By Mallory Panuska
FAIRMONT — Swimsuit season. The time of year many women dread and stress over, trying to find the perfect shape and style to offer a comfortable, flattering result. Not to mention one that strays from leaving obvious tan lines and actually stays on in the wind and waves.
According to www.lifetoolsforwomen.com, a Web site addressing the lifestyles of women, there are a plethora of different types of suits out there to help flatter all body types. You just have to know what to look for.
From short torsos to belly bulge, the site addresses all the body issues most average women struggle with and gives suggestions for the types of swimsuit tops and bottoms that help cover up or flatter some of these problems.
For example, for women with short torsos, it says that vertical stripes will offset the problem, while horizontal stripes will help women with the opposite problem of a long torso.
And for belly bulge, the site suggests wearing a suit with an empire waist because it will “draw attention to the bust line and slim the tummy area”. It goes one to recommend dark-colored swimsuits to create a more streamlined look, or V-necks to draw the eyes toward the bust and face.
Locally, 38-year-old Fairmont resident Derice Bartholow said she tries to “cover up as much as possible” when wearing a swimsuit while sunning by a pool or out on her family’s boat during the summer.
Bartholow said she prefers a tankini-style suit, which is basically a two piece cut like a one piece, in pretty much any color except white.
“I like the tankini,” she said. “It’s a two piece, but almost like a one.”
For 21-year-old Andrea Ardt, a tankini is also the best choice because she does not like two pieces and usually finds one piece suits uncomfortable.
“I’m not into bikinis or anything,” she said. “I look for something more modest. I like the tankini style, something that feels comfortable on me.”
Ardt said she likes suits in bright colors, especially blue, and sometimes has to mix and match different sizes to find a perfect fit.
Beth Reynolds, a 19-year-old Fairmont resident, said she likes two pieces in bright colors, but is still relatively modest when she shops for a swimsuit.
“I like two pieces the best, but I like stuff that flatters my shape,” she said. “I’m pretty conservative. I don’t really like to show off everything. I like conservative two pieces.”
Reynolds added that she believes every woman should shop for what feels right for them, concentrating on comfort and fit, not so much what is currently “in style.”
“Wear something that makes u feel comfortable,” she said. “You should go around in a bathing suit that makes you feel good.”
The Life Tools for Women site also offers several tips for finding the right suit while shopping in the swimwear department. These include noticing where your eyes go first when trying on a suit in order to evaluate how flattering or unflattering it is and walking around, standing up, sitting down, twisting and turning while trying on a suit to determine how comfortable it is while wearing it.
E-mail Mallory Panuska at mpanuska@timeswv.com.
