Does your excitement for summer come to a screeching halt when you think about bathing suit shopping? Here are my suggestions to make it a (practically) pleasant experience.
1. Know your body type, and then shop only the shapes and styles that will flatter you. Don’t waste time on suits you may love but don’t love you back!
To determine your body type, take this quiz or identify yourself below:
An hourglass figure has shoulders and hips that are about the same width with a defined waist (Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johannson). Rectangles are straight, with shoulders and hips about the same width without a defined waist (Gwyneth Paltrow and Kate Hudson). Triangles have smaller shoulders and a fuller hip (Jennifer Lopez, Mischa Barton). Inverted triangles have broader shoulders/bust and an almost non-existent hip (Angelina Jolie, Cameron Diaz).
Check out this video for bathing suit suggestions by body type, or see my faves for 2010 below!
2. Shop now! When the pressure isn’t on to find a great suit by the weekend, your shopping experience will be a lot more relaxing. As well, if you wait until summer, the retailers may run out of your size and color choices.
3. Shop online. Spare yourself the torture of trying on a zillion bathing suits in horrible fluorescent-lit fitting rooms. Many retailers will offer free shipping with a minimum purchase. You will only be charged shipping on what you return, a small price to pay for the opportunity to try on in the privacy of your (perhaps candlelit?) bedroom!
Don’t forget to order up a size from your usual clothing size.
Check out some of my favorite suits for 2010:
- Rectangle
The ruching on this Lenny tankini hides a multitude of sins in the tummy area!
Hourglass
A classic bikini keeps proportions balanced.
Triangle
Gathering on the top of this J. Crew suit adds volume and draws the eye away from fuller hips
Inverted Triangle
This Miraclesuit provides excellent support for larger-busted women.
A note to Philadelphia-area readers:
You must check out Abbe’s Place at 4355 Main Street in Manayunk. Owner Abbe Cheskin has been fitting women in bathing suits for 20+ years, so she knows all the right questions to ask. Abbe is so good that twice she has fitted me for bathing suits over the phone! The exclusive labels she carries may cost a pretty penny, but the service and quality she provides is well worth it.
