Finding that perfect swimsuit doesn’t have to be difficult. There is a swimsuit for all body shapes.

We are all different. We come in all shapes and sizes. There are at least 8 billion body types. 1 for every human on this big blue ball. A bonus is that there is a swimsuit for all body shapes. I don’t know about you but I don’t really fit the “norm” when it comes to most clothing charts. I’m 6 feet tall, probably 180 lbs. and have some big parts that sometimes don’t fit into a size XL from the department stores. I was feeling frustrated when looking for a perfect suit this year and decided I just had to put together this little resource of swimsuits for all body shapes.

From a big bust to a baby bump, if I can help you pick a swimsuit that makes you feel comfortable and confident on the beach, then I have done my job. If not, don’t panic. With the help of the world wide web, we should be able to find you a swimsuit that is at least complimentary to your body and makes you feel beautiful and sexy.

A nice suit and cover up looks so classy

I am not a fashion expert or a body expert. I just have some ideas. Personally, I think that pairing your swimsuit with a great cover-up is the most convenient and beautiful way to transition from the beach to a lunch date (no matter what is underneath). They look a little classier than a beach towel wrapped around you.

Swimsuits for all body shapes

Remember friends, these are only guidelines, just suggestions. Don’t despair, there is a swimsuit for all body shapes. If you absolutely love the look of your current suit or bikini and stuffs kind of popping out in places (but you’re okay with it) then, you go girl! Rock the body you’ve got.

A few common bathing suit styles

• bikini -a very brief two-piece swimsuit for women
• bandeau -garment that wraps around a woman’s breasts. It is usually part of a bikini in sports or swimwear. It is similar to a tube top, but narrower.
• full or 1 piece –  the one-piece swimsuit is usually a skin-tight garment that covers the torso, except maybe the back or upper chest.
• cutout -a full bathing suit with strategically placed openings
• boy cut – Bathing suit bottoms that provides full coverage with a lower leg cut. Also called hot pants.
• monokini – A one piece suit that looks like a bikini with minimal fabric or connection to keep the top and bottom of the suit together.
• tankini – A bikini top with flowy extra fabric that covers your midsection or belly. Combined with a high waisted bottom for full coverage of your tummy.
• swim dress – a full bathing suit with a skirt attached to cover your butt or give it some more dimension
• triangle – a traditional bikini with triangle shaped coverage over bust, usually with spaghetti straps.
• maillot – Pronounced My-OH. A fancy name for a one-piece swimsuit. Generally a simpler design or cut.
• halter – A bathing suit top that ties behind the neck.

Feel confident this summer

When you find that perfect bathing suit, one that fits your body and makes you feel confident, it can make your summer holidays and trips to the beach even more enjoyable. Let’s get down to business and figure out which suit suits you!

1.Do you have a bigger bust?

Cleavage is sexy

Women with a large bosom have 2 key areas to contend with… they need to keep their bits tucked in on the sides of the suit and underneath the bust if they want to do any kind of running or jumping at the beach. Any amount of cleavage is sexy and it just depends on how confident you feel as to how much you show off. Having bigger boobs can be a challenge when wearing a bathing suit especially when running into and out of the surf as your girls go flapping off in different directions or pop out the top.

Support is key

Let’s take a look at which suit styles will keep things under control. A wider padded strap can keep your skin from being cut into. A sturdy underwire or invisible wire that doesn’t cut off your circulation works well to hold the girls up. Having the straps wider apart on the shoulder can keep back pain down. A closed mesh halter that tucks all your bits in will also give great support as well as a nice focus on the waist.

2.Do you have a flat butt?

Teeny caboose

If you are like me, I have always dreamed of having a nice round bum. Well, it never happened so I am here today explaining how to make a flat butt look good in a bathing suit. First thing I decided was that this was my life and I needed to be okay with it. It isn’t the end of the world having a little less caboose. I mean, we can lift them, right? A while back, I came across a sweet bikini that had a boy short with gathers up the side. It really helped lift my derrière up a few inches.

Watch out for the plumber style

I like the look and the feel of a short style or skirt because a thong would look like a string attached to a plank and that is not attractive. Some people think that the thong will lift the bum but I tried it. It wasn’t for me. I also found that if a suit bottom is too short in the rise, it can pull your butt down even further and that just looks like a wannabe plumber style. I love little flouncy bathing suit bottom skirts like the camo one below. Covers and lifts at the same time.

3.Do you have broad shoulders?

Straps further apart look fantastic

I have a set of football player shoulders and I am okay with that. What I find works well is a larger strap set out a bit further on the shoulder (not a racerback style, that makes me look even wider up top). I like a halter if the strap comes out a bit towards the shoulder and doesn’t sit on the neck. If you have large breasts, make sure the straps are wider to not dig into the shoulder and create unnecessary pain

4.Do you have an athletic figure?

