TO BIKINI OR NOT TO BIKINI

- Ali Wolfe, Contributing Writing

Well, that is the real question when you are 8 months pregnant during the dog days of summer in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, (or wherever you may live). The most important fashion lesson to be learned here, ladies, is comfort is your #1 priority. Whether it be the bathing suit itself or getting into a pool or the ocean to cool off and let your baby –belly just hang loose in the water, I must insist that us pregnant gals err on the side of bikini.

My bikini adventure began earlier in the summer at the world famous Bloomingdale’s on 59th Street. I must say that the sales girl was really helpful as she directed me to the “pregnancy” section of the bathing suit department, which takes over most of the 8th floor, where I was introduced to the Tankini. This is your mother’s bathing suit, ladies!!! There is nothing flattering about this garment. It’s basically been engineered to hide your best asset; the baby bump, while accentuating any imperfections your thighs and hips may have developed during pregnancy.  I am pregnant; I am curvy; my thighs are a bit bigger. And, the tankini with it’s diaper-sized bottom is basically the most unattractive thing I could ever put on my body, or any pregnant girl; fat or skinny; big or small, for that matter. Then, there is what I like to refer to as “old reliable,” a.k.a., the one piece. I have been practicing pre-natal yoga for most of my pregnancy, and attempting to put on the one-piece while pregnant was an exercise in acrobatics I do not wish to ever repeat.

I discussed the bathing suit dilemma with my friend Lara over dinner one night. “Honey,” she sympathized. “I barely have time to get my Norma Kamali one-piece down around my waist in time to pee and I am not pregnant. I can’t imagine what cruel trick the bathing suit world is trying to pull on pregnant women by offering them a taut and binding one-piece.”

The problem as I saw it and still see it is that the status quo dictates that pregnant women should feel fat and unattractive. I do admit that even though I am glowing and have no problems showing off my “bump,’ in terms of over-all body confidence, I’d have to give it a 4.  I am not exactly having my finest fashion moments right now, but I am not going to hide in my air conditioned house all summer until my baby is born. Yes, why don’t us pregnant women just hibernate all summer as not offend anyone with our grotesque bodies. I am sorry. I am just not going to subscribe to that opinion.

Before I was pregnant, I did come across women who would sit pool or ocean-side at resorts completely covered. I mean, it’s obvious their bodies embarrassed them and they must’ve been really hot and uncomfortable to boot. I don’t know any pregnant woman who hasn’t complained about gaining weight in places they never even knew was possible. But, the bottom line is that we are pregnant and we shouldn’t try and hide it. As I see it, as women, it’s our time to glow, so to speak, and we should bask in its sun.

So, I enlisted the help of my friend Stacy Josloff; co-owner of the resort-wear company, Inca to help me. Her daughter Jaden was born last summer so I knew she would know the most attractive and comfortable way to enjoy the heat. She suggested I purchase a halter bikini top that could support my ever-emergent breasts. Now, I recently discovered while getting measured for nursing bras that I have gone from a size 30-C to a shocking 32-E. I purchased a size large halter bikini top. I have never in my life had to purchase anything in a size Large and although it was distressing, I just sucked it up.  Then, she suggested I buy “tie” bottoms that come higher up over the butt than I am usually used to. This way, the tush is completely covered and the “ties” on the side can be adjusted for comfort. These I took, thankfully, in a Medium. The result was amazing!!! I was covered up enough up top and on bottom so as not to offend anyone while still accentuating my pregnancy curves, especially, most importantly my belly and I did not feel shy or insecure. Then, I bought an oversized Caftan cover-up, which actually looks better on me pregnant because I don’t look swallowed up by it.

I was able to enjoy July at the New York summer beach resort, The Hamptons in style. I was actually able to swim in the pool and cool off at the beach with flair and ease while garnering some much appreciated compliments along the way. I am not saying it was the easiest thing to do but there are so many other anxieties that come up during pregnancy; I just don’t believe swimwear and over-all well being should be some of them.