It's that time of year when were all starting to look towards the summer. Booking in holidays, eating clean, drinking gallons of green tea and working hard on that all important summer body. While everyone wants to look their best in their swimsuit and will push their body to the extremes to get there, dressing your figure right will help you look like the total beach babe you want to be. Here's some little tips when bikini shopping to consider which will help you look your best when strutting your stuff whether your pool side in an exotic foreign country or braving the British waves on Scarborough beach.
KNOW YOUR SHAPE
To successfully shop for your correct shape in order to optimise the look your bikini gives you, you must first know what shape you are. There's five common shapes within the female body, however everyone is different but with that being said most of us can identity with a shape even if all the criteria doesn't strictly apply. The five shapes are apple, hourglass, pyramid, inverted pyramid and column. Hopefully from the shapes above you can kind of start to see which resembles your body but if not hopefully the more detailed descriptions and celebrity comparisons will help.
If your body is fairly similar in size on your shoulders and hips then your likely an apple. Your waistline is might not be very well defined and maybe even a little roundish. Your busty on top and your legs slimmer making them the best feature to highlight for the apples. For your celebrity body think Drew Barrymore and Megan Trainor.
As an apple figure opt for a solid, dark colour top and patterned bottoms, this will help remove emphasis from your top half and highlight your slender legs. Halter necks and constructed tops with thick straps will provide you with support while minimising your shoulders. Avoid thinner straps as they'll make you appear bigger than you are. Show off your best feature, your legs, by opting for a high cut bottoms.
Hoola Shimmer piped bandeau | Tory Burch clemente hipster | Jets gathered halter swimsuit | Seafolly kabuki bloom bikini | Norma Kamali tulle swimsuit | Freya showboat top | Tavik ali jungle bottoms
Hourglass figures in general mean your body is proportionate, in that your bust size is about equal to that of the hip. You are somewhat bigger on top, in the shoulder and bust area but are you also bigger on the bottom half too, the hips and bum area. You'll have a small waist in-between your larger areas thus creating the hourglass shape. For your celebrity body think Kim Kardashian and Katy Perry.
River Island botanical print | Topshop double scallop | Triangl malibu blue | M&S green snakeskin suit | Topshop poppy check bikini
Pyramid figures, or pears as they are also called are the definition of bootylicious. Your hips, legs and bum will be larger especially in contrast to your petite shoulders and bust. Your waist will tend to be smaller too in comparison to your hips. Literally think the shape of a pyramid for your guide to your body type; smaller on top, bigger on bottom. For your celebrity body think Beyonce and Iggy Azalea.
As a pyramid choose something that will draw the eyes upwards and away from your fuller half. Lighter print tops work well when contrasted with a solid, dark coloured bottom by playing down the bottom half and drawing the eye in with pattern and colour on top. If your feeling daring a plunging neckline will help draw attention to your top half too. Play up your figure by finding small bottom s that cut high, and off the thigh so that they don't cut you off and accentuate your smaller waist. Avoid boy shorts at all costs as as they'll make you appear wider. Busy prints and detailing on the bottom s will also draw attention away from the bust; the area you want to emphasise to balance your figure out.
Inverted Pyramid figures tend to be fuller on the top. You'll have broad shoulders and a larger bust especially when compared to your narrow hips and smaller legs. Just because your not busty doesn't mean you can't be a pyramid, if you have broad shoulders which are disproportioned to your hips and waist then chances are you're one too. Think an upside down triangle for a reference; broad on top, narrower on bottom. For your celebrity body think Kate Upton and Audrina Patridge.
As a inverted pyramid choose something that will draw the eyes down and away from your fuller bust or broad shoulders. Halter tops offer plenty of support and for broader shoulders will help minimise your top half. Look for ones that can be tied around the neck and back so you can always get a perfect fit. For bustier inverted pyramids it's all about support so make sure you get an underwire bikini to give you just that. Details on the bottom such as frills, belts or any detailing will help balance your shape. Avoid bandeaus as they don't offer enough support.
Norma Kamali bill mil halter neck | Triangl poppy melon rose | J.Crew knotted underwire one piece | Seafolly miami ruched bikini | Choies halter swimsuit
Column figures, as the name suggests tend to be tall, slender and more athletic in stature. They are generally straight meaning they have less curves due to their narrow hips and smaller bust. Your waist is less defined due to being in line with your hips and shoulders which tend to be the same size. If you think your body is straight, long or a little boyish then you'll tend to be a column. For your celebrity body think Ariana Grande and Taylor Swift.
Boohoo fringe bikini | Xhilaration animal print monokini | Agent Provocateur shelby bikini | Je M'en Fous ruffled bikini | Boohoo aztec monokini
While hopefully this little guide will help shopping for your size and find the perfect suit for you, there's a few thing you need to remember. When shopping know your shape and your styles that suit, it'll help narrow down the options. Always try on several options and ask opinions from those who you truly trust to tell you if your suit is right for you. Always remember to pick your bikini for your body on the day you shop and not months down the line when you've planned to have shifted some weight as that doesn't always happen. But most importantly make sure your feeling confident because whether your summer is spent hitting the beach or propping up pool side, it's all about body confidence and how your feeling on the inside counts just as much as the outside. And with the being said it's off to start bikini shopping for myself, bring on summer!
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