Sunday, May 18, 2008

Are You Kidding Me?

I went swim suit shopping tonight.

As I left the door to spend a few hours on my own, I told Rob to be prepared for me to come home depressed. And, I did.

In the last 8 years I have purchased 3 swim suits. One was a bikini for my trip to Hawaii just after graduation. I figured, hey... I want a good tan I won't ever see any of these people again anyway--so why not? Of course I didn't think so then, but if I were to have the same body now I might just consider purchasing another bikini... but the reality is, I'm not 18 anymore!

Swimsuit #2 I purchased in Hawaii and I got a few good years out of it. It was a classic speedo type swimsuit. Very practical. It started to get snug and well worn a few years back so I decided to shop for a new swim suit. That was at the end of the summer in 2004.

Swimsuit #3 was a nightmare to shop for. It was the first time I deliberately had to start looking for swimsuits that hid certain 'problem areas' and deterred from the reality that was starting to set in. After hours and hours of scouring many different stores I finally settled on a black speedo-type bathing suit that had blue stripes that curved nicely on the sides giving the illusion that one is thinner than the actually are. I spent $40 on that puppy hoping it would last me many years. I wasn't planning on spending that much, but after so many hours of frustration when I found one that fit I decided to go for it.

Then I got pregnant.

I think I only wore it once that summer. By the next summer I was wearing a maternity swimsuit with a skirt. I actually liked that one because I was quite large and it was okay!

Needless to say, my speedo-type swim suit that fit well before my pregnancy still fits... but isn't exactly flattering anymore. For the last 2 summers I have been wearing it with Rob's board shorts over it and I still feel terribly self-conscious every time I put it on.

Hence my search this evening.

My search this time around was even more frustrating than the last. Is it too much to ask for a swim suit that actually covers your body parts? Call me unreasonable, but I thought you were actually supposed to be able to swim in a swim suit without fear of exposure?

They all look cute on the shelf, not one of them was even remotely an option when actually tried on however. Now, I'm not as thin as I ought to be, but I'm not exactly large either. How on earth do normal people find swim suits?

So the search is on for something modest. Not too tight, not too low cut, not too high cut and something that covers my stomach. Preferably black or dark brown. Really, is that so unreasonable?

I'm fine wearing board shorts or one of those little skirts if I have to. I'd really like to find one of those surfer-girl type shirt swim suits with board shorts... but I wouldn't even know where to look. Maybe Joe's or something? They've got cute ones for little girls. In fact, I'd love to get one for Leeann sometime maybe.

Bottom line, I'd like something modest, and I'd rather not pay an arm and a leg for it. Between Target and Fred Meyer there were only 4 swim suits that looked like they might somewhat do the job. Of course, none of them did--but I was optimistic. My optimism is gone... any thoughts on where I can get a modest swim suit at a reasonable price, or on how I can get away without ever needing to wear one again?

5 comments:

beachbirdie said...

I never had much success finding modest swimsuits in Albany; and now at my age, it's hard to remember what a swimsuit is ;-).

Try the athletic supply places...Joe's, Big 5, etc. Talk to someone who deals with swim teams...maybe someone at the YMCA can offer advice.

I googled "modest swimwear" and "surfer swimwear" and found a bucketload of board shorts and other cute stuff.

Good luck!

Anonymous said...

Landsend.com. They have hundreds of suits, many of them modest. Look in overstocks for clearance. I've liked what I get. Marlene

Rebecca.Alburn said...

This was a topic in the lunchroom at work the other day.
Someone suggested Land's End, though you would probably need to order from a website/catalog, I've heard good things about their suits.
Eddie Bauer got good reviews.
There's a store in Clackamas Town Center that sells swimsuits year-round and has a lot of specialty swimsuits.

I'm hoping to find some sort of tankini combo this year. But haven't ventured out for the depressing trip yet. Good luck!

Megan said...

I would give Old Navy a try. I was just looking online, and they have some really cute looking tankinis for about $25, and also some cute cover-up skirts! I'm not sure if everything shown online is available in the store, but maybe you could go to the store, try some on and get an idea of what size you are, then if you don't like anything there, maybe you could do an online order. I hear ya though...swimsuit shopping is the worst. Whoever designs them obviously has no concept of a normal woman's body. Bleh. Keep me posted on how it goes!

Anonymous said...

Have you tried Lands' End? Sears sometimes carries their things. I love their swimsuit collection - they tend to have several options in exactly what I'm looking for. While they can be a bit spendy, it's definitely worth it.