Swim with the Curve: Learning Curves

Suit yourself!
Shop with your style and shape in mind, not what you think might be hot or not this summer.

• The higher leg brief is a great choice to lengthen your torso if you have a fuller thigh and bootie area. Also, look for the drawstring versions to choose how high you want to go up on your leg.
• Floral patterns are great for diminishing a fuller figure, just look for a darker background. You can go lighter on the area you want to play up, i.e., the bustline.
• Wrap styles creates curves. Enough said.
• Choose navy or chocolate brown instead of black for a solid swimsuit. It’s so much kinder to most skintones and a nice change.
• Make sure you have a brief that covers your bootie sufficiently—you really don’t need an atomic wedgie at the beach. Think about buying separates so that you can mix and match your style. A solid bottom with a print top works well.
• Bandeau strapless styles are tricky. Being a small-chested gal, I love them with my good strong shoulder line. But those with a fuller bust should look for side straps in the Hollywood style, so you don’t have accidental spillage.
• Don’t be afraid to try on different styles and shades to find what works best for your beach bod. Have you checked out Queen Latifah’s new Curvation clothing line? Latifah has a brilliant gold one-shoulder asymmetrical bathing suit that blasts every other suit out of the water. If you don’t feel like bringing bling to the beach, you can opt for the side-sheared black all-in-one.
• If you’ll be doing a lot of swimming (and I like to come up from a great dive wearing what I went in with!), you may want to choose a one piece with ample support and coverage. Lands End has petite and tall torso styles, as well as the most divine new “custom” swimsuits that let you pick your style, color, shape, and support. If sunbathing’s more your speed, try the cute bikinis at London’s curvy retail company Evans. This is the number one resource for fashion—daring contemporary modern fashion at that—for real women. Remember to check the size charts, as these are European sizes.

Choose your curvy coverage.
Every woman has something about her body that she doesn’t want to celebrate. Don’t dwell on the differences between you and Halle Berry! Instead, look for a style that plays up your A-list features. I love the directory for finding your fit and with great suggestions on swim shapes at Swimsuits For All. If you’re fair skinned (or an accessory freak like me!), you may want to pick up some very stylish cover-up options here too.