Crossing fingers - YouLookFab Forum

Category

Shopping

Welcome! Read about what to wear and how to wear it on the YLF Blog. Join the YLF Forum to ask specific questions or just chat about fashion and personal style. Or check out the curated list of things we love in YLF Finds.

Outfits Ensembles Trends Advice

Crossing fingers

Janet

(website)

Veteran

There are no good B&M shops near me for swimwear anymore, and I just don’t feel like driving 45-60 minutes, not even knowing if anything good will be in stock in stores. We’re going away for four days later this month to Cabo, and my swimwear is looking dire. It’s been years since I did a refresh and I tried my suits on today and it…just wasn’t good. One felt all stretched out and looked a bit faded, one just did not make me feel in the least bit fab. Two would be ok in a pinch (one two-piece and one one-piece). And I have two Tyr lap-swimming suits that are great, but not resort-worthy.

So I just sucked up my credit card balance and ordered 13 suits from various places — most are one-piece. Surely the odds are with me for at least one out of that many, right?? Most of the bikinis just don’t look workable for me anymore, so if I have to wear one-pieces as resort swimwear at this point in my life, so be it! Several of them are one-shoulder styles, which appeal to me, so we’ll see how that goes.

There will not be pics. LOL But please wish me luck!

Shopping

31 replies

Latest reply was from Runcarla

Sal

Veteran

Good luck! I bought my swimsuit online last year and was really happy with it. I think you start to work out what features you need and what don't work.

I haven't been to Cabo but I think classy one pieces work everywhere...

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

You are going to find a few GREAT options and look KILLER, Janet! I'm sure of it! Good luck

Have you looked at Bleu by Rod Beattie? I'm about to order this set. One piece with a pants cover-up. Super cute to my eye, and in my colours!

This post has 2 photos. Photos uploaded by this member are only visible to other logged in members.

If you aren't a member, but would like to participate, please consider signing up. It only takes a minute and we'd love to have you.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Angie, my old favorite bikini was Bleu by Rod Beattie! I looked at what they have and the prints/colors or cuts weren’t quite what I’m after this time around. There was one suit I loved but it’s bra-sized and stops at a D cup, so, not for me.

That’s a really pretty suit and great colors for you!

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

YES. The patterns and colours have to be JUST right - as well as the fit. I get it! I just ordered the set. Will let you know what I think.

Care to share some of the styles you ordered, Janet? I've love to see them!

Barbara Diane

Veteran

Good luck!

Peri

Veteran

I have always felt that one pieces look better on anyone and everyone. I don't care if it's a 17 year old beauty, a bikini is just not really the best look. It's just too much. Tacky almost. I could rant for paragraphs on women's swimwear but I'll refrain. Mostly I'm encouraging you to not look on your one pieces as defeat mode.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

I last wore a bikini in pregnancy at age 32 I think!
I tend to only update the swimwear every few years as well, bought a beautiful set with matching wrap some years back and last time found a new one piece that looked good with the colours of the wrap, as the wrap was still good but the suit wasn’t.
Hopefully something you have ordered will be just right!

Vildy

Veteran

I always think one pieces look like you know what you're doing.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

I haven't wore a bikini since I was 12. Looking back I am not sure why, apart from severe body dysmorphia, but am a unlikely to start now. Good luck with your orders!

Jessikams

(website)

Veteran

Good luck! Trying on bathing suits is the worst. I ordered a TON last summer and sorted through the whole huge pile to find something that worked. Most things looked and felt really cheap and awful.

Bijou

Veteran

I feel for you, swimwear shopping is not for the faint hearted. However, the fact that you are off on a fabulous holiday definitely makes it worth it!

Olive Green

Veteran

I settled for a pretty good coverage cropped tankini style top, and a couple pair of separate board shorts for this leg of the aging journey, and to paddle around with dogs. Very comfortable and great for actually swimming in the wild, lakes and ocean.
I can totally see you in a one shoulder glam look, with a wrap and large sunglasses.
I remember you are short waisted, so that is a challenge when a close fit is wanted. Would also love to see your selection.

Anonymous

Hope you get a couple good ones in the lot! Love that set for you Angie!

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Thanks for the support, all!

Weirdly enough, my individual fit challenges have sometimes meant that bikinis are an easier fit than many one-pieces! And tummy issues have not traditionally been my flattery concern — it’s hips and thighs which are harder to disguise. A short torso and sizable chest definitely compound the issues of fit and flattery. Add to that that I’m sooo picky about style and color and pattern. I’m after some refinement/sophistication and hopefully even a little hint of the edge or rock’n’roll vibe I seek in my everyday outfits, and it’s a tall order indeed. Nothing pinup retro or sweet or girlie, and finding the middle ground between matronly and skimpy is hard. And I do not want a solid black suit — it seems like a lot of interesting styles default to solid black, but it’s not great with the high contrast of my pale skin.

