bathing suit questions for girls ("curvy" girls)

[LysaC]

hey my sistas with curves!

i need a new bathing suit and was supposed to have purchased one over the summer but didn't.

i'm beginning to hate "miracle" suits and "10lbs slimmer instantly" suits. they squish me in. i mean, come on, i'm fat. it's not a secret for crikes sake.

has anyone tried these tankini things for larger ladies? there seems to be a lot of them for plus size. are they comfy?

any suit brand reccomendations for online shopping? i'm in new england so stores don't sell bathing suits this time of year. i have to shop online.

thanks!!

[Lulu76]

Lysa,

I don't know if they have them now, but I got my tankini at Lands End, and I love, love, love it! (I also got one at Walmart which I also loved, but that's out this time of year).

Tankinis are perfect. They don't show enough to offend others, but they're so easy to get in and out of. Trust me, a girl needs a two-piece to maneuver the ladies room at Woody's!

I just get a tank and regular bottoms. Just because I'm big doesn't mean I want to wear a swimsuit with a skirt on it. Those things weigh a ton when they're wet!

[jigzmom]

I have a Lands End tankini that's pretty comfortable. I, too, hate the Miracle Suits... it's a miracle I can keep it on for more than five minutes.

[Lulu76]

I want to be comfortable at the beach. That's the whole point of STJ. That's why I keep having flip-flop catastrophes instead of wearing real shoes. It's all about comfort. And miracle suits aren't for comfort.

And what's the point in having curves if you're going to smush them up?

[Gromit]

You are in good company my fluffy sister!! I definitely have all the curves in all the right places, but certainly more than I'd like! Don't we all!!

Personally I LOVE tankinis. The tankini covers, but it's easier to deal with in terms of getting on and off, stops at the little girls room, changing in the jeep etc.

The key is making sure that the material is good. Too cheap and everything just hangs all out. Not good. You need good fabric and to make sure the top is long enough, so it's not riding up constantly. The bottoms are better if there's a bit of control panel in the front.

I have good luck with suits from La Blanca, Carol Wior, Christina, Miraclesuit, Delta Burke, Gottex and Eddie Bauer.

For cheap suits that can be hit or miss -- Newport News is an option. But again, quality can vary and they never last.

Sometimes you just have to break down and pay the higher dollar to get a decent suit.

Junonia is also decent for cover ups or for the little skirts that you can wear in the water. I've tried their suits, but am not happy with the fabric selection or how thin they are. In a pinch they're OK but not my first choice.

Fortunately there are lots of options on line, but that's tough since return policies are sometimes restrictive on bathing suits. Just pay attention to the sizing info and order accordingly.

Basically what it comes down to is that we know we're not going to look great in a bathing suit, but we want it to fit, have everything covered decently and we want it to be comfortable. Under these terms it's actually prety easy to get what you need.

I usually try to shop the outlets an places like Marshalls and TJ Maxx for bathing suit bargains during he summer. That way I can get an $80 - $100 suit for just $30 bucks or less. Good news is that many web sites are having some really good sales on suits.

Just Google any of the aformentioned suits and that should get you on your way to your next new suit!

Hope this helps!

[mbw1024]

also look at QVC for suits. For the life of me I can't think of the line they carry but they have plus size.

Oh .. they are called It Figures. Just thought of it.

I have 3 suits of theirs. 2 of them are one solid bottom with 2 different print tops. That comes in handy for travel.

[LysaC]

so many wonderful suggestions!!!

i think i'll have to try a tankini.

thanks chicas!!

[Lulu76]

I do agree with Gromit that a good suit is worth it. When I got the Land's End catalog in the spring my suit was $119, I think. When it went down to $69.99, I jumped on it, even though that's more than I've ever paid for a suit. It's worth every penny, and I know it will last for a long time (although I really am hoping to shrink soon). My other suit was $30 at Walmart, and while it fit, it was definitely not anywhere near the quality of the other one. And it did ride up a little, or at least that's what that little tiny strip of sunburned skin on my belly would suggest!

[sapphirecat]

you can try Venus, too. Sure, lots of bikinis, but they have some tankinis and they're always running a sale.

[jayseadee]

Hi,

Wrentham Outlets might be a hike for you, but they have a nice Swimwear shop.

California Sunshine Swimwear (508) 384-1777

I was there in early October and they had quite a bit of inventory. You could give them a call.

There is also a year round swimsuit shop in Natick Collection (name escapes me); there may be something in Burlington Mall, as well.

You could also try llbean.com. They had quite a few suits for sale on line. I think their quality is similar to Lands End.

[greyhoundmom]

I bought two tankinis from LL Bean. They were great for last summer's two weeks on STJ. They have the natural cup so you don't look like you swallowed a box of kleenex! I remember 2007 skirted suits. Since then I've dropped 50 lbs and still like the look of the tankini. I always thought if I put on some heels and pearls I could go out to dinner in that skirty thing! Not to mention all the jellies following you cause they thought you were their mama! Ever notice how the skirts do the "weep-wa" action in the water while you're snorkeling???!! Sounds like you've gotten some good ideas - happy shopping!

[lazylane]

I'm a QVC girl, It Figures brand! Coverage but stylish and most importantly, comfortable! Already packed and ready to go!

[ms411]

I'm a skinny girl, and wear a tankini, and I love it. I wanted a top with a high back so I could wear my bra, and only the tankinis were made with a high enough back.

I bought boy short bottoms for a reason I'd rather not mention.

I'd probably look curvier in another style of suit, but I wanted to make sure that everything stayed covered and in place, and the tankini solves all those problems. I finally have a comfortable suit after all these years!

[Chickadee]

I got my tankinis from LandsEnd too. I'm pretty average build but have a 2-kids belly so wanted some coverage. I love mine with the skirt, very cute, but some boy or board shorts would be great too.

[Margy Z]

Tankinis are the way to go for me. I need something more substantial on the top and then the regular bottoms. It Figures is a good brand and I love the underwire tankinis from Lands End. Another nice thing about the tankinis is that you can wrap a pareo or sarong around for a long skirt and you can pretty much go anywhere with the skirt and tank top look. If you have to change in the car, the sarong makes a great window drape. It’s so much easier to change or use the loo in a wet two-piece rather than a wet one-piece. Those Carol Wior or MiracleSuit inches off one-piece suits look good on but getting in and out of them it’s kind of a toss-up whether you’re on the outside trying to get in or the inside trying to get out – if you know what I mean. A quick up and down they are not.