Sunburn

«Does Warringah Mall really need another swimwear shop?», I muse to myself. «It already has The Big Swim plus a plethora of surf shops; surely this is overkill?»
Apparently, I am the only one who thinks so — when I walk into Sunburn for the first time, it is packed and the one sales girl working seems to be the personification of the phrase overworked and underpaid. Still, she does a valliant job of helping one woman choose between hats, supplying another with different sizes, offering a hapless looking husband a seat and greeting me. Phew!
Sunburn is a beautifully laid out store, with swimwear arranged according to brands within which it is possible to mix ‘n’ match. This is beautiful thing for the disproportionate amongst us — my friend veritably shrieks with joy upon realising she will no longer be persecuted for her size eight bottom and size twelve bust.
Not suffering from this particular «problem» myself, I am equally happy to learn that I can mix ‘n’ match amongst colours and patterns, eventually happily winding up with a solid green bikini bottom and top with the a pattern of the same green. Brilliant.
Sunburn carries some of the major players in the Australian swimwear scene, including Seafolly and Jets. While these brands make good quality items, I don’t find them very… exciting. But perhaps that’s the genius of them — instead of making horrendously bright bikinis and patterned one pieces that give the worst tan lines known to man, they consistently offer block colours in classic patterns that can be worn season after season.
The ability to wear Sunburn’s stock for multiple seasons is reflected in the not-​so-​cheap prices. it seems a bit rough to charge the better part of $ 100 each for the top and bottom of a bikini when there is such minimal fabric involved. But as my mother always says, you get what you pay for!