Never has more thought gone into scheming methods to make a few square inches of fabric help you look taller, wider, thinner, broader, bustier.
Designing swimsuits to make the most (or least) of whatever you've got is now called "engineering.
" Here's how to pick out the swimsuit design most flattering to you.
Overweight: Avoid suit of thin, stretchy fabric.
Stick to one-piece suits in darker colors, with lots of lyera in them for support, as lyera acts like a feather- weight girdle and keeps midriff roll in check.
Read labels: you want more lycra, less nylon.
A print or a stripe down the side of a suit elongates the figure.
Don't wear suits with tight elastic at the bottoms of legs, a style calling attention to excess flesh there.
Topheavy: Crisscrossed straps, though awful for tanning, provide the best support for large breasts (crisscrosses are also best for serious swimmers).
You might look for a suit with the built-in support of a light underwire bra.
Most flattering neckline is a V or scoop neck, a narrowing surplice wrap suit or a halter top.
Heavy thighs: A French cut, meaning the suit is cut high up th hip, can have a elongating, slimming effect on women with slightly heavy thighs.
For a really serious bulge, try boylegs, a cut in which the suit bottom is cut like shorts, covering an extra inch of leg.
Avoid thight knits with elastic cutting into your thighs.
Wide hips: You need some balancing width on top.
Look for a two piece suit with top in horizontal stripes and widely spaced bra straps to draw the eye outward.
(Halter necks would be the worst line.
) Bottom of suit should be dark.
For really wide hips, try softly flowing, fluted skirt.
Small bosom: Avoid deep V, or scoop-necks.
Look for puckering, shirring under the bust, ruffled neckline, tucks, stripes or patterns that go horizontally across the bust.
Avoid thin tubelike one-piece suits (maillots) which will flatten you, and stark, straight-across bandeau tops.
A bikini with the top cut in two trangles with lots of shirring is good.
Too thin: Follow the ancient wisdom: look for stripes or horizontal patterns.
It really works.
Shortwaisted: A one-piece suit will elongate a short waistline; a bikini or two-piece has too many horizontal lines.
Try vertical stripes or patterns or an empire waistline.
High-cut French legs may help by making your legs look longer.
Longwaisted: A one-piece suit with a gathered blouson-type waistline is a terrific style.
Belts are for you, as are horizonal patterns and prints.
Wideshouldered: Avoid camisole tops with straps widely spaced.
Keep the focus pulled in toward the neck with a halter, straps running from center of the suit-top to the in back of the neck.
Nether is a straight-across bandeau for you.
because of the horzontal line.
Ghostlike skin: As white as a piece of typing paper after a long hard winter? Dark colors will look dramatic and interesting by contrast.
Pale colors will make you look even more wan, and also add pounds.