Just wear the bikini

[BlackberrySquash]

Just wanted to say anyone out there about to embark on a summer holiday, paranoid and self conscious about wearing a bikini - don't be!

I am in France, I bought one bikini that isn't particularly skimpy but was feeling self conscious about wearing it, I used to not care at all and had confidence in bikinis but since kids and turning 40 I'm suddenly massively self conscious! First day at the lake i put a swimming costume on, full bum and tum coverage and I'm really hot (temperature) I notice everyone around me is in a bikini, women of all ages, sizes, shapes amounts of cellulite, wrinkles or lack of, and nobody gives a dam. I'm not looking at the other women thinking 'she shouldn't wear that' or 'she's so much prettier than me'. I'm looking at them jealous of their confidence and the fact they must be cooler than me!

So if the reason you are worried about wearing a bikini is that you don't have the 'right' body, don't, all you need is 'a body' and you'll be totally fine! We are all beautiful and all deserve to wear whatever you like at the beach/lake/pool.

Enjoy your holidays.

I completely agree!

I loved my parents, but God they were judgemental about people’s bodies. I remember my sister taking them on a holiday to her Spanish villa, and she said they spent the entire time at the beach slagging off what people looked like. My sister said the stupid thing was, the people they were talking about didn’t give a shit, and yet my mum and dad was sat there trussed up, baking hot and uncomfortable, because they didn’t want to show their bodies.

I needed this post 😂 literally just today I was nearly in tears trying my bikini on ready to go away next week. Not wore one really for ages and I'm a good 2 stone heavier than I should be but really what can I do, I deserve to wear a bikini just As much as someone who isn't overweight or saggy in places 😁

Exactly! I'm so pleased I wrote it then. Where I am in France noone cares, everyone is just enjoying the sunshine with loved ones, I remember it was the same in Spain and Italy over the last 5years too ( why I don't remember and still get self conscious I don't know!)

I was sweltering in my full support fully lined total bum and tum covering one piece! Thank God I did pack a bikini despite also feeling tearful!

It really does not matter to anyone one bit, what sort of figure you have, enjoy the sun, enjoy your body and just experience the happiness of the holiday 😀

Good on you OP! Unfortunately though, many people do judge - the second post confirmed that. I wish I was someone who didn't GAF about what others think but I don't like my body now, I judge me, and I prefer not to wear bikinis - and that's ok I think. We should all wear what we feel comfortable and confident in 😊

I’m away on holiday at the minute, and love seeing all the women enjoying the heat…however, not a single one of them has a body like mine, I’ve had a large brood of children l, was in an awful fire and lost a lot of weight and am at the top end of middle aged - my body is completely different to everyone’s here. I try not to burst in to tears about it, usually try to not look at it at all tbh and my DP loves me very much I know he does, but it is NOT something that can be lightly disregarded. I’m glad I’ve become healthier, and I’m truly blessed by my family, I’m glad I’m alive every single day, but I never got a chance to just look normal as I had them from so young and my life happened.

So yes, wear the bikinis but also know some of us aren’t for very valid reasons. I do wish it was different, but it’s not actually for us outside the norms.

It’s not about other people. I don’t like what I see. i just don’t. I wear tankinis and I really like them so I’m sticking to them.

Deleted- posted twice!

Oh if you are happy and prefer other swim wear absolutely wear whatever you want, I'm not saying everyone should wear a bikini and be happy. My post was about people whose only reason for not wearing one is because they feel self conscious about their body shape, size or shape of tummies, cellulite, wrinkles etc etc. Where I am in France and where I have been in Spain and Italy in the last few years (areas with considerably less Brits than some places) there are women of every age and every shape and weight all in bikinis. All just seemingly enjoying themselves and I felt silly worrying about it. If anything I stood out in a one piece.

I think it might be a very British thing judging people or being paranoid about bikinis!

I just wanted to give some support and hope to anyone whose own worries about - "I'll be there only 40 something/overweight person/person with cellulite/ postpartum body/protruding belly in a bikin and I'll look awful". You won't (accept in rare cases like a pp, so sorry you were in a terrible fire) There will be a myriad of bodies in a variety of bikinis.

Just enjoy yourselves in whatever you want to wear.

