My must-have swimming items are perfect for your day at the beach or pool. Classic items that have been around for years.

Summer is in full swing and who doesn’t love to go swimming! Since I live where we can swim virtually every day, I wanted to share a few of my favorite must-have items I use while enjoying a day at the beach or the pool.

I’ve had my toes in the water or sand pretty much since I’ve been on this earth. I lived in California and Hawaii for several years while my dad was in the military and learned how to swim at a young age.

Every summer, I would walk to the city pool and spend all afternoon there. While I was in Girl Scouts, I would go to summer camp and there wasn’t a day that went by I wasn’t in the lake.

Now that I live in Florida, I have the ocean on each side of me and several pools in our community to use all year long.

One of my favorite things to do now is taking Deep Water Aerobics at our community pool. It’s a great way to get a great workout but stay cool at the same time. It also doesn’t put any stress on your joints. If you ever decide to take any deep water classes, you will need an Aqua Jogger buoyancy belt to wear around your waist. Check your local YMCA to see if they have any water classes to enjoy.

My style hasn’t changed that much over the years and you will see that in my list of swimming essentials. These items have lasted for years and I rarely change them out unless they are damaged. Classic styles seem to never change and I’ve learned that sometimes it’s a good idea to spend extra money on a well-made item that will last for years. I am a frugal person, so not having to replace items often is a good thing.

My Favorite Swimsuit:

I have worn the Lands End Tugless swimsuit more years than I can count. I love this suit because it just fits perfectly on my un-perfect body. It doesn’t rise up in the back or isn’t high up on the hips. I’ve never been a two-piece bathing suit kind of person and this suit makes me feel like I’m not showing the world what they don’t need to see. 😉 There are several colors and patterns in the tugless one-piece swimsuit and you can always find them at Lands End.

My Favorite Cover-up:

I also wear Lands End Cotton Cover-Ups for basically the same reason I wear their tugless tanks. They come to the knee and wash up well year after year. They come in several solid colors or prints. It’s a perfect cover-up for leaving the beach or pool and running an errand. It looks like a cute summer dress.

My Favorite Water Shoes:

Either at the beach or doing my walking in the pool, I love my Mary Jane Water Shoes. They are made to live in the water. The mesh will let the water and sand drain so it doesn’t irritate your feet – perfect choice going from the car or hotel room to the beach. Also, much easier to walk around in the sand than flip-flops.

TIP:  Lands End runs sales basically every single day. Sign up for their newsletter to receive their sale codes. Also, when you sign up you will receive an email with a 40% off coupon to start off with. Make sure you put your birthday in your profile. This year I received a $50 off $100 coupon. I was able to buy several sale items for just $50! They also offer 30% and 40% off coupons often.

My Favorite Sunglasses:

Another classic item I use is my Ray-Ban sunglasses. I never leave the house without them. I bought my first pair when I started wearing contacts back in high school.  I now have a prescription pair since I don’t wear contacts anymore. But, I still have those original frames which have been converted to computer glasses. They are 40 years old and still serving a purpose. Protect your eyes from the sun!

My Favorite Hat:

I have a couple of hats I wear when I’m at the beach or the pool.  When I’m doing my water classes, I wear a Navy baseball-style cap my dad gave me several years ago. I love that cap and the memories that came with it. When I’m just outside in the sun, I like to wear a wide brim beach style hat that will keep the sun off my face and neck.  What I love about this hat is that it’s packable, doesn’t get crushed, and will come out of the suitcase with no seams.

My Favorite Beach Bag:

When it comes to beach bags, mesh is the way to go. Preferably, one with many pockets. My mesh beach bag was a birthday gift several years ago and I love it.  It’s light and doesn’t hold water or sand.

My Favorite Beach Towel:

When I was in college, I went to Florida for the first time and I was given a really nice beach towel. It was so thick and soft and I have carried that towel ever since to every beach and pool I’ve been to.  Until…….last year when I was getting into the car and I had that towel wrapped around my waist and when I sat down, it split and tore. I almost cried.  I kid you not. So, I waited for the next sale and bought another one.

My Favorite Sunscreen:

When I was a teenager, I was a sun worshipper. I loved laying out at the pool or in the backyard. Then when I turned 21, I saw the skin on a woman who loved to play golf and be outside as much as possible. I immediately knew I didn’t want my skin to look like alligator skin. I started using sunscreen ever since and I’m glad I did. I’m not sure what brand I started out with but for several years now, I have been using Neutrogena sunscreen. I love the Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch version they have now. It’s not greasy at all.  Which is good for my oily skin.

My Favorite Makeup:

I don’t wear that much makeup while I am out at the pool or beach. For my face, I usually just use sunscreen above.  But, if I’m wanting a bit of color I use a tinted sports sunscreen with SPF 30 called Thinksports Everyday Face Sunscreen. My eye makeup consists of waterproof Almay One Coat Mascara which has been around since I started wearing contacts. For my lips, I use Neutrogena’s Revitalizing Lip Balm with tint for a hint of color and SPF 20. I love that little bit of color.

Public Service Announcement: All those earlier years of not protecting my skin has shown up in my later years. My husband and I went to the dermatologist recently to have a full body check of all our little brown spots and moles to make sure there wasn’t anything not looking normal. We both had two biopsies done on a couple of spots just to make sure. If any of them come back showing signs of basal cells, they will remove a bit more skin in that area. A very common procedure done in the doctor’s office and is very treatable if found early.

Look at your skin. Look for changes in moles or dark spots. Have someone check in areas you can’t see.  The two spots which were removed from us the other day were on our backs. Wear sunscreen every day to protect your skin.

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