|
May 11, 2007 12:24 am
|
Photos
Paul Bilodeau/Eagle-Tribune
Paul Bilodeau/Eagle-Tribune
|
Suit your shape
Experts’ tips for Picking a bathing suit to flatter your form
By Emily Young
CNHI News Service
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. — You’d rather shop for computer paper. You’d rather shop for dish detergent. You’d rather shop for virtually anything than a bathing suit.
“Bathing-suit buying is such a nightmare for so many women,” said North Shore image consultant Ginger Burr. “I don’t think I’ve bought a new one in 10 years.”
Part of the solution is knowing which suit style looks good on your body type. The first step in figuring that out is taking four key measurements: bust, waist, hips and torso. From here, you can determine your body type and start selecting suits appropriate for you, said Michele Casper, a swim fit expert for Lands’ End.
“You want to balance your figure to be completely in proportion,” Casper said. “For instance, should you be more top heavy, you can balance the top out with details on the bottom of the suit or something skirted for more fullness to balance out the top. If you need support in the bust area, you’ll want a halter neckline to narrow your shoulders and a wider strap for extra support.”
If you, too, haven’t bought a new suit in a decade, here’s a little primer on which style typically looks good on which body type. Hopefully this guide will chop down your agonizing time in the dressing room and make you feel more confident on the beach.
Tummy trouble
r Shirred, ruched or draped fabric around the stomach helps slim the waistline. Princess seams, vertical lines and some tummy control help create longer curves, said Michele Casper, a swim fit expert for Lands’ End.
r Diagonal lines, patterns under the breast, or a wrap style one-piece with a high Lycra count all create interest at the waist while drawing the eye upward. Tankinis can be a nice option as long as the top isn’t made of a fabric that will roll up and expose the widest part of your waist, said Ginger Burr, a North Shore image consultant.
Bottom-heavy
r Draw the eye up and away from the trouble spot with prints at the top of the suit and not the bottom. Detail like beading or a faux tortoiseshell buckle near the neckline is great, Casper said.
r Pick a solid-colored bikini bottom that isn’t too skimpy, but also avoid boy shorts that often widen your bottom. Skirted bikinis camouflage fuller hips as long as there isn’t excessive detailing. Don’t wear a skirt that ends at the widest part of your hips; you want it to end just below your trouble zone. Straps set further apart or a suit with prominent, horizontal design on top will help to balance your shoulders with your hips, Burr said.
Plus size
r You aren’t required to wear a swim dress to the beach. There are lots of options for more or less coverage in different anxiety zones, as plus-size women carry their weight differently, Casper said.
r Accentuate your favorite features with suits that have good support and are made with fabric that have high Lycra counts. Deep colors are usually most flattering, but that doesn’t restrict you to black: Try a brown, eggplant or deep blue instead. Or, go for a bold, swirly pattern to keep the eye moving and create interest, Burr said.
Large-chested
r Find balance with decorative details on the bottom or try a skirted suit. Thick-strapped halter tops help narrow the appearance of your shoulders while giving extra support, Casper said.
r A built-in bra for support is a must — triangle tops and bandeaus just won’t work for you. Make sure you have appropriate coverage to eliminate the risk of an overflowing top. As with small-chested women, be absolutely sure your top fits properly because you don’t want any fabric bagging or sagging, Burr said.
Small-chested
r Tops with padding and underwires can create fullness in the bust, as do halter tops. Bandeau tops are a fun choice, as only small-chested women can wear them well. Details like ruffles, ruching, bolder patterns, and polka dots — this season’s hot trend — add interest to the area, Burr said.
Boyish body
r While wrap-style one-piece swimsuits give the illusion of curves, avoid solid-colored, one-piece suits. To add the illusion of curves, use interesting patterns and detailing at the waist and top. Diagonal lines, crisscrossing under the bust, ruffles, ruching, and halter tops all add interest while drawing the eye upward, Burr said.
Petite
r Choose a high-cut bottom that lengthens your leg. Avoid boy shorts that cut your legs off at the upper thigh and bikinis that cut your body in half with different-colored tops and bottoms. A solid one-piece suit with a high-cut leg, V-neck top, halter top or pretty detailing at the bust creates a long, vertical line, drawing the eye upward and making you look taller, Burr said.
Emily Young writes for The Eagle-Tribune of North Andover, Mass.
Trend watch
Swimwear with 1960s-inspired cuts are cropping up everywhere this summer, providing feminine coverage for even the most modest beachgoers.
“It’s a feminine, glam, Hollywood look,” said Michele Casper of Lands’ End. “You’ll see more retro-styled suits with skirting and halter necklines that create a sophisticated style. Beading and faux tortoiseshell rings bring attention to the neckline, while shirring and ruching (small, tight gathers of fabric) create very
feminine suits.”
Bikinis of all styles — from bandeaus to tankinis — are still wildly popular this season. But the one-piece got a makeover this year and now sports decorative trim, belts, bows and ribbons, according to T.J. Maxx fashion consultant Laura McDowell.
“I see continued emphasis on unique details such as beading, embroidery and hardware. I tell my customers that these embellishments are meant for sunbathing and not swimming,” said Dana Duggan, swimsuit designer and owner of Massachusetts-based Bikini Hut. “My best-selling print continues to be camouflage, and my best-selling styles continue to be the string bikini and the halter-style tankini and low-rise bikini bottom.”
You’ll also notice a plethora of polka dots, geometric designs and bold floral patterns in swimwear this summer. As for colors, teal and brown are popular this season, as is the nautical navy-and-white combination, says stylist Ginger Burr. Other key colors include yellow, orange,
fuchsia, lime green and turquoise, McDowell says.
“And the little black suit continues to be popular,” Casper said.
|