Edited: miss read a pp, sorry

Last time I wore a bikini, my mother said I was ‘brave’. That was not meant in a good way.

I agree wear what you want! However the other challenge is that I’m now thinking I need to pay attention to where I’m putting my hrt patches if I’m getting my body out!!

Yes! I just had this problem as I haven't had a beach holiday in a while.

So I stuck in further up than normal on the button cheek, but then I was wearing a one piece with some bum coverage. If wearing a cheeky bottom like most seemed to be where I was, I'm not sure where that patch is going discreetly.

I don't like bikinis personally, but happy enough spending my day in something a little more full coverage.

I don't have a bikini body. I would look awful. I have a big apron tummy. A bikini would be completely unflattering. I always wear a nice suit and coverups. Or a shorts and bikini top but not a full bikini.. I would feel really uncomfortable.

I am not shy, I'm always at the pool etc but I am aware of what looks best on me.

This is what I love about Italy. Big Nonnas with big bellies in small bikinis on the beach leaning over so they spool out, smoking fags and playing cards and talking and spoiling their grandchildren. La dolce vita, baby!

Everyone has a bikini body. If you stop caring what everyone else thinks you’ll have a much better time. I’m away in the sun at the moment with my DD who is very slim but has had body confidence issues but I love that she’s totally comfortable in a bikini, as am I. If you make it normal then they don’t know any different.
It’s the parents who constantly talk about their insecurities that pass them onto their kids. We’re having a brilliant time.

Yes I’m glad someone has said it. All shapes and sizes can wear a bikini no one takes any notice. Also same goes for having bikini line trimmed! I used to wear the boy style shorts over my bikini if I hadn’t cleaned up my bikini line but I noticed on holiday that pubes poking out the bikini seems to be the norm so now I don’t bother with the boy shorts.

My Czech grandmas were like this. My 65 year old mom still wears a bikini and I do too at 47. Love it, I do a lot to stay fit though. Never once have a looked at another woman and thought “she shouldn’t be wearing a bikini.” Normal in Europe, but then generally European women take better care of themselves than British women.

I'm fat and currently wearing a bikini on a UK beach. People can judge all they like I have no fucks to give.

I manage to look like a square egg (!) in a swimming costume, so bikini is actually the most flattering for me.

I totally applaud the OPs sentiment, but I am going to add a negative note. Please none of the bum flashing bikini bottoms. I hate those regardless of the shape of the person wearing them.

My DM constantly judged other women's bodies including mine even though she was a shapeless lump in shit clothes.

I was 36 before I wore a bikini. Wear a bikini if you want to! It doesn't matter if people judge. I'm furious this weekend for all the judging of Marie-France (who I thought looked fabulous) and I'm sick of people not minding their own business.

I bet you all look amazing!

I couldn’t care less what other women are wearing on the beach but I could never wear a swimsuit on a beach let alone a bikini! No one needs to see my size 20 body, and I doubt any of the posters here are anywhere near my size.

I recently cancelled my gym membership after being frequently looked up and down, and sneered at twice, for just wearing a gym t-shirt and joggers, so swimwear on the beach is a step too far unfortunately - all women who did this. It’s very easy for slimmer people to say things like life’s short, who cares, etc but the reality is very different for those who have more to hide than a slight wobbly stomach or a bit of cellulite :-(

I'm a size 22, and as I said currently in a bikini on a UK beach. Wear one if you want to.

I think people hiding under clothes when it's boiling hot brings more attention to themselves.

Just be comfortable.

Swimsuits are not an invisibility cloak. You look exactly the same with a one piece or a bikini. Might as well enjoy yourself.

I lost a lot of weight and am covered in wrinkly skin. I look like a scrotum. I have tiny flappy boobs. But I wear a bikini and just get on with it. Life is short.

I’m the other way round, always self conscious and since turning 40 have the confidence of age, I thought everyone was like that.
Sometimes we get bogged down with what social media presents us with, but the reality at beaches and swimming pools is that no-one cares and there is every size and shape and hairyness out there. So many men with big guts and women with baby bellies etc. It’s very freeing

Look at all the men on holidays.

Beer guts, hairy backs, sparrow legs ...
Do they give a damn about their 'beach bodies'? No!