How to Choose Swimwear That Flatters Your Tummy (and Boosts Confidence)

Whether you’ve already had your summer getaway or you’ve still got a beach holiday planned, the right swimsuit will flatter your figure, highlight your best features and make you feel confident.

Finding swimwear to suit your body shape is much easier these days, but it’s also important to understand your body proportions. Especially if you’ve had fit issues in the past – saggy bottoms, straps cutting in, or the occasional ‘falling out’ mishap. Often, your proportions are the culprit, rather than your body.

Aside from this, a common problem finding a swimsuit is how to disguise your tummy. So, let’s tackle it with some style tips to boost your confidence along with some suggestions.

What styles are most flattering for the tummy?

Ruching or gathered fabric across the tummy area helps to disguise any lumps and bumps. Check out the Weird Fish Penelope Eco Printed Swimsuit and others here.

Wrap styles create diagonal lines that visually slim the waist area. This ‘Towan Pink Wrap textured swimsuit’ from Fat Face has a lovely little bow detail – perfect for ‘warm’ colouring types. Find this and more here.

Peplum styles add a floaty layer that can softens your middle section. Alternatively ruffles can be another way to draw attention – depending where the ruffle is of course. The ruffles in this Aspiga frill v-neck will create an ‘eyes-up’ approach and away from your tummy area. Find this one and more here.

Tummy-control swimwear

There are many swimsuits which contain built-in tummy-control panels. They offer gentle shaping without feeling too restrictive and help you feel a little more ‘tucked-in’. The Peacocks floral print swimsuit has tummy control, ruching and pattern! Find it and more here.

Prints and patterns

Whilst not for everyone, clever prints and patterns can help to draw attention away from your tummy area.

Opt for one with panels at the sides with a brighter or patterned centre such as the Boden Santorini swimsuit shown below and it can create the illusion of a more streamlined silhouette. Get it and more here.

The pattern featured in the Joe Browns Cala Carbo Bay swimsuit is very clever as the detail will disguise your tummy area. Plus, they’ve got matching sun trousers and a skirt which help to cover up! Find this and more here.

Necklines

Halter, v-neck, and one-shoulder styles can draw the eye upwards taking attention away from your tummy area. This Joules Jasmine Navy Blue Halterneck ticks the box for patterns, panels and a halter-neck style! This and more can be found here.

Depending upon your body shape, they may also help to balance your proportions. If you’ve got narrower shoulders than your hips, the halter-neck style may accentuate this, so opt for another style like the one-shoulder. This plus-sized, one-shoulder asymmetric style swimsuit from La Redoute keeps simplicity to the minimum. Check it out and others here.

Which brands are worth a look?

Along the ones featured above, there’s so much choice!

Also check out:

Lands’ End

Marks & Spencer

Pour Moi

Dancing Leopard

Next

Also worth noting is that both Next and M&S offer access to multiple brands too.

Cover-ups and accessories

Sarongs, kaftans and oversized shirts can be thrown on over your swimwear for extra confidence-boosting. Add a hat and some fabulous sunnies and your look is complete! If you really want to up the style stakes, wear some jewellery – bangles and necklaces are great tools to draw attention, whilst taking the eye away from your tummy! Just be careful about the metal as I wouldn’t want you getting burned!

Extra tips

Read my earlier blog on finding the perfect swimsuit for your shape for more inspiration here.

If a bikini is more your thing, I’ve got some tips on looking good and feeling confident here.

Want help identifying your body shape or proportion dilemmas?

This post contains some affiliate links and I will be compensated if you purchase after clicking through at no cost to you.

WOW Rotherham 2024 Festival

I am delighted to have been invited to join the WOW Rotherham Festival on 11 May 2024 offering mini colour analysis taster sessions.

The WOW Rotherham festival is a vibrant, colourful, bold, fun, and fearless festival celebration of women, girls, trans and non-binary communities. Connecting Rotherham to other women and girls across the globe as part of the WOW – Women of the World family. Their theme this year is around fashion and sustainability and overall body-confidence, so I was delighted to be asked to get involved.

There is so much going on! All activities take place in the town centre of Rotherham. Take a look at the festival programme here: https://heyzine.com/flip-book/6c75646560.html#page/1

What’s on

You’ll find full details about the event on their website: https://wow.fluxrotherham.org.uk/festival-programme/

Use the hashtag #wowrotherham to find out more on social media.

Colour Analysis Taster Sessions with me!

Between 11am and 3pm, I’ll be providing 10 minute Colour Analysis Taster sessions. If you weren’t lucky enough to bag one of the bookable time slots, you’ll need to put your name down when you arrive.

Learn how wearing colour can make you look younger and healthier and gain an insight into my colour analysis consultations to see how impactful it can be when you wear the right colours!

Clothes Swap

After attending your colour analysis taster slot,  you might want to swap some of your clothes!

Simply bring along 10 items to the Rotherham Central Community Hub (Formerly Burtons/Topman) between 11am and 3.30pm to take part. This event is run by Thread Republic.

Workshops

There’s lots to choose from, but here’s a sample of what you’ll find available:

  • Jewellery design and creation by Kabuki Jewellery
  • Poetry by Eleanor May Blackburn
  • How to DIY by Brightbox
  • Zine making by Georgia Osborn
  • Textile workshop by Karen Hall
  • Zumba by Shahina

All the workshops are free to join, including my colour analysis taster sessions!

Need more information?

The WOW Rotherham team will be happy to help. Visit their website: https://wow.fluxrotherham.org.uk/festival-programme/ or drop them an email: wowrotherham@gmail.com