Thanks JCP!

Per my Facebook status this morning, I've been trying in vain to find a new bathing suit. Enter the same feelings of dread and anxiety that come with trying on jeans (why is denim so unforgiving?!) Let's not forget I've now had two children, so anything made of spandex material is going to want to cling even tighter. But anyways.... here's my experience with the hunt for a bathing suit:

1. They're expensive. It's amazing how much a bathing suit can cost considering they cover so little skin. Thankfully I'm not in the market for a bikini which would make it even more of an injustice.
2.  Most one pieces/tankinis seem to have a weird fit. All the material seems to want to congregate in the middle of my torso which makes me look squat. One pieces in particular seem to just cover skin rather than lift and shape things. It's like they decided that "Anyone buying a one piece these days has probably given up on trying to look nice in a bathing suit, so let's just throw some fabric on a couple of spaghetti straps and call it a day."
3. The fabric prints for bikinis are always fun and diverse. The prints for one pieces and tankinis are all pretty generic and unexciting, at least for my taste (such as these or these). 

Before I go any further, let me just point out that I do have a bathing suit. I have a few bikinis (now in retirement) as well as  a black one piece that I've had for years. Did you hear me? A plain, no frills, literally up to my neck black one piece. Sure, it's modest (which is what I'm going for). It's the epitome of modest (unless you want to compare it to these bad boys from the 1920s):

But the thought of wearing that old, worn out black bathing suit at the cottage this summer was just ... no. It needed to be put into retirement with the bikinis. So after looking online and trying some on at Target, and Marshall's and who knows where else, I finally brought Tim with me in hopes he would bring me some good luck (in the non-supersitious sense). Last time I shopped for jeans with him, I swear the first pair I tried on fit perfectly. THAT NEVER HAPPENS. So I thought his presence might have a similar effect today. And BAM it totally did. We're at JCP (whose new prices are just so great for us poor folk) and it's the best selection I've found so far and lit-er-ally the last bathing suit I grab to bring into the changing room ends up being the one. And the print is so me! Check it out!

I love things with little cherries on it. But little strawberries? Yes please, even cuter. The fit is amazing and totally flattering. The bottoms were a little skimpy, so I matched the top with this pinky-orangey bottom instead and it's just... so perfect. I mean, I love this bathing suit. And that NEVER HAPPENS. I haven't loved a bathing suit since the one I had when I was six that had a little cream soda on the front with a straw and gem-encrusted sprinkles. OH, and did I mention the price?! $25 folks. Incredible considering the average price of a tankini is $50.

How great is that?
Pretty great I think.
I mean, in the world of bathing suit shopping

THIS NEVER HAPPENS! 

Thanks JCP. I heart you.