Need to buy a girl's burqini in the US
February 15, 2014 2:33 PM Subscribe
My friend's daughter has Juvenile Dermatomyositis, a disease which includes extreme sun sensitivity. Being out in the sun makes her sick for days afterwards. That being said, she was granted a wish trip, and they gave her a trip to Florida to swim with dolphins. She needs to cover up, and she and her family would like her to be happy with the cover-up. Burqinis swim suits that have tunic tops or ruffles, along with full coverage, would fit the bill.
The problem is, the trip is fast approaching, and I cannot find a site in the US that could ship and have it be here in a month - I worry that shipping from overseas might result in it arriving after they need to leave. She is 9 years old, and would need a girls size suit, with FULL coverage, including to wrist and ankle. If not a burqini or fully modest Muslim dress, a cute full rash guard suit with girly attributes and UVA protection would also fit the bill.
Thanks for the help.
Wife of 445supermag
The problem is, the trip is fast approaching, and I cannot find a site in the US that could ship and have it be here in a month - I worry that shipping from overseas might result in it arriving after they need to leave. She is 9 years old, and would need a girls size suit, with FULL coverage, including to wrist and ankle. If not a burqini or fully modest Muslim dress, a cute full rash guard suit with girly attributes and UVA protection would also fit the bill.
Thanks for the help.
Wife of 445supermag
There may be some options in the Girls Surf section of Roxy's website.
posted by Juliet Banana at 2:40 PM on February 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Juliet Banana at 2:40 PM on February 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
aqua modesta swimwear http://aquamodesta.com/Girls-Swim-Wear
posted by sabh at 2:47 PM on February 15, 2014
posted by sabh at 2:47 PM on February 15, 2014
Searching for "burqini" or the like may not help you because the market for fully-covering swimwear in the US is in many ways dominated by groups that I don't think would be super happy with the association to Islam.
Another search term that you could try is "modest swimwear", googling that found me a few sites, that all seem to be US based:
Like this, this or this.
posted by sparklemotion at 2:49 PM on February 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
Another search term that you could try is "modest swimwear", googling that found me a few sites, that all seem to be US based:
Like this, this or this.
posted by sparklemotion at 2:49 PM on February 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
Simply Modest can customize their swimsuits to any length required, but their website says it takes 3 weeks to make. Maybe you could email them and get their opinion on if it would arrive in time?
posted by rakaidan at 2:52 PM on February 15, 2014
posted by rakaidan at 2:52 PM on February 15, 2014
Very Modest Swimwear for Women and Girls
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:55 PM on February 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:55 PM on February 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
I googled U.S. made sun protective swimwear and found this cute pink and blue one
you could try full sun protection swimwear
full body swimwear
eczema and lupus swimwear
All of those bring up different websites
If you're worried about shipping times, U.S. made can ship express mail or FedEx
posted by BlueHorse at 3:15 PM on February 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
you could try full sun protection swimwear
full body swimwear
eczema and lupus swimwear
All of those bring up different websites
If you're worried about shipping times, U.S. made can ship express mail or FedEx
posted by BlueHorse at 3:15 PM on February 15, 2014 [2 favorites]
Where do you live? There may be a shop that specializes in clothes for Muslim people. There are a couple within 10 minutes of where I live.
posted by ian1977 at 3:16 PM on February 15, 2014
posted by ian1977 at 3:16 PM on February 15, 2014
cecic's link includes this neck to ankle surf suit.
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:18 PM on February 15, 2014
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:18 PM on February 15, 2014
My kids have been very happy with Knee to Neck suits at Coolibar.com
posted by tilde at 3:24 PM on February 15, 2014
posted by tilde at 3:24 PM on February 15, 2014
Scroll down to the Children's Sun Protective Suits section.
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:26 PM on February 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:26 PM on February 15, 2014 [1 favorite]
Could you just get her a wetsuit? For swimming with dolphins, a wetsuit wouldn't be too out of place. Here are some more: 1 2 3 4
posted by bluefly at 4:16 PM on February 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by bluefly at 4:16 PM on February 15, 2014 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks everyone. I think there are some in there that will work. Basically, she needs coverage to ankles and wrists so some of the modest ones, while cute, won't really work.
Part of the issue is that she sees other kids with cute suits that are fashionable (and has a couple for swimming at night or indoors,) and I have to admit, that most of the full body coverage suits are....not fashionable. At all. They get the job done, but it looks like wearing footy pj's. She knows that she will have lots of photos taken, and would like to reflect the styles that should would have chosen had she not been ill.
But there are some that look cuter than others, with skirts that could be added, so that is great.
I live in Eastern Washington, hours away from Seattle and Spokane and there are no shops here that would carry the cute burqinis that I was seeing online.
Thanks everyone for your help, I think that we will be able to find something that will catch her eye in the way she wants.
wife of 445supermag
posted by 445supermag at 6:09 PM on February 15, 2014
Part of the issue is that she sees other kids with cute suits that are fashionable (and has a couple for swimming at night or indoors,) and I have to admit, that most of the full body coverage suits are....not fashionable. At all. They get the job done, but it looks like wearing footy pj's. She knows that she will have lots of photos taken, and would like to reflect the styles that should would have chosen had she not been ill.
