The Very Basic Swimsuit That Makes Me Feel Strong And Sexy

The thought of swimsuit season rarely fills one with excitement, but thanks to a very basic one-piece, it’s now my favourite time of year.

I didn’t always feel this way.

I find my figure challenging to dress. In a world of flawless Kardashian-style bikini-clad selfies, my body and I feel adrift. I am an apple, a shape that you rarely see flaunted by celebrities. I’m tall, but not tall enough for specialty sizes. My body is round but doesn’t fit plus sizes. Plunging halter-neck suits, which turn others into a seaside Marilyn Monroe, make me look like a starfish stuck in an inner tube. Ruffles, buckles and belts fail me. Sporty two-piece tankinis defy the laws of physics as they simultaneously ride up and roll down my body. To describe swimsuit shopping as an exercise in frustration would be an epic understatement.

Related: These Are The Swimsuits We’ll Be Wearing This Summer—And Why We Love Them

Despite this, the water is my happy place. I learned to swim along the shores of Nova Scotia. I spent youthful summers lifeguarding at municipal pools. Swimming is my preferred form of recreation and relaxation. Eager to spend more time in the water, I decided to shift from fun designs and search for more functional ensembles, just like those I wore as a teenage pool attendant.

Some chance browsing brought me to L.L. Bean’s Women’s BeanSport Tanksuit. The price was right, but a customer review really sealed the deal. A satisfied owner declared: “Long Size Solves Apple Body Fitting,” and I placed my order immediately. It’s not that this basic black swimsuit is flattering, per se. With a high back and low leg openings, it elongates precisely nothing. There is no shaping or cinching. Its bust enhancement features are nonexistent. At best, it’s minimalist and, at worst, dowdy. However, it fits like a glove. For the first time, I feel strong and even a bit sexy when I swim. Maybe the days of calling the water my happy place aren’t over after all.

Aquafitness instructor Janet McGeein knows a thing or two about what it takes to feel good in the water. I first decided to give McGeein’s class a try when I exited my lap swim one morning as she was prepping for an early water aerobics class at Ottawa’s Bob MacQuarrie Recreation Complex. The area rapidly filled up with participants who walked around the pool deck without a care in the world. Why was everyone so happy to exercise, in a swimsuit, in public?

“People who are self-conscious being in a bathing suit tend to get over it quickly when you notice everyone (in the class) is in the same situation,” says McGeein, who has taught Aquafitness for 23 years

The class’s cheerful camaraderie was impossible to resist. At first, I felt self-conscious in my plain suit next to some of the pretty skirts and sassy necklines on display. Yet as I splashed around and everything stayed put, my swimsuit confidence was complete (and the amazing leg exercises in McGeein’s class sure didn’t hurt).

McGeein has an incredible sense of style, sporting different, brightly coloured suits at every class. However, she emphasizes that feeling confident in a swimsuit is all about what makes you feel good. Still, sometimes I can’t help but wish I was wearing something a bit jauntier, something to reflect my new attitude. I might not have to wait long. The BeanSport Tanksuit, once only available in basic black, now comes in a range of bright prints and colours.

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