Summer = Swim Wear Hell or Heaven?

[SaintedRoots]

So I have been pondering about the secret to summer swim wear heaven... I have a couple of bikinis that I feel OK in but I have never put on a swim suit and felt sexy, you know like a Brazilian beach babe or a kick ass Aussie lass.

I was just wondering what your thoughts were on swim wear? Have you found the one or are you like me and can't seem to find anything that turns you into an instant BonD girl even with the wobbly squishy bits?

I agree that I've always felt frumpy in a swimsuit and don't like having that much wet fabric next to my body. I've been a size 12-14 most of my life and far prefer bikinis. Would wear them til I'm 80 if I could get away with it! Sadly that wouldn't be fair on the world though.
But women with boobs who haven't discovered cup sized quality swimwear don't know what they're missing. It isn't logical to expect a £12 piece of thin fabric from a supermarket, with no underwires and a small bust panel, to do any favours for ordinary mortals with medium to large norkage. I wouldn't look good in it dry with full make up and high heels, never mind when it's sagging with water

Yes yes yes to cup-sized swimwear! I have a couple of Freya ones and a Cleo and the fit is sooooooo much more flattering than cheaper numbers. The Cleo one is pretty much the same cut as my favourite bra about the bosoms.

I do have a v sensible Speedo number for when I'm actually doing laps of the pool (and don't care what I look like), but like having a nice-fitting bikini or suit for family hols and hanging around on the beach.

Crotches are very narrow these days. They go up your bits. Everything hangs out at the sides.

Yeah I am tempted to buy cupsized swimwear but do you not find the underwire really annoying? I like the idea of feeling free, comfortable but still having a great shape from my swim wear.

The best swimsuit I have tried on was way out of my budget and cost nearly £600 (I was in Harrords seeing how the other half live ) it did wonders without the hard support of underwire.

Also I couldn't agree more about the crotch sizes being too small! That's the Brazilian influence I reckon! But some of us like our bits covered and not on show to the world! Lol!

Separates are the answer for me... For my shape halternecks are good, but they often (in sets) come with teeny tiny bottoms. I need good bum coverage... This means ranges that you can mix and match with (sea folly for example)... But that's tend to be pricy

There are always non wired options around for fuller bust swimwear.
Personally I don't mind wires at all if the bikini is well made.
Some non-wired ones:
Freya at Simply Swim good for real swimming
Non wired for hols Moontide
Non wired bikini previous season sale, but bound to be new styles if you google

My pet hate is swimsuits with moulded cups which are short in the body and the cups are 3 inches below your bust.

"But that's tend to be pricy"

Ebay is your friend! There are quite a few outlet stores that sell through Ebay, it's all brand new stock but from a couple of years ago. If you don't care about having this year's "in" swimsuit colour (does anyone?) you can get some great bargains. Lingerieoutletstore is particularly good and has Freya, Panache, etc.

My dislike of shopping for clothes on ebay and amazon is the really poor search and refine options. It takes the joy out of shopping for clothes completely. Endless wrong items come up when you've searched for something specific. I want to look at a few good websites, which have a lot of choice, high res images and make a price comparison between a few shops. Then buy from a company I can return to easily if they don't fit.
Ebay and Amazon - fine for books, storage boxes and light bulbs but straight to Zara, Cos, Asos and other online shops for clothes (mainly sale time for Cos).

I like Lands end for mix and match.

I always buy bikini bottoms a size bigger than my other clothes.
Have to have a proper 'underwired bra'style bikini top. Halterneck bikinis hurt my neck, bandeau ones seem to create rolls of flab that I never knew I had and triangle styles just about cover my nipples. I usually buy separately as my bust is 30F.

I LOVE Victoria Secret bikinis. I have 5 tops and 7 bottoms as a lot of the bottoms match several tops. I love how they have so many different styles to mix and match. Each piece I've ordered has fit perfectly - which is lucky as dong fancy shipping back to US.

I have discovered that at 48 I need bra sized under wired swimwear to look good.
For my hols this year I have bought the Freya cactus print swimsuit and the boden vintage bikini.

Marking place. I really need a decent bikini.
I have 32 G boobs

I do like figleaves for Freya bikinis

My swimsuits in recent years have been H&M ones, always fairly tight round bust area or a great halter neck one which is good, both seem to have a high level of elastic/elastane etc in them which supports boobs and bits.

This year I've bought:-

www.joythestore.com/lou-geo-v-front-swimsuit

www2.hm.com/en_gb/productpage.0360110002.html

I like the Joy one because it shows the boob area but also supports and the H&M is quite comfy but again supports a bit, I like the halter neck on it too.

I did get a Seafolly one and another one in sweaty Betty a few years back (now a bit out of shape) they're nice, but dearer.

I personally don't like cupped swimsuits but for bikinis they're a must. Sadly it's a try on time, Figleaves and excellent for chat advice though and also returns. Good bargains in their swimwear sales and their own brand are nice too.

Oh I have 28FF/30G (or whatever is equivalent) boobs, but fairly firm.