Are bikinis controversial on babies?

Jessica Simpson's baby

People are up in arms because of this picture posted of Jessica's 4 month old baby girl wearing a bikini. I'm not a big fan of bikinis on babies, but I admit, I probably would not have thought twice about the photo.

Your thoughts?

 

I'm not a fan of bikinis on babies or children because I don't think it says anything good about our culture. On the other hand, I seriously don't think it's worth getting upset about. It certainly isn't a sign of bad parenting.

 

I think it's weird for my baby girl, I didn't get one for her, being that she's in diapers, I think a regular one piece looks better on a child, but to each their own. I think Jessica Simpson tought it was funny, that's why she did it and took the picture, I don't see why would people get upset about it.

 

I'm with Monica. I think she thought it was funny (it is to me) and if she wasn't a celebrity, would anyone care?

 

I say who cares. I mean really, why would anyone care if a baby/child wears a bikini? Over in Europe, isn't it normal for babies/toddlers to wear nothing on the top and a small bottom? I think that is weirder than a bikini, but really don't care enough about it to start a crusade against it. I think people have too much time on their hands to care either way.

 

I think people just lvoe to pick on poor Jessica Simpson. It really seems that girl can never do anything without someone saying something negative about it.

I think bikinis on babies is fine. I mean half the time people just put them in swim diapers with no top so why is this so taboo.

My daughters are 9 and they are not allowed to wear string bikinis or the ones with those tiny triangle tops.

 

My husband has made it extremely clear that he is not comfortable with our children wearing bikinis, however, last year they only went swimming in bottoms. I don't think people who are upset are so because the amount of skin showing, but more so because a bikini is seen as an adult/sexy clothing choice which isn't appropriate for children.

I don't really think its a big deal at all. I certainly would never judge someone for putting their child in a bikini (my sister does it) because I don't believe it reflects on parenting at all.

 

I don't have a problem with babies wearing a bikini but my husband definitely did with our daughter, which is why she has never worn one. I've seen babies on the beach wearing bikinis and the floppy sun hats.
And it certainly does not reflect on any one's parenting skills.

 

My kids are usually half naked, so I'm hardly scandalized.

ardon:




I don't know why we care. Cut the poor woman some slack.

 

It doesn't bother me.

Obviously it didn't bother my parents either.

 

Mine too! There were a bunch of times my girls went with only bottoms on at the beach when they were little. Big deal! Also, I was all for two piece bathing suits when my girls were in diapers because I found it easier to change them.

 

Haha, Kate, you were a very cute baby - that picture is so funny .

 

I can't see a problem with it. Some of my girls have bikinis. In fact the only thing I would say is, at that age why bother with the top? Much easier to have them in just the bottoms (or as pp said, just a swim nappy) and not have to be putting on sun cream around straps. I have photos of me wearing only bikini bottoms on the beach at 7 or 8.

You were a very cute baby! Also there's such a resemblance between you in that photo and your youngest son in the photo by his ticker!

 

I have no problem with it. All of my girls wear or have worn bikinis at some point. A baby running around naked at the beach is hardly noticed, but a baby in a bikini is a big problem?! I think people have too much time on their hands if they are worried about Jessica Simpson & her bikini wearing baby! :lol:

 

I don't care one way or the other what someone else puts on their kid.

For us personally, I don't like bikini's on my girls. I do love two pieces, and had to do a lot of searching to find tankini type tops for my daughter about 3 yrs ago. This year i was able to find them at walmart easily. 2 piece is so much easier for diaper changes and now for just general going to the bathroom.

 

I don't really care if people want to put bikinis on babies, but publicly releasing the picture to the world seems a bit much to me. It's not like babies need to cover up on top, but clearly some people see bikinis as inappropriate, so probably not the best PR move if you are wanting to broaden your fan base.

 

I agree completely.

My girls dont wear bikinis and wont until well....they are old enough to pay for them!



Though it seems any celebrity that takes a pic of any topic that is even *slightly* controversial there will be an uproar.

 

Thank you, both! When I found that picture to post it, I thought that I looked like Josh too. And people tell me he looks like his father! What do they know..

 

I think it's cute. I have a photo of me as a toddler in a bikini and if I may say so myself it's too cute. I really don't get what could be offensive about it.

 

I don't like it. Bikinis are for boobs and just give off a general sexual aura. I don't think it's bad parenting, but in general when I see babies in bikinis, I think it's bad judgement.

In Europe it is totally the norm for girls and boys wear just a speedo type bottom at the beach. Even slightly older kids, up to age 7 or 8. If anything, it's better than a bikini to me. I think it reflects the feeling that there is nothing sexual about two wee little almost invisible nipples.

