Editor’s note

HELLO summer my old friend.

Some of my fondest childhood memories play out during long, hot summer days, lazing at the pool with my friends under the scorching Boland sun and spending the December holidays with my family at our favourite resort on the Sunshine Coast, where we would enjoy long walks on the idyllic beaches, and, our bodies well oiled, bask in the sun.

I remember my vast collection of swimwear, from shoestring bikinis to more practical one-piece costumes. Candy stripes, frills and brights were always my favourites. My big bush of curly hair was always untamed and crisp from the sea water, and naturally highlighted by the sun.

Back then I didn’t have a care in the world about how I looked. I wasn’t shy about my body. I didn’t care about my hair being an absolute mess. I didn’t care about painful sunburn.

As I grew older, those carefree days started to fade and I became aware of my body and the risk factors involved with exposing my skin to the harsh sun. Swimwear shopping has become a nightmare as I constantly hear myself saying, “my bum is too fat for this, my boobs are too saggy for that, my belly is simply too unsightly”.

My days of topless tanning on Clifton Beach are long gone. With a belly covered in stretch marks, breasts that have gone from perky to saggy and a firm bottom that has turned to jelly, I rarely don a swimming costume when I feel brave enough to venture on to the beach. Due to those carefree, sunblock-free days in the sun, my once blemish-free skin has paid the price, as my skin is now marked with pigmentation.

But it’s not all gloomy when I see the gorgeous collections of swimwear now available on the market. Swimwear that makes this mamma of three feel sexy and stylish again, and head on down to the beach with confidence ... with the essential sun protection of course. This summer, no matter how old you or what body shape you are, enjoy it in all your beautiful splendour.

Gerry