Very few people, unless they live in an area where they are beach bound all of the time and it is part of the "uniform," are comfortable picking out a bathing suit for summer, much less wearing one. In an attempt to demystify the process and to help you find the style that will enhance your body, here are a few pointers.
Let's face it. A bathing suit doesn't cover much (some less than others) so we can't hide behind layers of fabric...or can we?
3 Don'ts For Just About Everyone:
- Boy Shorts or Boy Legs
- String tie halter tops
- The big poofy skirted suits
I had a client who wears a size 2 shopping for a suit and she insisted that she wanted boy shorts because they "covered more." So I decided to humour her and see if she has learned anything from our months of wardrobe shopping. She tried on the bottoms and let out a yelp. "These are just awful," she replied. And it is true. They are just awful on just about everyone.
String halter-tops fall into that category as well. Unless you have very pert breasts and not very large ones at that, the string halter is a no-no. That would be followed by the poofy (yes, that is a made-up word) skirts. Many older people will buy them out of modesty, as will heavier women. Please don't. There are other ways to cover up that won't make you look like a beached whale.
When shopping for a bathing suit, go to a store that has the tops and bottoms separately if you are buying a two-piece. Many of us are not the same size in both places and a swim suit needs to fit properly.
Speaking of two-pieces, who should be wearing what style? Say "no" to the two pieces if there is flab where there shouldn't be. OK here we go! Hold on to your swim suit!
7 Simple Rules to Choose a Swim Suit:
- Choose a color and print that is flattering to your skin tone and body type.
- To enhance small breasts, use a print on top with a top that ties behind the neck.
- To minimize large breasts, use a tank style top but use caution. Avoid the uni-breast look.
- Slim the hips by not having the suit bottom rest on the area you want to minimize.
- Long torsos will look longer in a one piece. Try a tankini with a little shin showing in the middle to shorten your body.
- Hide a stomach with a one-piece that has a little gathering at the middle (a bit extra fabric).
- No waist? Create one with a one piece that is cut out at the sides or that has a sash or belt.
For accessories:
- Flip flops or sandals with a little heel or thickness will make you look less dumpy as you walk.
- Wear a sarong or skirt to cover up your legs if you want modesty or are trying to hide your thighs when not in the water. Choose a print or color that is flattering and tie it in a location that does not emphasize a bad area.
- A cotton gauze or sheer cover up is great for getting from place to place but remember that the sun will go through it. Wear sun block at all times.
We could go on and on about swim wear fashions and styles but the best advice is to go to a specialty store and try on different patterns and styles until you get one that is right for you.
Have a great summer!
Stylist, Indra Books, got her start early in life. At the age of 10 she started sewing with her mother and grandmother. By age, 12 she had won her first sewing competition and by 14 was making theatre costumes. After choosing not to pursue a career in the fashion industry, Indra continued to design gowns for friends and family including her own wedding dress and bridesmaids gowns. Twenty years after her mother told her to move to NYC to become a personal shopper, she opened her own life management business(ON THE GO 4 U) with personal shopping as one of the services provided.
Recently, Your Own Entourage™, a division of ON THE GO 4 U®, was created to provide star-like services to every day people that sometimes just need an entourage to get through life. The service is mobile meaning we come to you to provide service including stylists, personal shoppers, make up artist, concierge services and traveling personal assistants. We also arrange other mobile services to work with you. For more information, visit our website
