Bathing Suit Season. Anticipated throughout the winter months by the firm, young bodies blessed with youth. Dreaded by those of us for whom time has not been so kind. Long gone are the days when I was proud to walk the busy beaches of Daytona in a couple pieces of fabric and some string. Back then, we girls sought out the most sophisticated suits we could get away with. We considered the few who were allowed to shop sans chaperone lucky, as they had no one to veto a risque choice.
Spending my teen years in Daytona Beach opened my eyes to more than just fashion on the beach. I was exposed (no pun intended!) to a mindset I had previously only heard about. These girls had grown up going to the beach and were quite comfortable in their suits, or at least walking around in them. While I was allowed to wear two-piece suits, they still had to be modest. My shopping experience up to that point had been to Woolworth’s or Kmart for the current season’s attire, and parental approval was mandatory. Needless to say, my choices were limited!
As I grew older & had children, I became quite body conscious in the negative. I only wore a bikini in my back yard or when we went ALL THE WAY to Ormond-by-the-Sea, where practically the only people we saw were a few older folks on their daily walks. Other than that, I wore what I called a Granny suit, a traditional one-piece. The problem with one-piece suits back then was that they were PLAIN! No design or too much of it, and the tops had all this padding. Yuck-O-Rama!
Reason one for the cover-up today is still some body image, though it’s probably more for your protection than my embarrassment. Reason two is that I have gone back to my modest roots, and the only tan lines I’m concerned about are the ones on my arms.
Swimwear has come a long way, as aging baby boomers (who have determined every trend for the past 60 years or so) demanded pretty, and even fashionable poolside attire. Spanx, the company founded by Sara Blakely that makes shapewear for women, now has a line of swimsuits! With 12 one-piece designs and some single pieces to mix and match, the selection is not extensive, but their designs are tasteful as well as functional. You can order online HERE and for a limited time, get free shipping with the code WELOVEMOMS.