The past weekend has finally given me a little bit of hope that summer is approaching, slowly but surely, which means it’s that dreaded time again to drag our white pasty bodies down to West 4th to the rows of surf and swim shops to find a bathing suit that looks half decent in the horrible fluorescent lighting provided.

At the first store, I grab a few styles that I like off the wall that still have larges available in the top. Generally, I fit comfortably into a size small to medium in most women’s clothing, so I am aghast to find that every “large” bikini top magically transforms into nipple coverings à la Las Vegas every time I put one on.

Seriously, they might as well have tassels. I try to laugh it off as my friends exclaim, “Wow! I didn’t know you were a porn star,” but the truth is that it is disheartening to be made to think that your body doesn’t fit into “the norm”. But what does that word mean these days anyway?

Our culture is shifting; we are opening up and learning more and more to accept full-figured women of all shapes and sizes. Dove uses all sizes of models in its campaigns that are more relatable to real women, and after 10 cycles, Whitney, the first-ever plus size model, swept America’s Next Top Model.

Whether or not these are just marketing ploys to appeal to a larger target audience, they are a step in the right direction. So why does the swimwear industry seem to be lagging behind?

Most swimsuits are available in small, medium, and large, but the last time I checked there were more than three sizes of women on the beach. Not to mention that swimsuit sizes are usually sized smaller than their lingerie equivalents. Itty-bitty bikinis come in a dizzying rainbow of colours and patterns, but as the size of the bathing suit increases, the adorable patterns and bold colours seem to be forgotten, clouded over by solid browns, blacks, navy blues and forest greens. This is perhaps an effort to make us blend in with the grass, the sand, and the trees, as if we should be ashamed of our most precious parts and try to camouflage our bodies.

As surely as the sun is beginning to shine in the west, I can tell you that I believe there is hope for us big-breasted beauties. Popular stores like La Senza already carry sizes up to an F-cup in their European stores, and whatever happens in Europe usually happens here one or two years later.

Change of Scandinavia, with six locations through out the Lower Mainland, is a magical place where women up to a J-cup can be fitted for swimwear that comes in the same sizes as bras and although the selection is limited, it is a start. We need to push for more change to help put a stop to renegade nipples on our local beaches.