I hadn't purchased a bathing suit in probably 20 years, and haven't worn one in close to that many years. But I have decided that if I want to be a fun grandmother I just might need one, so...I went shopping.
I like the idea of those two piece suits where you buy the top and bottom separately. And I definitely wanted the "boy shorts" style, but everything I tried on was not quite right. The best of the bottoms was fine in the front but too short in back. Another pair had a bit longer leg, which I liked, but was too low on the hips giving me the dreaded "muffin top". Then I had the idea to check out the exercise wear department. I found a pair of black running shorts that were perfect. They sat higher near the waist (the tops are long so you can't see the top of the shorts anyway), but it creates a smoother line and feels more comfortable to me. And although they are very short like a bathing suit, the leg is just a little longer. They also seemed to be made better.
There is a large selection of bathing suit tops sold separately and nearly all of the prints went with black shorts. It took awhile to find one that was actually comfortable. For one terrifying moment I thought I was going to have to call a salesperson to help me get out of one. Imagine how hard it would be if it was wet. Decided to go for comfort over style, and finally ended up with a pretty cute suit that I will feel comfortable, both physically and mentally, wearing in public. It only took about three hours and at least twenty suits to find the right one.