My kids swim A LOT. I usually buy Lands End suits,but this year's selection sucks for toddlers. I bought one of their suits, but she is fighting me about wearing it. She is use to a rash guard type top, and this has a cross over back. I use to love their tankinis for girls with rash guard tops, but they don't really have any this year that aren't cross overs. I prefer rash guards so I don't have as much skin exposed to the sun. Toddlers also like them because they feel like a shirt and aren't tight.
Where do you buy a quality suit, one that can stand up to heavy use? We will be going to the beach too, so it really needs to be quality so the sand doesn't destroy the fabric.
Costco gets in a line that has a rash guard top with bottoms and comes with a cute matching hat. They also get a line in as one of their traveling things that have great rash guard tops. REI gets suits in with rash guard tops as well.
I like speedos. I get my daughter one one piece and one tankini top two piece. They make rash guards too. I go on Ebay and usually pay $10 or less. The quality is amazing.
LL Bean, REI, Gymboree, Nordstrom, local swim school/shop (Speedo, etc.) all good quality.
really target.. I agree that lands end makes great stuff out of great material .. I buy their swimsuits for myself.. but then again I wear a swimsuit for several years...
for my daughter I go to target.. buy 2 suits .. they are usually $10-12. they last the summer.. they probably wont last to pass down to her cousins.. but they last the summer... which is all I really want anyway.. a landsend suit is going to cost $30+ and most likely she will grow out of in a years time..
My favorite place to purchase swim suits for girls is actually Target. Also, we swim every day in the summer and my 12 yo daughter got 2 swim seasons out of her target suits. She typically has 8-9 bathing suits a season so they are only worn about once a week but at +or- $15 you really can't beat the price.
I've had great luck with rash guard suits from Old Navy. There quality is very good too. I buy 2 swimsuits a season and because we swim a lot too.
Personally, I'd rather purchase multiple inexpensive suits than one really expensive one. Sand basically ruins suits for the pool, and chlorine and concrete damage suits, too. By having multiple suits in multiple styles, we can switch it up as we need to and they never last more than one season regardless of quality if your kids are still growing.
We've had good luck with ones from Carters for my son. worn one to two times a week usually and lsst until he grows out if them. Speedo, dolphin ugly are two brands that seem to last that are swimsuit brand.
Look at One Step Ahead (catalog or online). They sell all sorts of suits, swim diapers, rash guards, etc.
I buy my rash guards from Old Navy, Cheap and hold up. I buy them by the handful since my daughter swims 2-3 times a day at camp.
We have a pool so the kids are swimming daily. I picked up Gymboree swimsuits at that age, and was shocked at how long they lasted - I even passed them down to other family. What I liked about them was how thick they were and the colors didn't fade, nor did they stretch out. If I got them a tad bit on the bigger side, they lasted two years too.
I did manage to get the bottoms with a rash guard top at times - not sure if they still have that option, but like you, I preferred the coverage.
I have purchased rash guard tops at Old Navy before and they make it through the season just fine. They are fairly inexpensive too and you can usually pick them up on a deal.
The best suit for toddlers I ever found (when our older kids were little) was a onesie type zip up rash guard full piece suit - so the top was a rash guard, but they stepped into it (so covered to their knees). It was easy to get on and off, and there were no straps to worry about and they were perfect for the beach. Not the most attractive suits out there, but they were cute - and I haven't seen them again. I can't remember where they came from (not a name brand) but they were great.
Good luck :) can't wait for summer and swimming!
I would add OshKosh to Target, Carters, and Old Navy. LL Bean can also have some cute stuff but it's expensive if not on sale.
Since you are looking for a toddler, I would say Gymboree or Target. I feel they are priced well (Gymboree is always having a sale) and you will grow our of it soon enough. You could get 2 suits for the price of one from Lands End.
Mini Boden. Www.bodenusa.com.
I agree with veruca's response. Suits for kids rarely hold up if you swim so often. Costco has cute rash guards with a hat and skirt bottoms as well as speedos. Otherwise i look at Target on the sale rack
I had good luck last year with Gymboree and Carters. I periodically get $10 off coupons from JCPenney so last year I got my Carters suits for $8 each. They Gymboree one I got late in the season (July) and I got it at the outlets for $10.
