It's time: Bathing suit shopping tips and favorites!
Summer is coming, and you may need a new bathing suit! If this is stressful for you, do not be afraid - I have some tips for you:
1. If you are looking for a new bathing suit, the time to shop is NOW.
Wait until June or July and the sizes and colors you need may be sold out as the retailers move on to fall fashions.
We all know what happens when you wait until the last minute to shop for what you need, especially in summer. The retailers move on to fall fashions before we've even gotten in a couple of great beach days.
If you see something you love, buy it when you see it! There is no guarantee it will be there when you go back weeks later.
2. If you have difficulty with fit, or never feel like you find something that makes you feel confident, I recommend you spend more than you think you should.
WHY?
You’re not really buying a bathing suit; you’re buying confidence.
Imagine feeling more comfortable in your skin at the beach or pool.
What is that worth to you? Maybe it's $50 more than you'd typically spend (which may seem crazy) or maybe it's $100 more.
I suggest that you look at this through a different lens and think about what it is you are buying here.
3. Order a ton online, plan to return most of them.
Order multiple sizes and colors - more than you think you'll need - in order to give yourself lots of options and increase your chances of success. Imagine you love a suit but it's a little too small - but you ordered the next size up and can try it on right away? Yay! That's what I'm talking about.
Speaking of sizes, always go up one size. It's just the way it is.
Then, try on your many bathing suit selections in the comfort of your own home, when you're feeling good. Nobody says you can't dim the lights a little and have a glass of wine. Whatever works ;)
I follow my own advice and did all of the above - and decided to share with you this year my two personal favorites and why I love them.
I've got a bikini and a one-piece for you. One splurge, one steal.
First, the steal...
One of my favorite places to find well-priced bathing suits with tons of choices and combination is Target. Real women aren't always the same size on top and bottom, and Target has a TON if choices if you like to mix and match. Want to draw attention away from the hips and thighs? Go with a bright colored patterned top and darker solid bottoms. Need more coverage in a certain area? You've got choices. And the prices are great.
However, my favorite bathing suit from Target turned out to be a one piece!
The steal!
Tankinis have mostly gone by the wayside, but the good news is, one pieces have made a huge comeback and they can be realllllly sexy. Like, as sexy as you can possibly imagine.
Me, I like a little sexiness but not too much.
This one piece has some lovely ruching on the belly if you've ever been pregnant and like me, have a bit of tummy. I like the cups that give moderate support but may substitute my own molded cups for a bit more shape (you can buy them here).
The sexy part? A cheeky bum. Nothing crazy, but way more modern looking than the full coverage bums that used to be the norm. I don't think full coverage bottoms do us any favors. They flatten and give us no shape. Look, even if you have cottage cheese (hand raised), even if you think your bum is too big/too small/too whatever, it's going to show whether you wear a full coverage bottom or not, so you might as well flatter it!
Side note: if you don't want to show much of anything, buy a couple of beautiful cover ups and leave them on over your swimsuit all day - nobody will notice because you're in beachwear! (versus street clothes that look out of place and draw more attention at the beach that you are covering up)
You can find my favorite one piece in 12 colors, here!
On to my splurge...
The splurge!
Ladies, I thought I was retiring from bikinis, but this one gave me hope. (I’ll be throwing some self tanner on my midsection for added confidence!)
The top has sewn in molded cups (not the ones that slip out of those little pockets all the time!) and give a far better shape than any of those flimsy pads you get with other suits. Great for those of us who need a little help with the girls, and the reviews say that this top is supportive to larger busted ladies as well.
Because the top flatters so much, I felt a little less self conscious about my belly in this bathing suit. Add the bottoms that are a slightly higher rise than a traditional bikini and I'm even able to cover some of my stretch marks! :)
I mixed this top with these bottoms.
What do you think?
More of my bathing suit shopping tips here.
Here are some of my favorite places to shop swimwear:
▪Nordstrom (always free shipping and free returns!)
▪Target and Victoria's Secret (both allow you to mix and match tops and bottoms)
▪Becca Swim (gorgeous, feminine with crochet details)
▪Everything But Water (designer swimwear and cover ups)
▪Old Navy (sizes XS - 4X)
I hope this was helpful! Bookmark this post if you're not shopping right away and refer to it when you're ready!
There are so many factors that go into choosing a suit that will make you feel comfortable. If you need some personalized advice, sign up for one of my Virtual Styling sessions via Zoom. We'll talk through what you need, I'll give you advice on how to find what will flatter you best, and I can even show you real life examples by screen sharing while we chat!