The Swimsuit Struggle.

I’m sure everyone reading this has experienced the swimsuit struggle sometime in their life. The experience will differ from person to person, but maybe you will be able to relate to some of the following.

It’s the middle of a hot Summer in South Africa at the moment, and we have just come back from our December/January Summer holiday- so the swimsuit struggle is still quite real.

As a curvy girl with some junk in the trunk, my biggest swimsuit struggle is finding one that fits! Luckily, most shops allow you to buy separate bikini tops and bottoms.. but this still doesn’t mean that the style was made for some booty. Regardless of what size you are, bikinis or costumes are that one thing that has to fit PERFECTLY, so that you aren’t tugging and adjusting in public, or even worse- giving everyone a show when it falls off or slips down. 

I’ve put together a few tips that I’ve found have helped me with my swimsuit struggle:

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Don’t settle for something that you don’t feel comfortable in.

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Don’t be afraid to only buy a top or a bottom if only one fits you well- mixing and matching bikinis is the best! 

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Find shops that you know cater for the styles and fits that you like (my list of shops that cater for curvier women includes: Woolworths, Billabong, Edgar’s, Factorie and Bikini Love).

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Swimsuits are generally expensive, but it’s okay to splurge on something that you will wear often and that doesn’t go out of fashion as quickly.

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Find something that you really feel sexy and/or beautiful in, because when you wear it- that confidence will show.

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There are no rules about who should wear a bikini or who should wear a full costume. Buy whatever you would feel more comfortable in! (You get some really unique and beautiful full costumes these days- yay!)

Now that we have spoken about the practical part of buying or finding a swimsuit, rocking it is a whole other story. Most women feel vulnerable, self-conscious, judged and uncomfortable in a swimsuit. I think that there is NOTHING more beautiful than a woman in a swimsuit that exudes confidence, and this is regardless of body size and shape because let’s face it- everyone has some cellulite. Once you find a swimsuit that you REALLY feel beautiful in, the confidence will come naturally. If you’re worried about people looking- let them look. If they don’t like what they see then they can look away because that’s their problem and not yours. Your body language while wearing your swimsuit tells it ALL- if you’re covering yourself with your arms, or constantly adjusting- it makes it very obvious that you’re feeling uncomfortable. This ties in with finding a swimsuit that fits well, because then you can walk around with confidence and without feeling the need for constant adjustments. If you feel that you need to cover up a bit, a sarong is your BEST friend! There are so many ways to tie a sarong and make it look really trendy.

I hope that sharing my experiences and a few tips has inspired you in some way to overcome any swimsuit struggles that you may have, because YOU are beautiful and nobody has the right to tell you that you don’t have a “bikini body”. Your body loves you, love it back!