Summer

I have been catching up on all of the blogging done by friends and realize that I am way behind. There are so many topics I want to talk about right now that I am not sure where to begin. Most recently I was laughing at Itzy Bitzy’s shaving dilemma in "Feeling the Burn" and the comment by Dirty Girl about being pale. And, I sympathize with IB and all who commented. So, I want to chat about a few dilemmas that go hand in hand with summer.

First, I have been taking some sunless tanners for a test drive in recent weeks and I am still not decided on their effects. Sure, they make me less pale, but there are always uneven lines around my feet and ankles and I refuse to give up sandals. The lotions with tanners in them have been the best thus far, Oil of Olay and Jergens brands to be specific. Coppertone’s pump was HORRIBLE, so stay far, far away. My sister says that Coppertone’s oil free sunless tanner works well, but I haven’t spent the money yet. I am contemplating a spray on tan like 'The One with Ross's Tan' in the last season of “Friends” but have heard mixed messages about the process. I have found that nothing looks as good as the real sun. However, the real sun is evil and so are tannig beds. So, what’s a girl to do?

Then there is the issue of what to wear in the summer. I think I saw the same episode of “What Not to Wear” that was mentioned by IBs blog, where the pros said that shorts were “out” and looked bad on every figure. Well, to show how fickle the fashion industry is, I just read an article last week saying that cropped pants and capris made all people look bad and that shorts were better. I say, wear what you want and what you feel most comfortable in. I personally am not a fan of shorts because I am self-conscious about my thighs and therefore want to keep them covered unless hanging out around the house. I love skirts and dresses in the summer, I find them most comfortable. So, if I am in dresses or skirts most of the time, please know that I am not really dressed-up, it's just my style.

Finally, my most dreaded task of all…putting on a bathing suit. It incorporates both the pale issue with the thigh abhorrence, adds in a body awareness resulting in self-consciousness and brings us full circle, to IBs shaving frustration, but more specifically shaving the bikini area. I remember not giving a crap about throwing on a swimsuit and heading to my aunt M’s pond where the fishes would bite my butt while I lounged in the innertube. I could have stuffed myself full of food an hour prior and still have the protruding full belly to prove it, but I could care less. Oh, how simple life was back then. *Sigh* Now, putting on a suit is a process.

I have to shave the bikini area and then deal with the red bumps or wax and still have red bumps because I don’t go as often as I should to maintain. Those ten to fifteen minutes of pure pain are pretty expensive too. Has anyone tried the electrolysis route? If it actually works, I think the process would be worth the money. I also have to wonder if people really look at others crotches that closely if at all. I know I don’t, so does it really matter?

As well as shaving, there is the issue of finding the right bathing suit. I am not a fan of the one piece, it always gives me a wedgie. But, am I getting too old for a bikini? Does a skirted bottom that would hide my thighs a bit look too ‘old’? Tankini’s seem almost perfect, but the ones I have tried seem to come together in just the right area to give me the perfect fat roll to stick out between the top and bottom. The perfect suit...I think it's a myth.

But, even with all the shaving and swimsuit stress I still love summer. Although you may not know it from reading this post, I think summer is just more simple for me in so many ways. I can wear little make-up and not feel guilty. My hair air dries and can then be swept up off of my neck and is perfectly suited to any summer activity due to the increase in the thermometer. Ask me again when the real heat sets in and I may have changed my mind.