When do you become too old to wear a bikini?

[MissMiss1]

At what age do you become too old to wear a bikini n start wearing a full swimming costume.

I'm in my early 40s n have been looking for some new swimwear. Everywhere I go everything seems either tiny, too brightly coloured, not the right shape and far too young looking.

Is it time to admit defeat on the bikini front and start looking at swimming costumes?

I think some of this is generational. I was brought up in the 50s and 60s. My mum always said 'what would people think' and still does. There was a certain amount of decorum drummed into people from that time, when you were supposed to give some thought to how you looked in public- more so perhaps than today, ironically. Women wore smart suits when pram pushing(I have the photos to prove it) and generally there was much more effort to look appropriately dressed. My Mum had and still has a fantastic figure even now at 88, and in her 40s she wore a bikini and looked great. But had she not, I think she'd have covered up simply to spare other people the sight.

It works both ways- it's good manners not to care what others wear, but it's also good manners perhaps to not wear clothes that attract attention to yourself for the wrong reasons. And this applies to men too- like an elderly man once seen sitting on the beach in baggy shorts with his scrotum dangling out the leg- or younger men parading in budgie smugglers.

I think I look pretty good in my bikini for 57. I am very pear shaped with a relatively small waist and flat chest. I have lots of great bikinis for beach /pool holidays and actually a one piece wouldn't disguise my big thighs anyway.

I would like the odd one piece for swimming and water parks. (Not too old to go down those slides with the teen DCs). I did notice when I went to Center Parcs that truly every woman over 20 was wearing a full swimsuit. I didn't see anyone else my age in a bikini.
I have the same trouble as Pagwatch with the long body though. BHS used to do extra long ones but they all seem to come with "tummy control" and I refuse to wear a corset on holiday. If I go a size up or choose halter necks they are too big at the top.

secret I wished I'd worn a one piece at a water park in Florida last October. Or a wet suit .

Tumbling off various rings/mats, at speed, at angles/head first/backwards took lack of dignity to a whole new level!

Pink regarding manners, I refer you to soupdragons PP.
If you have a scar, should you always cover up in case it upsets others? What about alopecia. .. always wear a hat?

That was the way in the mid 20th century.

Stretch marks and wrinkles are NOT like scrotums or genetals! They are a fairly common pattern/mark seen on parts of the body which are culturally ok to show.
Likening them to exposed male genitals is just odd.

Unless in your comparison a fit man could walk round with his nads out and that's ok?
If not, you think imperfect skin is as offensive as exposed male genitals.

I made no reference to stretch marks, wrinkles, or scars. There is a difference yes between those and genitalia.

Women, frankly, can do what they like.

All I am saying is that some years back it was considered 'good taste and good manners' to keep some of your body covered up and some people - men and women- think it's better to wear clothing that suits your body shape and size better than other types of clothing- whether that is a bikini, a dress, shorts , a top or whatever.

But each to their own.

Under 6 months, maybe?

Quite pinkfrocks. I don't have a single stretch mark anywhere incidentally, despite eight kids, so that's not the issue.

I know this isn't the point and I'm going slightly off track here, but I always remember seeing an amazingly gorgeous, glamourous and young woman in a black one piece that was really simple but slashed low at the front with a big brass/gold ring thing in the middle and a huge hat. She looked a million times better than anyone else - including those in bikinis. Sexy as Hell in really stylish, not too try hard way.

Which has zippo to do with original OP, obv!

I take the view not that others sharing the beach need protecting the sight of my tummy, simply that it might be polite not to insist on subjecting them to it.

I'm certainly not dangling my belly right in front of people's eyes, nor stopping them to make them look at it. They can look wherever they want. It's a big beach and there are usually lots of people around.

In the past it was considered indecent for a woman to even show an ankle . Thank goodness times change.

Like others, I don't like the feel of wet and/or hot fabric on my stomach when on a beach/pool holiday. Even though I'll wear a costume at indoor pools in the UK, I use the pool to cool down on holiday. I also do some slow, head-up breast crawl lengths and have never had a problem with any of my bikinis.

Anyone who has a problem with me wearing a bikini is the one with issues.....

Oh ok Lweji. But ours is a less populated more exclusive type of beach :)

What a depressing OP for a site that it is predominantly frequented by women

Bikinis are practical because you can wear them under clothes and go to the loo easily, and if you are changing on the beach it is easier to dress/undress discretely.

Sweaty Betty do a good range of bikinis that stay put when you are doing sport.

It's fine to prefer a one-piece for any reason whatsoever. However, when I'm wearing lycra and my cleavage, arms and legs are on display, I don't think there is really much point in hiding my stomach, just for reasons of discretion.

They are discussing this on "Loose Women"....

They are discussing this on "Loose Women"....

The thread or the topic?

The topic briefly. Pictures of Lorraine Kelly and Sam Cam and two of them saying they would wear bikinis on the beach and the Nolan woman and Birds of a Feather one saying No. (can't remember their names)

Never too old. I think it is up to the individual.

Men only ever wear swim shorts - don't seem to care if they have a big, fat belly jiggling about.

I have just come back from a beach holiday - and most women around the pool wore bikinis - and the majority of guests staying there were in their 60s and 70s I'd say. I've seen all shapes and sizes- no one seemed to particularly care if they were showing wobbly/stretchmarked bits.

I like both. A swimsuit for actual swimming - bikini for sunbathing. As said upthread bikinis are easier to manage - if you are wearing it under your day clothes and need the toilet. But swimsuits can look classier.

Well LK and SC have good figures - so don't mind showing off their hard work. CN and the other women- I can't remember her name either don't - so obviously prefer to keep it covered up.

It's absolutely OK for individual women to say, no, they wouldn't wear a bikini (like me). As long as they're not saying no woman should wear one.

Likewise, a one-piece.

Seriously. Anyone who thinks their is way is the only right way, and anyone behaving differently from them is wrong, doesn't deserve to be given a tinker's toot.

I really don't want to stir this up again but I just wanted to say I saw a great one-piece swimsuit today: simple and elegant, in black .... with a skull print.

I don't think it would be nearly as effective as a bikini.

Going back to try it on tomorrow. Just hope it fits!