If this statement just made you want to go run off and hide, I feel your pain.  In fact, I’d say most women would rather clean house all day or shop for anything but a bathing suit.  Bathing suit shopping is usually a nightmare for women, but don’t get too stressed, because I can offer some relief.  In this article, I will give  you some very helpful pointers on styles that will suit you best. 

The first step is to figure out your body shape.  You want to balance your proportions with the correct style bathing suit.  In order to do that, you need to measure your bust, hips, waist and torso.  Once you have those measurements you’ll be able to determine which areas you want to direct attention to.  

If you are:

Large Busted: You will want to balance your proportions out with a skirted bottom.  A halter style top with a wide band will narrow the appearance of the shoulders and support the bust.  Wearing a swimsuit with underwire is a must for lift and support.  Avoid triangle and bandeau style tops.  Make sure breast tissue is not overflowing out of the cups for that is never a flattering image. Opt for tops with minimal details and go for deep colors, such as dark purple, navy, black, or dark red.

Small Busted: You will also want to make sure your top fits appropriately so that there is no loose fabric causing the bust to seem smaller.  Have fun with bandeau and triangle style tops, especially because these styles are only suitable for smaller busted women.  If you want enhancement to the bust, go for push-up styles that include padding.  Swim tops that have ruffles, ruching, and bold patterns are also great for enhancing the look of the bust.

Bottom Heavy: Avoid busy patterns and go for solid colored bottoms in a dark shade, such as navy, black, dark purple or dark red.  Make sure the bottom of the suit is not too skimpy, but avoid boyshort styles that can make the legs look short and widen the bottom.  If you feel more comfortable in a skirted bottom, make sure that the fabric of the skirt hits below the trouble area.  Again, opt for a solid colored skirted bottom.  Draw attention upward by wearing a top with detailing, such as beading, a bold design, or ruching.  Also, the top should have straps that are set wide apart as this will make the top of the body in more proportion to the bottom.

Full Tummy:One-piece swimsuits that have ruching, draping or wrap to the side will hide extra buldge in the mid-section. Patterns and extra details or embellishments around the bust area wil direct attention upward.  Vertical lines will give the illusion of a narrower frame and choosing a bathing suit with a high lycra count will provide extra support and control. Tankinis are a nice alternative to a one-piece, but make sure that the tankini is long enough to cover the stomach. It should not ride up to expose the area you are trying to conceal.

Fantasie and Freya swimwear are known for their amazing bras for larger busted women and they provide bra sized swimwear! Their styles are fun and flirty and range from halter, bikini, tankini and one-piece styles. Here are some of their swimsuits. You can purchase any of these at www.alamodelingerie.com or visit the actual boutique at 32 West Street, Annapolis, MD 21401.  

Freya Soda Soft Cup One Piece Swimsuit Freya Soda Underwire Balcony Bikini Top

Freya Darling Harbour Two Piece