www.ahiida.com photo
The modest fit burqini.

High school marked the end of my tanning ways. I had a sense adults were right and it would only lead to dark spots, wrinkles and skin cancer, but the challenge of being as dark as a surfer — had to try! Naturally, I was always out there during summer, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., the worst times of the day people said. These days, any time in the sun is a bad time. Bleached hillsides attest to that.

After that I started covering up so that beach picnics meant combat fatigues, including the hat and Jackie O size sunglasses. I’m finding now that my skin is paying the price for essentially, only two years of aggressive burning.

A few years ago I was carrying an umbrella and wearing a hat when walking from my car to the office, but gave up after deciding the rays were probably bouncing off the pavement anyway. Better to walk very fast. For a long time, I lived three blocks from the beach in Kailua, and wouldn’t go there until 5 or 6 p.m., just before the sun went down. I wasn’t as bad as the mom of one of our summer interns, who made special sleeves that she wore to cover her arms when she was driving, and also placed a towel across her lap.

Now that it’s becoming hotter, I think people are wising up to UVA/UVB hazards. Even so, I don’t think Americans are quite ready for the burqini, as available at www.ahiida.com. The company sells “dynamic swimwear and sportswear for today’s Muslim female.”

The suits make it look as if the women are wearing full-body condoms. That’s some powerful sun protection. They come in slim, modest and active fits, and sell Down Under for AUD$230. This is not something you’d see as a photo spread in the daily, unless it somehow becomes a trend. Beach fatigues might at least look edgier.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 20th, 2008 at 11:38 pm and is filed under International fashion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response.