Shopping for a Swimsuit

 

        The swimsuit that I bought shortly after we got married no longer fits the way I would like it to fit. It's not bad, I could still wear it, but I wanted to get a new one. Something a bit more flattering to my figure. Something cuter. 

        I started out by ordering something online. When it arrived I tried it on. Despite carefully following the sizing guidelines, it didn't fit. That meant only one thing. I would have to return it and shop for another one in a store. I don't like shopping for clothes with so I knew that this was not going to be fun. However, there was no other way. I didn't want to keep ordering things.

        Part of the challenge I have with swimsuits is that a traditional one piece doesn't work for me. I need a bit more coverage on the bottom. I also don't like to show a lot of skin, so traditional two piece suits don't work either. The best ones are the kind that have a top that covers me down to the waist with either shorts or a swim skirt bottom. There are not many stores that sell this kind of suit.

        The first store we went to was the store that I bought my old swimsuit from. I know that they carry the kind I like. The selection was somewhat picked over. I knew that would be the case. I should have started shopping right after Christmas. I hoped there might be something available.

        On first glance there seemed to be a good selection. There were tops in pretty colours and all kinds of sizes. There were bottoms to match hanging beneath them. Upon closer inspection, I saw that I had a problem. The vast majority of the suits were in sizes two and four and small and very small. There were a few suit tops in larger sizes. They were all either black or white and black patterns. None of them were pretty. The only tops in pretty colours and the right size were traditional swimsuit tops. I searched fruitlessly for something cute that would fit. There was nothing.

        C suggested that I try a traditional one piece and buy a pair of shorts to go over it. Even the one piece suits in my size were black or dark blue. I found one that was not too bad and tried it on with a pair of shorts. To say it looked bad was an understatement. It was about the worst thing I'd ever seen.

        I couldn't understand why the larger swimsuits were so ugly. It's not fair. People who are not stick thin want to wear cute things too. Yes, I get that black is considered slimming, but not everyone wants to wear black. I left, frustrated and dejected.

        The next store we went to had a few bikinis on a rack. We left immediately.

        We went to a third store. The selection was awful. There were some cute tops of the right length, but in sizes that were too large and in styles I knew wouldn't look good. I kept searching hoping that I might find something. C came up with a swimdress on a hanger. It was a pattern of flowers on a black background. I wasn't sure about the style, but it was the only thing remotely like what I needed. I found the fitting room and tried it on. 

        It wasn't as bad as I thought. I was afraid that the empire waist would look like a maternity swimsuit and the plunge neckline would show too much skin. Somehow it was all right. All I would need to do was adjust the straps so they didn't dig into my shoulders. We bought it.

        This was the worst shopping experience I ever had. I knew it was going to be rough, but I didn't think it would be that rough. It's hard enough trying on regular clothes and having problems finding things that fit, with swimsuits it's much harder.

        I think I need a hot chocolate.......