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?

There is no such thing as too old. Wear whatever is most comfortable for you.

I haven't worn a bikini in years but don't really go on beach holidays and tend to cover up in the sun.

I opt for tankinis myself. Longer top bit, longer shorts. I don't think I've worn a one piece since I was about 12.
You wear whatever you feel comfortable in.
Also, I spent ages looking for one earlier this month, and eventually found a decent one on the Speedo online store.

tried a one piece once. never ever again. constant wedgie-ness not very relaxing at all (think i have a long body or something).

i tend to wear a bikini with a pair of loose, floaty shortsand if i feel comfortable wherever i am about to fry myself, the shorts come off. if i feel bleurgh, i keep the shorts on but pull the legs up. in my head it makes me feel better at the time and to me, thats what counts - how i feel. stuff everyone else. i go away to relax not spy on others.

You are never too old for a bikini. No one is looking at you. I'm going to wear one until I'm an old lady. In hot countries you see everyone young and old going topless too.
Old men show their bellies what ever their age, why shouldn't we?

Why adhere to any 'rules' regarding swimwear? Just wear what you're happy in and I don't agree that you have to be slim and toned to wear a bikini - if you're happy then wear what you like.

My cellulite is all on my thighs so whatever I wear, everyone can see it. Do I care? No. I wear a bikini because I prefer them most of the time. If I am trying to do a proper 30 lap swim in half an hour I wear a one piece because it's a bit more practical.

Don't ever worry about what other people might think, it's their problem, not yours.

I would wear a bikini at 43 - but I'm riddled with psoriasis across my torso, so I can't anymore

I'm frequently the only woman in a one-piece on the beach in UK or Portugal and while it does sometimes make me feel a bit ... different, basically I don't give a toss. Two pregnancies with massive bumps left me with a kangaroo pouch full of stretched skin. As someone once said, my stretch marks have stretch marks! There is nothing short of a tuck (which I wouldn't ever consider - invasive lengthy cosmetic surgery? um, no thanks) that will make this stretched pouch of skin disappear. If I wore bikini bottoms they'd have to be really, really high up my torso and I don't think that's a good look. I'm otherwise comfortable with my body and have a range of fab 50's style one-pieces from For Luna, which I urge anyone who feels they can't rock a bikini any more, to look at. (They also do fab retro bikinis...)

I also think wearing very skimpy bikinis is just offering up more skin to the damaging sun...

I'm in my late/mid 30s and had a baby this year. I bought a high waist bikini from Primark of all places: underwire cups (got a bigger size and took the back band in to fit) and nice comfy pants.
It looks tropical and retro.

I would love to rock a bikini with a lower waist but couldn't find one that didn't cut across my mum tum and rub.

Someone mentioned Paulina Porizkova... I loved her in a daft film in the 80s, the name of which escapes me, anyway, I did a random google. Found this. Awwwww. 25 years married. They look so happy! Oh, and bikinis at any age imho.

www.laineygossip.com/Paulina-Porizkova-and-Ric-Ocasek-on-holiday-still-in-love/24144

... also I have terrible nursing rash made worse by clingy wet fabric so a one piece was a no no.

I like style and comfort, and a bikini is like underwear ... I find them easier to fit and wear. I wear sports ones for proper swimming.

I don't like them. I think one-pieces are more elegant, regardless of age/body shape.

I have a Rio thong, though, ready for the Olympics

Floisme - do you have the same problem with underwear? Because a decent bikini is just waterproof underwear. If you do still have similar problems, it oculd be you are wearing the wrong sizes and need to get measured again (and check which knicker size you are getting as well).

I think post DCs and breastfeeding it best to wear bikinis with tops that are more like bras, so underwired, supportive shapes, not thin strappy things, and bottoms are also better a bit more substaintial these days on me (butnot doing highwaisted for stupid tans reasons).

A well fitting bikini looks a lot better than a shapless one piece - why any woman over a B cup buys a one-piece without proper cups in it is beyond me, it's unflattering and can't be comfy.

oh and for anyone that's not a standard shape, it is easier if you can buy the bikini top and bottoms separately.

