I don't know about you, but I absolutely cannot believe that we have reached the time of the year when this topic even needs to be discussed. I mean, it's like 2021 is on steroids times 10. And yet, here we are. Many of us are vaccinated. The world is opening up. It's hotter than a mutha outdoors. This means that it's time to head to the pool or the beach. Not with a graphic tee and a pair of Bermuda shorts. Nah, sis. Where's your bathing suit at?
If you're already slightly hyperventilating at the mere thought of going through one of your drawers to pull it out or — even better — shopping for something new, I've got 12 tips that can make you feel so much more comfortable and confident in your swimwear. For no other reason than you should. Let's do this, aight?
1. Repeat: There Is No “Perfect Body”. Only Personal Preferences.
Bikini body. We've all heard that phrase before and, if a lot of us were honest with ourselves, it's a HUGE part of the reason why we avoid wearing a bathing suit like the plague. The main thing to remember with this particular point is there is no perfect body. For one thing, very few things are "without flaw" (especially when it comes to humans), and secondly, if ever the saying "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" applied, it would be when it comes to how our bodies look. Some people dig big breasts and a small butt. Some folks prefer small breasts and a huge rump. Some out here like an athletic build. Some are all about the thicker/curvier woman.
Bottom line is, it's all about personal preference. That's why your main focus needs to be on you preferring you. The confidence that comes with that? It will make you look amazing in pretty much anything that you wear (check out "These 10 Hacks Will Help You Love Your Body More").
2. Learn/Recall What Your Body Type Is
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After you develop some inner self-confidence, the next step is to find a bathing suit that complements your body type. This too can help you to feel so much better about how you look in swimwear. To tell you the truth, this is an article all on its own. For now, I'll share a few pointers.
- If you've got large breasts, consider a halter top or a suit with thick straps for support.
- If you've got smaller breasts, go with a padded top or one that has designs on it (to give the illusion that your breasts are fuller).
- If you have a long torso, two-piece bathing suits or ones with horizontal lines can "shorten" your waist's appearance a bit.
- If you have a short torso, a one piece with asymmetrical lines or a suit with designs on the front will help to make your torso appear longer.
- If you're smaller at the top than the bottom (basically, you've got a pear shape), a suit that has a bright color at the top and a darker hue at the bottom can bring about a bit of balance.
- If you're on the curvier side period, avoid solid colors.
Again, this is basically a CliffsNotes version of what to look for. If you'd like to read more about what kind of suit looks best on different body types, check out Who What Wear's "5 New Swimsuit Trends That Work For Every Body Type" article.
3. A One-Piece or Tankini Is Great for Tummies
What if you dig everything about your body except your stomach area? Chile, that is not uncommon at all. The best thing to do would be to invest in either a one-piece or a tankini which is basically a tank top that is made out of a spandex/Lycra/nylon blend that is complemented with a bikini bottom. Both will give you more coverage and support which can make you feel more comfortable. And, when it comes to one-piece suits, they have a way of making you look sophisticated (especially if you wear some cute sandals, wedges or sometimes, even heels with them to elongate your legs).
4. Accentuate Your “Strengths”
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OK. What I mean by "strengths" is two-fold. One, think about the parts of your body that you know are killin' the game. Do you have toned calves? If so, you definitely need to get the right shoes. Do you adore your cleavage line? Then the cut of your suit needs to accentuate that. Does your skin have a natural glow? Where's your bronzer at? When it comes to feeling great in your swimwear, you've got to remember that it's not just about the suit itself; it's about the entire presentation. For instance, if your 'fro is all things, definitely bring it out on swimsuit day!
5. Wear Your Favorite Color
Color psychology is very much a real thing. Matter of fact, when it comes to the hues that you're drawn to the most, it can say a lot about where you are mentally/emotionally. Red speaks to passion. Yellow is all about happiness and hope. Orange is about excitement and enthusiasm. Green is all about health and abundance. Blue keeps you calm and tranquil. The list goes on and on.
