Hen Do Help!

[FrozenMargarita17]

Hi all

I really need some help please. I am going on a week long hen do in June to somewhere in Spain. I am rather fatter than I used to be and I have zero confidence at all and the people I am going with (that I know) are all fabulously glamorous and skinny. I am worried I will stick out like a sore thumb. Apart from the brides mum and her friend I will be the only one who has had a baby.

Can anyone help me find some swimming things that aren't frumpy?

I am now a size 16-18, I have 38E boobs that look like tennis balls in socks and I have stretch marks all over my legs and bottom of my belly which is now just a big pouch. I also have fat tops of my arms. I never used to look like this and I'm really quite sad about it and I want to find something to wear to all the glamorous things they have planned (I checked and checked before to find out if it would be lots of going out or beach parties and was assured it was just a sun holiday that was all inclusive and we'd have a couple of meals out of the hotel which it now seems it's not and is rather full of beach parties and going to glamorous towie places and I am terrified).

Aww don’t be so hard on yourself. Swimwear can be horribly daunting I know but everyone’s got their insecurities and I’m sure no ones going to be judging you on what you look like in a cossie. They’ll be preoccupied with their own “flaws” as they see them.

I’m not sure what kind of style you like but my sister (size 20) has just bought a lovely swim dress from Yours here. There’s a few nice bits on there and it’s cut specifically for curvier girls.

Accessorize have some lovely kaftan/ beach dress things that’d look fab with heels for a beach party.

Hope you manage to find something you like .

Thank you so much for replying. I think it's that I'm a bit shocked that I've been signed up to all these things and can't back out of them when I asked so many times to make sure I knew exactly what I was going in for! No to mention they want £100 from me to go to all these things!

I'll have a look, thank you for sending! I definitely need a lot of cover ups etc.

River Island do a Plus section online which has a lot of beachwear.

Also try Simply Be.

Figleaves sells bikinis & swimsuits that have cup sizes.

And as pp says try Accessorize.

Primark actually also do some decent summery stuff.

I recommend wearing decent well fitting swimwear with glamorous accessories such as pretty kaftans/ beach dresses, sparkly sandals/ wedges/ flip flops, look for beading on items too & bright colours.

Get your eyebrows & lashes dyed before you go or buy decent waterproof makeup, do your nails in a nice colour & try out hairstyles.

Dont forget the sun lotion obviously & have fun!

Thank you so much for replying. That's what I was thinking. Nice patterns and kaftans. I am really bad at knowing what to buy for myself now because I can't reconcile in my head what I used to look like and what I look like now. And I can't figure out what I should buy to suit me. I was a size 12 before and I now just buy jumpers/T-shirts and jeggings. And I looked at my wardrobe the other day and it's all the same colours. I've lost myself somewhere.

I have very very dark hair/brows/lashes anyway so I'll get some waterproof make up and get a pedicure. My nails on my hands are terrible and are really breakable - every time I've had them done they comment on how bad they are so I'm a bit embarrassed to get them done.

I was hoping someone there would take pity on me and do my hair for me - I can do peoples make up (I am good at this!) but I'm rubbish with my hair, it's extremely long and I wear it down or in a messy pony or bun. I sometimes put the front bits of my hair back in clips because they're really long and get on my nerves.

Oh! And I wear glasses to make it worse haha

I wear glasses too but I have prescription sunglasses for the sun which are hopefully quite fashionable looking.

I think with hairstyles it depends on if you're planning to actually swim in the sea / pool or not. My hair is long & always goes curly when I swim so I just put detangling spray on it after & go with the natural curl!

Get yourself a spray tan. It's my holiday essential on the basis that brown fat looks better than white fat.

Yes I have curly hair. I often just leave it on holiday to dry naturally curly but I don't think I can get away with it on this holiday.