So many requirements! My husband can just grab a pair of swim trunks with that proper waist measurement and be done with it! Argh!

Joy

Veteran

Good luck. A friend who swims daily swears by the tugless one piece suits at Lands End. She is 5'6" and gets the talks for motor room in the crotch. But I hope that at least one suit you ordered fits well. I like tankinis with a long top to cover the abdominal area . My biggest problem is creating a swim suit capsule that avoids old lady black. Navy is my current favorite but navy's don't match. Lands End's Radiant Navy and Deep Water Navy clash.

RobinF

Veteran

So hard to find a good suit! Let alone one that has a nice print! I'm sure you'll be successful though!

Mary Beth (formerly LBD)

(website)

Veteran

I bought four pieces from La Blanca’s Island Goddess collection last year: a white bikini, a blue top, and lavender bottoms. Very comfortable, good support, and the pieces mix and match well with my existing swimwear. I purchased via Nordstrom Rack and Amazon.

I’ve lost some weight this year, and plan to re-shop the bottoms.

https://lablanca.com/collectio.....nd-goddess

Irina

Veteran

Oh, Janet, I so wish you luck! It's an incredibly difficult task.
For decades my default choice was a bikini set bought as separate pieces. But now my best option is one piece and very few retailers offer petite sizing and make most of swimsuits too long in the torso for me. It limits a lot of styles for me. I look with envy at Speedo suits for lap swimming. I hope your experience will be not as disappointing as mine.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Irina, try TYR for lap suits. Speedo don’t work for me but TYR does. I have the too-long issue in a lot of swimsuits too.

MrsK

I have to shout out the new-to-me brand Left on Friday for swimwear - I have been SO happy with my two suits from them, after years of being unhappy with everything I tried. https://leftonfriday.com

Not affiliated at all, just a fan! (They are based in Canada, so I'm not sure about shipping to the US.)

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Janet, so true! I have traditionally found bikinis easier to fit than one-pieces because you can manipulate the fit of the length and width more easily. That said I LOVE the look of a one piece - always have!

As far as wearing a one-piece versus a two-piece, I’m on the side of the wearer! Go for which ever style makes you feel the most happy and confident. My clientele are an even split in that regard.

Thanks, Suntiger! I’ve ordered the set

Gail

Veteran

Good Luck !
I hope something works for you out of the 13. I went to St Martin in February and barely scraped by with the 2 suits I had of which one the elastic felt decidedly stretched out . I'm not planning on any resort vacations until next year so will wait until end of summer and see if I can grab something on sale . Bathing suit shopping is right up there with bra shopping for me - dislike !

kkards

Veteran

swim suit shopping...i dislike it even more than bra shopping!
anyway, i'm more of a tankini girl, which for some reason are getting harder to find, not impossible, just seems like less brands are making them....
but i do have to say, as much as its a pain, IMO, is soooo much easier to order a whole bunch and try on at home. you can shop multiple brands/price points etc so much easier than if your shopping 1 store at a time

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Hoping you find something that works, Janet. Swimsuit shopping is a nightmare.

Irina

Veteran

Thanks, Janet! I’m going to try TYR in a couple of months.

Kyle

Veteran

Janet already knows about this option, but for any others seeking a flattering one piece, I highly recommend this J. Crew one-shoulder option. Many color and some pattern choices, available in long torso, and the ruching is masterfully camouflaging and flattering for those who may care about that. Summer is coming!

https://www.jcrew.com/m/womens.....-one-piece

Ginger

Veteran

Good luck, Janet! Hopefully several of the thirteen are lucky! And I completely concur with two pieces being easier to fit than one piece. I needed a new size for this year (ugh) and discovered that all two pieces are now high waisted. Which works for me in everything else, but it's dreadful in swim suits! I ended up sourcing two separate pieces of a 3-4 year old model from different places. One on super deep clearance and the other from Poshmark (unused). It will work!

JP

Veteran

I totally get you, Janet, and I wish you luck

I was going through the same thing last summer. I've always been a two-piece bikini type until a few years ago that I felt I had to wear a one-piece (I've changed my mind about that though). In 2020 I purchased a one-piece from Boden and I ended up taking that to Lake Como... It was so HOT and humid that even the thought of wearing a one piece was making me sweat. I ended up making a two-piece out of some fabric and my bra, lol - but I need a good bikini this year, so I am on the hunt. Most bikinis do not have the bra size that I need... sigh

I hope you'll share the styles you select.

Santorini Swimsuit

View Info

Top Pick

1

Janet

(website)

Veteran

Ginger — I can’t wear high waisted two-piece suits either! It feels like the waistband comes almost up to the bottom band of the top! LOL

Kyle, I ordered that suit to try. I have low expectations for JCrew swimwear as their regular clothes often don’t work for me (not very curvy friendly), but you don’t know until you try, right?

12