I wear bikinis, I don't think I have any other types of costumes

I'm 42 and have massive stretch marks and a belly but tbh, I don't really give a shit

I hate anything else for the beach, especially full costumes, because you have to wrestle your costume off if you go to the loo especially if you want to put clothes on top afterwards and go out

Never!! I'm another person who looks way better in a bikini. Swimsuits give me moobs! At the risk of sounding like I'm boasting, I actually look better in bikinis and underwear than clothes. There's less overhang, post baby bulges are less obvious and as I am curvy with a short body I don't look fat like I do in clothes. Even when I was pregnant I wore a bikini. My mum and mil both rock bikinis in their early 60s.

I think the skill in making them look right post 25yo is well fitting stuff, mix and matching sets for sizes and maybe patterns for the bits you want to emphasise, confidence and good cover-ups. A posh kaftan or an easy sundress for the beach bar or going down to the pool looks great

MissMiss just to add my thoughts....I heading back to bikinis! Almost forty.

I found when the children were tiny a costume most appropriate for charging after them, never being physically still! But I feel like I'm past that stage (they're 8 and 5). And more confident than ever. So I'm ditching the navy Speedo and heading to bikinis!

My tip is.....Boden! I spent a lot (for me) on a tankini from them last summer and it was amazing - thick fabric, held things in the right place, fun print, good padding and modest tankini top, all great. Generous sizing too. And no quibble returns.

Hoping to invest next summer in a Boden bikini. I would this year but we are skint! Seriously, it's wort the investment, I felt great last summer, for the first time in ages. My colleagues were recently debating bikini or costume and all were saying they were too big for bikinis....nonsense.....it was such a shame. Bring on the bikinis!!!

NEVER EVER too old (for anything!)

I understand your point about how lots of bikinis on the high street are skimpy/aimed at a younger audience but just keep persevering on your search and I'll bet you find something you like and feel comfortable in.

I love beaches in Europe where all these wonderful 60+ woman are sunbathing topless/in skimpy costumes and loving their bodies whatever their age... So liberating. I fully intend to be letting it all hang out well into my 80s ;-)

It really is just a question of what makes you feel comfortable.

I wear a one-piece but I don't sunbathe (being paler than milk) and do a lot of swimming. I just couldn't be doing with hoicking a bikini up or down and keep checking it.

... besides which, I have floating boobs when I'm swimming... I think they'd just completely escape in a bikini top...

"I just couldn't be doing with hoicking a bikini up or down and keep checking it.
besides which, I have floating boobs when I'm swimming... I think they'd just completely escape in a bikini top."

If you had a properly fitting bikini you wouldn't need to do that or have boob problems.

This is the thing, Bunbaker, I understand what you're saying very well. I used to have bras from Evans & Deakin (expensive bra shop in 80s) that cost £50+ then. I also had a swimsuit from there... lovely it was, very well made and fully covering my boobs. Just wearing it and posing in it is fine - swimming, not a chance.

I have great bras now, really well-fitting and I fondly think I can wear 'wrap dresses'. I can't. They look lovely when I put them on and by 11am I look as if I've been up to no good... ... when I haven't!

I must be a very wriggly sort of person. I can think of no other explanation?

Almost 40 & have always worn a bikini. Admittedly, since the birth of my ds 4yrs ago...I wear tankinis now, just because they look more flattering.

Tbh though, on my hols...I don't give a shit. Too busy enjoying myself!

Surely one should wear what one wants, whenever one wants. This kind of talk is hardly indicative of progressive attitudes prevalent and encouraged on MN.

Wear whatever you are comfortable in OP. This may change over time and depending on where you are going to be wearing it eg. One piece at the gym, two piece on the beach.

I gave up bikini's after having the DC's but then, as other posters have mentioned, looked around the beach and realised the only other person in a one piece was about 85. There were all shapes and sizes and really no one is paying you any attention.

Any wobbly bits, scars etc remind us we have had a life and sometimes it shows on our bodies, be glad, not bothered about having lived!

Ps I'm 48 and have been back in bikinis for 12 years!