bathing suit coverup - board shorts or a skirt? - YouLookFab Forum

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bathing suit coverup - board shorts or a skirt?

anne

Veteran

Summer is coming soon down under and reminds me that I own nothing in the way of a coverup for the lower part of my body when at the pool or beach (for hanging around, supervising my youngest daughter etc)

Board shorts are pretty standard around where I live for Mums, but shorts aren't my best look

I have been thinking of getting a skirt coverup instead. My local bathers shop has them for about $45 (which seems a lot) but perhaps there are other options

Please give me your opinions as to what would suit better.

For those who don't know what I look like, I am 5"4 short legged and pearish

Dressing

17 replies

Latest reply was from anne

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I have a boardskirt that I not only really like, it's more comfortable than boardshorts. I vote skirt!

anne

Veteran

Mo, I haven't heard of boardskirts -the ones I saw were lycra, swimsuit material types. We have a few surf shops in my town, I wonder whether they carry them

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I bought mine on eBay. It is made by Roxy, a bathing suit company. There are other brands though. It's the same brushed nylon material as the shorts. Here's a not so flattering pic of mine in action lol. Was sitting in a puddle in my raft just prior to the shot.

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

A skirt in the shorts material would be great, Anne. They also tend to be a bit longer than swimsuit style skirts, although the ones you've seen may have the length you would wish and would also be great if they are fast drying. I think a skirt is a much nicer idea.

bj1111

Veteran

i would use an oversized men's button down shirt that looks a bit worn for a preppy look. you could go more tailored and get a shirt dress.

also, a t-shirt dress would be super. or a cotton kaftan a la tory burch. many many tunics at target can sub for this.

Vix

Veteran

Hi Anne --

Another vote for a swim skirt/skort (I've worn both) -- and you may find the Supplex-y material is even better than the Lycra types as they often have a slight A-line and cling less. And as mentioned they dry VERY fast.

Also I find when wet (and/or a bit loose in the waist) the skirts just hang lower while the shorts give one that wonderful droopy drawers look!

If it helps I'm your height (5'4) and the below is a ~ 15 inch swim skirt. My lack of hips means I look better in pencils but practicality wins out -- especially when it comes with an SPF50 coating.

Good luck with the hunt!

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Bronnierose

Hey Anne, I sympathise. Brisbane's already been hot enough for swimming, and I've seen some other women wearing mid-thigh non-boardshort shorts that dry really quickly. When I asked about them they all said they'd got them from hiking stores. The material is a quick-dry fabric and the shorts can then be worn for a quick run to the shops/picking the kids up from the bus/around the house with a t-shirt or tied blouse. They seemed quite good quality, too.
I personally choose a sarong as shorts (especially boardshorts) are difficult to fit - curse my big bottom! (and I actually wore a sarong on some of the rides at Wet'n'Wild last weekend) The fabric I made mine from was not cotton, but it dried really quickly and didn't cling too much. The ability to wear a sarong as a dress has been beneficial when the doorbell has rung while we were out in the pool - just grab it and tie it up high for instant modesty. It sounds as though you are looking for something more along the multi-purpose lines, though, so maybe the hiking/walk shorts idea would work?

anne

Veteran

Well you have all given me some food for thought. I'll have to do a bit more looking. Am also doing a web search for board skirt!

I had been thinking of something to actually wear in the water, BTW - I would still wear another coverup - like BJ was suggesting - for sitting around before and after. My youngest daughter still needs me pretty no more than an arms width away even where it is shallow (and the pool requires this for under 4s), and likes to be taken into the deep end etc.

Thanks to all of you!

So would the non board short type of material mentioned above be fine for this?

Vix

Veteran

Hi again Anne --

I'd also try googling terms like "swimskirt" "swim skort" and "swim mini." The latter two may have a Lycra bikini or boyshort underlayer...the one I'm wearing above does. I think with those search terms you'll find standard bathing suit knit types as well as boardshorty nylon ones.

[ETA "running skirts" are gaining in popularity and are made of quick-dry fabric -- you may want to add that to your RL/online search.]

Your follow-up got me a bit confused, though -- you just want a layer to pop on when in the water, but you don't care if it does double-duty when you're running/sitting around before or after?

Just want to make sure I'm following....

JennyAnne

(website)

Veteran

Go for the skirt! It's a bit more grown-up, I think, and if they look better on you than shorts, bonus!

Aziraphale

Veteran

On your figure, I'd be willing to bet that a skirt would be more flattering (and feminine!).

rachylou

Veteran

I had a board skirt cover-up that I loved. Too small now. But it was a wrap around fastened with a button and reversible. I just loved not having to step into it.

KikiG

Veteran

I have a swim mini that is styled like a front wrap mini with a buckle. It is a skirt on the outside, and bathing suit stuff on the inside, sort of like the skort of bathing suits. The wrap effect creates something like a slit, which is more flattering to my short, chunky self than an unbroken horizontal line across the thighs would be. The fabric is a woven nylon, not slick. Although it was sold to be the bottom of a bathing suit, I wear it as a coverup with a one piece suit, and it works very well for this, and it can also get wet.

My point is to enlarge your shopping universe as you look for solutions. Running shorts or running skirts or even something sold as a tennis skirt might also be a solution for you that would have the added advantage of being multi-purpose.

Lynne

Veteran

Anne, swimwear is frought with angst for most women! FWIW, I think a lot of ladies look better in their bathers without a skirt or shorts, especially if the leg is cut slightly high. To my eye, a higher cut leg is more leg lengthening and flattering than shorts or a skirt. Counterintuitive, I know, but maybe worth asking your DH for an objective opinion? Of course, it does mean you have to stay up to date with waxing :).

Christelle

TitleNine has a really cute slight-a-line board skirt -- http://www.titlenine.com/produ.....oard+skirt

Or Athleta makes their Oceanside Short out of swimsuit-fabric. I got a pair this year and LOVE them! http://athleta.gap.com/browse/.....pid=739776

anne

Veteran

Lynne you got way too near to the truth with that comment! (I hate waxing and as I am not particularly hairy I can get away with just wearing lower cut bathers). I hear what you are saying about higher cut though. I guess coverage wise, since I have slimmish hips and wider thighs, I like the idea of covering up the bit where they join. And most mothers in their late 30's around here would wear a coverup in the pool.

Thanks all so much for the links and suggestions. I have got heaps more ideas of what to look for from all of you - and I appreciate the general consensus that the skirt would look better.

Now I'll have to get shopping and looking

Thanks again

anne

Veteran

Update. Neither of the 2 surf shops I checked out in town had board skirts. One of the dress shops had a swim skirt ( the lycra sort) but at about $160 I didn't even bother to try it on. This makes the $45 another place charges not seem as unreasonable as I had first thought.
But may have to buy online, which I was hoping to avoid with this sort of purchase.