Generally I buy my bikinis at lingerie stores. I find that the assistants here are competent and can help you find the right bikini for you. I am Italian and I confirm your impression. I like bikinis ! My favourite shape is like the one in pic 4 posted by Anchie. And I don't care if I don't have a perfect body.

Australian spend a lot of time in the water and with the heat, we are pretty accepting of the fact that you don't need to have a great body to enjoy swimming. This is my swimwear capsule, I like to have a bikini to wear too. I bought mine from a specialist swimwear store and took the advice of the sales assistant, of course where I live, there are loads of swimwear brands and stores as some people swim year round at our local beaches.

Just throwing out a suggestion, I think you would rock bikinis with a more sporty/athletic look. If you want to avoid "mumsy" styles or styles that are too revealing. Does it exist a "fashion sneaker "-term for swimwear? Then that's what I mean. I don't mean actual athletic bikinis, but athletic-inspired. Does that make sense?

Synnne, I like the idea, but don’t know how to translate it to my body. Do you know of any good resources?

Thanks Bijou. I’m sure you wear your suits as well as your dresses and every item. Florida beaches are also full year-round. The question is more about a general approach to bikinis and bodies, as Sisi articulated.

Sisi, it happens that that red/white/blue suit is from an online lingerie site. Also, a lingerie store that I sometimes pass now has swim suits in their window. They are above my budget, but I might go try some on to soak up general advice and ideas. I’m glad to hear that you wear your suit happily! What ever happened with that body-shamer dude a year ago?

Here are some finds from H&M. I see you don't want to wear "sports bra"-styles, like in your past, so not sure what you think of these. To me these are super cool!

Synne, cool. It is possible that I am overthinking this whole thing.

Like, I want to go try on every shape here, just to see how they look on me.

https://www.primadonna.com/de-de/search?q=Cocktail
I think most women do this when they are quite young, and so have an idea of what works on them. It also seems to me that European women are much more open to the idea that different things besides “cover it up” could be the answer.
An analogy would be that if you are driving a car into an intersection and someone on a cross street ignores a stop sign. The basic impulse, analogous to covering up “problem spots”, is to slam on the brakes, or maybe swerve. The next-level move might actually be to speed up to avoid a collision. Those are the kinds of things I want to learn about swimwear.

Isn't this more of a posture, self-esteem issue, and less about the bikini itself? I am sure you would look fab in any one style. I myself am so happy burkinis are coming through in retail. I want one, lol.

Lol—yep, that’s me after a week in the sun, unless I’ve burnt to a crisp and gotten a rash already. True story: when my little angel noticed how sunshine affects us differently, he commented “Mama! The sun makes me brown but it makes you red”. He told no lies there.

Not self-esteem exactly, but definitely about increased self understanding. Most of my life, I could wear pretty much anything, but I never really thought about the different effects created by different things or why my mom had crossed halter tops and knee-length skirts off the list for me. It turns out she has different body ideals than I do. So that’s what’s going on here: delayed development. And it’s also just an interesting cultural difference, I think.

IMO, This, like bra’s and shoes, is a category where they only way to know what works is to try and try and try....and to be prepared for mistakes, because like bra’s and shoes, sometimes what works in the try on stage, doesn’t work in IRL. I would actually suggest trying Target when you get to the US, they tend to have a large selection at reasonable prices, so it wont break the bank to experiment (on my iPad so cant add finds, but this is from their corporate site)

Well, as long as I remember bikinis were the only way to go. Or even topless. I have never even seen a skirted swimsuit in real life. Not much cover ups also. And no one cares if you have a perfect body or not, that is just how everyone dresses regardless of the looks.

Anchie, that’s the attitude I feel here. I find it so much happier and healthier. As for topless—not in Florida, but the first time I went to my favorite beach in the world, I went with a German family. After our picnic on the sand, when it was time to swim, they stood up, dropped trou, women took off tops, and they raced into the North Sea waves. I was astounded. Not uncomfortable, just surprised. It is such a nice way to swim in the surf! Cover-ups, to my mind, are about preventing sunburn. I’m always baffled when I see sundresses suggested as cover-ups, because they don’t do the job. (That is, they don’t do the job I’m thinking of. If you want to hide what you look like, I guess they’re fine).
Kkards, I’m sure I have to try on a bunch. But I still want to think through features of each before I order so that I have a reasonable shot with each. We will be hitting up Target for basketball shorts for my son, but I’d really rather get a suit before we go, for time-saving purposes and because of the differences in attitudes /style on opposite shores of the Atlantic that have been discussed in this thread.

Shopping appointment made: 11:00 - 11:45 Central European Time, Monday, March 22. I may post photos from the session or afterwards.

Right now, this is what I’ve got—a Patagonia top (caught the bottoms on a tile & they ripped!) and swim shorts, bottoms I snatched up on a Hollisters run with my son a few years ago, board shorts from Patagonia, a messy corner and a regrettable bit of underboob. I’m sure I can do better!

