Comments on: #90. The tankini

By: Michele

Michele — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 21:38:51 +0000

At JR/SR high summer camp one year, we couselors were discussing the tankini, as it seems most of the girls brought them, thinking we wouldn't notice the gap in the middle of their 'one piece' suits. After much talk about the perils of our boys seeing 1 inch of belly skin, I made the comment that the 'tank' and the 'ini' must meet to be appropriate apparel. Still a standard used at Nazarene camp today!
(And, I own the gramma version. I just don't lift my arms!)

By: jeff

jeff — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 11:29:21 +0000

rediculous, christians don't believe in science

By: @rekasara

@rekasara — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:45:35 +0000

re: so, just to be a role model.

By: @rekasara

@rekasara — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:45:10 +0000

Hahaha! That link up above is hilarious. I should totally get one of those for the summer. Especially cause we don't have specific dress code for the beach..so

By: Tracey

Tracey — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 12:18:21 +0000

Yeah, my mom made me wear a one piece with a skirt on it when I was in high school. And they didn't have the cool kind they have now, nope…the frilly kind your Grandma wear. Meanwhile all the other girls were in string bikinis. I like to refer to the tankini as The Middle Way. =)

I do love that now they have ones that the top comes up higher, and the bottom is like a chic tennis skirt – not so much from a modest side but for those of us with thighs which we might not wish to display.

I am on the fence about the modesty thing. I am not comfortable showing tons of skin at the beach and in general, and I think women should respect their bodies by not gratituously displaying their assets. BUT the whole thing I was raised with was " you should dress modestly so as not to cause men to sin" seems very misogynistic and very close to putting responsibility for men's behavior on women. One step away from "she was raped because she was asking for it – look at what she was wearing." And yet I do judge women, especially Christian women, who dress too sexily. Tough one.

By: Carrie

Carrie — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 19:55:20 +0000

wayyyy better than a one-piece hides flaws!! Those are the worst.

By: Zoe

Zoe — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 04:39:50 +0000

I went to a youth camp expecting all the girls to be very modest, and all of a sudden the girls were pulling off their spaghetti straps and t-shirts.
My sister and I were the only ones that were still wearing our tshirts and boardies

By: Melody

Melody — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:45:07 +0000

Re: Wholesomewear

If one is that concerned about coverage, why not just buy a women's wetsuit? I considered getting one for many years. Then again, that's a lot easier to explain at the beach…

By: autumnal equinox

autumnal equinox — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 14:35:14 +0000

Mt. Zion Baptist Church Camp. Located in Northeast Arkansas. There is a rule that t-shirts must be worn OVER swimsuits. Even at the all girls camp for 4th-6th grade girls each summer.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:17:43 +0000

Aud-das-ity
Hey the tankini works well for females of ALL shapes sizes and ages that MIGHT JUST be different sizes on the top and bottom. I grew up in the age of NO MIXED BATHING but did not know that it was a BAD thing til well into my teenage years. Being raised by a single mother in the 70s I believe it was used as entertainment for us and the babysitters. I must say I am not a fan of having to "go potty" with a wet suit and except for my short season with a "baby doll" style suit I have always worn a one piece; leaning toward the Lands End style that actually COVERED the TOP area which I was more concerned about related to my ENDOWEMENT in that area. I was ridiculed for the "baby doll" style by my church friend whom seemed to be lying in wait to share that I had wore a "2 piece bathing suit" to my other church friends. I was stupid enough at the time to feel I must justify that it covered my middle. With having 2 girls whom I would take to the public pool, I was at first very animate about NO bikinis than entered the tankini and the bathroom and different size issues were solved. I think the NO bikini issue was a throw back to the mixed bathing issues and shame of the Baby doll suit. I once told my girls I would NEVER buy them a bikini. Once my youngest reached a certain age it was nearly IMPOSSIBLE to find anything BUT bikinis yet still trying to stick to my guns I was standing by the NO bikini thing; she announced that she would also want a specific t shirt to use OVER top of the suit for sun protection AND modesty…so to make a long story even longer I purchased the bikini and the shirt and know for a fact she never takes it off because she has only been swimming a few times this year and I've observed from afar without her awareness her swimming with the t shirt and the other times was with her personally so I KNOW she does what she says. I stopped stressing with every new suit purchase and relaxed that even though a bikini was on her body she was aware of the need for modesty. Sorry so long maybe a little bit of past bitterness to enlightment(no new age pun intended)PS I had a frined whom Taught her daughter how to pee without taking of her bottoms even in a bikini(becasue you know that it can be difficult even if a bikini is being worn…Y…because its wet and wet is wet no matter what…thanks for listening