I, too agree that a toddler wearing a bikini isn’t acceptable just because of their age. I think it sets up for a bad problem later on down the road. Besides, the increase in pedophiles in our society is getting worse.
My son wears a tank top like shirt when he goes swimming. Not only does it add an element of modesty for him, but it protects his very white skin. My dad always did; I never saw my dad walk around the house, or outside doing yard work, without his shirt on. My husband is from Miami and it was different for him growing up, so we’ve had to revisit this topic before about that and thankfully he has swayed my way. We never wore our bathing suits away from the beach or pool, without a covering; it just wasn’t proper. However, that has changed these days. I prefer to stay away from public pools, not just for skin issues (my son is very visual) but due to the chlorine, too. We have lakes around here that we go to and there aren’t as many people there.
I’ve come to believe that a one piece, without a skirt, isn’t modest enough. I like the covering by a skirt of the front part of a female’s private area and the bottom part. I was convinced of this when my dd was around 6, when in her one piece, you could see, well…lines in the front and her little bottom, which is quite round, gradually protruded out from the bottom of the suit. It was way too obvious. So from now on, she and I both will have little bathing skirts to cover our front and rear.
As for headcoverings, no I do not do it out, but as a married, Messianic Gentile woman, I cover my head when lighting the Sabbath candles and the rest of the evening at home and during the worship time, and while the Scroll is out and we are reading from it. The purpose, in Jewish tradition, is that the glory of a man is woman; so when she is welcoming the Sabbath on Fri. night, she covers her own glory so as to bring more attention to the glory of G-d. I don’t feel compelled in my spirit to do this daily yet and in public (if G-d so desires, that may change) , but I do know other Jews, Messianic Jews and Gentiles who do, in the tradition of Rebekah, as married or engaged women; it’s not a modesty issue (not a sexual issue) but more of a headship one (which is different than in the Muslim community). I only know a few who do it daily, but many others who do it during services. Single women do not cover themselves. We also have a community of German Baptists around town who also cover their heads.
My dd wears leggings under her dresses. Sleeveless shirts and dresses are fine as long as they don’t “gape” under the arms, where you can see her chest (same goes for me); she’s very active and gets hot (has sensory temperature regulation problems, too). Obviously, no mid-driffs, I determine the acceptability of the cut in front, i.e. how low it goes, and I test shirts out for length by her raising her arms up in the air to see how far it comes up. She, at 10, wears a cotton under-thing under her tops now. She also wears pants, too, as long as they aren’t the low type, we prefer a belt, but that doesn’t always happen and they shouln’t be too tight. Capris and shorts that come to the knee in summer. For both of us, a bath robe to cover PJs, in the winter and especially in the summer, in which to walk around the house (an off shoot from my raising). I also teach them how they both should sit; as that is a modesty issue, again, due to my raising.
In the winter, my son, wears his katan (the undershirt with the blue and white fringes on the four corners) as a means to obey G-d’s instructions and a tank undershirt, in the traditon of my dad, who has always worn an undershirt. I didn’t push this, he decided himself to do it. He’s very naturally modest. In the summer, being in Ga., he doesn’t wear the katan, just the fringes tied to his belt loops, but he still likes to wear the cotton tank-style undershirts. His pants can’t be low cut at the waist either (as in what happens when they bend over) nor the baggy, sloppy kind.
For myself, not too crazy about any type of shorts, even in the heat of summer. I enjoy my jeans and my dress pants; I also enjoy calf-length, A-line style skirts or knee-length with a flare towards the bottom, with cowboy boots in the winter! I enjoy feminine-cut pant suits and shirts that flare (or not) 1/2 way down the arm; sleeveless or those mini sleeves, in the hot Ga. summer. I like to be comfortable, I don’t like to look like a slob or wear things that hang; but being curvy, and wanting to feel feminine, I like clothes that are cut for a female shape, but I always have to be discerning about the ‘snugness’ factor, too.
Rachel