Point here is, there's something about wearing a color that we really like that can instantly make us feel good. While there are some shades that complement skin tones better than others, you really can't go wrong with getting at least one bathing suit in your favorite color. It will make you smile and probably improve your posture too. That definitely makes it a worthwhile investment.
6. Rock a Cover-Up
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While your low-key goal may be to wear a cover-up to literally cover up areas of your body that you aren't the most comfortable with, no one has to know that is your motivation. To me, cover-ups are simply another way to add some flavor to a bathing suit. Sarongs can make your suit appear more elegant and festive. A long sheer robe will have you looking like you are floating wherever you are. Your man's shirt (or just an oversized button-down one, period) can be sexy as hell (kinda like when you wear one over some lingerie). Caftan cover-ups are super playful. I really like those because different materials (crocket, knit, organic cotton, silk, etc.) can make them look totally different from casual to something on the dressier side.
7. Accessorize
Who said that you had to go to the pool or beach with nothing on but the basics? Just like accessories can do wonders for an outfit, it can also take swimwear to another level too! A gemstone bracelet. A turban on your head. Fly sunglasses. A big ass straw hat. The biggest fashion bag you've ever seen in your life. The bottom line is to have fun while creating your swimwear style. If you enjoy putting your overall look together, you will radiate the kind of energy that will make people smile, just by looking at you!
8. Do Some Thorough “Prepping”
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I recently saw a picture of a woman whose body was unbelievable. I was still a little put off, though, because she posed in her lingerie in such a way where it was quite clear that it had been many moons since she had done any kind of landscaping down below (if you know what I mean). Look, I know some of y'all are team body hair. It is 1000 percent your right, sis. Do you. For the rest of us, it's important that we make sure to do some upkeep when it comes to body hair if we plan on rocking a suit.
Whether you wax or shave, make sure to get that done. Also, try and do it a couple of days before you plan on putting your suit on, especially if you want to get into the water. Sometimes hair removal processes can irritate the skin which means that your armpits, legs, etc. may need a little bit of time to "recover" first so that the chlorine or saltwater doesn't further irritate it (shea butter and Aloe vera can certainly speed up the healing process, by the way).
9. Make Your Skin Glow
I don't care who it is or what they've got on, one of the first things that I tend to notice about someone is their skin. Beautiful skin is the ultimate in every way! And while having flawless skin is probably the goal for most of us (check out "All-Natural Ways To Get Adult Body Acne Under Control"), I think it's important to also state that freckles, birthmarks and even scars can be quite beautiful. The main thing to focus on here is the quality of your skin. Exfoliate. Deeply moisturize. Hop out of the shower and put on a carrier oil like jojoba, grapeseed or coconut to make your skin appear absolutely radiant. You know what else can make this happen? Making your own bronzer and applying it to places like your shoulders and breasts. Glow, baby, glow!
10. Do an Impromptu Fashion Show
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I recently watched a video of a little baby being tossed into the water, only to almost immediately slightly arch its body and start to float. When someone asked me why I wasn't terrified to see the footage, I simply said, "Babies develop in water in their mother's womb. Water is their first home." That's why, when it comes to actually getting into the water, sometimes, even as adults, we need to stop overthinking and just do it.
When it comes to wearing a swimsuit in public? If you know you don't feel the best about doing it, take a step back and "model" to some family members or friends first. While this isn't so much to get their opinion (although that could prove to be helpful too), the main benefit is so you can feel more comfortable and confident around other humans while you're in swimwear overall. If you can feel good around folks you know and trust, it will give you the courage that you may need to be in your suit around complete strangers.
11. Meditate
While I get that this might sound a little crazy on the surface, think about it. A lot of times, our days end up going south because we start off all tense and anxious, right? Well, if those are the same emotions that you have when you go out in a swimsuit, it makes perfect sense to set aside 10-20 minutes to do a bit of meditating first. Especially since it's been proven that meditation helps to reduce stress, relieve anxiety, improve emotional health, decrease blood pressure and cause you to be kinder — including to yourself. So yeah, while you're in that super cute swimsuit, sit on the floor with your legs crossed and deep breathe in 10-30 five-second intervals before heading out of the door. Getting calm and thinking positive thoughts can be the icing on the cake of feeling more confident in your swimwear.
