Parents Want What’s Tough Enough to Be Suited for the Wet Set
Go shopping for kid’s swimsuits today and you’ll see a lot of the “Indonesian look,” which consists of bright colors and abstract designs, says Susan Hoffman, owner of Balboa Island Kids Clothing in Balboa Island.
“The trend is bright colors--the louder the better,” agrees Susan Sherman, assistant manager of Kids R Us in Santa Ana.
Many parents today let their kids choose their own suits, says Amy Markland, assistant manager of the Little Folk Shop/Kid’s Mart in the Buena Park Mall.
What kind of suits do kids pick?
Most, especially girls, want to look older, so they’re opting for bathing suits with things like zippers--and staying away from more frilly items like bows, says Kathy Tellez, manager of the Children’s Orchard in Yorba Linda.
Parents, on the other hand, look for suits that fit well, are comfortable and of high quality, says Tellez. High-quality swimsuits have good stitching at the seams, leg openings and straps, she says.
High-quality suits stand up to wear and tear, Hoffman adds. “Good bathing suits are made of fairly thick fabric and are lined and double stitched,” she says.
Here is a sampling of stores that carry swimsuits just right for the hot days of summer ahead:
BALBOA ISLAND
KIDS CLOTHING CO.
In girls’ swimsuits, this store carries a Raisins one-piece tank-style suit made of cotton/Lycra. This vertical striped swimwear is orange, purple, green, yellow, turquoise and hot pink. It comes in Sizes 4-14 and is also available in a two-piece version ($30).
A Catalina two-piece suit features a ruffled bra top and bottoms with ruffles at the hips. This has a double crisscross strap in the back and is made of nylon/Lycra. The suit has a bright abstract floral design in lime, orange, violet, fuchsia and red and the straps are fuchsia ($29, Sizes 7-14).
In boys’ suits, the store has Gotcha boxer-style trunks with an elastic drawstring waist. These cotton/nylon swim shorts are royal blue and green from the waist to the hip, then solid blue. The top half of the shorts have a Gotcha logo design ($17, Sizes 4-7).
Quiksilver boys’ quick-dry shorts are boxer-style and 100% printed nylon. These have an abstract geometric print design of blue, turquoise and orange ($28, Sizes 8-14).
224 Marine Ave., Balboa Island, (714) 723-4490.
CHILDREN’S ORCHARD
These stores carry an Ieye Line girls’ navy blue one-piece bathing suit that has white trim around the collar, under the arms and on the straps. This suit has a scoop back and is 80% nylon, 20% spandex ($5, Sizes 12-14).
Another Ieye Line one-piece swimsuit for girls is made of 20% cotton, 20% nylon and 60% spandex. This neon-green suit has two marine blue stripes down each side of the suit and marine blue squiggles on the neon green. There is a blue zipper coming down the front of the suit and a low scoop back ($5, Sizes 6-8).
For boys, this store carries Pacific Heat trunks that fall about one inch above the knee. These have an elastic waist with a tie and one pocket on the back right side. They are black with a purple, blue and aqua abstract geometric print. The 100% cotton shorts have a 100% nylon lining ($4, Size 8).
There is also a boys’ Sprocket short swim trunks that are orange, red, yellow and hot pink with drawings of the planets in black. There is a map of the solar system on the back of these shorts. There is a black elastic waistband and a tie; the garment is 100% nylon ($4, Sizes 6-8).
22953 Ridge Route Drive, Lake Forest, (714) 951-0444; 28971 Street of the Golden Lantern, No. A 107, Laguna Niguel, (714) 249-3736; 13771 Newport Ave., Tustin, (714) 832-7373 , and 20519 E. Yorba Linda Blvd., Yorba Linda, (714) 693-2828.
KIDS R US
At these stores you’ll find a girls’ Candlesticks one-piece tank-style nylon swimsuit. This is black with a floral design in orange, pink, purple, blue and green. Around the waist is a hot pink cummerbund ($10, Sizes 7-14).
Also in girls’ suits is a St. Tropez two-piece racer-back swimsuit in 85% nylon and 15% Lycra. The suit is black and white stripes with a multicolor floral design in orange, pink, purple, blue and green. There is thick black elastic at the base of the bikini top and at the waist of the bottoms ($10, Sizes 7-14).
In boys’ suits, there are 100% nylon Body Glove trunks in blocks of blue, orange and green. The front left side is orange; the front right side blue; the back left side blue and the back right side green. They have an elastic waist with a drawstring, two pockets on each hip and net lining ($12, Sizes 8-14).
Also for boys, there are Ocean Pacific trunks in 100% nylon. These blue shorts have a four-inch thick strip coming down the right back. This strip is blue and green with a swirly design print and Ocean Pacific in red lettering. They have an elastic waist with a drawstring ($12, Sizes 8-20).
55 E. Birch St., Brea, (714) 256-1936; 1447 S. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 992-1980; 12110 Harbor Blvd., Garden Grove, (714) 748-0362; 7600 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 848-6155; 3921 Bristol St., Santa Ana, (714) 241-9377, and 3011 El Camino Real, Tustin, (714) 669-9796.
LA WEE BIKINIS
This store has a girls’ Tidepools Bula Bula one-piece tank swimsuit with a crisscross back. The suit is blue with a blue, purple, teal blue and yellow squiggle design. It is 85% nylon and 15% Lycra ($29, Sizes 2-14).
