I'm not plus size nor am I very slim. HELP ME BUY A BATHING SUIT!!

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2

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  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    TheVirgoddess wrote: »
    I feel like it's impossible for me to find a bathing suit. My cup size is a 36F, but I'm a medium on the bottom. I'm forever searching for something.

    So I'm no help, sorry.

    You just gotta buy separates! Have you tried to see if any sister sizes have worked for you on top? Maybe one is easier to find than another.
  • suruda
    suruda Posts: 1,233 Member
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    I think I got the tankini top version of your one piece.....the sizing makes me a little nervous as it is often a crapshoot. But for the price, it's worth the risk. I'm older and therefore saggier than you so the underwire support will be much appreciated! :wink:

  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    Do you have Bravissimo in the US? They do nice bikinis. I also like brands like O'Neill, Quicksilver, Animal etc, but again I'm not sure what you have in the US.
  • ew_david
    ew_david Posts: 3,473 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Seems like J Crew or Athleta are safe bets.

    I have 3 Athleta suits. I love them.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    suruda wrote: »
    I think I got the tankini top version of your one piece.....the sizing makes me a little nervous as it is often a crapshoot. But for the price, it's worth the risk. I'm older and therefore saggier than you so the underwire support will be much appreciated! :wink:

    I think their sizes are pretty standard.

    If anyone wants to see the worst bathing suit ever...Take a look at the last two pics on my profile. I took them to show my mom the suit before I lost weight, but now they're my only "before" pics. I put them up for friends to see yesterday and meant to take them down today.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    _dracarys_ wrote: »
    arditarose wrote: »
    Seems like J Crew or Athleta are safe bets.

    I have 3 Athleta suits. I love them.

    I was looking at their bottoms last year because they seemed like they had decent coverage without being granny.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
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    http://www.fablesbybarrie.com/product-category/swimwear-usa/

    This is a small, local (to me) company - I had the pleasure of shopping in their workshop last summer and got a lot of compliments on the suit I picked out. Definitely a retro style but very cute and extremely well made (by hand).
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    I think this one is cute, wish I could try it on first!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    blankiefinder wrote: »
    I think this one is cute, wish I could try it on first!

    Looks like it has good reviews but runs small.
  • NextPage
    NextPage Posts: 609 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Looking at your picture I think that you might have a problem finding a bikini set that fits properly for both the top and bottom so separates are a good idea. You may find that bathing suit companies that also specialize in lingerie (in all cup sizes) are the way to go - Panache, Fantasie, Curvy Kate, Freya for example. Styles also usual have different options for the bottom to suit your activity (string for tanning, brief for swimming etc). I kind of like the high waisted 50s glam look myself but if I had your body my taste might change! Buying separates is more expensive but I use ebay.uk a lot for great deals in swimwear and lingerie.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited April 2015
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    i think pretty much everyone looks good in the old-school triangle bikini tops (obviously ymmv with bottoms, personally i like fuller triangles there and couldn't do a string). as long as they *fit*, that's the key (and i guess if they offer support if you need it).

    nobody looks good in a too-small suit that digs in. if it's a little bigger so it lies flatter against your body, you're going to get a nicer line. higher-cut leg holes tend to elongate legs, and hipsters are fine in a different way - it's the grannie cut ones people need to stay away from. again i think the triangle bottom does everyone a favour.

    but OP stop worrying about whether the bikini will hide or not hide fat, because they're designed to show bodies, and in any case you have a lovely figure. so pick a style and let it do that and just enjoy the beach. i wish i had a nice beach near me.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited April 2015
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    like this is good imo. i'd have used white trim on all of them, though

    actually this is great right here.

