Beautiful Swimsuit Models: bathing suits for body types

Learn by example how to chose the perfect bathing suit for your body type that accentuates your assets and hides your possible flaws.

Accents are made with e.g. eye-catching design elements like keyholes, necklaces, printed motifs, strategic color patterns, shirring or ruffles that could work to distract, enhance or create an illusion.

Use the same ideas as when you were looking for normal clothes. Just keep in mind that although black makes people look slimmer, black won't flatter you when your skin isn't tanned at all.

Apart from your body shape, the activities you will be doing are also an important factor when choosing your swimwear: it's obvious that when you go diving, a one piece bathing suit will evoke less surprises than for instance a bandeau bikini. Chose different swimwear for different occasions like tanning, swimming, beach sports, a hot tub or when having lunch in a restaurant near the beach.

Choosing perfect bathing suits for your body shape

Pear shape

You have a small-bust, an average sized waist an a large butt. One piece bathing suits are your ideal choice: a V-neck will draw attention to the top and a high-cut bottom will elongate your legs minimizing your butt. If you swear by a two piece, then go for a tankini with a pattern or print to draw attention to the top. You could by a top with extra padding as well.

Curvy and Busty shape

The curvy body looks like an hourglass: big hips, big boobs and small waist. The busty shape only has a large bust and no big hips. All you want to do here is keeping attention away from your belly, which is easily done by wearing a one piece suit. When you prefer a bikini, think monokini or make sure you buy a halter top with wide straps and extra support. Also make sure you chose the right top for the right activities: you don't want to be overly exposed.

Athletic shape

You just don't have much curves anywhere. You could add some shape wearing a bikini with bold stripes and ruffles to add volume to your top and bottom. Bandeau and slider tops are also a great choice for the top. For the bottom try boy-shorts or low-rise hipster bottoms.

You are tall

Your legs and or your torso is long. A monokini is your ideal fashion statement. Accentuate the areas you want to show off to take break your length.

You are petite

Your legs and or torso are rather short. String bikinis are your ideal choice as you can secure them to a snug fit. Make your legs look longer with high-cut bottoms, anything but a short or a skirt that will make your legs even look shorter. Look for designs that make a person's eye go up and down like a V shaped neckline or a vertical print. If you are not sure which body type you have, look for bathing suits in the shape you think you have. Then chose the other body shape you are confused about and follow the tips mentioned there.

Category › bathing suits for body types , bathing suits for women

Slimming Swimsuits

Not all women have perfect bodies; quite a few have problem areas such as an overly large bust, a tummy that's probably a bit too flabby or hips that are a tad too wide. These can make them feel too self-conscious to wear their swimsuit come summertime. Fortunately, there are various choices in slimming swimwear that minimize the appearance of problem areas while maximizing the best of one's assets.

It has been long-standing advice from fashion experts that wearing a bathing suit that has one solid block of dark colour can make someone look skinnier. There is certainly no shortage of swimsuits in black ⁽¹⁾, dark grey or navy. And just because a swimsuit is all one colour does not mean it has to be boring or unsexy. Shirring in the waist area, belts, and an attractive or unusual cut can make a bathing suit -- and the woman in it -- more eye-catching.

Some full-figured women make the mistake buying a swimsuit that covers up too much, in the belief that it's better to keep everything hidden. But according to Glamour magazine's swimwear consultants ⁽²⁾, doing this could actually emphasize a problem area. Boy shorts, for instance, are not recommended for those with large hips since they tend to make the hips look even bigger. A bikini-style bottom, but not one that's tied with strings, is recommended instead.

A vee or square-cut low neckline is also advised for those who want to de-emphasize a large tummy or wide hips. The neckline draws attention away from those problem areas and showcases a nice pair of shoulders and the bust-line.

Scuba-style bathing suits ⁽³⁾ are also popular slimming swimwear options. They fit snugly to the body and make the wearer seem skinnier because of the vertical lines on the design and the high-cut bottom that enhances the appearance of long legs. So-called skirtinis, or a bathing suit whose bottom is overlaid with a short skirt, can also give a slimming effect.

Swimwear with a high Lycra spandex content is recommended since they provide great support and make flabby areas seem smaller and firmer. Miraclesuit and Spanx by Sara Blakely are two brands whose bathing suits flatter the figures of plus size women.

There are numerous other brands that offer slimming swimsuits. Some that have been recommended by O, The Oprah Magazine ⁽⁴⁾ are Lands' End, ShapeFx, SlimPerfect Fashions, Slimsuit by Carol Wior, and Inches Off.

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