Yearly Archives: 2012

Over the past few weeks I took the challenge of embarking on an epic hunt for the perfect one-piece maillot swimsuit that is stylish, bold, and sassy, yet somewhat modest, without being matronly or dipping too heavily into my meager accumulation of funds.

Now you understand what I mean by “epic hunt.”

Some of my favorites, style and color wise, came from fancy designers and were priced at upwards up $250 – which, let’s be honest, is just asinine for 1/4 yard of spandex, no matter how adorable it is. And the more reasonably priced maillots just didn’t fit as nicely, weren’t made as well, or weren’t quite unique enough for my tastes. Fortunately, women’s one-pieces have gotten much more attractive and appealing these past few years, so the options weren’t quite as horrifying, nor the search quite as harrowing, as I’d imagined. One-pieces are back in style! I still like tasteful and playful bikinis when among family and friends, but since I’ll be working and potentially splashing in the lake/pool with high schoolers at a professional fine arts camp this summer, I’d feel more comfortable and appropriate donning a one-piece around them instead.

In swimwear, I prefer brighter color choices, unique silhouettes, a standout detail or two, and a fun, slightly skin bearing back (it is a swimsuit after all!). So, throughout the past month I ordered over a dozen of my top pick swimsuits to try on (and return!) and researched hundreds more online.

Below are the winners for this season’s maillots. They were selected based on quality, fit, price, color, style, and general attractiveness.

First place:

Caspian Paisley Bandeau Tank from J. Crew, $98.

This suit was inspired by Moroccan tiles, which I think is lovely and refreshing, and the colors are much greener and more vibrant in person (they also complement a green-eyed, gold-complexioned, honey brunette perfectly… ;-), which, obviously, is one of the reasons why I chose the suit). Though I think the colors of are universally flattering and would look good on pretty much anyone. The pattern is unexpected and fun. The suit is slimming, figure flattering, comfortable, supportive, high quality, modest yet still very attractive, practical for swimming, sunning, and water sports, and worth its price tag. Plus J. Crew offers free shipping and free returns on all swimwear  for risk free try-ons – a big bonus in my book. Unfortunately, I don’t think the model does this swimsuit justice, as it looked a million times more awesome than the picture displays and it is a great option for curvy ladies. A definite winner because it scored an “A” in all categories.

Second Place:

St. Augustine maillot by Minkpink for Anthropologie, $106.

This suit is AMAZING! I will be the first to admit that the pattern is a little funky, and you look at the suit and kind of think “Huh…this could either be really cute or really, really ugly.” I went back and forth on it while browsing online, trying to decide if it would be beautiful or hideous, but I eventually bought it to try on because I couldn’t stop thinking about it! Something about it really struck a chord with me. It’s like a piece of fine art work. Luckily, it’s really cute…much cuter in person! It’s a beautiful seafoam color with pretty, rich detailing and, again, the coloring looks phenomenal on someone with golden undertones and brown hair. The back of the suit is really special and eye-catching. It marches right on the fine line between modest and sexy. It fits well, covers everything it should while still being attractive, is comfortable, and quite figure-flattering. This was absolutely my first choice suit, until I read the label and saw the words “avoid contact with sunscreen and other lotions.” Cue screeching halt on my perfect swimsuit daydream. Please forgive me, but it’s a SWIMSUIT. A $106 swimsuit (now on sale for $60!) and you want me to keep it away from sunscreen? If I didn’t love it so much, I would return it immediately for being so stupidly impractical. And, of course, now I’m curious – what is sunscreen going to do to it? Bleach it, erode it, or do absolutely nothing and it’s just one of those silly warnings they have to plaster on stuff nowadays? Regardless, this suit is completely worth a try-on, especially at the sale price, because it really is completely stunning in person.

Third Place:

Jersey Lomellina Asymmetrical Blouson Tank for J. Crew, $118.

This swimsuit is great if you’re looking for something a little different. It comes in four earthy colors, is incredibly comfortable, and the fitted-on-the-bottom, loose-up-top, one-shoulder look is both modern, classic, and extremely flattering! The material is so soft and silky! The support of the suit, as well as its quality, is just excellent. In general, I found that all of J. crew’s suits (and I ordered at least 6 of them to try on – both one-pieces and bikinis) are really well made and have a wonderful fit. If I had to choose just one brand of swimwear based on style and quality this summer, I’d steer you toward J. Crew. They have a huge variety of bikinis, one-pieces, solids, patterns, earthy tones, and brights.

Honorable Mention:

Athleta Shirrendipity One-Piece, $69.

This one-piece comes in a slew of great solid colors – everything from brights to earth tones – and is a real bargain. I loved the understated simplicity of a solid colored suit with an eye-catching back and a great silhouette that speaks for itself. It can be sporty (Athleta is a fitness brand), playful, or sexy. It’s fully lined as well, which is nice. What impressed me the most was how high quality this suit was. It was full of all these genius little details that you’ve secretly always wished swimsuit designers would include in their designs. Though J. Crew suits are a close second, this suit was the most well made. However, the V-neck was a little plungier than I was looking for (not inappropriate, just not what I was after this summer) and the torso runs a little short on it, even for someone who’s only 5’4″ with a short torso to begin with. Luckily, it is available in tall sizes, so don’t let that stop you from ordering. And the bright green is super fun!

Honorable Mention:

Lauren by Ralph Lauren Kashmir Paisley One-Piece, $98.

This maillot is great! The colors are brighter in person, but I found the one-shoulder, lower-back, cross strap, front ruching, and paisley print to be really flattering and unique looking. It was comfortable to wear, fits well, and is lined. I do think the suit would do a little better on someone slightly taller than 5’4″ because the strap is not adjustable and was just a little loose on me. But if you’re looking for something playful with a trendy silhouette, I’d point you in this direction.

