Drawn Together by Modesty

*** Modest swimwear at HydroChic™ **

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8% off with coupon code “modestclothes”

choose from:

swim bra
short-sleeved swim shirt
three-quarters-sleeved swim shirt
swim skirt
swim shorts
plus sizes too!
Sale – Specials Page

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I buy UV swimsuits and sun hats for my little boy.

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Before I had my Ahiida Islamic swimsuit, I used to wear a long-sleeved swim shirt and quick-dry pants.

I really do use a modern-day parasol when out in the sun. Being in the sun too long gives me headaches, so my parasol helps me to not get headaches as well as keeping me cooler and protecting my facial skin from the sun.

Do you know what a “hijabi tan” is? It’s what headcovering Muslim women get in the summertime—tan face (but not neck), tan hands, and maybe tan feet. That tan demarcation looks weird when the woman is in her less-covering clothing like when at home or with relatives only. When I wear short sleeves at home, my arms are still pale, but my hands are darker making a weird look. My mother-in-law is particular about looks and wants me to get sun protective gloves to keep my hands from getting darker than the rest of me. At first I thought the suggestion was ridiculous, but now I’m considering the idea. What I don’t like is my tan face and white neck! It looks like I’ve got a bad foundation jawline when I’m not wearing my headcovering. My SPF sun cream doesn’t completely keep me from getting a tan face.

I didn’t used to be able to find any modest maternity swimwear online. The choices are still slim, but at least there’s something to choose from!

maternity swim tank with matching maternity swim shorts

maternity swim “dress” with Orthodox Jewish standards of modesty

custom-made maternity swim dress with shorts

Interview with Galia Peled, founder of Princess Modest Swimwear which launched in October of 2007

After having worked for twenty-two years as a midwife, Galia was looking for a creative way to have a lifestyle with regular hours and that included more family time. “Being a midwife really drove home the lesson that each and every woman has her own needs and style and ways of expression” she says. “The more sensitive I could be to her needs and the more space I could help her create to express herself, the happier she was with her birthing experience.”

She believes that as women we need that space in everything we do, not just in the monumental times like giving birth. Galia adds, “Many women today want an active life style that includes exercise and fun. Yet they are not willing to compromise their principles of sense of self-respect and dignity as they feel the bikini cultures require them to do.” So she started Princess Modest Swimwear based on a strong belief that women need options so as not to compromise their principals or give up on an active life style.

Q: Who were some customers you didn’t expect?

A: “I expected my modest swimsuits would cater to religious women from all religions. It has been thrilling for me as a Jewish Israeli woman to receive letters of support and orders for our bathing suits from Muslim women throughout the world. An unexpected customer is a non-religious feminist who believes in the premise of this product.”

Q: What exciting products or projects do you have coming up?

A: “At the present time, we offer modest, fashionable swimwear. Our suits look like a dress, but in the water they feel like bathing suits. We have three different styles and will be offering new colors this season. We will also be offering an extra small size for petite women and pre-teens, as well as 4XL and 5XL for larger-size ladies. This season we are planning on releasing matching head coverings for our suits. In the future we hope to expand our line to include modest activewear for all kinds of sports and activities aside from swimming.”

Interview with Sara Wolf, founder and CEO of HydroChic® which launched in the Spring of 2007, based in Teaneck, New Jersey

Sara has a story that many of us have—we need something and cannot find it. In her case, she was looking for modest swimwear that was feminine, fashionable, and functional, and she couldn’t find it. Hundreds of us, if not thousands of us, have had this need, but Sara took the extra step that most of us don’t—she decided to make a business of it and help others who want to be modest and active, too.

She tells us, “We have a vision for our water line. We would love to see HydroChic become a normal alternative in women’s waterwear and see this more modest line take its rightful place on the shelf alongside the tankini and bikini. In this way, we hope to offer women another real option for water activities!”

Question: What is one of your best-selling products?

“Our sporty ¾-sleeve rashguard has been a super hit!”

Question: What has surprised you about the business you are in?

“I am surprised at how rewarding it has been. We didn’t expect such an overwhelming response as we have received.”

Congratulations and best wishes to HydroChic!