Growing up

In the 70’s and 80’s, we spent our best years living near one of the most beautiful lakes in BC. I remember swimming every single day once summer started and school was out. The thing I remember most about those years were the ugly bathing suits I owned. It wasn’t that I purposely bought horrible styles, it was the fact that I was 6 feet tall by grade 7 and I was as flat as a board. I had zero body shape and was gangly and skinny. There were only a few choices and a bikini was not my favorite. I always opted for the sporty style of one piece (like the kind swimmers wear in competitions).

Full coverage suits

The saving grace with the bathing suits that I wore was the fit. They had a longer torso and full coverage on the top and never crawled up my butt. I do not know how athletes keep it together when a suit is riding up. Volleyball players on the beach have the most amazing skills, not only playing the sport but keeping their butt cheeks under wraps (for the most part). I think nowadays, you don’t have to sacrifice good looks for a well fitting suit to do sports in.

Hot pants make exercising fun

The boy short or hot pant look is super cute while allowing you to jump and run. Bikinis look great on a person with a full bust or a teeny one. I think comfort is key when you are doing sports. You may like a full one piece or a skimpy triangle bikini. It’s up to you. It is about comfort and style. My cousin, Chelsea owns an incredible swimsuit company that makes competition suits for body builders and boy, she does not skimp on the bling when making these suits. They are just gorgeous and really accentuate the female form. She can help you with a swimsuit that fits your body shape. Check her out at www.cabafashions.com to see what I mean.

5.Do you have some love handles?

Muffin top? No prob

I call these little love handles “my chunks”. I am totally okay with them now but when I sit back and think about all of the diets I have been on, the countless times I went to the gym, just to come home and eat a hunk of cake, and the mental abuse I put myself through when that muffin top decided to rear its ugly head, it makes me sad that I wasted all those years on crap like that. So what, you have some extra meat in the middle. Who doesn’t?

We’ve been tricked

Love handles and muffin tops are no big deal! What matters is that we love who we are and try to balance out our lives with decent food, plenty of rest, water, sunshine, happiness and outdoor activities. We have been tricked for decades to think that this fat in the middle is a bad thing. I mean, don’t get me wrong, we should try to be healthy. Have you seen the renaissance paintings? Chubby and plump.

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Yesterday I bought a Mumu to throw over my bathing suit this year. That should cover those love handles nicely. Other than that, I will wear my suit proudly and keep moving forward into a healthier lifestyle.

6. Do you have a big bum?

We are not a fruit!

“I like big butts and I cannot lie!” Such a good song and an even better sentiment. Why do we worry so much about our butts? Well, we see it in movies and magazines that a butt needs to be an apple or a pear or some other kind of fruit. A nice fitting bathing suit can really accentuate your bum and with the amazing cover ups and sarongs on the market, if you feel a little uncomfortable about letting it all hang out, you can add some real flair to your suit.

Wear your suit proudly

For years I had the flattest butt but things changed and now that I am over 50, I guess I have a big butt now. I love being part of this group. I think the best thing for a big butt is to wear it proudly. Dress it up, bling it, wear tight fitting waists to accentuate it and for goodness sakes, do not cover it with a giant man’s t-shirt. That is just an absolute no-no.

7.Cellulite(nobody is immune)

Love your imperfections

The last time I cared about cellulite was in grade 12. During prom, I wanted to wear a dress that tapered in the back and was short in the front. I cannot believe how much it was on my mind back then and how it affected my choice of dress. To think that at 128 pounds, I cared about cellulite. You know why I did care? It is about the time I started reading those garbage magazines that confuse teenagers into thinking they are so imperfect. Well, we have done away with those crap mags and now we have an internet just chocked full of opinion at every junction.

Part of your story

Adults are buying cellulite creams at rapid rates. Using all sorts of tools to reduce it. I used them. I spent thousands of dollars on corrective skin products. I thought they would erase those bumps and jiggly bits. Nope. I have even more now. They are just like my battle scars from pregnancy and illness. They are a part of my story. If I see someone without cellulite, I know it is a genetic thing. Even incredibly disciplined athletes have cellulite. What is it anyways?

We all have it

Cellulite is the term for lumpy skin (similar to orange peel) found on the hips, buttocks, thighs, abdomen and under the arms. Cellulite is not a disease or a disorder. It is normal and effects most, if not all, women. Men don’t seem to be affected as much because they accumulate fat differently and have thicker skin making the lumps less noticeable. I think it is about time that we change the stigma around cellulite.

