Swimsuit shopping is an ordeal like no other. You find yourself in a cramped cubicle with lighting that makes you look pallid and anaemic at best. Every blotch on your face is magnified, every fold on your hips highlighted. A bored twenty-something salesperson is on the other side of a flimsy curtain, and you’re left regretting every life choice that led you to this moment.
The four-item limit per cubicle is a cruel joke. If nothing fits, you’re either forced to wait with chattering teeth for the salesperson to come back from their morning tea, or get dressed and face the horror of starting over. It’s enough to make anyone want to avoid getting wet.
Determined not to miss out on future beach ‘fun’, I braved online shopping. My one-piece swimsuit arrived, but it didn’t fit. I swapped it for a tankini and bottoms to go with it—success with the pants, but the top was bursting at the bust. Multiple returns later, I finally have a swimsuit. It almost fits perfectly. At this stage, close enough is good enough.
At least this process was less of a nightmare thanks to a responsive online store that has a real shop front in Brisbane. But honestly, I hope I never have to do this again. Maybe I should’ve ordered two—one for now and one for ‘Ron.
From Quill to Quote 
oh so agree but did have a life changing moment going to the sales of wonderful labels like Kerry McGee. In those days clothing was more often made here and the end of season sales were a boon for people lucky enough to be the size samples were made up or imperfect or left over stock. You could nab wonderful outfits for a song and even less than princess shapes could score beautiful outfits minus a button or with a misstitched seam that a bit if simple sewing easily fixed.
The sales often used a warehouse space or storage cum office site and troops of eager shoppers would vie for the minimal fitting room. Never have I seen so much flesh wantonly displayed. The eagerness for a special outfit entirely submerging normal modesty as we all squeezed into whatever try-on corner we could use. But oh the glee of scoring a win. Entirely worth the journey and having to brave the community try on session.
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