Swimwear That’s Not Minus Sized?

I fall into a size category that I find incredibly frustrating at times.  At 5’9, pants are flood ready, sleeves are closer to 3/4 length and tops can easily show off my navel.  Sometimes I get lucky finding things that are long enough, and sometimes brands will carry a sliver of a ‘tall’ selection.

My biggest frustration lately is swimwear.  One piece suits are almost always too short, making them so high cut, I look like I’m auditioning for a Whitesnake video.

Before I had augmentation surgery, I could usually just hike and tug a suit to land somewhere between Tawny Kitaen and JLO at the 2000 Grammys.  Nowadays, I have boobs that can and will fall out of something too low cut.   “Just wear a bikini!” you say.  Well, although I’m tall enough to be a runway model, I wear a US size 14 and I’ve had 3 children.  So, I haven’t felt comfortable in a 2 piece since 2003.  There are, of course lots of stores that carry ‘Plus sized’ swimwear, but I’m on the very low end of that spectrum, and I don’t think I should have to wear something that my Nana would think was “precious.”

While recently preparing for a beach trip with my husband, I made it my mission to find a few options that I would feel comfortable AND sexy in.  I bought and returned several suits from various online retailers, but I did manage to find a few very cute options!

First up is the Scarf City Push Up One Piece from Kenneth Cole.  It’s not available from the retailer I bought it from, but I did find one here.  It is a bit low cut and won’t work for everyone, but I love this style and find it sexy without being too revealing.  The fabric is just firm enough to feel supported and will give some tummy control without feeling constricting.  It ties behind the neck in a halter style and has what I would consider pretty full bum coverage. I ordered this in an XL.

Another option I found is, gasp! a 2 piece!  I recently ordered the St. Tropez bikini from Ewa Michalak reviewed in detail by our own Jelz here.  Sadly the bottoms just weren’t for me, but the top in 85G fits great and looks very cute in my opinion with the bottoms that I got as part of a set at Unique Vintage.  The top in the Monroe bikini set was too small, but the bottoms are great, as they don’t cut into my waist at all.  I got these in XL also and the fit is exactly right. They have ruching all along the front which hides a multitude of sins, and also a full coverage bum.  I highly recommend Unique Vintage if you like the retro style and are an easier fit in the bust.

Last but not least is an option that not everyone would  be comfortable with, and if I were anywhere but on vacation with my husband, I wouldn’t either.  It’s the Color block Plunge One Piece from Victoria’s Secret.  It’s not currently available, but it has been sold out and back on the site a couple of times, so if you love it, keep checking the availability.  I ordered a large, which is usually perfect from VS but this suit runs much smaller than any other suit I’ve owned from them.  I think it’s because the fabric has very little stretch.  It’s a bit revealing and racy, but I love it.  The front has a very deep plunge, partly because it’s actually a bit short for my torso and on me, it shows quite a bit of sideboob.  The back is a low plunge with very cheeky bum coverage.

 

Three new suits that I actually like is a huge score for me, and it gives me hope that I can find more options for my seemingly impossible proportions!  If you have any recommendations for your favorite brands, styles or retailers, share them!  Us Amazons need all the help we can get!

xo Treschic