Sep 3, 20204 min read

Summer Style Diary: Swimsuit Edition

Updated: May 16, 2021

Summer season in 2020 has been a bit different. Social distancing and self-isolating has made it somewhat of a challenge to safely enjoy the things the season is all about; specifically a delicious dip in the pool or a cooling body of water where folks tend to gather for picnics and parties under the sun.

Not being much of a swimmer or beach/pool person, that whole experience hasn't been lost on me too much. Something about growing up in a constantly tropical environment has jaded me to the benefits I have access to every day. Tourists flock to Miami as a getaway to enjoy sandy beaches and sunshine. The truth is most people who live in Miami rarely take full advantage of having the beach minutes away from our doorstep. If we have access to a pool, that's about as close as we get to enjoying a "body of water" locally. The beach is for tourists and visitors. I haven't been to a beach in about 2 years and although I've had a pool in every apartment complex I've lived in, I NEVER went in. I've accompanied my guests to them and lounged around - maybe letting my feet dangle in the chlorinated water - but the idea of shared pools or jacuzzis never sat well with me. Too many horror stories have passed my ears and I already have trust issues. So, unless I had my very own pool to enjoy, I doubted I'd ever get in one. Rational? Of course, not. The beach is probably more contaminated, but the volume of water makes me feel safer, somehow. And salt water is known to have antiseptic qualities, so there's that. I'm a Pisces. Salt water is my comfort zone.

Here's the thing. One of my goals for 2020 was to take my first real cruise. I've taken those mini boat rides around Biscayne Bay and such, but I've never been so far out in the water that I couldn't see a shoreline. Part of that goal was to become a better swimmer and take a class, going completely against my disdain for public pools. Being a better swimmer would make me feel a tad less out-of-control in the open waters of the Atlantic or Caribbean, at least that's what I told myself. And then the pandemic hit just as the year was getting started. No swimming class, definitely NO CRUISES, and no beaches. Even the pool in my apartment complex was closed. And for the first time ever, I felt like someone who lived in a landlocked state. Although surrounded by water, it was as if it wasn't there because access was barred. You truly never know what you've got until it's "gone".

So, what's a girl to do who wants to continue practicing social distancing in a state were the pandemic is running rampant like a five-alarm fire, but she still wants to enjoy the feel of Summer? She goes ahead and buys some new swimwear and gets herself a mini pool to rest her feet in on a hot and humid day outdoors. My doctor said I needed to get more Vitamin D and outings on my balcony to soak up the morning sun have been a godsend. I can't imagine the claustrophobia I'd be feeling, right now, without it. In fact, I spend most days out there working, eating, journaling, napping, chillaxing, thinking, and now gardening (blog post on my urban garden coming soon). Lately, I've started doing yoga out there. It's my safe, self-isolating sanctuary, but it's small.

I didn't want to use a foot basin to put my feet in because, well, that's just boring and basic. I wanted something more spacious and...fun...and extra. So, I converted my balcony into a mini oasis where I can get some use out of my cute, affordable swimwear, soak up some Vitamin D and cool off. I even got myself some fake grass to complete the transformation. Just wait until I have my first picnic! For now, this is the result (all bathing suit items linked below):