Swimwear Struggles

It's bad enough to wear a swimming suit at age 46 if you're the least bit concerned about not having a hard body, but when you're four a half months pregnant, the concern turns into exasperation. O.K. I have to have a maternity bathing suit for an upcoming trip to St. John's. Trouble is, the ones online all have poor reviews. The women state mostly that there is no support in the top part. Also, I looked at three websites and all the maternity swimsuits were downright unappealing. I simply couldn't imagine myself wear them, especially the floral print ones. Or else they were downright expensive. I'm not paying $139 for a suit I'll wear for five days.  Celebrity pregnant moms don't bat an eyelash at forking out 3 or 4-figure pricetags for something they'll wear only occasionally. We non-famous mortals have to really look at the price tag. So off I went to Loehmann's. The floor plan read that swimwear was on the 4th floor. Up I went. No bathing suits in site. I asked a clerk and she said swimwear is in the clearance section. Well, it is August. Retailers are smart. People need to get their bathing wear before summer, not in the last third of it. So down to the second floor clearance section I headed. Only I couldn't see any suits. Another clerk helped me search and search until we finally found a rack in the middle where one side of it was an odd assortment of what you might describe as beachwear. Nothing was coordinated or in order. Nothing was maternity. So I looked for XL, hoping that might do the trick. All I found were some bottoms and some tops that didn't match. Now, I already have a bathing suit at home that is hopelessly stretched out. I bought it in Hawaii a few years ago, and it got worn thin over three years of ocean, lake, and pool swimming. That's why most people, such as my three sisters, have more than one bathing suit. Is it embarrassing to admit I have one suit and it's three years old? The retailers would consider me their most sad type of customer. Why haven't I been on the ball and purchased a suit a season? The Hawaiian suit must be ancient by smart shoppers' standards. It fits me superbly now, so it worked out after all. Yet up close, you can see through it as the material is so worn. I can't take it to St. John's, I realized the other day. I may be booted off the beach. I will offend the beautiful people. Enormously pregnant belly covered by an out-of-style, worn sorry excuse for a suit. Anyway, all I could find at Loehmann's was a bottom piece, turquoise, extra large. At least it's Calvin Klein. It was $14.99. I will make it work with a tube top I have that's also turquoise and comes with a matching head scarf. That will make me look somewhat fashionable at the Westin. I have two cover ups from Hawaii that should get by. I know my sister will be bringing a suit a day. I will have to wear some sundresses and just walk the beach. Not sunbathing or going in the water. Now that I think about it, I have an outfit from my salsa dancing days that might double as a quasi swim suit. My belly will show, but the outfit is red and sexy. It stretches. Yes, I can wear that! I thought my quest for a maternity swim suit or two would be easy as pie. Not so. If you're pregnant and in your forties and want to look good on the beach, I hope you're more prepared than I am. I'm sure Old Navy and Pea in the Pod will have slim pickings by now. I'm not going to bother with them.  I will have to improvise in St. John's and hope for the best!