Picking The Perfect Swimsuit

Hello, lovelies!

How are you doing? Hope you’ve all had a wonderful weekend 🙂

Since Summer’s here, I thought I do a post all about what to bear in mind when purchasing a swimsuit or a bikini. We all have different body types and things we want to enhance and conceal in our bodies (if you don’t, you can’t sit with us!), so hopefully this post will help you choosing the right swimsuit for you 🙂

♥ Choose colours and fabrics that will highlight your best features and downplay your less-loved parts. The secret to a good swimsuit is drawing the eye to the most flattering parts of your figure; this will help you to feel more comfortable, as well as looking your best. Here are some basic tips to follow:

• To highlight a feature you like, use a bright colour or pattern.
• To hide something you don’t like, use a solid colour. If you have pale skin, use black or deep jewel tones, such as dark purple, navy, and maroon. If you have dark skin, bright colours can actually be more flattering and help hide what you don’t like.

• To add volume (such as to the bust or hips), choose a piece with ruffles in that area.
• To hide volume (such as on the waist), use shirred or ruched fabric.

 

• Don’t be afraid to buy separates that don’t match perfectly! Say you want to highlight your bust but draw attention away from your hips. You might buy a bikini top in a bright solid or pattern, and a bottom that’s a dark black, blue or brown (depending on the top).

 

• A one-piece will hide your waist. Choose one with shirred panels over the stomach, or in a dark, solid colour.
• A 1940’s-style, bathing-beauty bottom that’s high-waisted can also help hide a waist. Again, go with a dark colour or shirring.
• A tankini will highlight your waist, because it draws the eye to the section of skin that’s showing. If you love your waist but not so much your hips or bust, choose this.
• Boy-shorts make your hips look wider, regardless of colour. If you have a large bust and want the hips to match for a classic hourglass shape, choose boy-shorts. However, be aware that this style can feel uncomfortable for some women, so be certain of fit before you purchase anything.
• High-cut bikini bottoms make legs look longer. If you’re short, or you’re long in the torso, this is a good selection.
• Halter tops draw attention to the bust, as do triangle tops.
• Tie-front bikini tops draw the eye to the bust, as well as pulling the breasts closer to one another, effectively making them look larger. If you have small breasts and want them to look larger, this might be a good fit.
• Bandeau tops will make the bust seem wider. If you’re a pear shape and you want to imitate an hourglass shape, choose a bandeau top with ruffles or another busy detail.
• For a large bust, look for a straight across cut at the top of your swimsuit with wide set straps to minimize your bust. Try a bikini top with an underwire and a thick chest band for extra support. A thick chest band will prevent jiggling so that the bra stays where it should be and you can’t fall out.

If you have a pear-shaped body:

You’re curvy at the hips and thighs and smaller on top.

What to look for: The key to the perfect swimsuit is balancing your proportions and getting the coverage you need for your bottom half.

• For a traditional fix, look for a clean-skirted bottom that falls just below the largest part of the upper leg.
• Avoid reaching for a boy short or thick-banded bottom. The extra fabric will only call attention to the area you’re trying to mask.
• A plunging neckline or eye-catching top draws the eye upward, minimising the bottom.

If you have a large bust:

What to look for: If you’re more well-endowed on top, then support is key. Opt for suits with underwire or moulded cups to give the girls the support they need. Avoid ruffles or embellishments up top if you’re hoping to minimize the focus on your chest.

• Bra-style tops with underwire and adjustable straps provide extra bust support. The thicker the strap, the more support.
• Higher backs are also a good fit for helping to keep the girls up.
• Moulded cups provide extra support and are available in many different styles.
• Explore suits marked with sizing like your regular bra, including styles that go above a D, which are constructed to support a larger bust.

If you have a small bust:

What to look for: A smaller chest requires less support, so you can look for styles with more minimal coverage or embellished detailing, bows, and patterns to create the illusion of a larger chest.

• Triangle tops create the illusion of curves, as do tops with bold prints or embellishments with ruffles.
• Bra tops and padded push-up tops offer extra lift and can create cleavage, as can certain halter tops.
• A smaller bust always means you can wear tiny scoop tops or bandeau — embrace them!

If your body’s more athletic:

You’re more straight up-and-down and have fewer curves.

What to look for: The name of the game is playing up your curves with styles that flaunt your frame. Suits with less coverage help to create the illusion of a shapelier figure.

• Tops or bottoms with bold prints, ruffles, and embellishments add intrigue and feminine flair and can create the appearance of more curve at top and bottom.
• Monokinis create fabulous curves, as do one-pieces with slashes or strategically placed cutouts.
• The smaller the swimsuit bottom, the fuller and curvier the derriere appears.
• Tie-side bikini bottoms enhance curves and adjust perfectly to your size.

If you want to hide your tummy:

What to look for: Whether you prefer to be covered up or you’re out to slim your middle, there are a number of one-piece and two-piece suits, like high-waisted or tankini styles, that help to smooth out your middle.

• Shirring works miracles. The gathered fabric hides bulges and creates definition in the waist.
• A figure-flattering surplice-wrap silhouette trims the waist with its crossover fabric.
• If you carry your weight in the lower part of your belly, try on a retro-inspired, high-waisted suit. They’re on-trend and ace for covering the abdomen.

If you’re curvy:

You’re curvy throughout with a full bust, hips, thighs, and butt

What to look for: For curvy frames, the key is to highlight your curves while providing enough support and coverage. If you’re not keen on exaggerating your curves, then steer clear of monokinis or string bikinis with thicker ties, which can accentuate your widest areas.

• Asymmetrical suits draw the eye toward the neckline, highlighting the beautiful line from a woman’s neck to her collarbone.
• Colorblocking can help highlight your shape, as do retro suits (think high waists and boxy halter tops).

So, generally speaking:

♥ Swimsuits tend to enlarge a bit when wet, so make sure that your swimsuit is not already too large when you buy it. You definitely don’t want to lose it when you dive into a pool! It can also cling in an unflattering way in wrinkled rolls when wet if it’s too large, giving the impression of extra weight.

• Take a trusted friend to the shops with you to try swimsuits on to get a second, honest opinion.
• Always use colours that give your skin tone compliments, for instance if you have a darker skin tone, lighter colours will enhance your complexion.

♥ Some very important tips:

• As long as you feel comfortable in the swimsuit, don’t worry about what other people think. If you don’t feel comfortable, even though people say that that is the right swimsuit for your shape, don’t wear it.
• Don’t follow fashion trends if they don’t flatter your body type. This year’s swimsuit fad isn’t a determining factor when choosing a swimsuit, your body type and comfort is.

Sorry for the text-heavy post, lovelies. I do hope you’ve found this post helpful!

Love,

Alice ♥