The Most Flattering Swimwear for Your Body

Beautiful bodies should be showcased in beautiful swimwear! The summer season is synonymous with “beach” for many of us, whether we have to fly or drive to get there or step out our front doors onto the sand. Lounging by the water or playing in the waves, you need something to wear. Here are the most flattering swimsuits for your body.

How to Dress Your Body

There are different body types, and each of us is unique. Each difference comes with its own strengths, but what is most visually appealing is balance. Most of us can look in the mirror and get a general sense of what we look like to emphasize or minimize. Choosing clothes that slim what is rounder, reduce what is broader, curve what is straighter, and lengthen what is shorter is how we achieve pleasing visual proportions. You can do this with any kind of clothes, and yes, you can do it with swimsuits. Let’s take a look.

On Top

Maybe you are the body type that has a little more on top. Whether that means an athletic build with broad shoulders or a larger bust, you will want to choose a swim top that harmonizes your proportions. The “V” necklines in halter bathing suit tops help draw the eye to the center of your top. When attention is kept in the middle, width goes unnoticed. Plus, this style visually lengthens your neck. Choosing thicker straps can also help to break up your wider shoulder line. Additionally, opting for solid, darker colors can help slim your extra on top, especially when paired with brighter bottoms or bottoms with a bold pattern. Light colors and patterns are very striking, so be sure to use that to your advantage. Unconventional bottoms like swim skirts or swim shorts can be unusual enough to work this way too.

In the Middle

If you have more in your middle or would just prefer to slim that area, one-piece swimsuits—maybe even swim dresses—might be your best bet. The idea is the single piece creates a column of color that begins above and ends below your middle. That vertical line keeps the eye from lingering where you would rather it didn’t. You can also use colors and patterns to help draw attention to other areas. Brighter detailing on your neckline and skirt brings attention to those areas. Using stripes or “V” patterns to enhance the vertical line you are creating or choosing a swimsuit that has an hourglass design are other ways to use the visuals of your bathing suit to your advantage. The other benefit of choosing a one-piece swimsuit is there are many styles designed with tummy control, which can also help you manage this area.

On the Bottom

Perhaps you are one of those who has more on the bottom. Creating balance for you might be as simple as choosing a dark, slimming color for your bathing suit bottoms while drawing the eye upward with a brighter swim top. There are many interesting swim tops to play with. A strapless bandeau top emphasizes your shoulders and allows you to get some sun without having to worry about tan lines. A high-neck top in a bright color keeps the attention high, bringing focus to your face.

If you need more on top to counter your bottom, consider a brightly colored tankini with a darker swim skirt. The coloring of the tankini gives the eye something to look at, while the darker skirt reduces your width and extends past the widest part of you, keeping the eye moving past your hips and onto your legs.

The Guys

Guys don’t appear to have many choices in swimwear...but that’s not strictly true! The length of a guy’s swim trunks can play a role in how a guy looks. We know when swim trunks are too short or too baggy. Here’s how to find the right length for your man.

Whether or not a pair of shorts looks good depends on where they fall in relation to the knee. If the trunks reach beyond the knee, they are too long. If they are more than about three inches above the knee, they are too short. An easy way to gauge this is by checking the inseam—that’s the seam running down the inner part of the leg. Inseams between 7-10 inches will end in the right area for most men. The other thing to pay attention to is how loose the shorts are. Yes, the guy should be able to splash, sit, and spike a volleyball without being afraid of ripping something, but he should be swimming in the water, not swimming in his swimsuit.