Besides “the” suit, I might also look for a top that goes with the blue shorts better—the floral ones don’t do me any favors; they are shorter than they are wide, so they make a horizontal line that makes me look wider than necessary. My blue bandeau top was with me through thick & thin, but now has lost an underwire. Idk how a lingerie store would feel about the shorts. I might just go with a cheeky star-spangled top (without the makeup).

ETA That Patagonia top actually stays put extremely well through activity. I probably was just careless when I put it on today, and my usual photographer with the critical eye is at school.

I like the mix n’ match look of 1, but it looks the top doesn’t stay in place? It looks better to me than the stars-and-stripe one with that string piece in the middle... maybe because it’s ‘sewn in place’ whereas with the other, that string is strung through. 8 I’m thinking could be good or very bad... probably would depend on quality.

RL, i really should’ve taken another pic, because that never happens. Of the stars n stripes, I think the twisted bandeau is my favorite; it has a detachable strap. I like 8, but worry that it plus the shorts could make everything look like a stack of bricks while also emphasizing the side to side. Seriously considering ordering them.

...ummm. Didn’t you write that you wanted to ‘move away from the US approach’?

Carla, you mean with the shorts? I was laughing at my own inconsistency there, especially given how roomy the blue ones are.

(Or um, the star spangled banner, FI )

She’s messing with me and I was slow on the uptake? Not the first time that’s happened!

Maybe I should go with something more classic, like this Dutch Masters painting.

In (other) words, the motif/design/picture is not the style. But you knew that already. Sorry I didn’t catch on the first time around.

This morning was my swim suit shopping appointment at the lingerie store. My favorite didn’t meet a couple of the criteria I set at the beginning, but just kept jumping out at me until I finally tried it on. I love it, but it’s over twice my budget. It’s the first one pictured.

Shopping with the SA was amazing. I told her roughly what I wanted (but not my size), she very quickly handed me a couple & pointed me to the changing room. They fit perfectly; one of them is among the finalists.

I’m intentionally posting them in with no commentary, because I want to hear what you think. There are a lot of shots of the dark green one, because I tried it in two sizes. And I did things like try one leg like this, one like that.

My initial plan was just to try them on, learn, and then shop elsewhere, but now I’m tempted to get one. Once you’re done laughing (yes, I have a pancake butt and wrinkly skin, and the SA knows the phrase “muffin top”), I’d love to hear your comments

Oh my gosh FashIntern they are all bloody fabulous and what an amazing body you have!!! I wish I looked that good in a bikini. You honestly look smoking hot in all of them. I really do love the first one too, but the teal one and the navy polka dot ones are nice as well (it might be because navy is my favourite colour). Gosh you have to get one of them.

P.S no wrinkly skin, muffin top or pancake bum in sight and I'm in awe of your toned tummy.

N, I’m blushing. Thanks for the huge compliments! It was a bit scary putting so many of these photos up and hearing absolutely nothing. I wish I had kept track of the makers, so I could check out their sustainability/labor policies.

I think you should post them in a separate thread. Everyone has to see these!! You really do look fab!!

You look FABULOUS IN A BIKINI! WOW

From the ones you tried on in stores, I like the style of #10 best - but maybe not in black? KILLER cut on you! Very flattering and unique.

I like #20 next best. Excellent colour on your skin tone.

I like the silhouette of #1 too. Do they have it in a darker colour?

I agree with Angie, except my preference is in reverse - 20, then 10 ... 20 is such a nice colour.

I am voting for 1 and 17.

Amazing selection, and I agree you look so good in them! My favorite is the last one. I like the fit and the style on you, as well as the color. I do like some of the details on the first one, your favorite, but I find the color and pattern less flattering. I also like the cut/style of others better; beyond the last one, I also like the styles of 10 and 20, and for the tropical vibe, I think 14-16 works nicely on you.

I vote for the red one in pics 8 & 9. It looks sleek, flattering, and interesting. My runners-up are the plain black suit and the black and white suit. The ones with molded bra cups, ruching, and high waists look fussy to me. I think the triangle cup tops and lower rise bottoms look awesome on you. You look sporty and in shape! think you could wear any color or pattern in that style so if these don’t quite do it for you, maybe try some more in that shape?

You look awesome! My favorite is #20. Wonderful color and style! Also like the cool features on #10

Thanks, all, for the positive feedback. I’m waiting to address individual comment, because I don’t want to sway the jury.

It was a bit frustrating that there were many suits not available in my size, and more on the website that aren’t in the store at all.

The suit Angie asked about other colors in is from Maryan Mehlhorn. Everywhere I’ve found it online so far has the same unreachable prices of €139 + €79 = nearly €220, which is way more than I can shell out for a suit—but maybe someone has better googlefu. #10 is very dark green; I think it’s the same label, with a slightly lower but still too-high price.

#20 is Sunflair. I’ve seen a lot of their suits online for much less than the €100+ the store is asking for.

So if anyone wants to apply their Google fu on my behalf, please do!