12. Actually Go Swimming in It
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Some of you might say that this is the biggest "duh" of all of the tips. But you know what, sometimes it's the most obvious things that need to be reiterated. You know how many folks say that we all look the same in the dark? This point, on some levels, applies once we're in water too. While some people like to sit out and tan or whatever, you've got that gorgeous melanin. Girl, at least go wade in the water! Because, at the end of the day, that's what a swimsuit is (ultimately) made for. Right? #wink
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While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
Je-Caryous Johnson Entertainment
Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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Personally, that is just one of the things I experienced while growing up, although the main reason why I’ve been estranged from my mother for (I think) about six years now (I honestly haven’t really been keeping track at this point) is because she simply doesn’t respect my boundaries. Even well into my adulthood, she has refused to do it and it was messing with my inner peace and personal growth on a few different levels — and y’all, I don’t care who it is, no one should have that kind of power over someone else’s life (if you want to read more about my journey with estrangement, I tackle the topic in my latest book).
And before some of you come with the ever-so-manipulated Bible verse “Honor your father and mother” (Exodus 20:12), I hope you also remember that there is a Scripture that says, “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:4 — NKJV) To provoke is “to stir up, arouse, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity)”; know what else it is: “to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex.” Funny how it is not preached or taught nearly enough that parents are absolutely not supposed to raise their kids or treat their adult children in a way that angers, enrages, exasperates, or vexes them — and think about it: when’s the last time you heard a sermon on that? I’ll wait.
Besides, unless you’re someone who has made the courageous decision to put distance between the person/people who’ve raised you, you honestly don’t get how much of a sacrifice it can be. Very few of us are flippant about that decision. Very few of us saw our adult life without our parent(s) in it. Very few of us wanted to deal with all of the “fallout” that comes with making that kind of choice because listen, for me, it’s almost like being in witness protection in the sense of having to also leave certain people who are associated with her alone as well because either they also don’t respect boundaries or they try further victimize me by attempting to impose their opinions into something that they absolutely shouldn’t (for instance, when I shared what I went through with her, one of my closest friends at the time, more than once called me “petty”…yeah, he had to go; you don’t have to defend why you need to protect yourself…if you are doing that, those are unsafe people you are talking to).
It’s not like I’m rare either. In fact, it’s been reported that close to 30 percent of adults are currently estranged from at least one of their parents (you can read about it here, here, here, here, and here). And with that being said, today, we’re going to hear from 10 women (well, technically 12 if you include the videos at the beginning and end) as they share their own reasons why they made the decision to go “no contact” with their own parent/parents.
If you are estranged, I hope you will see that you are not alone. If you aren’t, I hope it will help you to have more compassion for those who have made this kind of choice. Because although “adulthood is surviving childhood” is true for many of us, it actually wasn’t supposed to be that way. And so, we’ve had to take great lengths to go from “surviving” to “flourishing”…even if that meant doing it without the ones who — alongside God, of course — created us.
Article continues after the video.
*Middle names are used so that people can speak freely*
1. Michelle. 32. Estranged from Her Mother for Four Years.
Giphy“My mother is a narcissist — only I didn’t know it because I didn’t have much to compare her to because she kept me away from a lot of…everything. Ironically, that is a telling sign that you’ve got a narcissistic parent: they think you are an extension of them, so they try and make you do everything just like them. Since they are so bad at respecting boundaries, they don’t care how old you are — they think they have a say in every decision that you make because their ego is bigger than their love.
It took me years of therapy to recognize this but once I did and I told my mom that she was hypercritical, that she used to pit me and my siblings against each other, that she only knows how to gaslight and manipulate — she played the victim and told me that if I couldn’t accept her as she was, we couldn’t have a relationship.
