OK, the bathing suit I bought four years ago is now so faded it's not even in the same palette as its original color, and so worn that my butt is threatening to make a very public appearance. I was hoping to put it off a little longer, but I must confront the scary reality of bathing suit shopping.

I used to consult my favorite fashion magazines, because their covers promised to help me find the perfect suit for my figure. The only trouble is, they assume that all women have only one "trouble spot." If you want to enhance a flat chest, look for... If you want to cover a tummy bulge, try... If you need to disguise your saddle bags, look for...

Am I really the only flat-chested big bellied woman whose thighs jiggle all over the place? Where's the suit that performs miracles?

Help! Where do you have the best luck shopping for bathing suits? What do you look for? How do you figure out how you'll really look in bright sunlight, as opposed to under the glow of the most unflattering lighting ever designed? Do you brave it alone or bring a friend, or do you take your chances with online shopping?

I need your best advice!

I had to buy a new suit this year too. This is the first time ever, I've fit into anything at Dick's.

It wasn't fun, but it wasn't miserable. Now I just need a place to use it.

quote:

Originally posted by susanrows:
There was one moment that I want to share with my dear friends here. As I was struggling out of a too-small size of a style I really liked in which they did not have my size, I heard a woman in the adjacent dressing room ask the clerk, "Do you have this one in EXTRA small?"

Two words: Justifiable. Homicide.

Glad you found a suit you liked, anyway. But that is one of the things I hate about dressing rooms.

OK -- I finally did it. With a rare two hours to myself, I went to the mall and sucked it up, or more appropriately in, and found a bathing suit I actually like. It's solid black with gathering around the middle, the classic slimming techniques, but the experience was not totally horrifying nor did it reduce me to tears (which has been known to happen).

There was one moment that I want to share with my dear friends here. As I was struggling out of a too-small size of a style I really liked in which they did not have my size, I heard a woman in the adjacent dressing room ask the clerk, "Do you have this one in EXTRA small?"

Two words: Justifiable. Homicide.

I got one. I didn't want to drive all the way to the mall, so I tried on suits at Kohl's. Pretty quickly, I determined that my chest was not going to get any support in any of their stuff. (I have the opposite problem as you in the chest, Susan)

The one that almost worked was an athletic-style suit, so I went to Dick's. They are having a sale on Activa swimsuits, which are separates. I bought a size 10 for the top and a 12 for the bottom. It's black with bright print stripes on the side. It will keep everything reasonably covered and secure, plus I think it's kind of cute. The whole thing cost $30, which was so cheap that I had to buy a pair of shorts and a t-shirt too.

Susan, it would be fun to shop with you. We'd find you something.

quote:

Originally posted by TriGirl:
Susan, you jinxed me. I have to go find a suit for a pool party. I hate shopping for bathing suits.

Sorry! I wish there was some way we could go shopping together, for moral support.

Susan, you jinxed me. I have to go find a suit for a pool party. I hate shopping for bathing suits.

I tried on some last night and they were just all wrong for me. No support at all. I need to go to a place with a bigger selection, but that just means more time to look at my thighs in the bad dressing-room lighting. Yikes.

I don't do online shopping because I can never get the fit right without trying the suits on, no matter how humiliating and annoying I find that process. I tend to put off buying new suits year after year for that reason.

I have better luck now than I used to, because I am realistic and know that the suit is not going to magically turn me into a swimsuit model. I have the best luck at department stores for fashion suits -- they are more expensive, but the thicker material is more forgiving than the thinner stuff you find at discount stores.

Hehehe, what a different perspective my hubby would have had "Wow, look at what a cool Mom I have, she bought the same suit as Lori"

But we tend to lean more towards older looking suits for the entire family because they are much more modest, and our children (and Dh and I) won't swim if we can't swim modestly.

I have gotten some great suits from Land's End in the past. But one year, I got what I thought was a very slimming and nifty-looking emerald green tank suit. Then my 70+ year-old MIL showed up at the pool in the same suit in royal blue. I was embarrassed, she thought it was funny, but poor DH almost went off the freak-out charts. I was seeing a lot of expensive therapy in his future. To calm him down, I had to promise not to buy any more LE bathing suits.

Sheri, Land's End does have "short torso" one-pieces, and a pretty good selection of mix & match, so you can buy a skirt (or shorts) and a top. Whether it's priced right or what you like, I can't say (I had found one that I thought was really cute, but it locked up my work computer, so I'll have to see if I can find it again when I get home and link it.)

