Talk to me about swim dresses....

[Biancadelrioisback]

Are they good? Bad? Ugly?
I am 5'2, used to always be a size 10 but since my last holiday I am now a 14 and very embarrassed about it. I need a swimming costume and the thought of my belly and arse hanging out makes me want to cry. Im not yet 30 so don't want to be old before my time. Are swim dresses a stylish way to hide the flab? Or is it twee and shit?
Help :(

Whatever makes you feel more comfortable op. I would add though that you’ll see all shapes and sizes on holiday and I’m sure no one will pay too much attention to you. That said I know it can be daunting to parade around in essentially underwear!

I'm not too keen on them. I don't think they look good on anyone,sorry. I totally agree with Rooftree though. Nobody is judging you! Go with what YOU want.

I bought one for a holiday last year, I felt a lot more comfortable walking around without everything hanging out. HOWEVER as soon as you go in the water it's constantly bloody floating up!!! I was in quite a deep pool and it was constantly up round my boobs. Drove me mad.

Aw gawd I sound like a right hypocrite don't i !.. If you want my opinion , it's a no to the dress, but fuck it, don't listen to me :0)

I've never been this big and mishapen before so I'm dreading the thought of people seeing me.
I literally cry when I see pictures of myself and I'm terrified that I'll be in the background of other people's pics and they'll be laughing at me.
We go in 4 weeks so no chance of losing weight before then.
Argh I don't want to be in any swimwear!

I'm sorry OP, I'm not normally this blunt but I think they tend to look pretty awful. My sister bought one to "hide the flab" and all it did was make her stand out from the crowd. It also made her look bigger because she had this daft frilly skirt.

If you feel self conscious I would say the shorts and vest top look is more flattering.

Ah op that’s hard. Honestly though, once you’ve braved it out at the pool once, you’ll probably find you care less than you think you will. I always think I look like shit on holiday (or at least completely diff to at home as I don’t bother with my fairly high maintenance routine when I’m away) but I don’t really care as I don’t know anyone there apart from my family

I think honestly you'll look totally totally normal in a normal swimming costume, just pick one with a flattering stomach that doesn't have legs that are too high.

I got one from m and s last year. (5' and 4" and size 14 as well, up from a 10-12)

I've actually also concluded that sports swimming costumes are quite flattering (if you ignore their utter boob-non-enhancing qualities) as they really suck your stomach in.

Please, all the bluntness and honesty is welcome! I need the truth

Honestly the word matronly always springs to mind when I see a swim dress. As someone a size bigger than you I feel most comfortable in a swimsuit with tummy control and a low leg, or a tankini with a low leg/high waist bottom to hold everything in.

I think they scream "I think I'm fat". Really there are much more flattering things to wear. My friend is a size eighteen and about your height and she wore a sports bra type thing and high waisted swim shorts and looked fantastic. Nothing was hanging out and everything was smooth, not even a muffin top.

What about a high waisted pants and crop top type of bikini? As others have said though there will be all shapes and sizes on the beach and nobody batting an eyelid at you!

I'm 5'2 and size 18. On my last holiday I wore a swimdress when I was lounging by the pool but swimsuit if I planned to swim.

I would find a very simple all-in-one, and then buy a couple of floaty sheer kaftan things to throw over the top if it makes you feel more covered up.

But NO ONE will be laughing at you. They're on holiday. They've got way more to do than sit around laughing at random strangers relaxing. Get a bright pedicure and everyone will look at your gorgeous toes instead.

I had one for centre parcs last year and to be honest I felt self conscious. Went back again a few weeks ago with a decent swimsuit and felt much better.

And yes, the minute you get in the pool they float right up!

M&co do a good range for bigger ladies. They have tankinis and swimsuits with looser tops but tight bottoms that look nice.

These days also a lot of shops do really nice matching wraps dresses play suits with you can pop on for walking about the place.

Saw great ones in matalan

Sorry, another that think they draw attention to your size, not distract.

At size 14, you really are unlikely to be the biggest on the beach, you wont stand out in a normal swimsuit, even if this is vastly bigger than you are used to your body being. (Think about when you went away when you were a size 10, did you pay lots of attention to who was bigger or smaller than you? )

If you want to be more covered up, a shorts and swim top/rash vest look would be better.

But if go with normal swimsuit/tankini and a couple of nice kaftans to throw over the top when you get out of the pool.

I'm a size 22 and always wear high waisted bikini bottoms with tankini tops

I think a swim dress would just draw more attention to you and scream ‘I’m not confident.’ Nobody looks at you in normal swim wear at all but in a swim dress its likely to be the only one there and you would notice it more

These are all m and co and have matching wraps dresses etc.

And this

I've got this one from from sainsburys and I love it. I bought it because I like it, am under no illusion it makes me look thinner. It may scream fat but so does everything else because I am. Not bothered what anyone thinks about it.

They draw so much attention and label you as insecure imvho. You can feel a bit self-conscious but it makes it worse if you're broadcasting it to everyone else as well.
Don't forget that many pools don't allow them in so being whistled to get out would be cringey.

I'm a size 20 and have worn a swim dress once. I felt very much like a self conscious far person. I never wore it again.

I now wear a one piece (agree sports type ones tend to flatter more) or high waisted bottoms and a bikini top. The latter I feel looks the best and makes me feel a bit more trendy. I also make the most of looking fabulous in floaty Kaftan type things to cover up when I'm not sunbathing or swimming.

I'm going to go against the grain, I saw a woman in one in my local pool, she was maybe a 16. She was late 20s, and far from looking frumpy, I thought she looked ace. She looked comfortable and that she was relaxed in her own skin (not tugging at her swimsuit every two minutes like I do). Something quite demure about them. So it's a yes from me.

I can't believe there isn't a massive selection of swimwear for fatter mothers to wear when they are forced to haul offspring about in knee deep water of toddler pools.