I’ve had the same swim cap since 1999. I got it at a random store in Belgium after I determined (through a series of gestures) that I needed to wear one to swim at the pool down the street from our house. My dad did buy me a bright orange “Who’s your Tiger?” cap a few years ago (they live in Detroit now). But this blue, kinda tie-dyed looking one is the only one I’ve actually worn in the last 11 1/2 years.

But it looks like that is all about to change. I was in Mt. Washington in Baltimore for work on Friday, so I decided to stop by the store at Meadowbrook aquatic center (which, according to its website, is the home training facility of Michael Phelps). I didn’t see Mr. Hot-from-the-neck-down, but I did get a nice bathing suit (they have good prices, FYI), some hand paddles and this amazing thing:

Obviously I had to buy it. How could I not? I don’t think I should wear it with my pink leopard bathing suit, though. That might be a little much.