Also...Land's End will make one from scratch per your measurements.

Susan, I feel your pain! I have to buy a new suit this year too.....I'm buying online. I'm getting mine from http://ohanaswimwear.com/onepiece.php I LOVE their suits, they are modest, they work with my body shape (I'm not flat chested, or big bellied, but my behind, hips and thighs are disproportionately large....and the legs on their suits works GREAT for me)....I'm leaning towards the Molokai style. My oldest daugther is also getting an Ohana suit this year and she hasn't decided if she's doing a one piece of separates.

One caution about Ohana...they run a little small, make sure you take your measurements, and then call them to see what size they would recommend (I went by their online sizing chart a few years ago and had to exchange the suit for a larger size)....but they are AWESOME about working with you on getting a proper fit.

I have no words of wisdom or places that work for me, I usually buy them on line at Lands End, Lane Bryant, etc. But I can tell you that buying a swimming suit is the most hated thing to do for most women, I think I read that in one of those mags that tells you how to get the perfect suit.
Aren't those the same mags that say eating celery will give you the perfect body for that suit?
Good luck, but you'll love it when you don't have to worry about a revealing rear entry and you'll look great in something new.

Bathing suit buying is EXCRUCIATING for me. Being short AND fat and carrying most of my weight in my belly, butt and thighs, it is nearly impossible to find a suit that is flattering. I can't wear a one-piece because they are too long in the torso for me. I absolutely will not wear any swimsuit that doesn't have a skirt.

What I used to love were blouson tops with a skirt but I just can't find them anymore. Everything is tankini tops and they don't work for me.

I have had luck finding suits at Dick's and at Macy's. Dick's for workout suits, although, they do have some stylish ones. Macy's for more stylish suits.

I have heard Land's End has great suits, but I just cannot bring myself to buy a suit without trying it on.

Dawn

I hear you Susan!

I agree with D's Land's End recommendation.

I also once found a suit at Marshall's called the "miracle suit" or something like that. I wouldn't recommend it for exercising but it was awesome in terms of been highly flattering. It had some kind of tummy control panel that really sucks you in, gathers on the side, v-neck and wider shoulder straps.

Here's a website that carries the miraclesuit -
http://www.cyberswim.com/ but the ones they had at Marshall's were much, much, much more affordable.

Land's End is where I've bought several over the past few years. You can "design" a model to look like you (or at least have your lumps and bumps) and then SHE tries on the suits. I've had very good luck with them.

On the side, you can click away to narrow down the suits...I just shopped for a D-cup, underwire suit, and found a really cute one! You can also shop for pieces; when we went to Hawaii, I bought one bottom and two tops--one for scuba diving and one for hanging out on the beach.

If you have a swim shop nearby (and I mean one for serious swimmers, not a swimsuit shop in the mall), you might take a look there. Workout suits sold by companies like Speedo and TYR are designed to really, really last (if that's a concern of yours) and are cut for movement and activity. Those are also sometimes the only places to find those same companies' not-for-serious-swimmers suits, which are usually very, very cute, but still made with quality, long-lasting material. And they sell triathlon suits as well, and seem to be aware that not everyone has a fashion model figure.

I don't have much luck with off-the-rack suits from "normal" stores because I'm a very different size up top than I am on the bottom.

I have about 12 bathing suits. I take water aerobics 3-4 days a week and have a pool in my own back yard.

I have different suits for different purposes. I have the big thighs and some big boobs. I don't worry too much about my stomach. But this is what works for me. If I need a suit for exercising, I like one without a skirt. I like the legs to be a little higher cut, so that it makes my legs look a bit longer. I found one great suit that has a front panel that gives the illusion of a skirt without actually having one.

If I am going to be hanging out in a social situation, I definitely wear a suit with a full skirt. I just think they are way more flattering for big behinds. I am not a fan of the shorts and tankini thing. But if you are a more athletic soul and would find that more comfortable, I say go for it.

Marshalls and T.J.Maxx usually have a ton of suits for reasonable prices. Just grab a bunch off the rack and try them on. Pick colors that you look great in. And I always think that a print is a little more distracting than a solid suit.

The other tip is that if you find a polyester suit, it will last practically forever. This might be a way to avoid having to buy suits so often. The H2O Wear brand makes some great ones, but the tend to run a bit small. I am sure that they have a website out there somewhere. They also make water workout suits with biking short type legs. It might be worth checking them out.

Good luck and be brave. It's really not so bad.
The important part is to have a good time in the water.