Non-traditional swimsuits for plus size women

If you haven’t looked at suits in several years after being disappointed at the options for plus sized women, be prepared for a treat this season!

Photo Credit: Frances Twitty
By PL Y

The summer season is nearly here and a bathing suit is a hot weather necessity. If you haven’t looked at swimsuits in several years because you were disappointed at the options for plus sized women, be prepared for a treat this season! Plus sized women have a number of bathing suit options that are quite different from traditional swimsuits. Here are a few ideas for nontraditional bathing suits for the plus sized woman.

The Tankini

The tank suit top combined with a bikini bottom is a tankini. You can look it up in the new dictionary. “Tankini” was a new inclusion this year.

This bathing suit is designed for the woman with longer legs. It is easy way to camouflage a body that has slimmer legs and bottom. It is also easy to understand why this suit so popular with plus sized women when you see how the swimsuit fits. The bottom allows coverage, while still having style. The top can be pulled down over the top of the bikini or it can be bunched to allow a small space between the bottom and the tank. The emphasis on the waist can be avoided in this suit.

The tankini has an advantage to women who are dieting, since the top and bikini bottoms are sold separately. One size can be purchased for the top and another size for the bottom of the suit.

The Skirted Tankini

Take a basic tankini and add a small skirt to cover the front of the bikini and you have a skirted tankini. This bathing suit is the perfect nontraditional suit for a woman who wants to emphasize her rear look. Reverse the skirt, and the legs from the front can be featured.

The Skirtini

The skirtini combines the bikini with the tank suit top and an attached skirt. The skirt is usually longer than the attached skirt, so the hips can be covered in full. This is the perfect suit for a woman who wishes to emphasize the lower legs and upper thigh.

Women who wish to feature the bust line will find the skirtini a perfect nontraditional suit. String bikini tops or halters can be worn on the top with the skirt covering the waist and lower hip section.

The Two-toned Skirt Suit

This suit is a modification of a traditional suit, with an important twist. The two-toned suit is really two pieces that can be placed together with a skirt cover. It has options for a light color on either the top or bottom. If you wish to emphasize the top part of the body, select a dark color for the bottom of the suit and a light color on top. Anyone wishing to emphasize the bottom of the body reverse the location of the dark color.

The Blouson

The blouson bathing suit allows great coverage for the woman who wishes to cover more of the bust line and feature her legs. It is also an easy way to balance the top and bottom of the body by adding emphasis to the shoulders with straps and small cap sleeves.

The Sarong Cover Up

The sarong is more traditional to cover up for legs, but the new cuts in sarongs can emphasize one leg while covering the bottom portion of the body. The new sarongs, with leg openings, are cut mid-calf length. Full sarongs can cover the bust line and open at the waist. Color can be used to draw the eye to the top or bottom of the body, depending on the design and color balance. A solid color draws the eye to other designs. Elaborate patterns draw the eye to the design. A full length sarong with a pattern on top and a solid color on the bottom emphasizes the top of the body. A sarong with a patterned fabric on the bottom and a dark solid color on the top will draw the eye to the bottom of the garment.

Top with Bra Insert

Another variation of a traditional swimsuit with a twist, the top with bra insert is placed into such nontraditional swimsuit options as the halter and bikini top. The bra insert allows lift and structure that a simple suit cannot.

Summer is a time for swimming and water sports. Plus-sized women now have nontraditional choice in bathing suits that open wardrobe choices to new levels.