Everyone wants to look their best with every outfit they wear, especially when wearing a swimsuit. However, it’s hard to feel confident and look your best if you’re wearing the wrong swimwear for your body type. What’s more, wouldn’t it be irritating and uncomfortable to constantly adjust your swimwear if it’s digging into your skin? The thing is, finding a perfect swimsuit for women may take some time and some trials and errors along the way.
But once you find the right type, you might find yourself going to the beach all the time just to have a reason to flaunt your swimsuit. So, before you stress about knowing and trying out all types of bikinis, here’s a how-to guide on finding the right swimwear for your body type.
1. Define Your Torso
When picking a swimwear, the type of torso you have determines which swimsuit style is the most flattering and most fitted for your body. So, find out first if you have a long torso or a short one.
A short torso is when the smallest part of your waist and your underarm has a shorter distance than the distance from your hip to waist. Meanwhile, if the distance is greater, you have a long torso. For women with shorter torsos, pick a swimwear that could help create an illusion of an elongated body frame. You can achieve this by wearing one-piece swimsuits with vertical or asymmetrical patterns or a high-neck bathing suit to help create a balanced effect.
On the other hand, women with longer torsos could wear a swimsuit that helps create an illusion of a shorter frame. You can do this by wearing two-piece swimwear like a Brazilian bikini set or a tankini top paired with bikini bottoms. Preferably, go for higher cuts and avoid bottoms with straight lines, as these can make your torso look even longer.
2. Find Your Body Type
Now that you know what type of torso you have, it’s time to define your body type. While swimwear is intended for swimming; you can’t deny the fact that they’re also made to help you highlight the best features of your body. All body types have their best features, and you definitely don’t need to be in a particular shape just to have one. So, work with what you have.
To help you identify your body shape classification, take out your measuring tape and determine your measurements. Here are the five primary types of body shapes, and see which category you belong to.
- Inverted Triangle Body Shape
For women who have smaller hips and a wider upper body (broad shoulders and bust), you’ll need a swimwear that will help draw more attention to your bottoms instead of the upper region. To do this, focus on wearing halter tops and high-waisted bottoms. You may also consider wearing bottoms with embellishments to create an illusion of wider hips.
- Pear Body Shape
This is when you have curvy thighs and hips but a smaller top. The goal for this body shape is to find a swimwear that balances your proportions and provides enough coverage for your bottom half. You can do this by wearing skirted bottoms or a top with a plunging neckline to command attention on the upper region.
- Apple Body Shape
This is when your waist and hips have almost the same measurements and a fuller and rounded bust, overall creating a heavy shape. For this body type, focus on wearing one-piece swimsuits to cover up your mid-body or create an illusion of a longer torso.
- Rectangle Body Shape
From the name itself, it’s a body with an almost straight frame with minimal differences in hips, waist, and bust measurement. To make an illusion of a curvier figure, you’ll need a swimwear that makes your waist look smaller such as one-piece swimsuits featuring side cut-outs or high-cut bottoms and bikini bottoms with strings to make your bottoms look larger.
- Hourglass Body Shape
For this shape, go for swimwear that will highlight your tiny waist and elongate your figure. Since most swimsuit types can work on this body shape, you’ll only need to focus on choosing one that will highlight your best assets.
3. Consider Your Upper Body
Your upper body, or in other words, your bust, also plays a role in choosing the right swimwear, regardless of what body shape you have. If you have a wider and fuller bust, you need to pick a swimwear that provides full support and coverage. No one wants to experience wardrobe malfunction while swimming or surfing on the sea because their top strap was too small or thin.
So, go for swimsuits with thicker straps and underwires to help you feel safe and comfortable. On the other hand, if you have a smaller bust, go for swimsuit tops with padding to make your bust look fuller.
4. Be Mindful Of The Fabric
You probably already know which swimwear style is best for your body type. But for optimal style and comfort, you also need to be mindful of the fabric. Preferably, go for swimsuits made from elastane, nylon, and polyester materials. They’re robust and snag-resistant. They’re also stretchable and can easily conform to whatever body shape.
5. Choose The Colors And Patterns Wisely
The patterns and colors of your swimsuit can also affect your overall appearance. If you’re trying to reduce attention on certain parts of your body, opt for solid colors. If you want to highlight or accentuate a particular body region, you can wear swimsuits with vivid patterns and colors.
Wrapping Up
Your swimwear will be your ultimate beach accessory. So, to feel your best and enjoy the best of summer, draw insight from this how-to guide and you’ll find yourself flaunting the perfect swimwear every time!