Plus size swimwear...for your body type

How many of you just felt the cold chills with the mere mention of swimwear?  Yep...me too.  I am fortunate enough to have a swimming pool in my backyard, but I very rarely ever use it.  Silly, you say.  Maybe, but the thought of stuffing my body into a swimming suit and having my poor husband and child lay eyes on my in that suit are sometimes just too much for me.

I have done some research to hopefully help you have a more pleasant experience with swimwear.  We will use the body shapes from a previous post.

#1 - Diamond shape - you want to enhance your bust while de-emphasizing your lower half.  Swimsuits should have ruffles or some kind of embellishment at the bust....or patterned at the bust with a dark color on the bottom.  If using a swimdress, tankini or skirt, look for an A-line that will skim your body without adding any volume.

                       on the left - Longitude/on the right - Shore Club

#2 - Hourglass shape - You are the lucky one.  Most suits will look good on you.  You will want to keep your proportions balanced.  Look for suits with strapless tops, balanced embellishments on top and bottom to enhance your curves.

                       on the left - Tropiculture/ on the right - Longitude

#4 - Figure Eight (Spoon) - Much like the Diamond shape, you want to draw attention to your upper body..and also your legs.  Look for a suit with light colors, ruffles, etc. on the top and dark simple bottoms.  Retro swimsuits with high waisted bikinis or pin-up style one piece suits.  One piece suits with rouching across the middle.

On the left - Suddenly Slim by Catalina      On the right - Delta Burke

#5 - Rectangle shape - Since you do not naturally have your own curves, you will have to give the illusion of curves with your swimsuit.  Look for ruffles and colors that highlight your bust and hips or a design that will give the illusion of a nipped in waist.

On the left - Aquabelle                    On the right - City Chic

#6 - Triangle (Pear) shape - Since you are heavier on the bottom, you want to draw the eye upward and create an illusion of a longer torso.  Look for suits with lighter colors on top and bottoms that are cut relatively high. Underwires or padding enhances the effect.

 

On the left - Shore Club              On the right - Torrid

#7 - Oval shape - The big issue here is the midsection.  Your mission is to deflect the eye away from it...or hide it.  Choose suits with wrap patterns or criss-cross patterns.  Choose a suit with detailing at the hip such as a ruffle or a tie.  

 

On the left - Roamans                         On the right - Longitude

#8 - Inverted Triangle - your upper half is larger than your lower half.  This means you will need to look for suits to balance the 2 and create some curves.

  

On the left - Tropiculture          On the right - Just for Us

I hope you find this helpful.  At then end of the day, it's all about taking the plunge (see what I did there?) and getting yourself out there.  No need to be stuck in the cover-up or the sarong.  Make sure you try different suits within your specification and get the one that speaks to you and allows you to be who you want to be.