To think nothing terrible will happen if fat me wears swimming attire on holiday?

[BlowDryRat]

Assuming we're ever allowed on holiday...

I used to be a size 10 but this has crept up to a size 14-16. I do a lot of exercise but eat too much. None of my clothes fit and I feel quite self conscious.

We're off to the beach over the half term and summer holidays and I've been stressing over what sort of cover-up to wear. It then occurred to me to wonder what would actually be so terrible if I just wore a normal swimming costume or tankini (I've never been a bikini person). Will the fish jump out of the sea in fright? Will ladies faint? Will small children run away in terror? Will everyone turn and laugh at my wobbly bits? Probably not.

AIBU in thinking it will be fine, or is there some terrible consequence I haven't thought of yet?

Honestly, everyone's so busy doing their own thing, watching their own kids, thinking about what they're going to have for their dinner or trying to work out who H is on Line of Duty that they have no headspace left to even notice you.

I’m the same size as you, OP, and live on the coast. What I can tell is:

• no one cares what you’re wearing;
• there will be an assortment of different types of bodies and attires - slim people going in wearing t-shirts, fat people wearing bikinis, and everything in between;
• the bronzed teenagers are too busy tiktoking / trying to impress each other to care about us

There are all sorts of swimwear available for all types of bodies - find something you’re comfortable with, and enjoy your holidays

These kind of threads make me so sad. You realise a lot of women on here are far bigger than you, should we all just give up on life and accept we are never allowed on holidays? Nobody cares what you look like in a swimming costume. I know this post is coming from a place of insecurity and not arrogance, but just live a little and think about what you’re saying.

Honestly it’s fine. No one cares. Have fun.

Nothing will happen.
You’ll have a great time, and no one will give a a second look. The alluring things, as others have mentioned are confidence and happiness. Someone who feels uncomfortable in themselves tend to fiddle with clothing a lot, and this draws attention to their lack of confidence.

I have hardly any boobs, a saggy arse, bones stick out on my hips and chest.
When I’m out on the beach, I’m so happy to be there, all relaxed and smiling, I let it all hang out. And I couldn’t give less of a shit!
My body might not be beautiful according the ridiculous American ideal, but I thinks it’s amazing every day, because it works, I’m alive, and at the moment, healthy!
Go for it OP,!🙌🏾

I’m a size 16 and have decided to wear a cossie since the menopause belly kicked in.
But I might get a tankini so I can roll the top up when I’m sunbathing.

Fat is not an actual category as it goes, it is comparative.

Maybe I shouldn't have said 'you're not fat' and should have added 'compared to me' but I stand by all the other stuff I said about focusing on doing things rather than what you look like. I'm irritated I bothered to move my fingers to say it now though since it seems I have fallen into the world of MN where size 16s have to wear tarpaulins rather than swimsuits and any bigger than that and you risk blinding those around you who are so worried about your health they have to be discreetly sick in their buckets.

These are what I have. I wear it with a black swimming costume and I’m your height so the sit on my waist. It also means I’m warmer on a U.K. beach but just feel confident as it you can move and sit any which way and they are not so long it is like trousers:

www.curvissa.co.uk/products/Capri-Swim-Leggings/_/A-958187_20?utm_source=ServiceMailing&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CurvissaOrderConfirmation&utm_content=Item1Link&ns_campaign=CurvissaOrderConfirmation&ns_mchannel=email&ns_source=ServiceMailing&ns_linkname=Item1Link&ns_fee=0&realestate=itemreordered

I am 6ft and size 24, God help any one that tried to stop me wearing a swimming costume on a beach, or lycra padded leggings on a bike. It's suitable attire for the sport/activity you are doing

No one will notice or care. I felt like you when I was younger, but when I was 40 I wore a bikini on the beach for the first time and no one batted an eyelid. Since then I've worn a bikini or a tankini every year, including summers when I've been overweight.

I opt for a tankini rather than bikini when I'm overweight because it's more supportive of my ginormous saggy boobs but I really don't care what anyone thinks. If you look around on the beach you'll see people of all shapes and sizes in all kinds of swimwear.

