The Burquini Versus the Bikini Or, Finally-A Bathing Suit for Muslim Women

I'm 45. I can't even remember the last time I wore a bikini. I'm still in decent shape, but I'm a little more modest than the current trends in our society. Eddie Bauer's Overpass Tankini Miracle Suit is my idea of swimwear. It's black, it's not overtly revealing, it's flattering, and I feel good in it. Also, I can actually swim in the darn thing without worrying about losing my top with every wave!

Here in the West, where Britney Spears is wearing short skirts and no panties, flashing for the paparazzi, little girls are wearing string bikinis and shirts with "Boy Toy" emblazoned across their still pre-pubescent chests, and we have rapper-girl dolls like Bratz for grade-schoolers, the Burquini is from another world.

As a red-blooded American cowgirl, I think nothing about being out in public in a pair of tight fitting Wrangler jeans and cowboy boots. I even venture out into the world in shorts sometimes when the weather gets really hot. Living within the confines of a religious ideology that prevents me from ever feeling the air on my arms and legs, that makes me cover my hair, rendering me nearly invisible, or that would keep me stranded on the beach while my husband and children played in the surf is a foreign concept to me.

The Burquini is a hybrid designed by Australian designer Ahead Zanetti. A cross between a burqa (the traditional dress worn my Muslim women, covering everything except their face, feet, and hands) and the much smaller bikini, it's essentially pants with a long-sleeved A-line tunic (thigh or knee-length) complete with a head covering. While it's pleasing to the eye, I'd be concerned that the polyester suit would weigh me down in the water. I can just imagine that tunic wrapping around my legs, especially the knee-length variety. It's UV-resistant, but I'm wondering what kind of tan the wearer might get. I think the Arab designs across the front are pretty, but I'd prefer to see them on the Overpass Tankini Miracle Suit if it's something I'd consider wearing.