How to Choose a Bathing Suit

Woman in bikini

Choosing the best bathing suit has a lot to do with taste. You should also choose a bathing suit that complements your best features and hides your worst. It should also give support in the right places. Here is how to decide which bathing suit will do all of these things for you, so that you look your best on the beach or by the pool.

Instructions

1. Consider your breast size, if you are a woman, before thinking about any other part on your body. Larger breasts will need suits with an underwire or built-in bras for the best support. Women with smaller breast should look for tops that are padded or that have ruffles, sequins or other details to add visual girth to the bust area.

2. Think about "ab" coverage. No matter if you are a man or woman, you should think about how much stomach you want to reveal on the beach. If you love your abs, go for low-slung bikinis, trunks or racing briefs (Speedos). If your abs are something you'd rather cover up, choose high-waisted trunks ( the kind the go up to the navel) or a one-piece suit. A one-piece suit with a skirt de-emphasizes the stomach, as well.

3. Conceal thighs by choosing pieces with trunks, and stay away from bikini styles. This works well for men or women.

4. Go for swimsuits with a lower cut if you are a woman with large hips. Higher cut suits put more emphasis on the hips and, if you aren't careful, it will look like your hips are oozing from the swimsuit.

5. Cover an un-kept bikini line with a boy shorts or trunk bottoms. This is important for men and women.

6. Be modest but still get the feel of a bikini with a tankini. These types of swimsuits are two-piece, but the top is a tank top and the bottoms are traditional bikinis or boy shorts.

Tips & Warnings

• Always try on a swimsuit before you purchase it.

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• How to Choose a Swimsuit for a Big Bust
• Swimsuit Style Tips