It is a normal part of life so I don’t think we should worry about it. I don’t mind being in that club. I’ve embraced it and still choose to wear short shorts, bikinis and all sorts of sexy little dresses. Why not?

Are you ready to dive in and experience your best summer ever?

8. Do you have a teeny bust?

Well, even though I am way up in the 40DD range now, until I got pregnant with my first child, I was as flat as a board! I would stuff my bra and purposely hunch over to hide my teeny boobs (I wasn’t fooling anybody). So, I do know what it feels like to have a tiny bust. It was hard sometimes. I owned a few padded bras in my day and boy, they made me feel like a million bucks. But, I was tricking people. It wasn’t right.

A great fitting suit is the key

We should just embrace what we are at the moment. Trying to not be obvious is the best way to be obvious. I think a smaller bust looks fantastic in a great fitting suit. No matter if it is a full piece or bikini, if the bust fits, it will look fantastic. Try to not have gaping cups with underwire. It looks not only uncomfortable but not too flattering. A zipper top looks really sexy on any bust size. There are some hot looking ones out there right now.

9.Do you have scarring on your tummy or sides?

This is a touchy area of the body for some women. I had 2 natural births myself but underwent a huge surgery for a tumor and it completely scarred my belly for life. It is almost ridiculous that we shame ourselves for having had either a pregnancy procedure or a major surgery. Ladies, let’s try to stop doing that to ourselves. There is a multitude of physical abnormalities among us in everyone we see. Sometimes you can see them, sometimes they are hidden.

Scars tell your story

The whole point to life is to live it in the fullest way possible without shame or guilt. If you can move and experience things without being encumbered then you are living life fully. If you have scars, just find creative ways to cover them or maybe say f*ck it and don’t! I stopped caring a few years ago when I realized these scars are part of my story.

Buy some good quality cocoa butter or coconut oil to reduce those scars a bit. Own them. They are part of you. Not much you can do about it. I suggest wearing any bathing suit you love. That’s it.

10. Do you have big thighs?

A little extra is okay

I’ve been graced with some long legs and with some big ol’ thighs. Frankly, I’m totally okay with it. All too often, we tend to focus negatively on our body shape when it really doesn’t bother or affect anybody in the first place. Nobody is saying “damn, your thighs are too big”. I have never heard those words uttered. On the contrary. My hubby loves my thighs. You can exercise or diet or whatever you want. That is a choice we have but in reality, sometimes we just have some extra cushion on the butt and thighs.

Flowing skirts are perfect

If I had to choose a bathing suit that makes me feel confident about my legs and thighs, I would usually go for the little flowing skirt bottom. I just think they are super cute. If you have lots of cellulite (see above) the skirt is a great little cover for that stuff. I used to ride a bicycle quite a bit and was addicted to biker shorts. I have changed things up a bit in the past few years, to embrace my femininity and I now buy only short biker shorts, more like hot pants in cute patterns and colors.

A great fit

These fit so great. I have been buying separate bathing suit tops to wear with these mini shorts and I love the look. Kind of sporty but cute. Perfect for the beach, the pool or bike riding. I have always loved short wraparound skirts made from batik or tie dye fabrics as they can elevate your look immediately. Going from pool to dinner looks just fine with the right wrap, sandals and some bling. Wear what feels good and have some fun this summer.

11. Have a baby bump?

Accentuate your baby bump!

When I became a mom for the first time 26 years ago, I held nothing back when it came to wearing a swimsuit. I owned 2 bikinis that I pretty much lived in all summer and well into the fall until Kelsey was born. He was a big boy and my tummy stuck out so far, it became a table to rest my drink on. I remember that the suit was bright orange and yellow. It was as flashy as I could get. It had underwire and wider straps with a bottom that tied on each side. This meant that as I continued to grow out, I could release the tension from my hips and still keep everything in. It was a great suit. I never opted for a full, one piece back then.

Be Confident

I had lots of confidence and was not afraid to hide my big body. I still remember as my boobs got absolutely massive that I would squish them into that bikini because I loved it so much. I regret not buying a bigger top size as the wire did start to get a little diggy into my ribs. It was fun being pregnant and wearing big yellow flowers on an orange terry cloth fabric. It was about comfort and confidence. So, if you are pregnant, wear whatever feels good. You are packing a baby around in there and as long as you aren’t squishing it or your boobs too much, just go for it!

To summarize

I hope this blog helps a little bit with you making a decision about a swimsuit this year. I had so much fun researching all of this stuff for you. There are so many different body types and a swimsuit for all body shapes that it would be impossible to fit them all in a blog. I think we need to embrace the body that we have in the moment and find a bathing suit that makes us feel good. If you have any additional things to add for my readers, feel free to comment below. Now, let’s get out there and enjoy bathing suit season. Shannon

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