The Kina of Hawaii two-piece suit has a sport bra top and regular bikini bottom. This is pink with a purple and yellow floral design and orange squiggles. It is 85% nylon and 15% Lycra ($29, Sizes 2-14).
In boys’ swimsuits there are Speedo bikini briefs that are 78% nylon, 22% spandex. These are black with blue stripes and also available in blue and green or black and pink ($19, Sizes 24-28).
There are also boys’ Tidepools trunks with an elastic waist and net lining. These swim shorts are blue with a teal blue, green and red totem pole design. They’re boxer-length and 100% nylon ($23, Sizes 6-14).
Buena Park Mall, (714) 828-0466.
LITTLE FOLK SHOP/KID’S MART
These stores have a girls’ Pelican bikini with a leopard black-and-white print. This has a tank-style top, and the bottoms have a knot on the right hip. They are 85% nylon and 15% spandex ($14, Sizes 7-14).
The Huk.A.Poo one-piece bathing suit for girls is purple with blue, green and yellow leaves and pink, orange and yellow tropical flowers that are outlined with a silver glitter. The back of this bathing suit is crisscrossed and there are ruffles on each hip. It is 58% cotton, 37% polyester and 5% spandex ($14, Sizes 7-14).
For boys, these stores carry Blue Ocean swim trunks with an elastic waist and drawstring. These are black with a purple and green print of triangles, stripes and polka dots. There are two pockets on the hips of these 100% nylon trunks ($11, Sizes 8-14).
There are also Gotcha swim shorts in red with a black and blue tropical print. These have an elastic waist with drawstring and two hip pockets. They are made of 100% nylon on the outside and 100% polyester on the inside ($16, Sizes 8-14).
929 S. Brookhurst St., Anaheim, (714) 533-7611; Buena Park Mall, (714) 952-0475; 6876 Katella Ave., Cypress, (714) 892-9894; 18309 Brookhurst St., Fountain Valley, (714) 964-2045; 1312 S. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 526-1908; 3208 E. Yorba Linda Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 996-9072; 12093 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove, (714) 534-1379; 7777 Edinger Ave., Huntington Beach, (714) 891-2449; 3800 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, (714) 551-3590; 27281 S. La Paz Road, Laguna Niguel, (714) 831-8837; 1421 W. Chapman Ave., Orange, (714) 978-7119; The City Shopping Center, (714) 634-4164; 2374 North Orange Mall, (714) 637-3940; 3378 S. Bristol St., Santa Ana, (714) 545-8204 and 2895 El Camino Real, Tustin, (714) 731-6118.
THE OUTLET
At this store you’ll find a girls’ three-piece suit by Meirose. This red, black and white bandanna-look bathing suit has silver studs on the sports-bra-style top. Down the front middle there are three red fake rubies. The suit has a simple bikini bottom and a matching wrap-around short skirt that ties on the side. It is 85% cotton, 15% spandex ($13, Sizes 6-14).
A Catalina one-piece suit is halter-top-style. This has a low back and two ruffles all around the waist. The 80% nylon, 20% spandex suit is bright yellow and bright green with violet and blue flowers ($13, Sizes 4-12).
In boys’ swimsuits, this store has Ocean Gear trunks with an elastic waist and tie. These purple swim shorts have a navy blue swirl design with a few gold streaks. There are two pockets on the sides of these 100% nylon trunks ($10, Sizes 5-16).
Another pair of Ocean Gear trunks are gray with yellow, blue and red squares. Each square is outlined with black and in between all of the squares is a red swirly design. These trunks are 100% nylon and have an elastic waist with a tie ($10, Sizes 5-16).
1337 S. Harbor Blvd., Fullerton, (714) 738-4476.
PETITE MARCHE
This store carries a girls’ Florence Eiseman one-piece bathing suit with a standard dip back. This nylon/Lycra suit is blue-and-white stripes with a blue-and-white green-trimmed ruffle on the front top. In the center of this ruffle is a green bow and on the bottom of the bow two red hearts ($42, Sizes 7-14).
There is also a girls’ Tidepools one-piece suit with a racer back. The nylon/Lycra bathing suit is turquoise with a blue, green, fuchsia and yellow abstract design that resembles moving water ($24, Sizes 4-16).
In boy’s suits, the store carries Tidepools trunks that fall mid-thigh in length and are turquoise with a blue, green, fuchsia and yellow abstract water design. They have an elastic waist and are made of 100% nylon ($20, Sizes 2-7).
There are also boys’ Tidepools elastic waist quick-dry trunks with net lining. These are blue with a green, blue and red design that looks like wood carvings. They are 100% nylon Supplex ($14-$16, Sizes 2-7).
369 E. 17th St., No. 28, Costa Mesa, (714) 642-4714.
SPIRALE FOR GIRLS
This store carries a variety of girls’ bathing suits, including a Malibu Dream Girl two-piece with a sports bra top and simple bikini bottom. The suit has a bright green, yellow, pink and purple geometric shape design. It’s made of 15% Lycra spandex and 85% Antron nylon ($19, Sizes 6-14).
Another Malibu Dream Girl suit is an orange one-piece with a floral design in green, yellow, pink and purple. In the front there is an orange ruffle at the neck. This suit has a V-back and is 85% nylon and 15% spandex ($22, Sizes 6-14).
Also by Malibu Dream Girl is a two-piece dark blue suit with a bright pink, orange and green circle and star design. This has a racer back and a simple bikini bottom. It is 85% nylon, 15% spandex ($22, Sizes 6-14).
MainPlace/Santa Ana, (714) 543-9866.
