The first thing women should consider when purchasing a bathing suit is body shape. Women’s bodies come in an endless variety of shapes and sizes. Swimwear for women should accentuate assets like full busts, or curvy hips and conceal what may be considered physical imperfections.
Achieving a Balanced Look
According to College Fashions.net, a woman’s bathing suit should ultimately achieve a proportion or balance between the upper and lower parts of the female form.
There are four basic, body shapes for women: the hourglass figure, the triangular shape, an inverted triangle shape and a rectangular shape.
Select The Proper Swim Suit For Body Shape
The hourglass figure has equally proportioned bust and hips and a small-defined waist. Women with this type of body will look good in almost any style of bathing suit. A bikini swimsuit will accentuate their slim waist while a low cut one-piece bathing suit can show off their busts and curvy hips.
A triangular shaped woman’s body shape tends to be more full around the hips and thighs. The hips are generally larger that the busts.
For this type of body shape, a two-piece bathing suit with a small skirt or shorts covering the hips can draw attention away from this area. Dark colors and matching bikini top and bottom are also good options. If a one-piece swimsuit is selected, it should also have a hip slimming line and be of a dark or solid color.
An inverted triangle woman’s body shape is more top heavy with a large chest, wide shoulders and small hips. A two-piece bathing suit with an underwire bra for support and thick straps to keep the bosom from sagging is the most flattering for this type of body shape.
A woman with this body shape can wear any bright patterns on the bikini bottoms and more muted color on the top. Look for bikini swimwear sold as separates to get the proper size balance on the top and bottom.
Rectangular body shaped women, as the name suggests, have a more boxy shape. The shoulders are strong and wide with proportional hips and an undefined waist.
Choices of swimwear for this type of figure can be more creative. One-piece bathing suits or two-piece bikini swimsuits can be adorned with ties, bows and ruffles to add a touch of femininity and soften lines.
Swimwear For The Active Women
The types of activity in which women participate are another consideration when purchasing swimwear. For lounging on the beach with occasional dips in the pool or ocean a cotton/nylon mix bathing suit is fine. For more active pursuits like surfing, snorkelling or deep sea diving a Lyra or Spandex, form, fitting bathing suit is best.
Slimming bathing suits, plus size swimwear and regular size women’s bathing suits are available at most major, department stores. Some outlets are even starting to stock swimwear for those traveling to warmer climates during the winter.
Custom Stores For Bathing Suits
For those women with hard to fit body shapes, buying a bathing suit from a specialized swimwear store that customizes the bathing suit may be a good alternative. But be prepared to pay a bit more for a proper, bathing suit.
Whether a woman’s body is short, stocky, thin, overweight or extra tall, with a bit of searching and diligence, there is a bathing suit that both flatters and complements their lifestyle.
Sheila Aylesworth - Sheila Aylesworth is a retired Student Resource Assistant. Her responsibilities included positive, communication with people from all ...
