Wait... You can SWIM?! - How to create your own "burkini"

Assalaamu alaikum!

So, it's mid-July and swim season is in full-swing! Even though I've only gotten to go once. But I bet I know a lot of sisters out there who to go way more often! I love swimming but really I love suntanning more, even if it's only my feet getting tan.

Swimsuit #1

On that note, there is a lot of questions surrounding Muslim swim attire! So often people ask me, "Wait, you have a swimsuit you can wear?" And other friends, they want to know where I got mine or how I put it together. On the market, you can buy ready-made modest swim clothing, from "Christian" covering to almost elbow and knees, to tzniut (Jewish modesty) covering elbows and knees, to Islamic swimwear. But the downside is, whenever I see most of these swimsuits, they are $40 or more, and to me, they just aren't cute! Sure they are for probably most sisters (your choices tend to be either sporty or pastel and feminine), but for a goth/alternative girl, they just wouldn't do.

So then, what are your options?

See? Swim bra had to go. Plus I like more length.

My favorite? THRIFT STORES!!!

To be honest, only two pieces of my swimsuit are from the thriftstore: The leggings with the spikes and a sports bra (some ladies may be able to go without but my old swimsuit had to be with underwire! and wearing it with my suit seems... well after I hit the water, it isn't so modest anymore. Hence switching out my swim bra for a sports bra when I wear the skirt). HOWEVER, I've since found all of the pieces I used to create my original swimsuit in the thrift store!

So, what do you need?

- Leggings
- Rashguard (this is a longsleeve workout shirt, also used by surfers)
- Swim skirt or a comfy dress for added modesty

I tried to make sure that all of my things felt like "swimsuit fabric". This gives people less of a reason to hassle you (apparently a Delaware pool just had to apologize because they forced Muslim children in cotton clothing to not swim, due simply to them not wearing swim fabric; I've gotten hassled just because people aren't accustomed to covered women and my recreational therapist raised concerns about mobility). Swimsuit fabric is a polyester fabric and usually has a shiny, slinky feel, like lycra. (So everyone is aware, ALL POLYESTER should be able to be used in a standard swimming pool with chlorine without any fading.)

Swimsuit #2

So, let's break down my swimming #OOTD:

- Leggings - Thrifted, but originally Forever21
- Rashguard - Walmart or Target, I don't remember
- Swimskirt - Walmart or Target, I don't remember
- Dress - My co-wife's favorite truck stop (not even a lie!)
- Swim hijab/niqab - made by me

Like I said, whether you go for a swim skirt or a dress (or if you manage to find one of the magical skirted rashguards), you can get all of the actual swimsuit (not the hijab) easily and much cheaper than buying a ready-made burkini. It's extremely affordable to do so, especially if you want something to swim in while still trying to find all of your perfect pieces!

Another thing that can be utilized outside of swim season are apps and websites like Wish and dresslily, where you can order leggings, rashguards, or even actual burkinis for very cheap, so long as you are willing to wait about a month to receive your order!

So, what if money isn't an issue, but ready-made burkinis aren't your thing? Where should you look that isn't Walmart, Target, or an athletics store? Where are some places to get pieces that are *really* cool?

If you can afford it, I highly encourage people to check out blackmilkclothing.com! Carrying everything from leggings to full dresses to hoodie dresses and more, nearly everything sold on blackmilkclothing.com can be used for swimwear! And they definitely are super unique in every way. (I would like to note that BlackMilk DOES carry bodysuits! Easy to add a skirt to for extra modesty and just jump in the pool!)

Now, that's not to say there aren't *some* ready-made burkinis that I think are cool. Unfortunately, when when I started my journey, they were just increasingly few and far between, and the ones that I found and actually liked were more expensive than I could afford.

If you can afford a ready-made burkini and don't want the hassle that comes with piecing together your own, here is a list of websites you can check out, in shaa Allah:

- Nabira has lots of swimwear ranging modesty spectrum in a variety of styles and prices.
- Jilbab Mina has swimwear in the French jilbab style.
- Mayovera has nicer burkinis in TONS of styles, as well as partial cover suits, for a higher price (you'll need to convert Turkish lira to your currency of choice).

And, of course, women all over Saudi Arabia still swim in a regular abaya, hijab, and niqab. So just do what works for you.

Jazakum Allahu kheiran,
Sajida.