Swimming Upstream

     Summer vacation! I kicked off my summer vacation this year at the Outer Banks. Beach means swimming, playing in the sand, and. . . hunting for a cute and modest bathing suit. As we all know, this last one is the hardest. It feels like 90% of the bathing suits out there are-- well-- less modest than everyday underwear. That seems kind of, well, strange to me. While it's a bit extreme to wear capris and t-shirts to swim, I also think bikinis are extreme. (Especially since everybody says that they have a tendency to not stay put.)
     With some hunting and/or creativity, there are ways in which one can be cute and covered at the beach or pool.
     Happily, there are large number of tankini options. The tops are long enough to cover, and perhaps long enough to tuck in (or to be sewn to the bottom). A lot of them are pretty, but a word of warning: I have only worn one tankini, and although it was long enough for me to tuck in, it did not stay tucked for very long. Once I got into the water and started moving around, my tankini top started moving, too. Very annoying. Perhaps some are made to be tighter at the hem, though.
     One solution to the problem of modesty by the waterside is the well-known "Modest Swimsuit." Most of these cover the shoulders and all or most of the thigh. The problem with these is that nearly all of them look like unfashionable clothes. They are highly unflattering, and made of fabrics that are not fun to look at. In my hunting, however, I did manage to find some that were pretty, and I'll share these with y'all.
     My solution (that is, the one I use) is to wear a one-piece suit with swim shorts. I like skirts, but I haven't one. I chose this option because it is honestly the easiest fix. A modest one-piece will cover your top and midriff, and the shorts or skirt will ensure that you're covered below. Even though your average one-piece bathing suit willl automatically make one way more modest than most women at the beach, I personally feel uncomfortable showing that much leg. Besides, no one likes it when leg bands ride up. Wearing either swim shorts or a swim skirt will also get rid of "hideous thigh" worries, as they cover the highest and biggest part of one's thigh.


     Now for some of the results of my arduous results:

http://stitchintimes.com/swimsuits/womens_suits.htm  --- This company's suits all come with shorts, it seems. Here are some of their suits:

http://modestlyyoursswimwear.com/gallery.html --- There are some pretty ones here, but for some strange reason it looks like the suits do not have built in bras. You have to order bra inserts separately from the suit. Maybe they expect you to wear a regular bra underneath...

     I think I'll stop here for now. I have more sites and more pictures, but I don't want to dump them all on you at once. Now get out there and enjoy the summer!