Make your clothing modest without compromising your style.

Can't Find a Cute Modest Swimsuit?

As usual, being limited by your budget makes it even harder to find the right swimsuit. I found my latest swimsuit on eBay for $9.99. It's a cute one-piece that was sold new by someone who sells close-out items. I think it's a name brand but the tag was cut off so I don't know who made it. Over my swimsuit I've been wearing this little black skirt thing I got at Wal-Mart. It's like a miniskirt that's semi-sheer and has a little slit and bow in the front above one of the legs. It's not made to be swimwear; I actually got it in the girls' dancewear section. It's made to go over a little girl's leotard (a girls' size XL). I wear it even when I'm swimming, like it's part of the swimsuit. I like it because it covers me a little more, while making the swimsuit more flirty and fun.

If you're struggling with something to swim in, here's my suggestion: Think creatively. Clothing you would normally consider immodest can make a nice modest swimsuit. You can probably find some cute shorts and a long tank top or shirt that will work. Think of it as building your own modest tankini. Make sure the shorts are tight enough so that they won't float up or come off when you jump into the pool. You might have to wear a sports bra under the top you choose and athletic underwear under your shorts. You can probably find a mini-dress that would work well as a swimsuit with a tight-fitting pair of shorts underneath. Also try looking at exercise clothes as an option. Exercise tops are usually lined or have a built-in bra. Tight work-out shorts work well for swimming. Exercise clothes are usually made to get wet and to dry quickly. The clearance rack at Marshalls, Ross or T.J. Maxx are good places to find this stuff for cheap. I've also seen shortall jumpsuits that would work well as modest swimwear. JUST REMEMBER, whatever you decide on, buy dark colors that won't become see-through when wet OR wear something underneath!

I was recently in Florida and spent a lot of time at the beach body surfing. There were a bunch of hurricanes going on in Florida and the waves were huge. Every 30 seconds I had to adjust my swimsuit because a wave had pulled it a little too low or pulled it to one side. After several days at the beach I noticed I was somehow getting sand stuck between the lining and the outer layer of my swimsuit. Every time I came back from the beach I noticed more sand stuck between the two layers of my swimsuit. I only had one swimsuit with me.

On one of my last days there, a friend was gonna give me and my husband a surfing lesson. My swimsuit was full of sand to the point where I didn't want to wear it anymore, so I looked at what else I had with me. I found a set of work-out clothes I had brought: a snug-fitting white t-shirt with cap sleeves made of quick-drying stretchy material, a black sports bra, a snug-fitting pair of short black soccer shorts made of quick-drying material, and a pair of Nike exercise underwear made of quick-drying material. I wore this exercose outfit to the beach for surfing and I was so glad I did! It was the most comfortable swimwear ever because I didn't have to worry about a big wave pulling my swimsuit down or giving me a wedgie. I never had to tug at it. After trying surfing I knew I would have had a problem if I had worn my swimsuit. When surfing you have to lay on your chest on the surfboard and paddle forward really fast to get enough momentum to be carried by a wave. The surfboard against my chest would probably have pulled my swimsuit too low and I would be pulling it up every few seconds and feeling uncomfortable. The unconventional swimwear also looked better than my regular swimsuit because it covered more of the areas where I'm less than perfect. Think outside the bathing suit!

Visit Modest Swimsuits and Swimwear to see other modest swimming options.

Jeans Too Low?
I was recently in Hong Kong and they have really fun styles there. Everybody looks cute. They're influenced a lot by European fashion. There's this trend I saw in Hong Kong where it looked like people were wearing two pairs of jeans. They had on regular jeans with another pair of jeans peeking out from under them a couple of inches at the top (and sometimes at the bottom too). It's really not two pairs of jeans, it's just made to look like that. I tried on some to see how they were made. The top of another pair of jeans was just Velcro-ed on and you could take it off.

When I got home I decided to make some of my own. I cut off the top of some old jeans I didn't want anymore and put it under a new pair of pants. Click here or on the picture to the right to see the whole outfit. It sounds weird but it looks interesting and it makes the jeans or pants higher at the top! You can also make the under-layer peek out from the bottom of the pant legs.

Can't Find Shirts that are Long Enough?
If you're shopping for a casual t-shirt, try looking in the boys' or men's section. Guy t-shirts are cut longer and also tend to be cheaper. If you normally wear a size small or medium you can usually fit into a boys' X-Large quite comfortably. You can find boys' shirts with cute graphics too, like robots and cartoon characters.

Skirt Too Short? Pants Too Low or Tight?
If you have a skirt that's become too short you can still wear it as a fashion accessory. Wear it with pants underneath it or wear it over a longer skirt. It's like having a new outfit. If you have pants that are too low or look too tight you can wear the short skirt over them. The skirt can help cover your middle as well as your back side. Like I've said before, layers make modesty cute.

Shirt Too Short, Sheer or Low Cut? Pants Too Low?
The idea of wearing a long tank top under your shirt isn't new anymore, but when I first published it several years ago it was. I discovered the trick when I was newly married and found that most of my shirts were too short to cover my undergarments.

Simply find some long tank tops or buy some cheap ones, and make sure they go down at least to your hips so they won't be too short after you wash them. Get several colors, like black, plain white (no logo), off-white and maybe multi-colored stripes. You want them to match your wardrobe. Wear them under your t-shirts and tops. It's hard to find jeans that aren't low and shirts that aren't too short, so this is a good quick fix until you can find some better clothes.

The tank top keeps your tummy and backside covered but it also covers your chest if a shirt is too low cut. A tank top under your shirt doesn't make you too hot in the summer because it's thin with no sleeves. Most outfits even look better with a tank top under-layer adding some dimension. To see the kind of tank tops I recommend, CLICK HERE.

Don't Like the Tank Top Thing?
If you don't want a tank top hanging un-tucked at the bottom of your shirt you can wear a bodysuit under your shirt. Bodysuits are stretchy shirts that snap together between your legs over your underwear but under your pants. When snapped, it looks kind of like a one-piece swimsuit. It's a tucked-in shirt that never comes un-tucked even when you bend over and stretch. I just found a new product called the modesTee. It's a bodysuit made to wear under your clothes. It covers your shoulders too. You can get it at makeitmodest.com.

Tank Top You Want to Wear?
If you have a tank top that's printed or decorated and you want to wear it, you can always put a shirt with sleeves under it. If you have a top that's too short or tight, that would be a good one to pair with the tank top to create a modest outfit. You could also wear a modesTee under it. You can get the modesTee at makeitmodest.com.

Can't Find Jeans That Cover Your Waist?
It's easier to find cute overalls than it is to find jeans that aren't low. So think about looking for overalls or a jumpsuit of some type. Here's a picture of me in my overalls so you can see what I mean: I'm not talking about ugly overalls, I'm talkin' about cute overalls with lots of pockets and other stuff. Click here or on the picture to zoom in. They're good because you don't have to worry about your stomach showing when you bend and move. Wear your tighter and shorter shirts under baggy overalls. One of the "fashion laws" is that you should wear one loose fitting thing and one snugger fitting thing together. For example: with loose or baggy pants you wear a snugger top. With snug pants you should wear a looser shirt. Same thing applies with skirts and shorts. If you wear both tight or both baggy it tends to make you look fat. I heard that somewhere and it's true most of the time. To see some cute modest overalls and jumpsuits CLICK HERE.

-Jennifer Loch