Can you wear a bikini if you have noticeable stretch marks?

[LouiseMBE]

I've lost some weight and for the first time in ages I'm feeling like I could wear a bikini. I'm not sure though because I have stretch marks on my tummy from my pgs. They have silvered so they don't stand out from a distance but if someone was stood next to me they'd see them.

They run from belly button height down, about 7 of them on each side, the widest being about 6mm wide.

Is it too grim to show or should I flash them with pride?

Oh PLEASE wear a bikini. It's so much nicer than having wet swimsuit across yr midriff on the beach. I have Cindy tummy (!) too and there's no way I wouldn't wear a bikini. No one is looking, and if they are (say it til you mean it) who gives a fuck?

louise Congrats on weight loss and please do wear a bikini! Who cares about silvery stretch marks!?

Yes. I have (since the birth of my son, who's now 11) always worn one piece swim suits. I've bough cheap ones and expensive ones. I've recently bought two bikinis with the "shorts" style bottoms. They are soooo much more flattering for me. I should have done it years ago. I don't have stretch marks on my abdomen but DO around my hips and bottom (??). So technically, I don't have your problem but, for years I thought bikinis were "out" for me. Just slap on lots of self tan. Wear your bikini and enjoy....!

I'm in my late 40's and frankly, within reason, I want to wear what I want and be comfortable. No one will bat any eyelid because mostly, we're all too busy worrying about ourselves!!

Seriously, wear it! Everyone else will be too busy worrying about their own wobbly bits to notice. Head high & go for it! Well done on the weight loss :)

Lovely supportive thread. And just to echo the others, definitely wear your bikini OP, I bet you look great.

WoodlandHills - that's exactly what I was thinking - how wonderful to read the responses on this thread rather than a "oooh, no best to cover up, love" response!

MrsRobertDuvall - I think I remember your threads from last year re wearing a bikini (or am I confusing you with someone else?) you had been doing lots of working out, no?

Louise if you can bear the smell, I have always found Palmers Cocoa Butter Lotion to be excellent on smoothing and minimising stretch marks. It isn't a permanent solution but I generally use it a few weeks before going away and it definitely improves them temporarily.

I wouldn't. But that's just me. I make a point of covering up bits I don't like, and don't want anyone to see.

I don't think anyone will gasp when they see stretch marks, but it's how comfortable you feel about them. I don't like to show my flabby upper arms, but then I see loads of women with worse ones not giving a damn. Personal choice.

Wear it! I felt the same but after my 1st holiday abroad with DC I noticed lots of other woman looking fab in bikinis most of them had stretch marks, and other imperfections I even looked better than some of the people there and you will too I have proudly wore a bikini ever since

If want to wear one then do!

I have horrendous stretch marks, they are now silver but my whole tummy looks like porridge. They cover the whole thing from about 3 inches ABOVE my belly button right down to my cs scar.

My mum used to tell me not to because I'll "scare the horses" so I bought cossies and then on holiday found I wanted to wear bikinis so did and never looked back (funnily enough I used to hate wearing them and feel self conscious).

DH encourages me to wear bikinis and thinks I look great :-)

I agree, Amelia, it is personal choice. I used to be paranoid about wobbly bits, crepey bits, fat bits... and then I decided that actually, the only person who cared was me. I still do care on my home turf, but on holiday, on the beach, with people I won't see again.... I've managed to finally relax. :)

totally agree

fight back

wear the bloody bikini. when you are at the MEd you look odd in a one pice

I don't know why, but it's swimsuit in the UK and bikini abroad - possibly because everyone in Europe is in a bikini (unless they're blokes in which case invisible* speedos seem to be popular) no matter what shape they are. For the record, I'm mid 40's, size 16 and have a double Cindy tum, but I wasn't the largest/wobbliest lady on the beach by a long chalk!

I agree that if you are in a one-piece in Europe you are more likely to get stares than not... go for it! :o

• invisible because of the gut overhang

if the only people who can wear bikinis are lithe under 20s then it is our OWN FAULT.

wear and be proud. get one that fits though - too many tits overhanging hte other day

I echo what everyone else has said. It's completely your choice and if you're comfortable then that's the only important thing. Everyone else will be far too busy relaxing on the beach/trying to stop the DCs wandering off/debating what to have for lunch to consider your attire

ujjayi yes that was me.
I didn't tell dh I was planning to wear one, just arrived at the pool. I dared him to say anything. ( he didn't)

Two years ago I went on holiday with my best friend to Gran Canaria, it was a revelation to me in many ways as it was the first time I had been on holiday without dh and all 3 kids! I actually had time to take a good look around (people watching etc) instead of permantly suncreaming the kids, making sure no one dehydrates, you know all the stuff that mums do.........anyway, the point is, I was absolutely boiling hot in my one piece swimming costume, within minutes of getting out of the pool I was bone dry and HOT! My friend said ' what the hell you got that thing on for? to which I replied 'I'm FAT (size 18) theres no way I'm wearing a bikini'. She couldn't stop laughing (she's a size 12), and told me to take a good hard look at all the differant shapes and sizes around us in bikini's, I had never really noticed the other fat people, the saggy people, even super skinny people with all there bones showing,the old people all wearing bikini's! She said your the only one wearing a swimsuit, you stand out more because you're HOT and BOTHERED. Find a bikini that you are happy with, for me thats large batman size bottoms and bikini tops that show my boobs off, which offsets the frumpy large pants look! The type of bikini that your tummy doesnt roll over when getting on and off a sunbed. You will feel fine when you realise that NOBODY gives a damn what you like, only you do, and once you get over the initial de-robeing at the beach or pool, you won't care either!

Yes - I found a wrap invaluable in my personal "bikini challenge". For a while I was only happy lying down on a sun bed or the short walk to the pool. Now I have even ditched the wrap for most walking about too.