I can think of to describe it. We finally pieced together a suit that is stylish enough for her and modest enough for me, but it was work ;-)
I miss the days of one stop shopping at Gymboree.

Anonymous said...

pleased you finally found something

way more expensive than childrens bathing suits if its anything like here

Kim said...

I understand completely Susanne!

It is very hard to find nice pretty modest swimsuits for my older girls. My oldest needs a junior size, but my 12 year old can still wear children's 14-16. My oldest wants one with a skirt, but I have not found one that will fit her...she wear a 0 or 2. We love Lands End swimsuits....I have a few, but the smallest is my size a 6...so I'm not sure where we will find one this year for her.

It is also hard for me to find ones I like,too!

Swimsuits are just difficult!
Kim

Kate said...

the best money i've ever spent was on a lands end bathing suit. it's worth the extra dollars if you can do it. cute modest suits!

Anonymous said...

I only have a son, with another son on the way. So this won't be a problem...at least unless I ever have a girl.

Linda said...

You did a great job Susanne. Whenever I go shopping for my granddaughters I am just dumbfounded at the styles they think are suitable for little girls. Yikes!! It isn't even easy to find something decent in the children's section let alone the adult. You did a super job. Whenever you can go shopping and both be happy about what you purchased it's a good day!!

gail@more than a song said...

Hard job! Been there with this too and my girls pushed it at times the older they got....glad you got it out of the way and found something suitable!

Susie said...

How funny Susanne! I am laughing with you as I went last Saturday with my 12 year old 7th grader. We found a tankini with a skirt also. She is about my height but has not matured yet(in the top dept.) so it was very difficult to find a suit. Target had cute seperates for about $19 a piece. I also said no to the bathing suits. I am still in hibernation mode and haven't shed my winter coat.

Carol said...

TELL me about it! Mine's 14 years old and, blast it all, there's nothing out there cute for her age group that is also modest (and modestly priced, but I can get over that one easier). Makes me want to scream!

Shawna said...

God bless you, Susanne. I would hate to have to do that. The clothing industry just has things all out of whack.

2nd Cup of Coffee said...

Yes, you are at the end of reasonable swimsuits, modesty-wise and price-wise. But it IS do-able! Tankinis are great.

Lisa Spence said...

Hate, hate, hate swimsuit shopping! Like Laurel, I am so thankful to be a mom of sons in that regard! ;-)