At 67, I Thought My Two-Piece Days Were Long Behind Me
A LETTER FROM A READER
AT 67, I THOUGHT MY TWO-PIECE DAYS WERE LONG BEHIND ME
Margaret PembertonBoston · August 6, 2026
I nearly didn't write this, because it's only a swimsuit. But my sister asked where it was from on holiday, and I've explained it enough times now that it felt easier to put it down properly.
For years I'd assumed a two-piece was simply not for a woman my age or shape. I'd resigned myself to the same plain dark swimsuit, and even then I'd keep a kaftan close and stay mostly on the lounger. Somewhere along the way I'd decided the middle of me had to be hidden away entirely, and that was that.
"It wasn't that I wanted to show off. I just wanted to feel held-in and comfortable — and not spend the whole holiday hiding."
HOW IT HAPPENS
Nobody decides to give up on feeling good by the water. It happens one summer at a time. You don't feel right in the swimsuit, so you cover it up. The kaftan is easier, so it stays on. Before long you're the one minding the towels while everyone else swims, and you tell yourself that's simply sensible now.
WHAT I HAD WRONG
I'd assumed a two-piece meant putting the part of me I'm least sure of on show. The Monica changed my mind. It's from Bennett Boston, an American label that's been quietly looking after women our age for a good twenty years.
It's a tummy-control two-piece with a high-waisted bottom that sits right up and smooths the middle, so there's far more coverage and support than a two-piece usually gives. The top has built-in cups and adjustable straps for a proper, comfortable fit, and there's some clever ruching that's genuinely flattering. It stays put when you move, and it holds you in gently rather than squeezing. I have the dark blue, and I've barely taken it off.
WHAT HAPPENED ON HOLIDAY
I wore it on the first morning and stayed in the water rather than on the lounger. My sister, who has not willingly complimented me in fifty years, asked where it was from. I felt held-in and covered and, for once, not on show. That is the rarest sort of thing at 67 — a swimsuit that lets you forget yourself and just enjoy the day.
THREE THINGS I'VE LEARNED SINCE
A high waist is the whole secret. It smooths and covers the middle, so a two-piece suddenly feels possible again.
Proper support changes everything. Built-in cups and straps that actually fit mean no digging and no fidgeting.
Comfortable means you actually swim. It stays put when you move, so I stopped adjusting and started enjoying myself.
ABOUT THE PRICE
I'll be honest about why I'm writing this rather than just telling my sister. The Monica is currently $39.95, down from $80 — half off for their summer sale — and when I checked this week the middle sizes were already going. They do it from a US 4–6 up to a US 24–26, in dark blue, black, red and pink.
Monica | Tummy Control Bikini Set
- High-waisted bottom with real tummy control and coverage
- Built-in cups and adjustable straps for a comfortable, supportive fit
- Flattering ruching · holds you in gently, stays put when you move
- Inclusive fit, US 4–6 to US 24–26 · dark blue, black, red & pink · free delivery via USPS
Due to high demand for our summer sale, the middle sizes are selling first.
I'm in the water now, not hiding under a kaftan.
Margaret Pemberton lives in Boston with her dog, Biscuit. Bennett Boston has over 20 years of experience delivering timeless fashion rooted in American heritage.
This page is a paid advertisement for Bennett Boston.