Swimsuit Secrets

So, at this point you have been around for quite a few of my blog posts so I would assume that by now you know what my main concern is when it comes to clothing. Yup, that’s right, comfort. Comfort is not only key when it comes to clothing, but also when it comes to swimwear. Most people say that they hate shopping for jeans, but I find shopping for swimsuits 100 times worse than jean shopping. I know that this is the wrong season to be talking about this, but maybe you can use this during Black Friday shopping if you need to buy a new swimsuit. Even though I try to avoid having to shop for swimsuits, over the years I have discovered the best things to look for in swimwear and how to make shopping for swimwear less painful.

My main problem with shopping for swimsuits is that everywhere you go they size things differently, and these days there is less and less material. The swimsuits these days are quite skimpy and when you are trying to be tasteful and comfortable it can be difficult to know what size will make you feel that way. As an example, sometimes when I’m shopping for bottoms, I have to buy a size large in order to get the coverage that I want. If you know me, you know that I am nowhere near a size large. When I buy shorts I’m usually a size small and sometimes even an extra small. If this doesn’t tell you something about how skimpy swimsuits have become I don’t know what else to tell you.

The other annoying part about swimwear for women is that tops and bottoms are sold separately when you get older. This is a good thing because of the fact that everybody’s body is different, but it makes it more difficult because you have to make sure that they have the swimsuit in the right size for both the top and bottom. The other aspect of shopping for a swimsuit top is that some brands do sizing based on your bra size, which is very helpful, but others go off of their own sizing standard. The lack of consistency in the sizing of swimsuits is the worst part about shopping for swimsuits. The problem with the sizing is not just that there is no consistency in swimsuits but also that with every style of swimsuit the sizing fits differently. Usually when you try on clothing you usually have a general idea of what size you are, and your main goal in trying on clothing is to see if you like the style not to have to go through 3-5 different sizes to find the right sizes for you. My main warning in shopping for swimsuits is to not buy your swimsuits based on sizes of your normal bottoms or tops. You will actually have to try on swimsuits to make sure that they fit you the way that you want them to.

In terms of my favorite places and styles to buy swimsuits from I don’t have a ton, but I do have a couple that I really like. Because I care about feeling comfortable in my clothing I try to buy swimsuits that I don’t have to worry about coming undone. My favorite place to shop for swimsuits has to be Athleta. Athleta for those of you that don’t know sells active wear. It is the most expensive swimsuit that I have ever bought, but I have had my swimsuit from there for 4+ years now I think. I know that my bikini top is made well and I don’t have to worry about a tie coming undone because it does not have a tie holding it up. The material does not stretch out after being washed so I don’t have to worry about it slipping at all either. I care a lot about how well my swimsuit is made especially if I’m going to actually be swimming or doing water sports. For these kinds of activities I also have bought bottoms from Nike which I have also had for years. I use the same black Nike bottoms with almost all of my swimsuit tops because they are my favorite ones and they match everything that I wear.

Now if you are only looking for a swimsuit to wear when you are tanning and laying around than a lot of this probably doesn’t matter to you. If that’s the case, I have found a lot of cute swimsuits at Target or at H&M. They are well made for the price and because I like to get at least one new swim top every summer these stores are where I usually go to find what I’m looking for. H&M is especially nice because they are one of the places that size their tops based off of bra size which is very helpful.

Hopefully you guys can use my tips the next time you are shopping for a swimsuit. Maybe you can use Black Friday to get a good deal at Athleta if you are looking for a nice sturdy swimsuit for next summer.