That’s another thing about narcissist: they hate accountability. I think there should be more articles about parents who are estranged from their kids because they pull that ‘my way or the highway’ BS. I didn’t exactly leave my mom, but I did tell her what I wasn’t going to tolerate. We haven’t spoken in four years, ever since I drew that line. She left because she didn’t know how to humble herself, and I am fine with that. Arrogant people are toxic to be around.”
2. Iyan. 36. Estranged from Her Parents for 11 Years.
Giphy“I don’t think that a lot of parents get that they act like their kids should idolize them, which is crazy. We’re not toys or puppets who are supposed to do whatever they say, whenever they say it. Even as a parent myself, I think there is a difference between a child’s individuality and a child obeying me. Too many other parents have too much ego to think the differences through. To your question — I am estranged from my parents because they disapproved of who I chose to marry. He’s not the same faith as them but I don’t think that would even matter because they damn near betrothed me when I was a kid.
They wanted to choose my career path, my husband, my role in church — everything. It got to the point where they were disrespecting my husband, our relationship, and my feelings, and so it was time to boomerang their own Bible and remind them that when you get married, you ‘leave and cleave’ to your spouse and move on from your family. If your family accepts that, they can be in your life. If not, you’ve got to move on. They chose for me to be estranged, not me. I put my husband first, just like I was supposed to.”
3. Jahkai. 29. Estranged from Her Mother for Four Years.
Giphy“Sometimes I think that people just have children so that they can have someone to boss around as kids and intimidate when they become adults. My mother is one of those people because it’s like her whole existence centers around trying to force me to live the life that she wants me to live. I used to be so afraid of her, even if that just meant afraid of her rejection, that I would go along with it.
Then I got pregnant with my daughter and saw that she wasn’t even going to respect me as a mom — and when I saw signs that she was going to try and pull that shit with my own child? The claws came out. I tried expressing my concerns and setting some boundaries, but she dismissed my feelings and walked right over my boundaries, so she had to go. There was no way that she was going to try and raise the child I birthed. My child needs peace. So do I.”
4. Gillian. 24. Estranged from Her Parents for Almost Two Years.
Giphy“I’m bisexual. That’s the beginning and end of it. I personally think it’s creepy when a parent can be so invested into their grown child’s sexuality that it ends up wrecking their own world. You sleep with who you want to sleep with, and I will do the same.
My parents don’t see it that way. They told me that unless I stop loving women, we have nothing to talk about. You only love me if I love who and how you love? That doesn’t sound like love at all.
I don’t expect my parents to agree with my life or even like it. I just don’t want you penalizing me because we are different. Seems really immature to be any other way…to me, anyway.”
5. Aubrie. 27. Estranged from Father for Four Years.
Giphy“My father always wanted me to be an accountant, and I hate math. That’s insane. That’s what happens when you don’t make the time to get to know your own children. So many parents are egomaniacs in that way — just because I look like you doesn’t mean that I am you. Until my sophomore year in college, I just held my tongue and suffered through my education because when I was living at home, I didn’t really have a choice, and when I went to school, my parents paid for my education.
They didn’t want me to have any debt, and I appreciated that, but my spirit was going into debt anyway because my dad had me on a path that I didn’t like or want, and my mom was too weak to speak up for either one of us. By my junior year, I couldn’t take it anymore and decided to get student loans, so that I could start over and major in English. That pissed my dad off two ways because I was changing my major and I was going to take on debt.
We’re not estranged in the classic sense. It’s more like he doesn’t come to the phone whenever I call, and he grunts words over the holidays. So, I call less and go home even less than that. We’re headed towards ‘no contact’ if he doesn’t get over the fact that he has a life, and so do I.”
6. Lameeya. 41. Estranged from Her Mother for Eight Years.
Giphy“My mother? I just don’t like her — I never really have. I can’t stand how we’ll all agree that you should choose your friends wisely, but when it comes to your blood, it’s like you should be all in their lap simply because they are related to you. Toxic is toxic, and my mother is the embodiment of that. She plays mind games. She manipulates. She gaslights. She’s spoiled and entitled. I would never pick her as a friend. She drains me in every way. It’s like whenever I would even sense that she was going to call or come around, I would get hives, and it got to the point where it didn’t make sense that I should suffer just because she’s my mother. Who came up with that?”
