I have been long overdue for a new bikini. Maybe a lot of us women say that, but trust me – in my case it was definitely needed. So I was thrilled when our expat friends living in the Guanacaste region of Costa Rica took me recently to a lady who makes custom bikinis. And it’s super affordable! Check out what she made for me.
For only $42 dollars (yep, that’s USD), Andrea handmade for me a bikini top that is reversible and matching bottoms. Her store is called Bahia and is located just outside the small town of Matapalo in Guanacaste, north of the popular Tamarindo beach town and south of Playa Flamingo. When I went to visit her, she had me try on different styles and asked me about my preferences and the kinds of activities I enjoy doing in the water. She gathered this helpful information for making what is now the perfect bikini, custom-made for me. Then she had me pick out my own fabrics and designs.
I usually don’t go for pink-type of colors, but I liked the fabric and bright, lively tone of the magenta bottoms that bring out the same color in both sides of my top. For me, being on the beach or by the pool is all about relaxing and lounging. Since I don’t surf or do very physical activities in the water, we created a top and bottom that are more the traditional bikini cut. My last bikini had ties on either sides of the bottom, which I got tired of. So this time around, there’s the most smooth fabric for the sides, nice and snug so it won’t stretch out over time. It provides comfort and confidence in wearing them on the beach or by the pool.
My favorite part was picking out the two different fabric designs for my reversible top. On one side are warmer, vibrant colors of reds, oranges and flecks of gold throughout. Then on the other side are tones of blue and purple with silver flecks. In my mind, they represent a side to wear for day-time excursions and another side (the blue with silver flecks) for evening occasions.
It took Andrea only 2 full business days to make my bikini. She was very kind, helpful and talented in how she runs her shop and interacts with her customers. She has a great little store attached to the front of her own home and even though it is outside of town, she can take credit card or cash. I’m super pleased with my bikini and when I return to Costa Rica, I will definitely be making a visit to her for a second custom bikini.
Check out her site and make sure to get a custom bikini when you travel to Costa Rica! http://bahiacr.com