How skimpy does your teen dress for the water? Two inches or one inch on the side of bikini bottom, strings, what? I'm especially interested in those with kids 13, 14, 15?

ttt ... surely, somebody has experience/opinion on this subject!

Not my kid, but my sister in law (almost) is 13. sides are about an inch. the top she wears isn't a bikini top. kind of a tankini.

however she does own a straight up bikini. strings. not much to the imagination. she bought it but i don't think she'll wear it for awhile.

My daughter is only 4... but there will be no bikinis involved until she's legally an adult.

ETA: My thoughts on this have nothing to do with worrying about other people. I just don't think it's attractive... and my daughter doesn't need to show everyone her body to know she's a freaking rockstar!

I only have a boy, thank goodness! I am glad I don't have to go through this type of thing.

My DD is almost 14 & we had a difficult time finding her something appropriate. Even she said that she was too young for a bikini!!! We settled on a tankini.

I am 24, and I still cover up! Nothing skimpy. If we have no self respect, men won't respect us! I don't want to give the impression that I have something to "offer". If this is about your daughter...You are the mom, you make the call on what you are comfortable with.

When I was 13, I wore my first (and only) bikini. It had a string triangle top. I didn't think it was too skimpy, and it did cover what it needed to, stayed on, and looked cute.

Personally, I wouldn't try to be TOO picky... mainly because swimsuit shopping can be pretty hard at any size or age. But I think it would be understandable if you didn't want it to show too much. Like oksoitsjen said, you make the call.

Have you talked about this with your daughter?

When I was 13 I wore a one piece but many of my friends just wore a generic string bikini. When I was 16 I wore my first string bikini. It was such a fugly one!

Then again, men who assume you're offering something because you're wearing culturally acceptable beachware at the beach are, well. maybe not men you want to meet.

My self-respect doesn't hinge on whether two inches or only a sliver of the side of my hips are covered.

My daughter is almost 19. I never had a huge issue with this. My daughter is fairly modest. She woore bikinis, but never the the string ones. She wanted to make sure her butt was covered, and for the tops she liked the ones that had some light padding in. Just in case she got chilly...if you get my drift.

My self respect has nothing to do with how much or how little clothing I wear. I respect myself whether I'm nude or covered in a snow suit from head to toe.

I've been to nude beaches and I've worked as a bartender wearig nothing more tha an itty-bitty top and cut off jeans. Guys always treated me with resect because I demanded it and I deserve it, regardless of what I am wearing. Just because I choose to wear revealing clothing on occasion doesn't mean I don't have any self respect. And any guy that doesn't respect me because of my outfit, can go take a long walk off a short pier.

In my house, a bikini bottom must cover the cheeks completely and cover the pelvic bones plus in the front. If a wax or shave is needed there isn't enough fabric there!

The top can show cleavage, but "the girls" need to be otherwise covered/restrained completely.

I've vetoed a whole lot of really cute suits becuase I just don't think they were appropriate for teens - especially the really skimpy bottoms.

I was at a pool party recently where the 13 and 15 year old girls were wearing some really adult- looking bikinis. My husband and I both agreed that maybe this wasn't the most appropriate thing. Not because the girls are promiscuous, or lack self-respect. It's just that when young ladies go through puberty, they resemble fully grown women in every way. And that appearance WILL attract the attention of men. Some of these men will realize that where they have cast their gaze is not a place to be looking, and look away. But some of these men will not, and may pursue young girls. And I am remembering when I was a teenage girl. I appreciated the attention, and it didn't matter if it was a teenage boy or a 20 something man. I was unable to tell that these men were only looking at the goods on display. So I think that these girls could have been wearing a little bit less promiscuous suits and still been fashionable. Age- appropriate beach wear is one thing, but excessively revealing suits are just that. In a culture where exposed flesh is new and exciting, the placement of a skimpy bikini on a young girl will undoubtedly invite some attention that may be inappropriate. Americans are body-obsessed and overexposed to both hypersexual messages and moral messages that sex is taboo. This creates a mental conflict. Until that changes, I think this will be a hot debate.

Brandis, I agree that there are appropriate and inappropriate bikinis for young girls. Hypersexualizing young kids is not a good thing. What I object to is the statement that by wearing skimpy clothing/swimsuits I somehow lack self respect.