7. Sloane. 25. Estranged from Her Mother for One Year.
Giphy“I grew up COGIC. If you know, you know. When you’re a kid, you don’t know any different or better, but once I started to seek out my own path, I realized that Christianity just wasn’t for me. My mother damn near lives at church and so, of course, I was declaring that I wanted to go to hell in her eyes when I told her that I had chosen the Baháʼí faith. Christians can be so rude. Somehow, they want you to respect what they believe, but they are so comfortable preaching hell and damnation if you don’t think like them.
Anyway, a part of why I chose Baháʼí is because it’s very peaceful to me, and religion never brought me peace in my mother’s house. Now that I’m all about this peace-filled life, anything that is ‘anti’ it has to go. She was on the top of my list. If you can’t respect what makes me ‘me,’ why are you here? It’s just been a year now. If we remain out of contact, that’s kind of on her, but I have no desire to hear her preach every time we speak. Be my mom. I don’t want a pastor.”
8. Torrin. 33. Estranged from Her Parents for Six Years.
Giphy“You have your own dysfunctional issues going on if you think that you owe someone your sanity simply because they birthed you. A good parent doesn’t just give you life — they provide a safe environment for that life, and my parents didn’t.
My mother was hell on wheels, and my father was a weak man who let her be that way. She was controlling, erratic, and exhausting, while he just let it all happen.
I recently read that Khloe Kardashian said that her mom didn’t like it when she first started therapy. Controlling parents never do. It took me a lot of therapy to stop beating myself up mentally the way that my mother did emotionally and sometimes physically, but once I got that she was the problem and healing was the solution, I had no problem letting them both go: her for being abusive and my father for being complacent.”
9. Kristine. 40. Estranged from Her Mother for Six Months.
Giphy“You always want your parents to get along with your husband — I just didn’t bet on my mother loving him more than me, especially now that we are divorced. That man cheated on me, more than once, and although I didn’t tell my mom while we were married about it, once we separated and I explained why I made what was a really difficult decision for me, she kept finding excuses for him and even tried to make me feel bad for not trying to make it work. Divorces are hard, and the last thing I needed was my mother trying to ‘beat me up’ for standing up for myself.
Now I’ve got questions about her marriage because if you think that I should tolerate nonsense, have you been tolerating your husband’s? Has he been tolerating yours? You get a certain age, and you start to wonder how much projecting your parents do onto you. Anyway, we haven’t talked to each other in six months. She and my ex apparently still go out to dinner, though. You two enjoy.”
10. Madolyn. 45. Estranged from her Father for 20 Years.
Giphy“I had an abusive father. He was an alcoholic while I was growing up, and so fear instead of love kept me in communication with him once I became an adult. The plot twist is, he got clean while I was in college, but he suddenly had all kinds of amnesia about the pain that he caused. His apologies were sh-t like ‘I don’t remember that, but if you need me to apologize, okay.’ So, our lives were a living hell, and that’s all you’ve got because it hurts you too much to face it? Ain’t that a bitch.
The last time we spoke was right before I turned 25. I think someone is more harmful when they can’t own their sh-t than when they are actually doing it, because that means they could do it again. No thanks. I’ll take wholeness.”
____
As you can see, being estranged from a parent, going “no contact” with them, it has many layers, reasons, and scenarios. For me, as I listened to all of these women, what did come to my mind, though, is — how beautiful is it that, if the “beauty for ashes” in their stories is they had the strength to become self-aware, self-sufficient and healthy adults in spite of the cracks in their foundation, then there is a silver lining in it all. You should never feel guilt or shame for protecting yourself in ways that your parents absolutely should have. NOT. EVER.
And so, the sacrifice was well worth it — because ladies, look at you now. Salute.
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