Spent my 30's in sarongs/beach dresses to hide my post babies body. I kept promising myself that one day I'd have a slim toned beach body, turned 40 and realised it was an unlikely I'd achieve this dream body, so bought my first ever bikinis and wore them with pride. Guess what I discovered, the world didn't end, nobody recoiled in horror at the sight of my body, in fact I ended the holiday feeling more confident than I have ever felt.

Nothing terrible will happen but you do say that you feel self conscious so I would start tackling the weight gain for those reasons.

Yes, you are fat. No, nothing terrible will happen.

I'm a size 6/8 but I hate myself and my face and hair and body so much that I spend my life wrapped in many layers of black.

Enjoy yourself and have fun x

My sons and I have a running joke that either Greenpeace or a whaling ship will anchor near any beach I swim at 😂
Neither have shown up so far.
Get some sand between your toes and enjoy the rest

For my swim dresses are a bit twee and some actually cover much more so that’s why I prefer the shorts. And as I said, less shaving maintenance as I’m yeti like so quite self conscious there.

Honestly nobody cares what you are wearing on the beach. Or in the pool.

I am a size 20 -22 and wear a swim suit or a bikini and not a single fuck is given by anybody. Own it, hold your head up high. Your body is amazing.

@YesItsAPeacock

At the beach there is always a handful of absolutely beautiful young people with amazing bodies that everyone can’t help looking at. They are the only ones anyone notices, the rest of us might as well be invisible. Relax and enjoy yourself.

This is so true. Even those with amazing bodies you don't notice anymore from seeing them too many times walking about. The only ones I notice is when they start taking Instagram photos for ages where they start posing and doing weird yoga poses and I just think cringeeeee

I never wore a bikini when I was 20, 8 stone and a size 8, because I didn’t have a washboard flat stomach.

I really regret that now. We shouldn’t hold out for some bullshit perfection. Just do it.

A tankini is the way to go if you don't like bikinis. You can put it on under your normal clothes and still go to the loo, unlike with a one-piece. If it's a hot day and it dries you can just keep it on all day and avoid fumbling under a towel to get changed.

Being confidant in what you are wearing can help wether a bikini swimsuit etc that you like and feel comfortable in. I think the worse thing you can do is not do something due to how you feel you look. I always feel sad when people say they don't swim or join in any activity especially opting out if family activities due to how they feel they look.

There's always someone bigger than you on the beach, no matter what your size. I'm a size 14 and I wear a bikini on holiday without a second thought. I just cover up with loose clothes when going for lunch etc.

Go for it.
I remember seeing a pic of Nigella Lawson swimming in a burqa.

More people would look at that than if she just wore a normal cozzie !

Is it only me that’s a bit baffled that if you go on holiday and there is a pool of course you will wear swimming attire regardless of size .
Of course maybe not a tiny bikini but they have lovely costumes for all sizes .
I think by covering up you make yourself stand out more . I remember a few years ago I was on holiday and I remember this woman who wasn’t overweight probably size 12-14 who would get in the pool with shorts and t-shirt over a costume. And there’s me size 16 wearing a bikini not giving a shit .

Yes you are overweight at that weight and height. It doesn't mean though that you can't wear a swimsuit and enjoy yourself. I mean half the world is bigger than average - assuming a bell shaped curve. And I never see anybody who looks like they could be auditioning for a reboot of Baywatch anyway.

In resorts I've worn a sarong as a cover up but you're just going to the beach? Presumably though you're just going to get changed and get in the sea rather than having lunch in a swimsuit with a need to cover up. I'm skinny but I quite like those heave it up and haul it in type swimsuits as it gives me a firmness that I haven't had naturally in years. But really it doesn't matter. Just get a new swimsuit that fits - hate that trying on with unflattering light - and slap on some gradual fake tan for a few days before if you're worried about bronzed comparisons.

Just tell everyone with you that there has been a spate of phone/ camera thefts on the beach so to leave them in the hotel safe. No photos, no evidence, it never happened!