 

This is what makes me uncomfortable about it. Thank you for putting it so clearly.

 

Bex I agree ... I'd totally do this as a joke with Adalynn! But I had a super cute Hawaiianiian bikini when I was a baby, I rocked it, pop belly, fat rolls and all!

 

It really doesn't bother me at all. Anna has a couple (although more sporty with more coverage but still a bare stomach). I like two pieces for bathroom and comfort.

 

ridiculous crap! its a baby - Abby has almost always worn a bikini - doesn't bother me in the least...

 

I'm not a huge fan for my daughter, but it doesn't bother me. (But ditto on two-pieces because it's easier in the bathroom.) The picture doesn't make me think twice. I only thought about how cute she is!

 

My only issues is that I am not a fan of that bikini. I don't like the cut or coloring. I have 3 boys and 2 of them swam naked most of the summer. I don't think the bikini sexualizes the baby and I agree she probably thought it was funny or silly and took the photo. Jessica, while probably not the smarted egg, gets a lot of crap she doesn't deserve. I think it is because she often speaks before thinking. She could have put that baby in any outfit and people would have been outraged.

 

Are they controversial - obviously, yes. Should they be, IMO, NO. To each his own. Jessica's baby is precious, the two-piece is cute (though I think the color is odd). I have a pic of me in a pink ruffle binkini as a baby and don't think anything of it. DD wears tankinis when we can find them, or one-pieces (hard to do - she's a long torso). As a pre-teen, I have to be more conscious as a parent of potential predators, and don't want to draw attention to her unduly by putting my 7 yr old in a string bikini. But two-pieces are much easier with kids of any age! When she's old enough to buy her own clothes, she'll have more say in what she wears (she does have a say now, within limits). Still, I imagine DH will have a word or two to add if she chooses a mini-kini at age 17....

Much ado about nothing!

 

As you can see from my picture to the left, I do not have issues with bikini's....
I see nothing wrong with it. My girls wear bikini's. I think its ridiculous to judge someone based on something like that. Much bigger things in the world to worry about than a bikini on a baby. If it were controversial, like a playboy bunny on it or something sexual...but nope..just a crocheted bikini? I think its adorable.

 

This. This is exactly 100% what I think too. A bikini top on baby is sexualizing her. I'd say around 4-5 (school age) personally for wearing a one piece, but some baby bikiinis are so skimpy and almost made to be "sexy" which I find beyond creepy. Topless at that age is less creepy because it's just a little kid. My kids run around in diapers and I don't feel a need to cover my daughter's top for that. The rash guard shirts with a separate bottom are an exception though because they're not designed to just cover nipples.

 

Saying a bikini top is sexual, is along the same lines as saying a mother breastfeeding is sexual. It's a top of a bathing suit. Boobs feed babies. Those are both facts. It's just silly. I'm not trying to pick on you, just found your reply as a good example. Bikini tops are only sexual if you see them that way, just like breastfeeding mom's boobs are only sexual if you see them that way. It's just all silly, IMHO.

 

I totally agree, Heather. I see nothing sexual about a top to a bathing suit. ardon:

 

Nothing sexual about some, and nothing sexual about this one in particular...but there are some out there that ARE. A little girl/baby doesn't have developed breasts and there is no reason to cover them up with little triangles except to point out that she has them. A And breasts ARE sexualized. If not breasts, then bikinis themselves. If they weren't, men wouldn't become drooling idiots looking at Victorias Secret catalogs. Think pin-up girls and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition. It's a sexualized piece of clothing. Little triangles and string bikinis on a little kid? No. I can see the more conservative across the front halter top ones as being okay, I guess, or tankinis are actually kind of cute, but they make flat out sexy ones for babies.

I wouldn't feel comfortable putting my daughter out there in that. I wouldn't feel comfortable knowing that there ARE creepy pedophiles out there that may be turned on by seeing her wearing clothing like that, even if most people just think it's cute.

 

NO problem with it! My girls almost always wear bikinis because they are much easier to get in and out of for bathroom purposes.

 

What she said.

 

well then file me under the bad mommy list - the bikini Abby had this summer was Hello Kitty with 2 triangles on top...the bottom was boy shorts - I just don't worry about "predators" trolling around looking at my kids - if I lived in that kind of paranoia I'd never leave the house...my kid in a bikini is not the reason that people are predators...predators get turned on by ANY kid wearing ANYTHING...

honestly I'd rather see a kid in a bikini than a heavy set woman or man stuffing themselves into a bikini!