what to wear: swimsuits for your body type

It’s that dreaded season again. swimsuit season.

Last year, BizRate Research conducted a survey among 1,670 women and discovered that 90% of women are concerned about their appearance in a swimsuit. Big duh. In fact, almost half dread shopping for them and trying them on.  There’s really not much to hide when you put on a swimsuit — no wonder it’s so angst-ridden.

Trying on jeans is also up there in the ’shopping-dread’ category but I have discovered with my clients that if you know your body type and what styles work for you, then it’s actually fun!

Although I can’t magically take away cellulite, here are some quick tips for what to look for when it comes to buying a swimsuit.  (The captions above are for the modeled swimsuits -  not the models themselves.)

Rectangle:
Since your major trouble spot is your tummy, you can do one of two things.  Visually slim your waist with asymmetrical details and a Miracle Suit or wear a cute tankini that has an a-line top such as the one shown.  The fabric glides past your tummy and the tankini also helps if you have a long torso and want more coverage but can’t fit a one-piece.

Hourglass
Two-piece or one-piece suits work well for you.  You’ll want to ensure that you have ample support on top so look for suit tops that have a halter-style.  I have found that halters provide the most coverage as well as provide a flattering line.

Inverted Triangle
For those of you with super broad shoulders and slim hips and thighs, cute little string bikini and the like look great on you.  If you are more busty, go for the halter tops like this one by Vix — most designers allow you to order the tops and bottoms separately.  The lines of the halter are perfect for inverted triangles because they visually minimize your broad shoulders.

Triangle
Since you have a small bust and narrow shoulders you’ll want to look for a suit that has built-in cups and/or ruching at the bustline like the Miraclesuit shown. Also pay attention to the neckline!  You’ll want something that is more square or that has wider straps; this will visually broaden your shoulders and leads the eye up away from your hips.