Modest Swimwear and Activewear: The Next Generation

Modest swimwear has a pretty bad rap, especially online.  Many a blogger without a topic to write about has, from time to time, relied on various "modest" contraptions to entertain his online audience. And frankly, one can see why: there is the swimsuit which resembles a beekeeper uniform, then the frightful housedress-and-wetsuit ensemble which, to me, evokes thoughts of polygamy more than going swimming--the list goes on and on.  (My secret belief is that these atrocious ensembles are actually contrived by people trying to make modesty look bad, but of course this is difficult to confirm.)

I have been reluctant to step into the fray, primarily because if one so much as mentions modest clothing nowadays, one is always accused of "telling people what to wear." (Curiously, it doesn't work the other way 'round with those promoting revealing clothing, but that is a topic for another day.)  Additionally, standards of external modesty differ, so instead of endorsing any particular clothing I have tried to focus my efforts on helping young people make better choices in their relationships in general. 

And yet, the majority of newcomers to this blog have alighted here after searching for modest bathing suits--or so I am told. Therefore I feel obliged to report on the new generation of modest activewear, the kind which will not cause you to flee in fear.

Over the summer I have been conducting an informal contest of sorts, and the good news is that we have some winners.  Modest activewear has come a long way since the "Little House on the Prairie" days. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.)

The first item I tried out, which shall remain nameless to spare its creator any embarrassment, was a sort of culottes made from light grey nylon. The idea is great--a split skirt that resembles a skirt while walking, but when exercising, gives you the freedom of pants.   As you may know, the original long split skirts were developed in the Victorian Era for horseback riding so that women could sit astride a saddle rather than having to ride side-saddle.  Alas, this modern culottes adaptation, being made of nylon and Lycra, doesn't quite work in the execution: although the crotch seam is dropped considerably, it doesn't resemble a skirt (or pants, or really anything at all for that matter). The overall effect is what you might expect when a bunch of unflattering, stretchy material folds over in lumps, creases and rolls--and it is all attached to you.  I knew something was wrong when my husband told me, "It looks fine, darling--as long as you stay on the bike.  Just whatever you do, don't get off the bike."

This was his subtle, super-nice way of signaling that this was not his favorite outfit. Needless to say, I moved on.  Just because you have your counter-cultural tendencies doesn't mean you want to look like Weird Modest Girl. Or, for that matter, Ali Baba.

But then I discovered HydroChic.  HydroChic sells a whole line of capris, swimshirts, and skirts that are meant to be worn without a bathing suit underneath.  At left is one of their super-comfortable swim outfits (specifically, Seabreeze Sporty Stripe 3/4 Sleeve Swim Surf Top paired with Long Water Skirt/Attached Pants for coverage--comes with a sportswear swim-bra as well). I swam in it at the cottage, I wore it bike riding, and--this was truly the test--it held up while I was chasing after four little boys at the water park. I felt comfortable during all these activities, primarily because the high-quality stretch spandex/nylon combo dried off very quickly, but also because I didn't have to worry about sunscreen except for my face (the garment has a SPF of 50+).  Best of all, with its fitted skirt and concealed nylon swim leggings, it really looks great. This was definitely one of my favorites this summer (although, no, that is not me in the picture). 

 
Now, I know some people searching for modest bathing suits are simply in the market for a cute retro one-piece à la ReVamp; then there are others who wouldn't consider the above outfit modest enough. I'm not here to judge.  But if you're looking for something with a slightly longer skirt (HydroChic's longest just grazes the bottom of the knee) then Modiwear, maker of the blue suit at left, sells a bunch of different modest swim-and-activewear combos which hit well below the knee. Batsheva Asbell, the founder of Modiwear, sat down with me in her Toronto home and shared her journey to creating alternative swimwear that "focused on the person rather than the body": 

"I was inspired by my experience at a separated women's beach in Ashdod [Israel]. The women were mostly from Jerusalem and wore robes and oversized T-shirts over their bathing suits. They couldn’t swim very well and although they were just thrilled to be in the water, they spent most of their time pulling their coverings down.  In addition,  I had heard a story of a woman in Florida who lost her life because her wet robe overtook her ability to keep herself from being pulled under.  My conscience was hit and I felt obligated to make a difference.  I call it a 'Modisuit' because it is flexible for an array of activities, and it included a world of women who were concerned not only about modesty, but also, those concerned about any medical issue."