But there are some that look cuter than others, with skirts that could be added, so that is great.
I live in Eastern Washington, hours away from Seattle and Spokane and there are no shops here that would carry the cute burqinis that I was seeing online.
Thanks everyone for your help, I think that we will be able to find something that will catch her eye in the way she wants.
wife of 445supermag
posted by 445supermag at 6:09 PM on February 15, 2014
I wonder if doing a little reading on dolphin trainers would help. If you do an image search, you'll see that most of them wear wetsuits. In fact, at Sea World in San Diego, if you do their Dolphin Interaction Program, they give you a wetsuit to wear. So, you might want to check with the program in Florida as well. Maybe if your friend's daughter sees what the professionals who swim with dolphins every day wear, she'll be more amenable to them?
posted by bluefly at 6:19 PM on February 15, 2014
posted by bluefly at 6:19 PM on February 15, 2014
I think an SPF rash guard in cute colors would work well. Here's a pink and floral rash guard with long-sleeves and pants.
posted by barnone at 6:35 PM on February 15, 2014
posted by barnone at 6:35 PM on February 15, 2014
There are lots of great recommendations for full body suits here! The Roxy recommendation you got at the beginning of the thread is a fantastic suggestion.
A thinner neoprene wetsuit would be great for her. The water in March and April in Florida will only be about 70 degrees, which is cool enough that most kids would probably appreciate having a neoprene wetsuit to stay a little warmer (as long as it's not too thick). By July, the water on the Atlantic coast in Florida is bath water, like 85-90 degrees, and so warm that a wetsuit would be unreasonable. But it sounds like the trip is happening before that.
But the main thing you need to do is to do what you can to reassure her that these suits do not look uncool. They actually look very cool. When you show it to her, show her some pictures of pro surfers, for example, who wear these all the time. They actually are trendy and popular. Sell it to her that way.
I would recommend you go with something like that, rather than searching for "modest swimwear," which is more likely to get you something that is pretty 1800s and legitimately uncool in the eyes of a nine year old who is just old enough to start caring about that sort of thing.
posted by Old Man McKay at 11:08 PM on February 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
A thinner neoprene wetsuit would be great for her. The water in March and April in Florida will only be about 70 degrees, which is cool enough that most kids would probably appreciate having a neoprene wetsuit to stay a little warmer (as long as it's not too thick). By July, the water on the Atlantic coast in Florida is bath water, like 85-90 degrees, and so warm that a wetsuit would be unreasonable. But it sounds like the trip is happening before that.
But the main thing you need to do is to do what you can to reassure her that these suits do not look uncool. They actually look very cool. When you show it to her, show her some pictures of pro surfers, for example, who wear these all the time. They actually are trendy and popular. Sell it to her that way.
I would recommend you go with something like that, rather than searching for "modest swimwear," which is more likely to get you something that is pretty 1800s and legitimately uncool in the eyes of a nine year old who is just old enough to start caring about that sort of thing.
posted by Old Man McKay at 11:08 PM on February 15, 2014 [3 favorites]
I have the Roxy swimsuit as an adult because I burn embarassingly fast and live in the tropics. They are great, comfortable and easy to get on and off and no burning. I slather my hands, feet and face and that's it. It looks like a thin wetsuit. I didn't get the hood because I can wear a swim-cap instead. You can get comfy slip-on wet shoes and gloves at a dive shop to cover her hands and feet too - a 9 year old will be able to possibly wear a small woman's size.
posted by viggorlijah at 2:33 AM on February 16, 2014
posted by viggorlijah at 2:33 AM on February 16, 2014
I wear a rash guard all the time because even the indoor pool here is cooooooold, and they can look pretty good. The key to looking less frumpy is to make sure it fits well, so if possible you should order several and plan to keep one or two and return the rest. Also, keep in mind that fit means tight, especially in the sleeves, otherwise swimming is hard (and also you're back to frump-ville)--if you have trouble finding a kid one that's fitted enough, you can take the sleeves in with a normal sewing machine without too much difficulty.
My recommendation is 2x colorful long sleeve rash guards (you can find a ton of selection on Amazon, etc.), 2x plain long swim tights, and then a good range of colorful, flimsy skirts and board shorts to go over the tights when she's out of the water (for in water pictures, her pants won't really show up).
posted by anaelith at 11:30 AM on February 16, 2014
My recommendation is 2x colorful long sleeve rash guards (you can find a ton of selection on Amazon, etc.), 2x plain long swim tights, and then a good range of colorful, flimsy skirts and board shorts to go over the tights when she's out of the water (for in water pictures, her pants won't really show up).
posted by anaelith at 11:30 AM on February 16, 2014
Don't worry - I live near the beach in Florida. Everyone in the water doing anything of seriousness at this time is wearing a full wetsuit. The only people in anything less are vacationers from places like Britain. If you put her in a wetsuit and take her to places with surf equipment so she can see that the cool surf kids wear them too, you should be fine.
posted by skittlekicks at 6:41 AM on February 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by skittlekicks at 6:41 AM on February 17, 2014 [1 favorite]
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