I am big, so a modest suit was just right. (I'm not slim, even though I eat salad every day and swim 3 days a week, and even at my slimmest I'm really top-heavy.) I sized one at the department store but then bought Speedos online at Swimoutlet.com. My friend at the pool who is small wears a brand called Uglies? I think. Swimoutlet.com has suits sorted as "fitness"--those are the ones that are very modest--and "competition"-- mostly still modest but with skinnier straps! I think that's the main difference. If you aren't particularly big, just get one of those. They have sales.

I was already a good swimmer before I started this year of revamping my stroke. I'd taken a class on teaching swimming in college. I know all the strokes and feel comfortable in the water. The book I used to make my crawl stroke more ergonomic was Total Immersion by Terry Laughlin. He has a unique method of starting the swimmer on her back for front crawl I've been thinking it might be a good method for beginners, because he goes through a different process of getting you into the water. There are some free demo videos online.

Lessons seem like a good plan, though. Ask at the pool if they are going to do a class for teachers and need guinea pigs.