Bathing Suit Anxiety

[honeydiane1953]

You want to take the wind out of your sails????: TRY ON SWIMSUITS!!!

 

[BearcatsFan]

This thread fails without photos.

Sorry to disappoint

1. I have a great joke/story about trying on bathing suits if anyone wants it. don't want to steal the tread!

I for one would love to hear anything that would make me laugh about the situation! Far as I'm concerned, steal away.

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

I would just like to reccomend swimoutlet.com I got my favorite bathing suit from there that looks aswome on me. there shipping rates are good and there quality (and support, if your suits the wrong size) is aswome!

 

[pigletgirl]

This thread fails without photos.

Just imagine a 10lb sausage in a 5lb casing.

 

[DizBelle]

Don't feel bad ladies. The industry standard for swimsuite sizing is one size up from your clothing size. If you wear a size 8 dress, you will wear a size 10 swimsuit.

 

[DeaverTex]

Ladies, you're not the only ones with bathing suit anxiety, whether trying on in private or wearing in public. I don't know if I look worse before or after I lost a bunch of weight. Before I looked like a walrus with a glandular condition. Afterward, there's so much loose skin that I look like a sharpei with a beard. Which is why I always wear a nice (meaning not flimsy) t-shirt on those rare occasions that I'm forced into a bathing suit.

 

[BearcatsFan]

Ladies, you're not the only ones with bathing suit anxiety, whether trying on in private or wearing in public. I don't know if I look worse before or after I lost a bunch of weight. Before I looked like a walrus with a glandular condition. Afterward, there's so much loose skin that I look like a sharpei with a beard. Which is why I always wear a nice (meaning not flimsy) t-shirt on those rare occasions that I'm forced into a bathing suit.

I so feel for ya! Glad to know it's not just us

 

[CathrynRose]

NO ONE looks perfect in a bathing suit. No one. Show off what you like (your chest, your booty) and just deal with whatever you don't. Everyone is in the same boat.

Here's a recent pic of VS models....pre-photoshop:

 

[minkydog]

NO ONE looks perfect in a bathing suit. No one. Show off what you like (your chest, your booty) and just deal with whatever you don't. Everyone is in the same boat.

Here's a recent pic of VS models....pre-photoshop:

If I looked like any of those girls I would live in my bikini 24/7. But since I weigh about 100-lbs more than they do, I will refrain in public. I find shopping in general to be completely humiliating, to the point that i have spent 20 minutes holed up in a dressing room crying. I tried looking for a bathing suit last year and it was such a crushing experience I just didn't want to live. I HATE my body. HATE it. I dont' want to look at it and nobody else wants to look at it, thats for dang sure!

Here's my biggest beef with most bathing suits--they leave way too much uncovered. Even the most modest suits are way to low cut--I dont wear anything that shows cleavage. I'm sorry, but at age 55 that ship has SAILED. Why can't someone make a well-fitting suit which doesn't let it all hang out in a size that a queen size woman can wear and not feel like jumping off a bridge? I'm not an enormously morbidly obese woman. I'm probably 30-lbs overweight. But put me in a bathing suit and I swear, I could be a Macy's Thanksgiving Day balloon!

 

[NotUrsula]

If I looked like any of those girls I would live in my bikini 24/7. But since I weigh about 100-lbs more than they do, I will refrain in public. I find shopping in general to be completely humiliating, to the point that i have spent 20 minutes holed up in a dressing room crying. I tried looking for a bathing suit last year and it was such a crushing experience I just didn't want to live. I HATE my body. HATE it. I dont' want to look at it and nobody else wants to look at it, thats for dang sure!

Here's my biggest beef with most bathing suits--they leave way too much uncovered. Even the most modest suits are way to low cut--I dont wear anything that shows cleavage. I'm sorry, but at age 55 that ship has SAILED. Why can't someone make a well-fitting suit which doesn't let it all hang out in a size that a queen size woman can wear and not feel like jumping off a bridge? I'm not an enormously morbidly obese woman. I'm probably 30-lbs overweight. But put me in a bathing suit and I swear, I could be a Macy's Thanksgiving Day balloon!

IME Land's End and Miraclesuit sell PLENTY of them; they are not going to be dirt cheap unless you buy at the end of the season, but LE is doing 30% off and free shipping right now, so that's not bad at all. (I even say this as a person who won't wear suits with skirts on them; I don't like fabric flapping around my legs when I swim laps.) There are quite a few sport-type separates with longer bike shorts bottoms at AlwaysForMe.com, and several sites carry the indestructible Penbrooke Signature Crinkle tank suit; which is made of polyester rather than lycra; it's great for lap swimming.

