So I'm going on holiday with a friend and her family and I've been searching around for the dreaded... swimming wear. It has been a very long time since I've swum but I'm going to be expected to do so on this trip. Were staying on an island and it's going to look very odd if I don't swim, as that's kind of the point of the trip.

Obviously a 'normal' swimsuit is out of the question. I have one from long ago... I tried it on a couple of days ago and just got such a horrible, dysphoric feeling about myself that I had to take it off immediately. I hate the way they're designed to show off a female body and I've always thought they're really very immodest. Even thinking about wearing that makes me feel very uncomfortable. So the best solution I've come up with is a board-shorts (like this:
) and rash vest combo. Is this going to seem odd? - Bear in mind we will be swimming in the sea, but also in a pool. Can you wear a binder underneath  the rest vest and will it be visible? Or will the salt water ruin it? If so... is there anything else I can do to flatten my chest (which is very small but not non-existant) underneath the rash vest? Would a tight sports vest that doesn't matter if it gets ruined work?

The other alternative is a 'rash suit', which is a full-body version of the rash vest. Unfortunately I cannot find these in any size, apart from for tiny children, in anywhere but Australia and it will never ship in time. If anyone knows where I can find this in the UK I would be grateful.

I think the two piece option is probably more masculine, but I was worried it would look strange - especially as the country we're going to is very hot at this time of year. I wish I could by one of those special binding-rash vests, but unfortunately my mother is doing all the purchasing and she doesn't know the reason for all these special requirements. I just don't quite know what I'm going to do.

EDIT: Maybe this should be in the FTM gear sub-board? I'm not sure.

Is it possible for you to shop for a women's one piece? Is your chest small enough that a racing streamlined swimsuit would compress enough? If so, that might be an option instead of a binder. If you have skin that burns easily a rash guard will protect you from sunburn. As a person who burns easily, I think that's enough reason to get one. Lotion rinses off and gets applied wrong. Rash guard protects your whole upper body.

I would personally avoid the rash guard. They look very clingy (if images I pull from search engines are the same thing you're talking about) and that's not what you really want in considerations to lessening... chest stuff, even with binding. Instead you should get one of the looser-fitting (just like a regular shirt but not cotton) active sports shirts (polyester or polyester blend types) that aren't elastic/stretchy (clingy). I hope you know what I'm talking about, but basically every department store (at least here in the States) carries them and they are relatively inexpensive ($8-12). Yes, they come in blue etc.

Unless you don't care about that particular binder, I'm sorry to say that yes chlorine and salt water are harsh on them (swimming material is different than everyday clothes materials because of this reason not just its moisture wicking and quick-drying properties). I use my other Underworks 974 expressly for that and it is worse for the wear in both functionality and appearance than the one I don't use for swimming (both pool/chlorine and sea/abrasive salt) and which still looks new even though its not. So I would definitely find an alternative if you don't have another binder/don't want to potentially degrade or outright ruin one. A sports supporter should do if you can find one that's flat without... 'pockets'... trying to avoid triggers, so hopefully that's clear enough.

No, wearing a shirt will not seem overly weird. It is a fact that clothing is the most effective, even full-proof sunblock (and by the way, most sunscreens don't work totally effectively for both UV-A/B). So if anyone tries to pull that on you, simply explain that you sunburn easily and badly. They'll understand that and not pursue the issue further; most likely. You don't even have to explain at all if you don't want too anyway.

With the looser fitting shirt, you shouldn't have a problem with your binding method showing unless the seams of whatever it is are thick. Chose a darker color shirt to better draw attention away from this (its just a fact that lighter colors, especially outright white, show shapes/dimensions more than darker colors or outright black).

When I swim I wear swimming shorts with a rash guard and binder underneath. You can probably see it slightly but it doesn't stop me from passing at all. Underworks do full swimsuits which might come in time? Don't know what they're like but hey it's an option!

Thanks for the help, especially about the rash guards being tight. I think I'm going to go with a sports 'bra' that can be happily ruined and a looser athletic shirt thing instead. I'll take your advice Magnus and tell them I burn badly. Thank you all for input. 

I would recommend a loose fit rash guard/swim shirt. It's not as clingy as a traditional rash guard, but breathes better and dries faster than an athletic shirt. I have one made by Speedo that I got from JCPenneys, but just google loose fit rash guard or swim shirt and you should find some.

I wear shorts, binder and rash vest and I have never had a problem.