Swimwear. It’s a word that can strike terror into the hearts of many women. And why? Because we’re taught to believe that it’s something only the flawless can wear, let alone be photographed in. One of my favorite quotes from the movie Pretty Woman is when Vivian/Julia Roberts states “people put you down enough, you start to believe it”. Edward/Richard Gere then complements her but she replies with “the bad stuff is easier to believe, ever notice that?“
Today, our Ageless Style group is going outside of their comfort zones to send a message or two: Putting others down is the only taste of power that some people get. You don’t have to believe the bad stuff. Just wear the suit.
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20’s Blogger: Taylor of Cin City Chic | IG: cincitychic
Bio: Hello! My name is Taylor and I am the Content Creator for the lifestyle blog CinCityChic. CinCityChic encompasses fashion, beauty, and lifestyle topics. I am passionate about cultivating creative inspiration to help others boost their confidence. Cincinnati is home and I incorporate upcoming events, local stores, and my personal recommendations within my blog about the amazing 513. As an explorative and fun-loving millennial, I am still finding my own path in this world. CinCityChic is my escape and journey that I enjoy sharing with others!
Styling Notes: Anybody is a swimsuit body! Swimsuits to some can be terrifying because you’re exposing more parts of your body. Growing up, I was not a fan. However, as I grow comfortable with myself and my body, I embrace it! God gave me this body, so I am going to flaunt it. So either like it or love it, it’s gonna get shown ha!
My platform aims to always show inclusivity, especially within the plus-size community. I am a huge advocate of wearing whatever makes you happy! So choosing this quarter’s theme of “Swimwear” was exciting to me. At any age swimwear can be worn!
Here I am wearing a favorite swimsuit of mine from Target. Target has a great selection, variety, styles, and sizes that cater to all. More than likely you’ll always catch me in a two-piece and this lilac color compliments my skin tone.
30’s Blogger: Stacy of Styled by Stacy | IG: Styled_by_Stacy
Bio: Hi Friends! My name is Anastasia (Stacy) and I’m the fashion guru behind Styled by Stacy. I’m a lover of everything about the fashion industry from its unique designs and art to its ever-changing atmosphere. I started my blog because I wanted to share my love of fashion, creativity, and my style with people everywhere. Styled by Stacy offers trend styling, my fashion favorites, and a love for my city, The CLE!
Styling Notes: Swimwear, for many, that word is horrifying. I will admit, when I received this quarter’s Ageless Style prompt of swimwear I felt a little out of my comfort zone. But then I remembered that the whole point of these Ageless Style posts is to show beauty at every age no matter what you’re wearing. So this mama of two pulled on her new favorite one-piece and strutted her stuff poolside to show you how I do swimwear!
For all my 30 something mama’s out there, I hope I can inspire you to just WEAR THE SUIT! Remember our babies don’t remember what we wore, they just remembered that we were there and had fun!!
One-piece, two-piece, high-waisted, or bikini, wear the suit that makes you feel comfortable and beautiful. I’m almost always in a high-waisted two-piece but for swim class with the kiddos, I stuck to a cute one-piece from Amazon!
40’s Blogger: That Misfit Mama Bear Life With Prissy Missy | IG: prissymissydoll
Bio: For those new to my blog, I’m Lesa, better known as Prissy Missy. I am the misfit, quirky fashion-obsessed enby from That Misfit Mama Bear Life With Prissy Missy. When I am not empowering or encouraging others with fashion and flair, I can be found with copious amounts of coffee while helping others with their homeschool journey. I may be a bit eccentric, but hey, that’s what makes life interesting, right?
Styling Notes: Full transparency moment, I hated swimsuits until my mid-30s. I hated buying them, and I hated wearing them. Also, the idea of someone taking a photo in one horrified me.
Obviously, if you follow me on Instagram, you know that I got over all of it. Surprisingly, it took losing two pregnancies and being at my heaviest for me to start loving myself like I should. Every body is a swimsuit body, and when I realized that, I never turned back!
For me, I love two-piece suits, partly because they are cute. The other part is that I am a mom with little people, and when I take them to the pool, I need to be able to use the bathroom quickly! I love high-waisted bottoms and the skater skirt style!
With this challenge though, I wanted to show off one of the cute tops that I got this summer. Target has been my swimsuit happy place this summer, and they have really stepped up with sizing and availability for plus sizes! Needless to say, I got four new swimsuit tops for this summer! As for the swimsuit cover-up, this was something a little new for me. For years, I have had the ugly sack-like ones, and I am sooooo over it! I saw these cute cover-up pants, and was like, “Oh yeah!” They are super comfy too!
Styling Tips: Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone now and then even if you are only doing it in the comfort of your backyard. I always talk about body love as being a journey, and it is. So if you are not a fan of the swimsuit, start with baby steps. Get a cover-up that doesn’t look like a tent and then work on finding a swimsuit that fits your style and comfort level!
50’s Blogger: Betsy of Natty Gal | IG: nattygaldotcom
Bio: Hello, friend! I’m Betsy, the Cleveland blogger behind Natty Gal, wife to Gavin, and fur-mom to Dolce, our Bichon-Frise pup. Fun Facts: I’m a capsule wardrobe enthusiast, love adventuring to new countries and experiencing foreign cultures, and am committed to life-long learning and personal growth. Natty Gal shares inspiration for creating a simple, stylish, and satisfying life via a mixture of lifestyle, fashion, and travel posts. I love to support women that are working toward becoming their best selves. I’d love to invite you to check out my blog and become a part of the Natty Gal family!
Styling Notes: Moment of truth….when Taylor announced swimwear as the Ageless Style selection for this summer, I felt a bit out of my comfort zone. I’m content/accepting of my body but am naturally a bit self-conscious and modest. In general, blogging has been great for getting more comfortable with putting myself out there and caring less about what other people think. This swimsuit shoot now takes that to the next level, so thank you Taylor for giving me this much-needed nudge!
Normally, tankinis are my go-to swim apparel. They offer some coverage and are convenient for mixing and matching. But this summer the suits I’ve tried to order have either been discontinued or delayed in shipping. With the deadline for this post rapidly approaching and no suit in hand, I made a run to my trusty Target store.
Always a fan of gingham, I was thrilled to find this navy and white suit with cute ruffle detailing on the shoulder strap! A long torso version is also available for those that struggle with fit in a one-piece. I paired the suit with my favorite sunnies and a white boyfriend-style beach shirt from RipSkirt Hawaii, one of my favorite brands for travel. I have several of their wrap skirts, which I highly recommend, and found this shirt to be of the same reliable quality and versatility. The straw Tory Burch bag is eons old but still one of my favorite summer items!
Where do you stand on swimwear? Are you a full-piece or two-piece kind of gal? Would love to hear what everyone is beaching in this summer and why. For more Ageless Style posts, click HERE.
Until next time…keep cultivating a simple, stylish, and satisfying life!
Hi Betsy. I love your gingham swim suit! So cute! We’re in Turkey and this year I had to buy a new two piece suit at Penti, a Turkish store that I found here. The quality is really good and I got the suit and a pair of flip flops for $20.00. The top is a push up, which I need for the added fullness. Thanks for sharing. I hope you are having a great summer!
Thanks so much Christina! I hope you are having a wonderful time in Turkey, I’ll look up that store online and tell a friend I have that lives there about it (she’s on the island of Gokceada). Sounds like they’ve got amazing deals!
They hadn’t look great. I love the ruffles!
Thanks so much Cindy! They make me feel very girly. 😉