  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
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    Last year I really wanted one of the retro bikinis and thought the high waist would look better on me, being 5'4" and 160 lbs or so. NOPE. It made my legs look shorter and larger, and all that material covering and stretching over my 44 inch bum was frightening. Less bikini looked way better.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
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    arditarose wrote: »
    Last year I really wanted one of the retro bikinis and thought the high waist would look better on me, being 5'4" and 160 lbs or so. NOPE. It made my legs look shorter and larger, and all that material covering and stretching over my 44 inch bum was frightening. Less bikini looked way better.

    yeah same. i think we're a similar shape.
  • kristen6350
    kristen6350 Posts: 1,094 Member
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    tomatoey wrote: »
    i think pretty much everyone looks good in the old-school triangle bikini tops (obviously ymmv with bottoms, personally i like fuller triangles there and couldn't do a string). as long as they *fit*, that's the key (and i guess if they offer support if you need it).

    nobody looks good in a too-small suit that digs in. if it's a little bigger so it lies flatter against your body, you're going to get a nicer line. higher-cut leg holes tend to elongate legs, and hipsters are fine in a different way - it's the grannie cut ones people need to stay away from. again i think the triangle bottom does everyone a favour.

    but OP stop worrying about whether the bikini will hide or not hide fat, because they're designed to show bodies, and in any case you have a lovely figure. so pick a style and let it do that and just enjoy the beach. i wish i had a nice beach near me.

    Not everyone looks good in triangle tops. Please don't spread that opinion around. I'm assuming you are on the south end of 30, huh?

    OP. I got 2 this year (because my ones from last year are 12's) from Lands End. I wear a 6 or 8 pants and S/M shirts currently. They are made nice and fit well. 1 full piece, crossback and 1 tankini. They are both 8's. I have a 30G bra size so bikini's are pretty much impossible to fit (if I get one that fits around the back, there isn't enough fabric to cover the girls). Even though I'm at goal weight, my dream of a two piece isn't gonna happen.

    I'd advise you to check out Lands End online. And basically know that EVERY woman has issues finding that right suit. No matter what size.
  • whattheJKD
    whattheJKD Posts: 24 Member
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    Roxy brand.
  • DearestWinter
    DearestWinter Posts: 595 Member
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    Roxy is great.

    I like regular bikini bottoms that actually cover my rear. (That's tricky to find.) Bottoms with lower-cut leg holes (like a lot of retro suits) just make my thighs look like tree trunks. I also opt for halter or bandeau tops because I'm a pear and the extra material on top balances out the bottom. Plus those styles provide me with enough support and I'm less likely to fall out of them.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,446 Member
    edited April 2015
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    kristen6350 wrote: »
    tomatoey wrote: »
    i think pretty much everyone looks good in the old-school triangle bikini tops (obviously ymmv with bottoms, personally i like fuller triangles there and couldn't do a string). as long as they *fit*, that's the key (and i guess if they offer support if you need it).

    nobody looks good in a too-small suit that digs in. if it's a little bigger so it lies flatter against your body, you're going to get a nicer line. higher-cut leg holes tend to elongate legs, and hipsters are fine in a different way - it's the grannie cut ones people need to stay away from. again i think the triangle bottom does everyone a favour.

    but OP stop worrying about whether the bikini will hide or not hide fat, because they're designed to show bodies, and in any case you have a lovely figure. so pick a style and let it do that and just enjoy the beach. i wish i had a nice beach near me.

    Not everyone looks good in triangle tops. Please don't spread that opinion around. I'm assuming you are on the south end of 30, huh?

    OP. I got 2 this year (because my ones from last year are 12's) from Lands End. I wear a 6 or 8 pants and S/M shirts currently. They are made nice and fit well. 1 full piece, crossback and 1 tankini. They are both 8's. I have a 30G bra size so bikini's are pretty much impossible to fit (if I get one that fits around the back, there isn't enough fabric to cover the girls). Even though I'm at goal weight, my dream of a two piece isn't gonna happen.

    I'd advise you to check out Lands End online. And basically know that EVERY woman has issues finding that right suit. No matter what size.

    I'm older than you are, kristen6350! I'm not a 30G, however. Still, I've always thought women with full chests looked great in triangle tops - I've legit never seen anyone look bad in them - but ok.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    @tomatoey, I've got an impressive panniculus from extreme weight loss. A triangle ain't hiding it.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
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    The Land's End web site has a "find your suit" feature that leads you through choosing a suit.

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