Swimsuit Shopping 101

Shopping for a swimsuit is something that most women dread. Other than a handful, most women are highly critical and conscious of how they appear in a swim suit. Here are a few tips to make the experience less stressful.

The key to buying the right swimsuit lies in buying the swimsuit that suits your figure. You cannot just move buy whatever is in fashion, you do have to keep in mind which are the flaws you want hidden.

For example a heavy chested woman will not be able to carry off a bikini ruffled top.

There are certain things you have to decide and do before you pick up the swimsuit that includes :

• Take proper measurements so as to pick the right size.
• Do not buy the suit without trying it on, as different manufacturers size them differently.
• Decide the purpose of the swimsuit, whether it is for professional swimming, or whether it is to be used for simply lounging in the beach.
• Buy a swimsuit that you like not just because it is on discount.

Types of Swimsuits

Swimsuits are mainly divided into two main categories :

BIKINI

Bikinis are two piece swimsuits that can range from revealing to the more modest.

This is ideal for those women who have upper bodies not in proportion with their lower bodies.

So if you feel that you need different sizes for the top and bottom, a bikini is your savior.

There are several styles of bikinis that include :

i) Bandeau Top : There are tops that wrap you straight around your bust. They may or may not have strings.

ii) Tankini : Tankini’s have tops that extend to the upper waist, like a tank top.

iii) String : This is a flexible kind of top where both the top and bottom half of the top is worn using strings.

iv) Triangle : A triangle top is one that comes with two triangle strips of cloth that cover the bust , designed like a halter top.

v) Boys shorts : The bottoms on these bikinis resemble that of boy’s shorts.

vi) Skirtini : The bottoms of these bikinis come with a small skirt attached to offer more coverage.

vii) One piece suit : One piece swimsuits are the more traditional form of swimsuits that are very modest as they cover the entire torso.

Of course just because they are modest doesn’t mean that they do not come in different styles and fail to look sexy.

There are a few varieties in one piece swimsuits as well :

Athletic 

These are streamlines swimsuits made especially for professional swimmers and even for those who love athletic swimsuits.

Tank suit

These are the traditional one piece swimsuits that are also called maillot suits.

  

Monokini 

In this one piece suit, a single piece of fabric goes from top to the center and the bottom to connect the top and bottom halves of the swimsuit.

The sides are usually cut out and open or designed to look sexy.

 Skirted

A regular one piece swimsuit when attached with a skirt to cover the butt and thighs is called a skirted one piece and it is usually used by those women who want maximum coverage.

 Other special categories or types of swimsuits :

There are also certain styles of swimsuits that are worth mentioning and include :

Retro Suits

Retro are the good old fashioned swimsuits and are a blessing for those who do not want to reveal too much of their figure.

They come with high waist bottoms that cover their entire abdomen and butt.

Retro bikinis are fun and allow room for imagination.

  

Ruching

Ruching is a technique of adding gathers or ruffles to hide or enhance a particular area. For example ruching in a bikini top can make it seem as if you have a bigger chest and are a great help to all those flat chested women out there.

Swimsuit that suits your body type , there are different styles that suit different body structures. A bikini is not going to suit everyone. Do not simply follow a trend. Make sure the suit looks good on you before you head to the beach or hit the pool at the local club.

So if you are looking for a swimsuit to suit your body shape, you might want to look into the following guidelines. But make sure you identify your body shape or structure before you decide. For example you might be heavy chested, with thundering thighs or even sport a flat butt.

Here are the solutions to your figure problems in a swimsuit :

1. Short torso

– To make your torso appear longer it becomes essential to lift your bust and even give the illusion that your torso is longer.
– For a longer torso, wear a low rise bottom to give the illusion of a more lengthened torso.
– You should even lift your bust by wearing a halter or tiny bandeau to draw attention to your shoulders.

2. Short legs

– For short women who want to appear longer, they should buy suits that have high cuts in the leg. If you are brave enough you can even sport a thong.
– Basically more skin show in the leg area will make you appear longer.

3. Flabby Stomach

– Select a swim suit with ruching to easily hide a tummy. Try to draw attention to your upper body by wearing a plunging neckline or one with embellishments on the top.

4. Pregnant

– While being pregnant, women prefer something that is comfortable and loose near the belly area. So a tankini that is fitted loosely around the belly area is your solution.
– It also makes it easier for these women to hit the washroom which is one of the annoying aspects of pregnancy.

5. Flat Butt

– For those not blessed with a curvy bottom, they can consider buying bottoms decorated with ruffles or ruching so as to give the illusion of a curvy or bigger bottom.
– Another option for the flat bottomed is to wear bottoms that expose more butt cheeks.

4. Big Chest

-If you have a large chest, look for swimsuits that offer a lot of support to the area. You should buy swimsuits that come with underwire, seamed cups, sturdy lining, thicker straps and double stitched bands.

5. Small Chest

– Women who are flat chested can go for a top that is full of embellishments, ruffles or padding that give the illusion of a bigger chest.

6. Broad Shoulders

– For those women who have broad shoulders, they can either choose to give the illusion of an hourglass figure by selecting a solid dark colored swim suit with bright prints on the side panels or they can simple wear an asymmetrical neckline which will draw attention away from the wide shoulders in a straight line.

7. Big Butt

– Women with big butts need swim suits that will cover their backside. Skimpy suits are not for them. Wear swimsuits with solid dark colored bottoms and ones that cover your entire booty.

8. Athletic body

– Women who sport athletic bodies crave to look more feminine and curve. Buy swimsuits with padding, ruffles or gathering in the bust area. It is recommended to pick colorful prints in bright colors.
– Never go in for straight cuts or single shapeless pieces or briefs as they will only accentuate your athletic figure.

9. Love Handles

– Fighting the bulge in swimsuits is easier than you think. Buy bikinis with high waists so as to cover the entire torso or even a basic single piece swimsuit will do the trick.

10. Fat thighs

– Women with fat thighs find it difficult to hide their fat. So they can opt for bottoms with more coverage like skirting.

11. Sun burn

– Women who are more prone to burn their skin can go in for swimsuits that cover the entire arms and also resemble surfer’s bathing suits.

12. Skinny Legs and Broad Hips

– The combination is totally not one with proper proportion. They key is to draw attention away from the legs. So choose a swimsuit that has a top with an off shoulder so as to give an illusion of being broad evenly all over.

13. Cellulite

– Some women are not brave enough to expose their cellulite, so they want a suit that will cover up all the fatty areas. Swim dresses and Tankini’s with long hemlines will help you cover these ugly dimples under the skin.

Hope these tips help you select the perfect swimsuit for you to use all year round at the beach or lounge around the pool.