700 swims later...
Friday, May 10, 2019I pulled my suit on the other morning at the pool, only to find the top band had entirely unattached from the rest of the suit. The stitching had totally disintegrated. I was so frustrated—this suit was pretty much brand new, I fumed.
Except, then I realized it wasn't. It wasn't brand-new at all. I got it right after my son was born, which makes it over 4 years old now. My pregnancy had stretched out my former suit so badly, all the seams had ripped open (ALLLL of the seams, ahem) and this bathing suit was my post-pregnancy treat to myself. Except getting it meant:
a) going to a mall
b) going to a mall with a baby
c) trying on bathing suits a few weeks post-partum (in a mall, with a baby)
So, not awesome. I remember grabbing a handful of Speedos (my suit of choice...not sponsored, though I'll take a bathing suit sponsorship any day! Holy smokes, they're pricey) in a handful of sizes because post-partum body and the sizing on my last suit had been bleached right off of the tag. It was March, or maybe early April, so the selection was terrible and I bought the first suit I managed to wriggle into. It wasn't pretty. It was blue and green in some strange zig-zaggy pattern, but it was a flattering cut that wouldn't slip off my shoulders, or ride up my butt.
And then I wore this not-so-pretty-but-very-servicable suit 3-4 times a week (at minimum!) for four years (minus the few months I wore my patched up old suit when I was pregnant the second time). That's over 700 swims. And so, I forgave the stitching that had disintegrated and thanked this workhorse of a suit for its years (!) of service.
(A friend has a 45 Wears project on Instagram, a project that promotes wearing clothes longer and celebrating clothes that last. I think I should submit this suit - it deserves a mention 15 times over!)
And so, I'm back to bathing suit shopping, which is still dreadful. Is a plain, solid colour suit so much to ask for? Yes. Yes it is, apparently. I have two issues (three if you count the awful change room lighting): 1). people swim-swim year-round. I get that fancy bikinis are more of a summer thing, but racing/swim-swimming suits aren't just a summer thing, and yet no stores carry them "out of season" and 2). WHAT IS UP WITH ALL THE SWIM-SWIMMING (as opposed to lounging) SUITS HAVING BOOB PADDING? Are people really so horrified by the potential of the outline of a nipple? The last thing I want is a pair of wet sponges dragging me down. Bah.
And so, I'm going to pull out my sewing machine and zip-zag stitch the top of my suit back together until I can find a workhorse for the next 700 swims.
5 comments
I swim twice a week and take an aquatic hips and knees class one day a week.(This is from October-late May. June- September I swim almost daily in a lake but it doesn't dissolve bathing suits!) I have a Roots suit, plain style (but alas, there's a bit of boob shaping), and this is its 4th year. I bought another in exactly the same style and size (they also do a long torso, which is me)to have for when this one gives up. I think the fabric has that special treatment for chlorine. Anyway, any other suit in the pool lasts about 6 months.
ReplyDeleteLong torsos makes one pieces tricky!!! But a suit that lasts that long is gold. I've stitched this one up and though it's started to bag, I'm going to try to hold on for as long as I can...!
DeleteWe always say a £1 a wear so whatever the cost you have to wear it at least that many times. Hopefully fast fashion is dying along with swim costumes made of non-recycled materials. Most of the mainstream brand either solely make off recycled materials or have a range covering this. (Not sure speedo do though!)
ReplyDelete$1 (or $2.50, haha!) a wear is pretty amazing! A friend did a search about Speedo's ethical sourcing and they came out pretty well. You guys have such amazing suits (cossies??!!) I must plan a trip, for the lido goodness, for a hang, AND FOR A COSSIE!
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