This Summer’s ‘Must Have’ Swimwear

Freedom, emancipation, inclusion, and comfort: do these adjectives come to your mind when you think of your summer swimwear? If not, the best friend duo behind Bathing Boomers wants to change that! 

Swimwear for older women

Bathing Boomers is a swimwear company made by older women, for older women – and it’s taking 2022’s summer style by storm. The dynamic founders, 67-year-old Velvet Haney, and 74-year-old Rachel Manley originally crafted the swimwear, not for the public, but for themselves, to embrace the summer sun in its entirety. 

Co-founder Velvet is a former model turned author who swore that she would never, ever go on a diet again: “I think there’s a freedom in letting that go,” Velvet explained. Co-founder Rachel is a poet, professor, and Governor General’s Award-winning author who says, “if you can be happy with your body, that maybe has had children, or been through an illness, whatever your body has gone and persevered – there is something honorable and noble about it. Here I am. Look how I’ve survived.” 

 The unlikely entrepreneurs could have never anticipated the designs becoming what they are today: a movement and a community that empowers mature women to embrace the warm weather unapologetically and without apprehension or self-consciousness. Bathing Boomers are a relief for women in their fifties, sixties, seventies, and beyond who want to wear flattering swim dresses in public! 

 “Life can begin at eighty,” explained Rachel. “As long as one is moving forward, no decade or age will determine that this is now downhill.” 

 The stylish swim line is made for women at every stage, size, and shape. The dress style offers the chance to glide flawlessly from pool to patio. “My favorite memory in my Bathing Boomers was swimming across Lake Como in Italy followed by a patio lunch at Villa d’Este. It was special,” said Velvet. 

Bathing Boomer’s swim dress top is made with a stretchy lightweight material that is fade-resistant and comfortable, finished off with removable bra cups for added convenience. The dress is currently available in warm blue and classic black. Pair the swim dress with the classy swim leggings that are a high-waisted, lightweight, and flattering addition to complete the look. 

Swimwear for all sizes

The best part? Bathing Boomers are available in sizes 8-24! They come true to size and are designed to flatter all body shapes.

If you aren’t sure what size you should go for, the team behind the swimming revolution is happy to help you!  Bathing Boomer’s team is passionate and family-oriented, which is what makes the company stand out. It’s a small company based in Toronto, Canada, and is composed of Velvet, Rachel, Velvet’s husband, Trivial Pursuit co-creator John Haney and their daughter Garlande, who are all rightfully excited about the community they’ve begun to harbor since launching in 2019. “People send us baked goods, personalized letters, all sorts of thoughtful things,” Garlande explained. “We’ve received emails saying, ‘Hallelujah! Finally, there’s something else out there for us!’” 

 “I kept pushing forward because it felt like it was something I had to do and that Rachel had to do,” explained Velvet. “We had no idea what we were doing, but it was right. It was the right thing to do. The community is grateful that we have come up with Bathing Boomers because it’s something that they wanted for so long. These are women who, like me, would be sitting on the dock with friends, in capris and a shirt just sweating to death- because they didn’t want to get into a bathing suit,” Velvet continued. 

 “The women in Bathing Boomer’s inspire me because they’re so, so happy and that makes me happy,” explained Rachel. “My youngest son said to me, ‘that’s your happy suit – when you’re in it, you’re happy.’ And in my mind, I always think of it as my happy suit.” 

 It comes down to having a choice: Bathing Boomers wants to offer women of all ages the choice in the summer months when lounging on vacation or swimming in the sea to wear something different. Bathing Boomers challenge the status quo of traditional – and often limiting – two-piece or one-piece bathing suits. 

 If you want to join the swimming revolution and learn more about the iconic “happy suits,” check out Bathing Boomer’s website here:  www.bathingboomers.com. Watch the space closely so you don’t miss out on getting your hands on Bathing Boomer’s new swim designs and joining their monthly book club!

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