Swimsuits and Scripture

We are in prime time of swimsuit advertisements and flash sales.

This can bring up a lot of feelings—whether it’s the pressure to fit a certain mold or the anxiety

about how swimsuits feel on your body or scrupulosity about what is “modest enough” or the need

to keep up with a specific trend—it is HARD.

Before going into practical advice about navigating swimsuit shopping with a Catholic

mindset—let’s look at what Scripture says about swimsuits.

Oh wait…

There is not a Scripture verse about swimsuits since bathing suits did not become popular until the 18th century.

BUT there are some truths to cling to from Scripture!

“You are beautiful in every way—there is no flaw in you!” (Song of Songs 4:7)

Let the Lord sing this over you. It might be hard to receive it at first, so ask Him every morning in

these months if you are wrestling with body image. He crafted you with intentional detail—delight in

every vein, crease, hair, curve—He loves you as you are. You are entirely good. Your body is a gift.

Whatever season and scarring your body as gone through—it is still good right here and now. Ask

the Lord for the grace to cherish each part of your body.

“When you pass through waters, I will be with you; through rivers, you shall not be swept

away” (Isaiah 43:2)

He will protect you when anxiety comes knocking. Call upon Him and expect Him to act. He draws

so near to us when we find we lost our footing in an anxious spiral of “what ifs”. Whether you are

trying on swimsuits or getting ready for a beach day—invite Him into the moment. You do not have

to stay in your head alone. He is for you and will give you grace that transforms this moment into

one of healing.

The Catholic Checklist:

OKAY—so for the practical part—there are a few things to keep in mind that are extremely

beneficial to feel confident and free! Consider this your mini checklist for Catholic swimsuit

shopping.

1. Find a swimsuit that works for your current season of life and flatters your body

type—don’t put yourself into a mold that you were never meant to fit. We are all entirely

unique and not meant to be copy/paste of influencers. Make sure you can move freely!

From holding kiddos jumping through waves or lugging your icebox, floaties, and tote to the

pool—we want that swimsuit to support you not fight you! Remember—our garments are

meant to serve us—not the other way around.

2. Quality! We want a swimsuit that will last beyond one season which means not impulse

buying at Target when the suit will be eaten away by chlorine rot in a month.

3. Classic cut: so you will want to keep going back to this swimsuit for years to come. Avoid

trendy styles or colors that you usually wouldn’t choose. Consider looking through swimsuit

styles over the decades to get a better idea of what has stuck around.

4. Keep Catholic Social Teaching in mind. Ethics and sustainability are highly overlooked

by most swimsuit companies and they still charge a pretty penny. We know the wounds in

the fashion industry—from the objectification of women to the mistreatment of garment

workers to creating throwaway clothing from chemicals—the horrors increase when it

comes to the creation of swimsuits. Be sure to check out some ethical swimsuit lines through

GoodOnYou or our favorite Catholic swim brand: Siena & Co.