Women are wonderful, we come in all different shapes and sizes. No one swimsuit or bikini looks the same on two different women. It’s amazing how much a well-chosen swimsuit can enhance your confidence on the beach. This article will guide you on how to choose a beach look that is right for your body type. Whether it’s one-piece swimwear or two-piece, this article will have you looking and feeling your best on your next family beach day.
There are five main body shapes which are commonly referred to as the Pear, Apple, Carrot, Athletic, and Hourglass. Each one is suited to particular swimwear styles.
Perfect Pear
The pear body shape is characterised by narrow, delicate shoulders, a slim waist, and wider hips. With a pear body shape, you want to draw attention to the top half of your body and choose styles that elongate your legs. A halter top will draw attention upwards and accentuate your slim waist.
Carrot
If you are the opposite of a pear body shape and find that your shoulders are wider than your hips, then you have a carrot body shape. Horizontal stripes are extra flattering on this body type. As this body type tends to have a larger bust, opting for a bikini top with an underwire is recommended, and halter tops too. Go with bolder colours on your bottom half to create visual balance.
All About the Apple
Slender hips and shoulders with wider midriff and bust are the hallmarks of an apple shape. Show off those slender hips and legs by choosing high-cut bottoms. Create a cinched waist visual illusion by opting for one-piece swimsuits or bikinis with ruching on the sides or middle.
Sleek Athletic
Balanced hips and shoulders, with a smaller waist and fuller booty and bust are the hallmarks of an hourglass figure. This body type knows how to rock the classic bikini and a sweetheart neckline. To ensure comfort for the hourglass ladies, it’s recommended that your bikini tops have underwire and thicker straps. For bottoms, go with high-waisted bikini bottoms.
Hourglass
Maybe you are none of the above. If you look in the mirror everything is straight up and down, with little difference between your shoulders, waist, hips, and bust. This means you are an athletic body type. The athletic type can get away with minimal support in a bikini top. Can choose bold patterns, bright colours, ruching, and frills, these options can create an illusion of curviness. One-piece swimsuits also look fantastic on an athletic frame.
Look After Your Top Half
Knowing your body shape will play a big part in choosing a flattering swimwear ensemble, but it’s not everything. You will want to take into account your upper body and torso.
If you have a fuller bust you will need to ensure you have the necessary support. Thick straps are great for fuller busts as unlike thinner straps they will not cut into your shoulder and you will be comfortable for longer. An underwire one-piece is a comfortable and stylish choice for getting that extra support if you need it.
Torso – Long or Short?
Your torso size is also another thing to consider. Measure the distance from your underarm to just above your navel. If this distance is smaller than the distance from your waist to your hip bone then you have a short torso. You have a long torso if the distance between your hip bone to your waist is shorter. If the inverse is true then you have a short torso.
One-piece swimsuits are perfect on the short torso. The aim with a short torso is to elongate your look with vertical blocks of colour and asymmetry.
Conversely, long torsos look best in two-piece bikinis, and the aim is to create an illusion of a shorter silhouette. Choose bottoms with higher cuts and avoid bottoms with straight lines across your hips.
Remember the above rules, know your body type, aim to amplify your best features, and try to achieve the visual illusion of balance. Now that you have all the knowledge to help you choose a fantastic swimsuit, get experimenting with patterns and cuts using the above tips. Using these tips will ensure that you feel most comfortable in the water and on the sand during your next beach day.