Personally, I like a bit of cleavage; it's the one asset that I've got that is still worth showing off (and it helps just a bit to distract from the rest of me at the same time.) However, if you don't like it, there are plenty of sport suits on the market that are cut high in the neck (try Swim365), or you could go with a retro beach suit sold by a company like Rey Swimwear. Or there is Athleta (part of the Gap stores family), which is a GREAT option for younger women, especially, who want something more athletic and modest, but still fun and colorful. (Athleta can be quite pricey, however, so it's not always the best option for growing girls. An investment swimsuit is more for adult women.) Land's End has a high-necked control suit called the Carmela that they sell in a HUGE range of sizes; I tried it but I felt it was too high-necked for my taste (I'm very busty, so high-necked suits tend to give me a mono-b**b look.)

Suits for people our age and size are out there, you just have to look carefully. What I have done with Land's End is to order 6-8 suits during the 30% off sale and try them all on at home; then I take whatever I don't want back to Sears for an immediate refund. They have absolutely no problem with someone doing that.

One last thing about being older &/or larger and wanting a suit: the key for us is to pick one that is as flattering as possible to the body that you have. Looking truly good may not be a reasonable goal if you are not fit, but looking bad isn't necessary, either. Strive for that middle ground: get a good color, a supportive bustline, and the best hipline that you can, and make sure that any jiggle is as contained as possible; then get out there and PLAY in the water. Once you are submerged up to your chin, no one is going to be able to see the suit anyway, and if you swim long enough, you can only look better in it.

About 5 years ago I asked my DH's opinion of a suit I tried on, and he replied with, "black? again?". I asked him what was wrong with black, and he said that in his opinion, while going conservative in cut was probably wise, he thought that conservative black suits made me look MUCH older. So ... I took a chance and figured that he cares about me enough to give me an honest opinion and went with a color, and another color, and yet another. I haven't owned a black suit since then. I don't go with loud prints, but I now do choose something a bit more festive: of the four suits that I currently rotate, one is purple, one is royal blue, one is a navy/olive paisley with navy trunks, and one is (of all things) IVORY, with a small earth-toned circle pattern on it. All four of them came from Land's End (the paisley one is new; it's this one in a different color:

http://www.landsend.com/pp/womens-b..._MERCH=search-_-paisley+halter&origin=search#
... but I wear it with a pr. of navy boy shorts. (Swimming is my favorite form of exercise, and I'm darned if I'm going to give it up for lack of decent suits -- besides, I've got a 4 yo to chase after, and I'm not about to let her grown up anything like the way I did, with a mother who refused to ever get in the water with me because she was self-conscious about the way she looked and as a consequence couldn't swim a stroke. I bodysurf with my kids, and I'm going to keep doing it until I just absolutely can't hack it anymore, because it's FUN, even if my teen DS leaves me in his wake these days.)

Oh, and PS for the guys:

Ladies, you're not the only ones with bathing suit anxiety, whether trying on in private or wearing in public. I don't know if I look worse before or after I lost a bunch of weight. Before I looked like a walrus with a glandular condition. Afterward, there's so much loose skin that I look like a sharpei with a beard. Which is why I always wear a nice (meaning not flimsy) t-shirt on those rare occasions that I'm forced into a bathing suit.

My DH used to be self-conscious shirtless as well, because he has a strange set of scars on his back from a childhood accident; they look like scars from a flogging. These days he wears a rash guard when he is on the beach or playing with the little one in shallow water. He likes this one from Lands End: http://www.landsend.com/pp/mens-sho...:UJ5&CM_MERCH=IDX_swimwear-_-men&origin=index (He buys it in his normal shirt size and it is not tight, and the zipper gets rid of that whole turtleneck issue.) They sell that swim shirt for women and kids, too; we all have one, even my teenage son.

 

[luvflorida]

...Once you are submerged up to your chin, no one is going to be able to see the suit anyway...

Your post is full of good info/advice for us "older women", but this is probably my favorite!

I love swimming and just being in and around water, and have lived on the coast for most of my life. I now live in the desert and really miss the ocean, even though we return to it every year.

I always buy my swimsuits from LL Bean. They are excellent quality and seem to last forever. I buy the one-piece suits that are conservatively cut. I also own at least three pair of the matching nylon (quick drying) shorts and three pair of the matching nylon capri pants. I've never liked the swimsuits with the attached skirts, but like the way the shorts look.

 

[chiefmickeymouse]

Another vote for Lands End. They do bra sized swimsuits, so if you're D or bigger you can find one that fits. I have three, two one-pieces and a two-piece tankini. I like them all, but the tankini is better for looking (somewhat) cute than swimming as things tend to ummmm move around when swimming.

I ordered them all on line and ordered my clothing size and all three fit. That's sort of like hitting the lottery odds I think. Also, I was able to avoid the fitting room and the general feeling that I need to spend the rest of my life in a mumu.

 

[kellyg403]

Bathing suits are the bane of my existance. Truly they are. I live 20 min from the ocean and last year didn't even buy a suit and didn't even go to the beach once. But, when I do go the beach I do fit in...I mean everyone there has the same faults it appears...especially those of us who have a few kids and a few years on us.

