Summer Stock Sunday: Musings on a Bathing Suit

bathing suit

I wanted to write about my daughter’s new bathing suit for Robin’s Summer Stock Sunday, but couldn’t decide which angle to take. So I wrote up all of them.

  1. I had fun shopping with my daughter, who needed clothes for a camping trip that is part of a counselors’ course. She also needed an outfit for my son’s bar mitzvah, and we agreed fairly easily. At least her shoes still fit her. [The comments on that old post are funny.]
  2. The bathing suit was a bargain (only the top is pictured). I went into several stores and asked if they had something for less than NIS 100 ($25). No one had for less than 200. Then one  store-owner offered 90, and he saw it was a teen he said he would charge 70. I was so happy that I got one too, for NIS 100. The last time I bought a bathing suit was on our pilot trip to Israel. In 1990. I even remember how much I paid at a store in Tel Aviv, about NIS 69. I have a good memory for numbers.
  3. My daughter didn’t care what the bathing suit looked like, as she always wears a t-shirt to protect herself from the sun. She’s very sun-conscious, so I should probably get her some Vitamin D supplements.
  4. The packing list for her trip says that boys are not allowed to walk around in undershirts. I asked about the girls. My daughter said that they don’t need to write that because it’s a religious program.
  5. My daughter altered two new shirts because the necklines were too wide. I’m impressed that she does her own mending (and sometimes mine) but I probably shouldn’t be. I mean it’s something that few teenage girls these days know how to do, but it’s not such a complex skill. Don’t worry, I still think she is wonderful, and not because she does my mending.
  6. Since I’ve already moved off of the bathing suit topic, I’m sad that she will come back from the first leg of her trip after I have already left on mine. She’s happy that she’ll still have close to a week at home without the younger siblings around.

Comments

  1. You really consider many aspects of it. I am impressed. I bought my boy’s swim pants last winter when they were on clearance for $5. Little one got his brother’s old swim pants. I thought I’ll let them sunfry this year and bought 15 SPF sunscreen – both look so dark now – when they go back to school the teachers may greet them in Spanish 🙂

  2. I guess I will depress you as well. My wife went with all the kids to the mall on Friday. The trip was to Sears to take a birthday picture of our eldest who is turning 10 tomorrow. Right next to Sears is a store called Old Navy. All the bathing suits were on sale for $5, so she bought about 8 or 9 bathing suits for the kids (who are starting day camp on Monday).

  3. It seemed a bit high to me, too. Certainly, there are bathing suits for $30-$50 and even more, but it is usually possible to get them on sale for quite a bit less. If she wants the sun protection, then maybe you can find rashguard tops with sleeves. I haven’t bought any myself, though Land’s End advertises them.

  4. I had a little chuckle about this line: “only the top is pictured.” At first I thought, “surely no one is silly enough to think that your daughter would be swimming without bottoms?!” But then again, the internet is full of really odd people. Better safe than sorry!

  5. love the post, hope your daughter has a good time. my summer stock photo can be seen here

  6. mominisrael says

    Ellie, I have bought boys’s suits for much cheaper.
    It’s okay, Mark, I’m not depressed. I did see children’s bathing suits for NIS 35 but they were junky looking and too small. Be careful with that sun!
    At any rate, Ariella and Mark, I didn’t have time to wait around until I got to NY. Someone told me that I could have gotten for NIS 50 in TA, but it’s not worth the trip.
    Fern, you’re right, that’s why I added the line!

  7. Be careful with that sun!

    Here in South Florida, the kids have to wear sunscreen every day at camp.

  8. rickismom says

    I am impressed that she took in the neckline on her own. I know a lot of girls wouldn’t bother.

  9. It’s a cute top, even if it is bottomless ;-). I saw those $5 bathing suits at Old Navy, I was thinking of ordering a few for my kids for next summer, might as well snap them up while they’re cheap, there’s nothing that quality here for that price.

    I like the stream of consciousness post. I hope all of you have a great summer in all your various locations!

  10. Oh, dear. I think my daughter needs more bathing suits. I have blanked out summer needs.

    I would think in the summer Israel sun she gets enough Vitamin D, even via her hands. So maybe she doesn’t need the supplements. This is just a guess, but you can probably test for the Vitamin D before investing in supplements.

  11. mominisrael says

    Rickismom: True. I’m glad we don’t struggle over this issue.
    Robin: I was in town and saw girls’ suits, up to size 10, for NIS 20. The quality was okay, not top of the line, but definitely good enough to last the season. Another store had a sale on women’s suits–the store is closing down. The cheapest were NIS 169. Does ON have women’s suits for that price?

    • mominisrael says

      I checked, and they have a limited number of sizes and styles for $8-12. Mostly two-piece outfits sold separately.

  12. ‘Don’t worry, I still think she is wonderful, and not because she does my mending.’ – LOL!

    Love the colors and polka dots on the bathing suit.

  13. This Eclectic Life says

    I haven’t got any kids to buy bathing suits for, and haven’t bought one for myself in a jillion years. I can’t even attempt to make you jealous with any bargain prices I’ve gotten, but I don’t envy shelling out the bucks!

  14. I’m expecting my first grandbaby any day now and have been learning the ins and outs of children’s clothing

    I saw a bib for $25!!!! absurd

    the suit she got is pretty

  15. In Israel it is really difficult to get a bathingsuit for less than 100 NIS – MIL was very lucky. I bought speedo swim shorts for myself this season for 150 NIS, and I thought I was getting a good thing for the money. I paid 120 NIS for my last speedo swimsiut and it lasted 3 seasons (I swim at least 2 times a week in the summer)/ I have been unable to find inexpensive things of a reasonable quality.
    On a diffirent topic – I don’t feel comfortable wearing a small typical suit. I like to wear swim shorts and a swim top (with a swim bra). They now have several designers who make swim clothes – out of swimsiut material but they cover up more than the minimum. They are very expensive thoough

  16. mominisrael says

    TEL & JS, thanks for stopping by.
    Dianne, the sky is the limit when it comes to baby clothing.
    Ariela,Thanks for setting my American readers straight. There are many things that are much cheaper here or comparably priced, but swimsuits are not one of them.

  17. i don’t go shopping for girls’ bathing suits, but it sounds expensive?

    “boys are not allowed to walk around in undershirts”

    what’s wrong with an undershirt? or are you talking about wife-beater undershirts?

  18. it’s great that she can mend her own clothing. i don’t think i have one friend who can do that (and certainly not their kids)

  19. LOZ – what’s wrong with an undershirt?

    Probably the same thing that’s wrong with jeans 🙂

  20. mominisrael says

    LOZ: Inappropriate as dress and increases sun exposure.

  21. MII:

    i can’t debate the propriety, but in terms of sun exposure, is it different that a t-shirt (or any thin short-sleeve shirt)?

    MARK:

    i’m still in shock myself about the jeans. between that and undershirts, there aren’t too many friendly places in the world for me right now 🙂

  22. mominisrael says

    LOZ: Kids have never gotten shoulders burned while wearing a t-shirt.