Although Modiwear's skirt is longer, it also features the stretch spandex/nylon skirt over thin leggings--a winning combination.  Batsheva told me that a lot of women are wearing her suits "to go to the waterpark, then go to a restaurant, and then go home."  I suppose it depends on how fancy the restaurant is, but the garment does dry quickly, so you needn't put other clothing over something wet, nor change at all after swimming, necessarily--certainly a huge advantage when managing young children.  Modiwear also makes children's suits which are adorable. (They don't have a website yet but you can email their office to find out more, or to place your orders here: modiwear@3web.net.)  

Now obviously, these kind of outfits which include three or four pieces and lots of material are going to be pricier than a string bikini that I could floss my teeth with.  So expect to pay between $120-$140 for the whole modest shebang. 

But personally, I think it's well worth it.  How many times have you heard women using modesty as an excuse not to get out there and get active?  If the Gibson girls could do it in the 1900s, then now so can you.

Comments

[Peggy Letvin]

The link to ReVamp did not show the suit pictured in your article. The not so modest 'vintage' suits that are pictures are very cute though.

Thanks for the article.

Peggy

[Cady Driver]

I LOVE the skirts on HydroChic. I searched and searched for a longer swim skirt this year. Not only are they more modest, they are more flattering to the figure.

Thanks for this, Wendy! :)

[Courtney]

Being on a workout and yoga routine it's so important for me to have comfortable activewear so I can exercise without being hindered or bothered by my clothes.

[Emily]

Love it!

Peggy, if you get to the end of the article you'll see Modiwear does not have a website yet. The suit pictured is available by email to the owner only, I forget the address but it's in the article. I think Wendy was mentioning Revamp as an alternative if you don't want a bigger suit.

It's great to know there are all these options.

[Stacy]

I love my hydrochic bathing suit. So comfortable and *cute* (I always associated modest swimwear with stuffy old lady floral patterns). I took my kids to a waterpark and I was so so comfortable in more ways than one and I could chase my little rugrats around without tugging, pulling, and worrying about body parts falling out or material riding up or down.

[Melissa May]

Great post on the bathing suits! I'm glad to hear from someone who's tried them herself. I still haven't purchased a new suit since I'm hoping to lose a few more post-pregnancy pounds! Plus I haven't been swimming in ages. I'm curious if you had any comments from passersby when you wore the Modisuit out and about? Did anyone notice or pay attention? Just curious to the response, if any.

[Wendy]

That's the interesting thing--no one paid me any special notice at all. I totally blended in. I think it's because it can pass as a sporty outfit or wetsuit, not necessarily a 'modest suit.'

Correction: HydroChic does feature an even longer swim skirt--I did not see it on their website originally, but here it is:

http://www.hydrochic.com/30excopaswsk1.html

[Talya / Tree McCurdy]

After two years of research, I finally bought, and totally love, a "Princess Modest" swimsuit -- http://www.modestswimwear4u.com/

THE big deciding factor for me was the quick snaps that prevent the skirt from slithering upwards in the water.

I'd been "making do" until the day I twisted one way while swimming and the long skirt I was wearing twisted the other-- in an sudden second while my body was still bent, the hem of my skirt had flipped over my face and was tight across the back of my skull as I instinctively tried to straighten, and I was floundering with no way no way to get my face out of the water or track which direction was up.

I understand one may swim for a long time without an event like that happening, but OY! it only takes once.

