To feel self conscious in a swimming costume

[Olive180]

I really enjoy swimming and have been going regularly for years, but can't get over feeling incredibly self conscious in a swimming costume, both in and out of the water. I just find my upper thigh/bikini area being on show very uncomfortable. I've tried to find a costume with shorts but they're always gaping around the crotch area! I've noticed absolutely no women at the pool ever wear shorts. Nobody else seems to have no problem - is it just my problem?

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If you've found this page in search of swimwear that has been tried and tested by fellow Mumsnet users, you might find our guide to the best swimsuits for women useful. Hope this helps! MNHQ

I wear shorts and a rash vest over my swimming costume. Largely because it means I don’t have to shave! Got them
from decathlon. I see other women in shorts at my pool.

I think most women feel self conscious in swim wear -
I do !
so I get in / out pool quick and I look around at all the different shapes and sizes and tell myself no one’s perfect !!

I wear shorts style bottom or a swimsuit with a little dress kind of thing. Also, I tell myself that once I'm in the water no one can actually see anything. Also, most pools are dimly lit and half of the people won't be able to see properly as they aren't wearing their glasses.

You could also use a bathing gown or wrap yourself in a towel till you get to the pool area if there are hooks for towels on the side of the pool.

I'm a fat long term swimmer. Imo dresses or shorts are just a cry to say you are self conscious. Wear the swimsuit and crack on, no one cares apart from you.

What are your shorts like that they gape?? You need to have a bit that's like knickers on the inside and then they look like shorts on the outside. I'd never go back to proper swimming costumes again. You just need to find some good ones OP!

I wear shorts. I also don't like walking around with my upper thighs on display. I just feel too naked. I have this tankini set and one in yellow too.
The shorts are fitted, so you could put them over a normal costume if you're doing lengths.

I go swimming regularly. Honestly we are not all supermodels either! You’re there to swim, Just try not to think about it. It’s normal and no one will think twice about what you look like. Just wrap the towel round you and take it off just before you get in.

I’m pretty sure nobody notices.
If I saw someone in a swimming pool there would be no chance whatsoever I could pick them out of a (hypothetical)police style line-up of 20 mins later, or be able to accurately describe them.

I have this and I love it!

I've worked a lot of embracing my not so bikini body this year, to be fair my DH has been a huge part of that. He's built my confidence no end and I feel like I'm beautiful in his eyes.

Lately, I've found that feeling for myself through my eyes.

Your body is amazing and it keeps you alive every single day. Forget other people and enjoy your swim.

I always wear swimshorts. Lands end have a pretty good selection. I got plain black ones that fit OK years ago, and then get different tankini tops for different holidays if I want to update them.

I wear Zoggs or Speedo legsuits like this one - more coverage, no gaping.

I have this issue; I have a suit with legs from Wiggle; they’re less than 20£ and the crotch doesn’t gape!

I wear one with legs so that's a bit of coverage. BUT also I am about 20lb overweight AND I don't shave my legs and I'm quite dark haired. You could hire me to come and walk around your pool during your sesh & no-one will ever look at you again.
Reasonable rates.

It's truthfully actually amazing to me how little anyone cares. Chin up, shoulders back and strut your stuff. Smile! It helps.

Get over yourself - nobody cares :-)

At my pool you see all sorts of shapes and sizes and people wearing wearing less while others wear more.

I go swimming and am late 40s and a size 12 and couldn't care less what I look like.

But I am often the slimmest person there - there are loads of older women who are really really large, and none of them appear to give a toss about what they look like, which I think is brilliant.

I barely look at them as I'm concentrating on doing my set amount of lengths and getting out asap, so o really wouldn't worry. No one will be judging you!

I assure you no one is looking at or examining your thighs.
For a start you are out doing exercise so it’s an actual truth that you try to look after yourself.

But if there is any chance this could stop you going, just buy some swim shorts recommended on here.,

I wear a bra under my swim suit due to large 38GG and swam 1600m in the pool today - I’m 20lbs overweight. Seriously just enjoy your swim, I couldn’t pick anyone out of a line up 10mins after my swim either I’m too focused on enjoying my swim.

I’m fat, and I’m sure I look like a sack of spuds in my swimming gear. However, I had to get over myself, because my back’s knackered, and swimming’s one of the few forms of exercise I can do. My shorts are almost down to my knees, no gaping (yet), and nobody’s burst out laughing or died in shock at the sight of me. I’ll take that as a win 🤷‍♀️

I wear swim leggings, I bought them because it's so cold in the sea on UK holidays and honestly I wish I'd gotten them years ago. I got mine from Curvissa, but there's loads out there and I absolutely recommend them.

I swim, and always wear board shorts over my swimsuit. It's not because I don't like my body, but I just don't want random people to see bits of it that only DH normally sees 😂 I wouldn't walk down the street in a swimsuit and I feel it should be the same in the pool tbh. In my pool there is a mix of people wearing shorts and not.
You can get some very nice board shorts! Mine are quite short so they don't impede my swimming.

Shorts are good! I encourage you to find something you feel happy in. You will enjoy it and exercise more.

Womens swimwear is often completely hideous.

I wear a legsuit ( dhb is good, sports direct do a cheaper version) or a trisuit. Best bit about triathlon ( I'm not fast at all, I just like swimming) is the longer length swimsuit, far more comfortable.

I have swim shorts and top. When I was much younger I shaved the tops of my thighs before wearing a normal swimming costume and I always ended up with lumpy ingrown hairs. So then for a few years I went over to costumes with short legs. But about a year ago I bought the top and shorts and love them. I do wear black knickers under the black shorts because even though it hasn't happened I can't help worrying that they'll go see through or split!

I had weight loss surgery earlier this year and I am now 8st lighter but have been left with a lot of wobbly bits - mostly my thighs, bingo wings and stomach.

I love to swim but was so self conscious until I got this swim set online and I mix and match the pieces depending on the day - some days idgaf who sees my bingo wings but am conscious of my thunder thighs, so I wear the racer top and shorts; other days I wear the rash vest and bikini bottoms BC it's the other way around; other times I wear whatever isn't currently in the wash.

I have had so many compliments and questions, especially on the shorts, as so many people at my gym have said they have struggled to find swimsuits they feel confident and comfortable in, even though they know nobody else cares what we all look like in the pool

Swimming's about the most inclusive sport for various body shapes, and most of the time most of the body is covered by water and people focused on what they're doing not others.

Swimwear has diversified a lot in recent years. Depending on what I'm doing/ where/ mood, I'll wear bikinis (wobbles and all), one pieces, shorts or shortie wetsuit. No one's ever paid much attention.

One pool I go to has a much more mixed community so there's more range of swimwear there than at another pool.