The Perfect Bathing Suit

When I was in high school, my boyfriend at the time told me on more than one occasion that I would look good in a string bikini. I weighed 85 pounds (and before you freak about my apparent eating disorder, I am only 4'10" tall and was extremely healthy, AND could eat anything I wanted and not gain an ounce - I pay for that now every single day since I never developed healthy habits because I didn't need to), but I wasn't too skinny, and I had a pretty decent rack.

One year my BFFs (identical twins) and I went to Nags Head with my family, and I decided I needed a new bathing suit to wear. Remembering what my boyfriend had been telling me, I picked up a gorgeous navy blue and black string bikini to try on so I could see if I was comfortable enough to pull it off. I put on the suit over my underwear, and since we were the only people in the store, I left the fitting room to show my girlfriends and see what they thought. I stood outside the room and turned this way and that, so that they could see and judge from all angles, and I hear the voice behind me say "Perfect. You should get it."

I whirled around with my heart in my throat only to see five guys, mostly attractive, standing right behind me with huge grins on their faces. I shrieked a little and dashed back into the fitting room, mortified that I had been seen with a string bikini on top of my cotton granny panties proclaiming the day of the week.

But I bought the bikini, and proudly wore it for more than a decade. My boyfriend and those guys were right, my mortification notwithstanding. I did look good.

Then I had kids. Four big babies in seven years, four pregnancies, four c-sections. They took their toll on my body.

My bikini days are over.

Given the size H boobs, the flabby pooch around my middle that the OB says will only go away through the plastic surgery I won't have, the stretch marks and the cellulite, it's a wonder I even venture out in public in a bathing suit at all. That's where my not-so-secret weapon comes in: Land's End. If they don't have a swimsuit that fits you and flatters whatever your shape is, I'd be shocked. I have graduated from the bikini to the little black dress swimsuit. And that's okay.

It's still the perfect bathing suit.

And if I'm successful in my campaign to lose weight and get more fit (maybe with the help of this site)? They have lots of other cool looking suits, and I'll get a new perfect suit.

This post was written for Parent Bloggers Network as part of a sweepstakes sponsored by BOCA. Write a post sometime this weekend talking about your bathing suit and then send the link to Parent Bloggers Network, and you could win prizes! See here for details.

Comments

[Lacie]

Isn't it amazing when you look back at pictures of yourself in High School. I look back at pictures of myself on my honeymoon and think "How in the world could I have ever thought for one second that I was fat?" I would LOVE to have that body back now after 2 kids :)