I can never find the perfect suit. I am going to head to Lands End and look around. I have been trying the big box stores, maybe its time to look elsewhere! The last suit I had was boy shorts/bikini top. I gotta say it was my favorite so far. The only problem was the top seemed to lose its shape rather quickly. I don't have DD's but I do have enough there I need support.

While I hate bathing suit shopping, I am glad I opened the thread and seen all the good things about Land's End.

Kelly

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I just wish I had somewhere to swim! If I ever get to go to a beach or find somebody who has a pool I will be in the market for one. I will definitely check out Landsend.

 

[Maggie Lizer]

I love my Lands End suits. I ordered a bunch of separates when htey had their big sale last fall and tried them on at home. I had to go down a clothes size in the bottoms, and up for the top. I also got a variety of styles and some of the tops had much better support and others didn't. I ended up with 2 bottoms and 2 bikini tops that are all mix & match. And I returned the unwanted items to my local Sears store with no problems at all.

 

[BearcatsFan]

Sounds like next time I need one, I'll be trying Land's End.

 

[minkydog]

Thanks for the suggestions. We have a Sears-Land's End store near me. Hopefully they'll have some XL sizes. I'll willing to pay high dollar for a suit that doesn't scream "Sea Cow!" Headed for Florida in June. I have exactly 4 weeks to find this miracle suit.

 

[BearcatsFan]

Thanks for the suggestions. We have a Sears-Land's End store near me. Hopefully they'll have some XL sizes. I'll willing to pay high dollar for a suit that doesn't scream "Sea Cow!" Headed for Florida in June. I have exactly 4 weeks to find this miracle suit.

If you don't find anything you like, do give Macy's a try. I was shocked at the selection they had - we're talking at least 30 racks of swimsuits, maybe more.

Enjoy your June trip!

 

[katlas&kids]

The bathing suit story....Enjoy!!

Buying the right bathing suit!!!!!


When I was a child in the 1960s, the bathing suit for the mature figure was boned, trussed and reinforced, not so much sewn as engineered. They were built to hold back and uplift, and they did a good job.
Today's stretch fabrics are designed for the prepubescent girl with a figure carved from a potato chip.

The mature woman has a choice, she can either go up front to the maternity department and try on a floral suit with a skirt, coming away looking like a hippopotamus that escaped from Disney's Fantasia, or she can wander around every run-of-the-mill department store trying to make a sensible choice from what amounts to a designer range of fluorescent rubber bands.

What choice did I have? I wandered around, made my sensible choice and entered the chamber of horrors known as the fitting room. The first thing I noticed was the extraordinary tensile strength of the stretch material. The Lycra used in bathing costumes was developed, I believe,
by NASA to launch small rockets from a slingshot, which gives the added bonus that if you manage to actually lever yourself into one, you would be protected from shark attacks. Any shark taking a swipe at your passing midriff would immediately suffer whiplash.

I fought my way into the bathing suit, but as I twanged the shoulder strap in place I gasped in horror, my ****s had disappeared!

Eventually, I found one **** cowering under my left armpit. It took a while to find the other. At last I located it flattened beside my seventh rib.

The problem is that modern bathing suits have no bra cups. The mature woman is now meant to wear her ****s spread across her chest like a speed bump. I realigned my speed bump and lurched toward the mirror to take a full view assessment.

The bathing suit fit all right, but unfortunately it only fitted those bits of me willing to stay inside it. The rest of me oozed out rebelliously from top, bottom and sides. I looked like a lump of Playdoh wearing undersized cling wrap.

As I tried to work out where all those extra bits had come from, the prepubescent sales girl popped her head through the curtain, "Oh, there you are," she said, admiring the bathing suit.

I replied that I wasn't so sure and asked what else she had to show me. I tried on a cream crinkled one that made me look like a lump of masking tape, and a floral two-piece that gave the appearance of an oversized napkin in a serving ring.

I struggled into a pair of leopard-skin bathers with ragged frills and came out looking like Tarzan's Jane, pregnant with triplets and having a rough day.

I tried on a black number with a midriff fringe and looked like a jellyfish in mourning.

I tried on a bright pink pair with such a high cut leg I thought I would have to wax my eyebrows to wear them.

Finally, I found a suit that fit, it was a two-piece affair with a shorts-style bottom and a loose blouse-type top. It was cheap, comfortable, and bulge-friendly, so I bought it. My ridiculous search had a successful outcome, I figured.

When I got it home, I found a label that read, "Material might become transparent in water."

So, if you happen to be on the beach or near any other body of water this year and I'm there too, I'll be the one in cut-off jeans and a T-shirt!

You'd better be laughing or rolling on the floor by this time. Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain, with or without a stylish bathing suit!



"""You can't change the past, but you can ruin the present by worrying over the future"""

 

[BearcatsFan]

The bathing suit story....Enjoy!!

OMG this so described the way I felt on Wednesday!

Thank you for sharing!