Old school swim suit
March 22, 2012 4:24 PM Subscribe
Ladies, please? Does anyone have any ideas on where to find a plain old COTTON swim suit?
In the summertime this 40+ Original Jersey Shore Lady spends all day at the beach, in and out of the water; the synthetic suits never seem to dry, they're too tight, don't breath and I feel like I'm spackled. We had cotton swim suits as kids and they were light, thin and fast drying - I want one! So I looked around on Etsy and E-Bay, I found some vintage at the thrift shop -ugh- and have googled the globe for days... not much luck. I suppose they just aren't made any longer?
In the summertime this 40+ Original Jersey Shore Lady spends all day at the beach, in and out of the water; the synthetic suits never seem to dry, they're too tight, don't breath and I feel like I'm spackled. We had cotton swim suits as kids and they were light, thin and fast drying - I want one! So I looked around on Etsy and E-Bay, I found some vintage at the thrift shop -ugh- and have googled the globe for days... not much luck. I suppose they just aren't made any longer?
I think american swim suits are made in very many layers : outside layer of fabric , lining for opaqueness/modesty , layer of some stiff netting for "support" and "shaping". Of course the suit will become thick and won't dry quickly .
Maybe you or taylor can remove some of these extra layers of fabric ?
posted by Oli D. at 9:25 PM on March 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Maybe you or taylor can remove some of these extra layers of fabric ?
posted by Oli D. at 9:25 PM on March 22, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: I feel your pain on this one; I remember my childhood cotton ones and...yeah.
If you're down with skimpy American Apparel has a cotton bikini, $12!
Couple of choices
Viscosey but some cotton content
What are you not liking about eBay/Etsy finds? This is cute... There're some swimsuit makers on there; you could always do the custom route.
Lingerie-ish but...? Again
Meh rating and one size but maybe a company to look at?
(On the chance Oli D. is on to something for you Tyr is good for single-layer stuff)
posted by kmennie at 1:43 AM on March 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
If you're down with skimpy American Apparel has a cotton bikini, $12!
Couple of choices
Viscosey but some cotton content
What are you not liking about eBay/Etsy finds? This is cute... There're some swimsuit makers on there; you could always do the custom route.
Lingerie-ish but...? Again
Meh rating and one size but maybe a company to look at?
(On the chance Oli D. is on to something for you Tyr is good for single-layer stuff)
posted by kmennie at 1:43 AM on March 23, 2012 [2 favorites]
My favorite swim suit of all time was a cotton tank. Like cotton jersey with lycra. That was in 1984 and I've never found another like it. Even then it seemed to be a bit of a rarity. And now half the suits in the stores are some variety of "Miracle Suit." Horrid. Like wearing Spanx to the beach.
But, to address your issues of feeling spackled, have you tried a tankini? The fabric hangs away from your torso, so they breath, dry quickly, aren't tight and don't make you feel spackled.
posted by HotToddy at 9:25 AM on March 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
But, to address your issues of feeling spackled, have you tried a tankini? The fabric hangs away from your torso, so they breath, dry quickly, aren't tight and don't make you feel spackled.
posted by HotToddy at 9:25 AM on March 23, 2012 [1 favorite]
If you can't find cotton, many lap swimsuits are quite thin. When I was in high school, the suits I wore for swim practice and lifeguarding were very thin and dried fast. So thin that, after a year of constant use, you had to wear two suits at once to preserve your modesty. My lap suits aren't fancy but they are far more practical and dry about five hours sooner than the one that makes my boobs look young again.
posted by Foam Pants at 12:59 AM on March 24, 2012
posted by Foam Pants at 12:59 AM on March 24, 2012
Response by poster: Gosh thanks for all the great feedback and suggestions, I've gone back in to look at some of these and actually now liking the Tyr stuff which I'd never heard of, okay not cotton but looks great in every way for the hours I spend swimming and walking and (yeah) trail hiking along our coast. Thanks kmennie and Oli D for the rethink!
posted by henry scobie at 11:30 AM on March 24, 2012
posted by henry scobie at 11:30 AM on March 24, 2012
There are some on etsy! Do a quick search. Many very cute.
posted by manicure12 at 3:50 PM on March 26, 2012
posted by manicure12 at 3:50 PM on March 26, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by mollymayhem at 4:30 PM on March 22, 2012