Summer is right around the corner and if you’re like me, you spend the majority of it living in your swim suit, even when you’re not poolside or on the beach. We are all different shapes and sizes and just like with our clothes, there are certain swim suit styles to suit our bodies. There are ways to emphasize what you love about your body and ways to conceal those parts you don’t feel too great about (we all have em’) and it all starts with the right suit for your body type. Once you discover what works for your body, you will look and feel great in your summer staple!
If you’re small-chested:
Choose suits that have lots of detail such as ruffles, fringe, frills, bows, and embroidery on the chest. These embellishments create volume to give the optical allusion of a fuller chest. There are also many swim suits that have padding in them, giving your chest extra oomph. Demi-cup tops are great as they give you support and added curves. Another trick is horizontal lines. We all know to avoid them to prevent us from looking larger; but in this case, they work to our advantage by creating a fuller looking chest.
If you’re curvy:
Try a hip hugging one piece and rock those sexy curves! It will flaunt what you got while hiding some not so favored areas as well. A tankini also does a good job of concealing a little bit of belly. This is a great option if a one piece isn’t your style. Higher rise bikini bottoms are a great way to disguise a little belly bulge, not to mention very fashion forward. If your bottom is your issue, try boy shorts. The extra fabric will give you more secure coverage while still looking super cute! Another trick is combining dark bottoms with a brighter top. This will slim your bottom and minimize the look of your hips. You can always divert eyes away from your behind by wearing a plunging neckline suit. This will draw attention upwards and balance out your figure.
If you’re athletic:
Bikinis work great for showing off athletic bodies. To avoid looking too manly, shoot for bikini halter tops with wide straps to minimize the appearance of broad shoulders. To keep from being too covered up, keep the cut low to show off your sexy chest. Show off your defined abs with bottoms that sit low on the hip. Create luscious curves with low-cut bottoms that tie on the hips to draw attention outward. Choose suits in feminine colors and prints to show off your athletic but still feminine figure.
If you’re petite:
Pick suits that are high-cut in the thigh to make legs appear longer. Also try to go for designs that run vertically or stick with solid color suits. A solid one piece creates an elongating effect. V-shaped necklines also aid in drawing the eye up and down, making you appear taller. Another trick to try is a solid bikini bottom with a printed top. Not only is this a cute and funky combination, but it draws the eye upwards, giving your body a longer look.