As a young girl, there is SO much pressure to look cute in a bathing suit! We see all these swimwear models with the "PERFECT" body which leaves us scrolling online, buying a swimsuit, and then being disappointed our bodies don't look the same way they did on the model. Even into adulthood, we carry stigmas around in our heads whether they are intentional or not. "Which bathing suit looks best on my body type?"
This is a guide on how to shop for different body types and achieve the look you want, to feel comfortable. By no means do these rules always stand or imply that you should cover up your body. Be a BEAUTIFUL & CONFIDENT woman and ROCK the size and shape that you are in the look YOU love! My goal is to help anyone struggling with areas that may make you feel unconfident, and start building your confidence to make every beach your runway!
All swim styles in this blog post are from Kamoni.
Click the button to shop, use code: 903217 for Buy 3 Get 1 Free! (limited time)
How To Get That Push Up Look
Girls love to look feminine and curvy, but like myself, not all of us are born to have a D Cup chest. As girls are growing and maturing the pressure to have a full-looking chest is immense, which can shatter confidence early on comparing to all these women we see online. How to get that push up bathing suit look.
DON'T:
- A huge misconception we have is that the more we show, the sexier and larger our chest will look... WRONG! I have found deep V's and traditional bikini tops to be the MOST unflattering style on my body. You can sometimes get a more full look in a turtleneck than in a top that is barely held together with straps.
BUT...If you love those itsy bitsy teeny tiny bikini's, ROCK THEM! Don't let anyone tell you what to wear, including ME! Here are some of my favs trending below.
Tips: If you are worried about slippage, try fashion tape or padded inserts to keep this style in place.
DO:
- Option one is getting a push-up cup. These are the more obvious choice that will support you like a bra and give you the desired look of a larger cup size. If you do opt-in for one of these, ensure you have the PROPER cup size and adjust the straps. Similar to bra shopping the cup can pucker forward, away from your skin, if it is not fitting properly...AND WE DONT WANT THAT! Get measured at any lingerie or swim specialty store first.
- Another option is a cropped tank top, it eliminates the deep V and holds the girls in tighter, creating a push-up look without the extra padding. These tops can often be found with very interesting strappy backs and details since the coverage is there to hold you in the front. Look for a style that is adjustable in the straps to ensure they stay in place and give you a lifted look.
- Off The Shoulder styled tops or anything that cuts across your chest instead of that V shape are great. They have a bit of extra support so the top won't slide down and are very fashionable. Bonus they double as a cute top you can wear with pants!
Tummy Trouble?
The age-old question, how do I hide my stomach? First I would love to encourage you to rock your body, but we all have insecurities and there is nothing wrong with that. A huge problem is companies lump together all body shapes into one category, while there can be dozens of different shapes. You can apply these tips below when shopping for any clothing item not just swimwear.
DON'T:
- The immediate reaction to insecurity is to cover up, grab the biggest T-shirt you can find, and just cover all of it! You do not need to!
DO:
- First, find where your waist is! Stand up tall, put your hands on the sides of your stomach and bend over like you are doing "I'm a little Teapot". Where your side bends, that is your waist! Your natural waist sits much higher than where most people think because of how low jeans are worn, which is actually your hip line. Your waist is usually where you are tiniest but sometimes it can be just under your bustline. Now... we want to accentuate where you are the smallest.
- If you have a smaller waist lower than your bustline, you do NOT want something super flowy that hides your waist. This is creating a straight line from your chest to your hips, causing you to look larger! Opt-in for something that hugs that smaller part of your waist or even leave a gap and shows some skin along that line. If you need extra coverage try some ruching, a belt, or other accents that help hide WHILE showing off how small you are.
- If you are tiniest right under your bustline, look for a style that hugs under your bust. You can find something like a peplum top to give you extra comfort if needed, but a belt or strap under the bust can help show your curves.
- If you have a figure where your bust is about the same width down to your hips OR you would like to hide your stomach completely, this is when a flowy style can be most flattering. It is showing the smallest part around your bustline while giving you coverage. Since you have more coverage in the front, try a deeper neckline, interesting back, or even a cute wrap style that you can adjust.
- If you really feel most comfortable in that old T-shirt why not dress it up? Try a button-down shirt with some bright hair accessories like a scrunchy, some shades, or even some bold hoops. Another option is a bold print Kimono or waist wrap.
Wide Shoulders, Scars & Armpit Flab
Whether we have broad shoulders, scars, or that extra piece of skin under our armpits... there are styles to help without buying that granny suit!
DON'T:
- Stay away from halters or wider straps that make your shoulders look wider. We want to create a new proportion, not cut your shoulder in half.
DO's
- Having broad shoulders is all about balance and reverse psychology. If your shoulders are wide you want to widen your hips to even out your proportions. The second photo below, has a peplum that will widen other parts of your body to accentuate your smaller proportions and curves.
Option two is to make a statement, widen your shoulders! Wait what? Widen my shoulders to make them smaller?
Below is a great example to prove I am not crazy! The green top with a flowy partial sleeve creates a look similar to padded shoulders from the 80's. It camouflages your shoulder line making the broadness due to the ruffles instead of the shoulder itself.
Depending on your body type, a plain strapless top can be flattering as well, but I would watch the proportions of the rest of your body to ensure that balance is still present.
- Arm flab...all joking aside this "flab" is actually the skin that allows your arms to move. Without it, we would barely be able to lift our arms above our heads! As we get older it can become more prominent which causes self-confidence issues for many women. There are exercises that can tighten your muscles however, if you would like to cover this area there are many options. Off the shoulder or a V neck with a bit of a sleeve would be my top 2 picks shown below.
- Some of us have scars and want full coverage, even if you are supported to rock those battle scars, sometimes we just want to feel comfortable. This is where one-pieces, tankinis, and rash guards come in handy.
Any one-piece can cover the majority of your body while still being sexy, and you can find interesting designs with cutouts that are in places where your scars don't show.
Rash guards cover your arms up to your neck, giving a sporty look. Please stay away from drab designs that are one color and one fabric from neck to hand!
You can also try the button-down shirt dress or kimono combo, as mentioned earlier in the blog. You can wear accessories to jazz up these styles to feel fashionable.
If you have any other concerns comment below, and let me know if any of these tricks work!
I was a manager and stylist in an evening gown shop, and would love to share all my tricks with you if you need advice.
All swim styles in this blog post are from Kamoni.
Click the button to shop, use code: 903217 for Buy 3 Get 1 Free! (limited time)
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