It's been at least year but the memory is still upsetting.  I'd say anyone who has taken a teenage girl shopping for a swimsuit is likely to be haunted by the experience for years to come.

My daughter and I are both genetically engineered to detest shopping so the deck was stacked against us, but one year ago my daughter needed a swimsuit so there was no getting around it.  We had to steel ourselves, caffeine up and dive in.  I strategically invited her friend to join us thinking she would help keep us upbeat.  This was great in theory, but turned out she disliked shopping as much as we did, so we ended up making her suffer right along with us.

The problem with swimsuit shopping with a young teen is this; for the first time they are aware of their 'new' body shape and it might not match the image they have in their head. I don't care if you are 14 or 44, seeing yourself in a huge mirror, bathed in fluorescent light, can be tough to take.  I have vivid and painful memories from 1984 about crying in the dressing room at Vanity in Aberdeen as I questioned God's love for me.  WHY had the long-prayed-for breasts not arrived?  When God, WHEN?!!!!!

Anyhoo...

It was the memory of my own tears, that gave me the superhero-like strength for both of us to make it through the day.  This is why Mother's Day was invented.

There are a lot of other discussions to be had about swimsuits and young teens.  For instance what if- and this is just a thought to consider- your kid doesn't want to show up at the pool looking like she's auditioning for a Pitbull video shoot?  And where do the Amish girls buy their swimsuits?

In the end, we came home and ordered a suit online.  It fit and now - one year later- we are almost to the stage where we can laugh about it.

Any advice on where area moms and daughters should start their search?

Oh, and one more thing; if you and your daughter are searching for a swimsuit, please keep a light heart and laughter as part of the day.  Remember to tell your daughter (and yourself) that the suit for you IS out there.  You may have trouble finding it, but it says nothing about your body.  Your body is an amazing miracle!  Your legs move you about, your arms give hugs and your breasts (that -spoiler alert- may never 'arrive') will someday miraculously feed your baby girl.  A swimsuit can't take any of that away.

 

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