Buying a Swimsuit: A Guide for Women of all Shapes and Sizes

It is the time of the year that every woman dreads - Swimsuit season! No matter what size a women is, she probably panics over picking out a swimsuit and worries that it fits her figure well. Of course, every woman wants to accent her best features while minimizing her weak spots in any clothing, but this is especially true in swimsuits.
Swimsuits are so revealing, there is very little margin for error when trying to choose the right one. All women want a swimsuit that looks good on them, but if they are going to be spending a lot of time in the water over the summer, then comfort is also important. Here are a few tips and hints you can follow that will make your swimsuit shopping much less stressful.
Large Busts
Woman with large busts should find a swimsuit that fully supports them. The best swimsuits for that are ones with halter-tops or molded under wire cups to keep everything in place. A swimsuit with the additional strap across the back, along the bust line, also provides additional support. Women with an inverted shape (their top is wider than their hips), should choose a two-piece with a skort or shorts. This will help balance their top and bottom, making them look more proportional.
Large Hips and Thighs
A woman with a large rear end should look for swimsuits with boy cut bottoms. This helps hide your rear but also looks cute and is comfortable. The skirted bikini bottoms are also cute - giving a hint of your legs, but still hiding your rear end. Avoid the skimpy bikini briefs at all costs! For the top, you can also choose something that is catchy and brightly colored. This will draw attention upwards away from your rear end. Again, avoid horizontal stripes, as they will make your rear look even larger than it actually is, although diagonal stripes might create a more flattering illusion.
Curvy women should consider the tankini. The tankini is a two-piece swimsuit with a top that resembles a tank top. With it, you can pair the hipster bottoms. These cool looking bottoms provide far more support for your curves than the traditional bikini bottoms. You may also want to try on one of the one piece swimsuits with cutouts on the sides. This can have a slimming effect while still showing off your curves.
Larger Belly
If you have a large stomach, you should stick to a one-piece suit. However, if you really want a two-piece, look for one of the halter-tops that fall over the waist of your bikini bottoms. This not only hides your stomach, but also helps elongate your body, making you appear taller and thus slimmer. You may also want to check to see if the store has a swimsuit that offers tummy control. A printed suit will also take the focus away from your stomach and make you look slimmer.
Plus Size Swimsuits
Large women probably have the hardest time picking out a swimsuit. If you are overweight, you are probably self-conscious enough when choosing regular clothes, but do not let this discourage you from enjoying some fun in the sun. Stick to dark colors like navy blue and black to help make you look slimmer. Avoid a swimsuit with horizontal stripes, as that gives the optical illusion that you are wider than you actually are. Spandex is a good choice for swimsuit cloth because it stretches, but it is very important that you get the right size swimsuit. Do not try to squeeze into a swimsuit that is two sizes too small for vanity reasons. Picking the appropriate size will always look better on you. Many stores let you mix and match tops and bottoms, so if you are top heavy or bottom heavy, you can make sure you get the correct size for each section. Remember that swimsuits usually run smaller than regular clothes, so you may have to set a size or two larger than you normally wear.
The most important thing for you to know when purchasing a new swimsuit is to know what works best for your features. And, don’t purchase the first suit you try on unless you just really love it. Take several in the dressing room with you and see which one looks best. It may even help to take along a friend to give you an honest opinion of how it looks.