You may not be heading off on a tropical holiday any time soon, but the hot weather has brought back bathing suit season and soon enough you’re likely going to be hitting up one of our local beaches (minding your social distance, of course!) or you’re dipping your toes into your back yard paddling pool. Everybody knows that bathing suit shopping can sometimes be a drag, but thanks to our friends at Good Housekeeping, we’ve got a few tips that will help to take some of the pressure off.
Before we get started, the most important advice we can offer on bathing suit shopping is to talk to the fit experts. Each body type is different and there are styles that are designed to fit those body types. La Vie en Rose has dozens of styles to choose from in dozens of mix and match colours and patterns. Plus, you’ll be able to pick up accessories to complete your look and feel like the star you are. Bonus, they often have sweet promos and deals to ease the pressure on your wallet too!
Now, let’s dive in:
1. Check for Customizable Features
Finding the right swimsuit is about as hard as finding the right pair of jeans. Make it a little easier by looking for bathing suits that can be adapted to your needs. Adjustable shoulder straps will prevent them from falling down or digging in to your shoulders. Removable cups are also great; if they get old or out of shape, you can easily replace them without buying a whole swimsuit. If you like tankinis, select one with drawstrings that allow you to make the top shorter or longer to flatter your body.
2. Examine Embellishments
Are sequins or beads sewn on loosely with just a few threads or held tightly by a lot of threads? It’s always a disappointment to buy a bathing suit only to have some of the colorful jewels or exotic beads that made it so attractive fall off. While you’re in the store, check out the similar swimsuits on the rack; if there quite a few with beads or jewels hanging off, chances are your suit isn’t going to stand up to a lot of wear and tear.
3. Consider Construction
Is the whole suit lined or just specific areas? What about stitching? Are there single rows, double rows, or zig-zag stiches? Are there threads coming loose? A high-quality suit will be lined throughout and have either double-row or zig-zag stitches. If the threads are coming loose in the store, the suit’s probably not going to hold up to fun in the sun.
4. The Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF)
Clothing, including swimsuits, with UPF is a growing trend. UPF gauges a fabric’s effectiveness against both UVA and UVB light. The higher the number the more effective it is at blocking out UV rays. Look for a swimsuit with a UPF of 50 or higher, which means it allows less than 2% of radiation through.
5. Weigh Price vs. Use
If you’re really interested in a trendy swimsuit, you can sometimes just go for the cheapest one you can find, knowing you may not want to wear it more than one season. However, when looking for a classic swimsuit that you plan to swim a lot of laps in, take the time to inspect the quality and spend a little more cash.
Image: lavieenrose.com
Tips – goodhousekeeping.com