What do you think?

Happy Swimming!

So, lately:

– The craybies are growing! What porkchops. Absolute porkchops, those crays!

– I’m back in my show blacks for Cincy Fringe and it feels so good! I’ve missed this.

– I make a mean mojito. I have or may not have bought a mint plant for the express purpose of mojito-making. Why on earth did I ever pay for one at a restaurant?

– With full-day rehearsals and shows for the encore run of Next to Normal and working my second job and my summer bucket list and TONS of camp prep and dance classes and soaking in time with the hubby and crays before I’m off to camp, the next few weeks aren’t about to get any less busy.

– With all this work I’ve been feeling really overwhelmed lately, so the thought of shimmying into my cute new suit, splashing in the pool, picnicking in the park, sleeping in, going out, mini-vacaying, and playing around sounds really, really incredible. I’ve got summer on the brain.

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This has been one BUSY week for me! I’ve been updating cover letters and resumes and applying for jobs like a fiend, designing a 25-page study guide/teacher toolkit for the 2012-2013 education programs for the dance company I freelance with, filling out a book worth of contracts and miscellaneous paperwork in preparation for my summer gig, scheduling out my calendar for all my show, family/vacation, and job commitments for the summer, starting to plan for the choreography and scenes I’ll be directing, thinking about the selection of songs/monologues/scenes I’ll be performing and, of course, still working three jobs.

But the opportunities that are, opportunely, starting to crop up are super exciting, we’ve been getting free meals that I don’t have to cook every single night this week at the on-campus dining halls (some of Ted’s students trying desperately to get rid of hundreds of unused meal trade swipes before they expire next week….oh, college! I remember those days well. And now I am thankful to be on the receiving end of them.), and I have Monday off….a precious day off with which to go biking and swim in the pool and sleep in and sample tasty delicacies at the annual Taste of Cincinnati Festival!

I hope to have a more inspired and less mind-numbingly dull post for you in the coming days.

Meanwhile, what are your big plans for the three-day weekend?

P.S. The high tomorrow is supposed to be 100! In Cincinnati…in May. Texas, is that you? I don’t remember clicking my heels three times and chanting “there’s no place like home.”

I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has called, sent a text, email, or message with condolences for Mav. While it’s been a rough week and we still feel sadness often, we are blessed to have many happy, funny memories with Maverick and wonderful family who have brightened our day just by reaching out to say something kind. We really, really appreciate the thoughtfulness and love. Whether it’s a dog or cat you’ve had for 12 years or a crayfish you’ve had for two months, losing a pet is never easy. Period. So, thank you all for reaching out with your support.

Also, if you send us a package of any kind in the future that is too large to fit into a small mailbox, please send it direct (to be left for pickup at the post office) or certified (requiring a signature). In the past two months we’ve had two packages disappear off our doorstep after being confirmed as delivered by the carriers. Needless to say, we’re starting to get suspicious of drive-by snatchers and/or our utterly and unbelievably obnoxious and sketchy hooligan neighbors…and also a little tired of filing claims and opening investigations and having to get all our purchases reshipped to us (thank goodness for insurance). So, if you’re in the habit of mailing us boxes, please remember to send them direct or certified.

That being said, and on a much brighter note, summer has officially rolled into Cincinnati and we’re starting to take advantage of it. The kids are winding down at school, stores are stocked with shorts and swimwear, watermelons, peaches, strawberries and rhubarb are cropping up at the farmers market, two of my four jobs will expire in less than two weeks (leaving me with much more free time and much less income), temperatures have started climbing to the mid-80s, and I saw my first firefly two nights ago – the most telltale sign of all!

I’ll be gone for six weeks this summer teaching acting and musical theatre at a professional fine arts summer camp up in Michigan by the lake (Surprise! More to come on that later!), so that leaves Ted and I with about a month and a half to enjoy all the adventures on my “Summer 2012 Bucket List” together.

Yesterday Ted cleaned up our bikes and we went for a nice, long ride through the neighborhood and through the cemetery to see Mav. It was great to have the bikes out again…I’ve missed Carmela! And of course we already went on the Subway Tour, gallivanted around Eden Park, rode the pedal wagon on the Bikes & Barons tour, and picked up fresh green beans and rhubarb at Findlay Market.

Still on my bucket list for this summer are a remake of the fabulous Le Cordon Bleu Fruit Torte I made last summer, blueberry and blackberry picking at Rooster’s Farm again, more farmer’s market goodness, a cookout on our grill in the backyard, lawn games, catch fireflies in a mason jar, a day trip up to Columbus for the Zoo, Cosi Museum, and North Market, spend some quality time sunning and splashing at the pool, making lots of fresh and tasty summer recipes, a trip to the aquarium, catching a few late night double features at the drive-in, seeing a performance of the World Choir Games (which are being held in Cincinnati this year!), ziplining, bowling, a picnic in the park with lots of wine and cheese, taking the bikes out on the Bass Island Trail for a day trip, getting new headshots, the American Sign Museum, a Reds baseball game, canoeing, the church carnival, some 4th of July fireworks, the rest of the Cincy Haus American Legacy Tours (Haunted Cincinnati, Rookwood Pottery & Wine, Newport Gangster, and Cincinnati Civil War), and some amusement park and roller coaster fun at Coney Island, Kings Island, and either Cedar Point or Michigan Adventure.

That’s A LOT of fun to cram into 45 days when you still gotta work and pack and prep lesson plans and choreography and be poor because you work on a theatre salary. But it can be done…and it will be done!

Operation Summer 2012 Bucket List….GO!