Top Ten Tips - Buying A Bathing Suit
By Tip Diva | May 09, 2008
Categories: Activities, Behavior, Clothes, Clothing, Difficulty, Fashion, Outdoors, Shopping, Tips, Websites, Women
Possibly the worst shopping experience for any woman is buying a bathing suit. However, there are tricks to making the dreaded purchase easier:
- Shop Early - For the best selection, shop early in the season. You don’t want to go during peak swimsuit season, where most of the styles have been cherrypicked and you’ll have a more difficult time finding something that looks good on you.
- Realize A Good Suit Will Cost Money - Bathing suits with support panels, built in bras and other features will run you more money than a simple suit. But they will also last longer, provided you take good care of them. If you’re only going to wear a bathing suit two or three times, go cheap.
- Know Your Body Shape - There are many different styles of bathing suits, so choose one that best suits your body type (Style Chicago has a great guide on body types). Many bathing suit manufacturers have made this easy by providing such charts on the tags.
- Determine Your Coverage Needs - Do you want to skip a bikini wax? Go for boy shorts or a skirted swimsuit. Have a flabby back? Don’t wear a bikini. And remember to accentuate the positive - CareFair.com helps you choose the best bathing suit for your assets.
- Buy The Correct Size - Just because you’re a size 10 in most of your clothes doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be a size 10 in a swimsuit. And don’t go for a smaller size just because a bathing suit stretches - you’ll wind up looking like a sausage, no matter your size. So if a bathing suit feels just a bit too snug, don’t feel bad about going up a size - remember, no one knows what’s on that tag but you.
- Know How Much Attention You Want - If you want to draw attention to yourself, go for the sexy bikini. But if you’re one to stay out of the limelight, you may want to avoid wild prints, loud colors, cutouts and other features that scream, “Look at me!”
- Buy Separate Sizes If Needed - You’re buying a tankini or bikini and pick up both pieces in a size 10. Although the top fits perfectly, you keep getting a wedgie with the bottoms. Well, put the size 10 bottom back and pick up a size 12. Many stores now let you mix and match bikini and tankini pieces for that perfect fit.
- Keep Your Underwear On - When trying on bathing suits in a store, keep your underwear on. You don’t know who tried that bathing suit on before you and if that person was wearing underwear. If you purchase the swimsuit, make sure to wash it before wearing. And if buy a swimsuit from a catalog or online, also try it on with your underwear in case you have to return it.
- Make Sure The Straps Don’t Fall Down And Strings Stay Tied - There’s nothing more embarrassing at a pool party than jumping in a pool and having your straps fall down or untie. Make sure they are snug, yet don’t cut into your skin.
- Move Around - Bend over, twist around, jump and make other movements you might do in your bathing suit. Look in the mirror at all angles to make sure you’re getting the coverage you need.
Other Tips To Check Out:
This article has been included in the latest edition of Mom’s Blogging Carnival.