Whoever invented the tankini has my gratitude. If you’re like me, you often feel like a sausage in a one-piece bathing suit, and a bikini would be too racy for you. You never leave for the beach or the pool without a wrap of some kind, which you end up wearing half the time while you’re there. You spend the other half submerged in the water where you won’t feel self-conscious about your swimwear.

Tankinis are a happy medium between one-piece bathing suits and bikinis, I discovered. I buy the tops and bottoms separately, so I can get the fit that I want. Narrow shoulders, less than perfect midsection, short legs – these are no longer issues for me. There are many styles out there that do a good job of taking care of my problem areas. Even pregnancy is no excuse for not wearing a swimsuit, thanks to tankini maternity styles.

Pregnant or not, tankinis give me the confidence to go out to the beach or the pool and concentrate on having fun, instead of worrying about what I am wearing.