Like any guy, I love to look at babes in bikinis -- unless we are talking about actual babies.
Topping our list of 2008's dumbest new products is Ellos Baby Bikinis -- two piece bathing suits for infants as young as two months old.
When a Swedish designer unveiled the baby bikinis, the response from feminists and child advocates was as predictable as it was justified. Only a few days later, the outfits were buried deep in the sandbox of boneheaded marketing.
Also making the 2008 Dumbest Ideas list: GPS Lingerie (underwear that lets a jealous lover follow a woman's every move) and Thudguards (little felt safety helmets for extremely overprotective parents). (Read More)
Comments
Actually, google “baby bikinis” or “infant swimsuits” (or other variations), and there are loads of companies who sell bikinis for 0-24 month olds. I remember my baby sister in a frilly frog bikini before she could crawl. So, dumb idea or not, I wonder why this particular company got all the flack? Maybe because of the marketing tactics more than the product itself. Other companies just include the bikinis along with all the other available infant swimwear styles.
Hey Buck!
We actually bought our daughter a baby bikini when she couldn’t stand without assistance. She just turned 48.
Jen is right, there is nothing new. Another baby girl bathingsuit is just the bottom. It is a swim-diaper (i.e. plastic lined pantie). They put some ruffles on it, make it a happy color and call it a bathing suit, but it has no top at all. I don’t see it as objectifying or abusing anyone… For me it is a practicality issue… bikini tops are high maintenance for babies. They shift and roll up. One piece anything for babies is easier. However, changing a one piece ‘diaper’ is more challenging, so I guess that is why the 2 piece came into fashion.
The funny part is that I’m pretty sure we wore them as young kids (and I’m pushing 30), but I don’t remember it being any big deal. Maybe its because everything is so hyper-sexualized now, and they were more “cute” than anything “sexy”.
A lot of times parents will just take the baby into the water in a swim diaper and thats it. A one piece is a logistical problem when trying to change the diaper, because for some reason most of them don’t have the snaps at the bottom for easy diaper access.