[Marci Rapp, MarSea Modest Swimwear]

We are also new manufacturers of modest swimwear. MarSea Modest Swimwear (www.marseamodest.com) caters to all body types. Our styles are for women who want to cover - in style - for sun-protection, for religious or personal modesty, or age/weight/medical related imperfections.
We feature SwimDresses, SwimSkirts (shorter & longer), SwimShorts & Capris, Swim Berets/Bandanas, ModesTankini's & SwimJackets and SwimTops. We have colourful prints and solids. We carry Plus sizes as well as Mastectomy option. Please visit website or email marseamodest@gmail.com.

[Stacy]

Melissa: Nope, no comment or attention on my swimwear. Just blended right in chatting with other moms about coffee table accidents and gluten-free/casein-free products etc.
Well, I did get some attention - from my four-year-old. She really liked my swimsuit and says she would also like something that covered her up more. She wants one of these: http://www.simply-modest.com/posecom/index.php but we couldn't afford it this summer (she is very petite and would probably need a custom order). Maybe next summer.

[Headless Unicorn Guy]

As a guy, I'd advise to go with the wetsuit style. For swimwear, skirts & bloomers just look ridiculous -- might as well use that Iranian "Islamic Bathing Suit" (i.e. waterproof burqa) that showed up on News of the Weird a few years ago. (Talk about "evoking thoughts of polygamy...")

When in the water, you want freedom of leg movement, and skirts just don't cut it. If you want full-coverage, a wetsuit-style one-piece would look sharp without revealing anything.

[Emily]

Wow, this is actually the first comment by Headless Unicorn Guy that doesn't terrify me. He actually sounds like a reasonable person! Ladies, I think we are having a good effect on him. :-)

(No offense meant, H.U.G.--hey, your name is HUG as an acronym, that's not so scary!)

[Marci Rapp, MarSea Modest Swimwear]

Sorry, I don't agree with Headless.... a body suit covers the skin but shows the shape of a women. Some women want to hide this. If the women's body is nice, that's fine (not modest tho), but what if the women does not have a nice shape (to her at any rate)? We dont wear pants, so a body suit would not be suitable.... I also don't agree with Headless that one cannot swim in a SwimSkirt or SwimDress. MarSea Modest Swimwear customers in fact do swim lengths in them, with no obstruction. And there are clips on the bottom to keep the hem down if necessary. And, not all women want to be marathon swimmers, they may just want to take their children to the beach, or do a few lengths, or to Aquafitness to try to keep in shape. Women should have the choice of how and what they want to cover - men should not be dictating that. At MarSea Modest Swimwear (www.marseamodest.com), our moto is "cover what you want....in style." Have a good weekend and good sabbath. Marci Rapp

[Headless Unicorn Guy]

(No offense meant, H.U.G.--hey, your name is HUG as an acronym, that's not so scary!)

I've got a fairly common name, so I have to use a unique handle to distinguish myself from all the others with the same name. I took my handle from this art piece I did for the AnthroCon art show back in '99; remember that the Unicorn used to be the Western Christian symbol of Purity and Virginity and I think you'll get the message.

[zahra]

Hello dear Shalit
I read your book (Girls Gone Mild) and I decided to cme to your site and write to you.
I agree with your book . It was very good and also interesting.
I hope you and others who are trying to show other way of living to youngers to live better and find themeselves and awake them be successful.
I will be glad if I can talk with you more.
Have a nice time

[Amanda]

www.modestswimming.com, cheaper!!

[modest swimwear]

Today's generation so very active and the next will also be the same. So we really need such bold and trendy swim-wears. Thanks a lot for contributing.

[children swimming suits]

Yes you are right. Can you also share your opinion on kids swimming suits.

[Rima Nehoc]

I was looking for modest swimwearthat is also modestly priced and came by this site www.undercoverwaterwear.com. The selection was not large like the other sites, but I was very happy with the pricing. I hope this helps your readers and keep up the great work.