Redeeming Beauty's Swimwear Guide

I went shopping for a new swimsuit recently.

I always find it incredibly difficult to find a swimsuit, because I have a very unique body shape. I have a super short torso due to my severe scoliosis (curved spine), no waist and very large hips.

In fact, when I measured myself when shopping online, My bustline measurement fit into size M while my waist and hips fit into XXL! (How does that even work?!)

So trust me when I say I feel your pain. For most women, the swimsuit is the most-hated item to shop for. So I decided to put together this guide for you to make it a little easier! Here are my top 5 tips for finding a flattering swimsuit:

Tip #1: Make sure it's the right colour. 

This step is CRITICAL. You want your swimsuit to harmonise with your natural colouring, not clash with it. If it's not the right colour, it will draw attention towards itself and highlight any challenge areas. If it's in your colour code, it will minimise your challenges and draw the attention to your beautiful face while making your skin look radiant. 

So, should you choose a neutral or a pop colour? Here's something to remember:

Dark colours minimise, while light colours maximise. 

So if you really want to make yourself look slimmer, go for a darker colour, like navy, brown or black (whichever is your best neutral). But in my opinion, a pop colour is much more fun. Don't worry, there are many other slimming tricks to go for, which we'll cover later on in this blog post. Which brings me to:

Tip #2: Go for a pattern!

Patterns are my favourite way to camouflage. They are the hero of minimising, as they distract the eye. If you're carrying a little extra weight in a particular area, a pattern over that area will give the eye more places to go, and camouflage any extra "fluff". 

Luckily, patterns are trending in swimsuits right now so it's not hard to find one! Go for one in your favourite pop colour and you're good to go!

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Tip #3: Ruching minimises the belly.

If you feel a little self-conscious about your belly when wearing a swimsuit, choose one with ruching or shirring over the belly area like this one. This will help smooth your belly and disguise any extra lumps or bumps. (Side note: You don't need to be self-conscious about your belly. It's beautiful.) 

Side-shirring is also great, as it has the same effect while also highlighting your waist (or giving the illusion of one if you're like me and don't have much of a waist). Crossover details at the waist also do this really well. 

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Tip #4: Look for vertical details.

Vertical stripes, piping, ruching, buttons, or any other details create a very flattering silhouette as they draw the eye up and down the body, causing you to look taller and slimmer. 

Notice how this suit has a vertical line right down the centre. The ruching is also very flattering (see tip #3). 

Look for suits with any details that run up and down the body. This stops the eye from resting on any challenge areas and keeps it moving in a flattering way that slims you. 

​And finally:

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Tip #5: Don't forget accessories!

When you buy your swimsuit, make sure you get a cute coverup to go with it. Make sure it goes well with your suit and matches your style personality! Classic Moderns could try a silky caftan, Pure Naturals a simple cotton coverup or even an oversized button-down, Creative Originals could try an interesting pattern, and Style Fashionistas: whatever's trending right now! (You'd know better than me; I'm a Classic Modern after all.)

Also, make sure you bring some stylish sunglasses and pretty thongs to complete the look! (Don't freak out, American friends; I'm talking about flip-flops.) By accessorising your swimsuit this way, you'll feel much more stylish and confident and won't be worrying about your body so much. 

​I hope this week's blog post was helpful to you! Don't forget to like my facebook page if you haven't already - I post style tips regularly and a new blog post every week!

P.S. In my Discover Your Body Type online service, I give you detailed tips about what to look for in a swimsuit for your specific body type. Click here to find out more about the service. 

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